For those of you saying this album sucks... what the hell are you listening to? The album is great. It's like it was meant to be an in between Devil and God and Daisy record. It's not as noisy as Daisy but they still use feedback in a creative way. If you don't like it then you must not really like Brand News sound.
Yeah man, I'm with you. I didn't realize TRNA was so popular around the world! The material is great, but it's my least-favorite of the stuff they've released so far. Which I guess speaks to the quality of their previous releases I know I can't wait to hear "Calm" on vinyl though, that song is fucking awesome.
I can only imagine what's going to happen when they drop the new Silent Whale album next year haha. They better have like 3 extra servers, because I imagine the post-rock world is going to go absolutely crazy for that release! XD
I guess it's time to weigh in on this one, myself, since I've been revisiting the album on and off for the last week. I feel like I'm finally in a position to state a concrete opinion here.
Like Tim and several others have said, above, I don't think the album is even half as atrocious as people are making it out to be. As much as I love seeing the polarization surrounding this release, it really is going to be an album that requires you to form your own opinion and not lend credence to the proverbial bandwagon... which is almost a perfect split, last I checked. Among users, anyway.
I really think fans of Arcade Fire are going to fall into one of two camps when listening to this record and deciding how they feel about it. The first (and more popular) group are going to view it as an objective plot on the trajectory of Arcade Fire's discography so far. It will be related relative to their "classic" albums and held to the same standards accomplished by Funeral, because it is the same band after all... right? Nevermind that it's an entirely different style, or that it was released 13 years after their heralded debut: it's still Arcade Fire, so they should be critiqued on the same scale that they've spent the last decade+ establishing for themselves. I get it, it's sound logic. But if you go into the album with that mentality, you're gonna' have a bad time. Plain and simple.
The second camp will be able to abandon the band's past, and focus on the present. For all we know, this is Arcade Fire exploring a pop-centric avenue and truly, deeply, shamelessly scratching the dance itch that began as a mere tingle on the skin in Reflektor. I think that this album fully embraces some of the swanky disco flare from the 2013 double-album. Four years ago, those disco drums and swelling horns during the title track's chorus were just peppered across the hour and 16 minutes. Today – now – it is the main ingredient of a 47 minute dish. That isn't going to bode well with everyone, and it's quite alright if you're not in the minority who can find enjoyment with the album. You are not alone. But they say misery loves company, and I'm personally enjoying the lifted spirits that are synonymous with this record. Have you tried driving with it on a commute? You really should.
This isn't AOTY by any stretch of the imagination. I'm comfortable calling it Arcade Fire's weakest release, and even more confident in saying that it contains bad lyrics – probably some of the worst I've heard in a significant amount of time. If I was a lesser man, I'd really allow the lyrics to deter me from enjoying this album. Almost every track has some cringe-inducing moments that leave me scratching my head. And the best part is that I don't even have to mention which moments those are – I can tell you that Peter Pan and Chemistry both have some laughable moments, and anyone who's listened to the album more than once will be able to cite the choruses in agreement. There are many moments when the lines break out of a rhyming structure, stagger syllables, swing with an awkward delivery, or just sound pathetic. I'm not awarding points to that style of songwriting... but in a very real way, I think there's a sort of "train wreck" phenomena going on here, where you can't help but spectate and carry the memory with you even after the moment has passed. Going back to Peter Pan: I think the chorus is a garbage fire. "Be my Wendy / I'll be your Peter Pan"... with those derpy dashes of brass in the background – no thanks. But I cannot deny that it rattles around in my head well after the album is over. Creeping in there for seemingly no reason on any given afternoon, and nestling itself comfortably on repeat. It makes no sense, but I think it's a testament to Arcade Fire's songwriting on this record. Whether you love it or hate it, they're still writing unique tunes that leave a lasting impression... for better or worse.
Honestly, for me, the only "dud" of a track at this point is Good God Damn. It has a sort of seedy groove to it that is definitely chill - no mistake about that - but I just feel like it doesn't go anywhere. Reflektor was cited as being bloated with throwaway tracks... but for me, even the weakest songs on that album took off and did something noteworthy at some point, redeeming their slow plod. Not so much on Good God. But barring what I'd consider the one true stumble in the back half, I really don't feel compelled to throw away any other song on this record. Could they be better? Absolutely. Régine's voice on Electric Blue is borderline annoying. And coupled with whatever weird synth melody that twines around it, it makes for a puzzling chorus – puzzling in the sense that my ears don't really enjoy it in the moment, though I've had it in my head for the last 10 hours or so. I'm at a point where I need to be playing something else to drown it out. Infinite Content has those blistering guitar chords - basic as they may be - and lazy lyrics... but I admittedly enjoy it quite a bit when that underscore pops up in the title, and the whole track becomes instantly bathed in an afterglow straight out of The Suburbs. Chemistry has some of the weakest lyrics Win has ever delivered, but its got a chorus that's dimwitted and ready for stomp-clap radio play, and makes me feel like I'm fulfilling my guilty pleasure quota.
So what's done right? I've talked a lot about how every song is so bad that it's charming... but is there anything that's legitimately good? The title track (and first single) still soars in my book, and is an A+ feel-good hit of the summer. Beyond the initial and popular reaction of "dude lol ABBA piano", I think there's a really well-written, layered, infectious pop tune that sees the band ascending to unrivaled heights. I also have to admit that I'm a huge sucker for when its main motif is repeated on the final track, but with a symphony – maybe the album's singular moment that beckons their older material, in terms of beauty and cohesion. I also think We Don't Deserve Love is brilliant, and was surprised no one brought it up in this thread. That guitar melody bouncing in unison with the vocals during the chorus was love at first listen... and Régine's backing vocals during the finale take me back to Black Wave / Bad Vibrations; arguably my favorite track off Neon Bible. The whole song is drenched with those syrupy synth drones, and I think it all comes together into a really nice package. Creature Comfort was also a really solid single with a commanding hook, if I'm being honest here.
It was pointed out to me that Everything Now's runtime is within a minute of both Funeral and Neon Bible. This really threw me for a loop... and after a bit of consideration, I think it's because those first two albums – arguably their best, in my opinion – feel like complete journeys. There's a starting destination, an ending point, and a spectrum of colorful tracks, dips, and progression between the two. Cheesy as it sounds, a dedicated listen to those albums feels like you've accomplished something; like you've come out on the other side, somewhere else. It feels like a 3-course meal that's nutritious, satisfying, and loaded with flavors. Everything Now is a grab bag of junk food. Sugary, sweet, shallow, and nowhere near as beneficial in the long run. It feels like less a journey and more of a Greatest Hits compilation. It may be fun to bounce off the walls with hit after hit, but at the end of the day, the sugar crash is inevitable. I really don't see it having the same lasting power or impact as any of their earlier albums. And in truth, I think that was a given to anyone with a shred of common sense who listened to the singles. If you listened to at last two of the four singles and still hoped we'd get a successor to Funeral, Neon Bible, or The Suburbs, I don't know what to tell you. Would it be rude to say that you deserve to be let down? Because that's kind of how I feel. I think it's very obvious that the band was not going for a "complete" journey spread across two LPs, this time around.
Maybe it's because I listen to a lot of drone, ambient, and otherwise experimental artists... but I think part of the appeal of this album could be tied to the "challenge" of finding the value in each song. I won't say that there's a diamond in the rough on every track, but I also don't think it's a complete pile of shit like a lot of folks are making it out to be. I won't sugarcoat it: I would be very happy if this record was Win and co. exhausting their disco cravings, so they could release something on a much more refined and grander scale, next album. But whatever the case may be, I think it's another colorful notch in Arcade Fire's belt. It won't "click" and be a sleeper-classic that everyone praises 10 years from now, but you have to give it credit for not being a rehash of ground they've already treaded. The general consensus can sit and pout with their arms crossed, lamenting the band for shit lyrics and shallow dance-anthems... but I think I'm just gonna' let loose and have fun with this one for what it is.
finally after almost 10 years (see page #1 for when i first got my 4x4 expedit in 2008 haha) i outgrew it and wanted to add more cubes
changed it up and went with three 2x4 kallax shelves when i saw they were on sale this past week, really pleased with how it turned out
I generally agree. Though I would say, Descensus might actually be a pretty good album. I own it, but have never listened to it. I just recently checked out some of the songs on youtube and there some pretty crazy shit going on with some of them. I heard "Schema" when it was first premiered and was not impressed that much so I never really gave the album a fair shake. I'm going to have give that one a full spin before I count them out on the steady decline thing and hopefully this new album will be awesome.
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