Arcade Fire "Everything Now" (2017)

Everything Now
release date: Jul. 28, 2017
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,92]
producer: Arcade Fire and various
label: Columbia - nationality: Canada

Track highlights: 2. "Everything Now" - 4. "Creature Comfort" - 5. "Peter Pan" - 7. "Infinite Content" - 11. "Put Your Money on Me"

5th studio album by Arcade Fire is self-produced by the band with various co-producers on selected tracks sees the band on their perhaps most radical stylistic change. Reflektor had the band try on disco and alt. dance on a number of tracks, but with this, the band has completely moved into a new territory of dance-oriented music.The title track is extended in 3 songs: track 1 "Everything_Now (Continued)", with an underscore continue track 13 "Everything Now (Continued)" without the underscore and plays with the media as to underline what is proposed in the two track titles "Infinite Content" (#7) and "Infinite_Content" (#8) - the whole album is meant to play indefinitely.
It's not that it's bad, 'cause the production sound is there - it's more so a question about what they contribute with. Yes, they can play whatever they feel like, but going synthpop on the dancefloor means that you should add something to the genre - new danceable tunes. But this is just all so ever cute without that thangg. Where are the more than just interesting songs? The title song has been playing on my radio for months, and I'm so tired of that tune. It never was a great one after all, but that's how the music business works these days. Some tracks are cheesy, some have indie pop potential ('Peter Pan', 'Infinite Content'), some sound as drawn after other successful dance songs by New Order ('Creature Comfort'), Daft Punk / Chemical Brothers ('Signs of Life', 'Electric Blue').
Looking down the Arcade Fire path, I see greatness in the wilderness, but I no longer have strong expectations about this band for the future. They jumped right onto the big scene, and perhaps too soon to be able to navigate and continue in what would have been a natural progression.
The album cover is made in numerous editions with different colours and titles in native languages.
This is not really recommended.
[ 👍allmusic.com, Q Magazine, The Guardian 3 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

Arcade Fire "Reflektor" (2013)

Reflektor
release date: Oct. 29, 2013
format: digital (2-disc)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,96]
producer: Arcade Fire, Markus Dravs, James Murphy
label: Merge Records - nationality: Canada

Track highlights: 1. "Reflektor" (3,5 / 5) - 2. "Flashbulb Eyes" - 4. "Here Comes the Night Time" - 5. "Normal Person" - 9. "Here Comes the Night Time II" - 13. "Afterlife"

4th studio album by Arcade Fire is a double cd released on Sonovox in Canada, and it follows three years after The Suburbs.

The style has altered - again. I guess, that's what they do. The chamber pop style is almost completely gone, and instead the album has a touch of electronic, or alt. dance.
My initial thoughts on the album were not positive and after some time I must say that I'm not convinced about this band anymore, as they have sort of ceased to interest me. Reflektor is somewhat boring, without glimpses of... interest. I think its close to mediocre and feel like handing it 3 out of 5 stars. It's not really bad, I just don't ever feel like listening to it 'cause nothing on it appeals to me.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 4,5 / 5, NME 4 / 5 stars ]

Arcade Fire "The Suburbs" (2010)

The Suburbs
release date: Aug. 2, 2010
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,38]
producer: Arcade Fire, Markus Dravs
label: Merge Records - nationality: Canada

Track highlights: 1. "The Suburbs" - 2. "Ready to Start" (3,5 / 5) - 5. "Empty Room" - 6. "City With No Children" (3,5 / 5) - 9. "Suburban War" - 12. "Deep Blue" - 13. "We Used to Wait" - 14. "Sprawl I (Flatland)" - 15. "Sprawl II  (Mountains Beyond Mountains)"

3rd studio album release by Arcade Fire. I think it slighty betters the 2007 album, The Neon Bible.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 4 / 5, Q Magazine 5 / 5 stars ]

Arcade Fire "Neon Bible" (2007)

Neon Bible
release date: Mar. 3, 2007
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,33]
producer: Arcade Fire
label: Merge Records - nationality: Canada

Track highlights: 2. "Keep the Car Running" (4 / 5) - 3. "Neon Bible" - 6. "Ocean of Noise" - 7. "The Well and the Lighthouse" - 9. "Windowsill" - 10. "No Cars Go" (4 / 5)
[ full album ]

2nd studio album release by Arcade Fire. The band has been expanded by drummer Jeremy Gara, and violinist Sarah Neufeld. Stylistically, the band has moved towards a more wholesome rock-sound, with Funeral being more wild this sees the band take on a more traditional approach.
Yes, it's nicely produced - at times I find it too mainstream-sounding. It probably contain fine lyrics but my initial feelings about it are bland, as I had set my expectations higher.
And of course the album could only disappoint with the meteor-like approach by the debut. It comes out 2½ years after the fabulous debut, and no, it does not live up to that, alas. Frankly, I find it a bit of a difficult listen. I soon tire of Butler's vocal, which I find stay much in the same performance, and the arrangements don't stir up anything - nor my interest. Still, there are some fine songs here, but overall, it fails as to hand me substantial evidence as to why I should consider this band the new big thing - but they were!
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, NME 4,5 / 5 stars ]

BEST OF 2004:Arcade Fire "Funeral" (2004)

Funeral [debut]
release date: Sep. 14, 2004
format: cd
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,56]
producer: Arcade Fire
label: Merge Records - nationality: Canada

Track highlights: 1. "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)" - 2. "Neighborhood #2 (Laïka)" (5 / 5) (live in Amsterdam) - 3. "Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)" (5 / 5) (live on Jools Holland) - 5. "Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles)" - 7. "Wake Up" - 8. "Haïti" (5 / 5) - 9. "Rebellion (Lies)" (5 / 5) - 10. "In the Backseat"

Studio debut album by Arcade Fire. Despite the amount of hype that preceded it, the album lives up to all expectations and more! This is great innovative music that takes you places and makes you wanna turn up the volume and just... dance. It may not look pretty [me dancing] but it sure makes me wanna move :-) In spite of the sinister theme of death and loss, it really is an uplifting and positive album, and with this: they deserve all the hype. This was without comparison my most beloved cd that year.The album is enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
[ allmusic.com 5 / 5, NME 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone, Uncut 4 / 5 stars ]

2004 Favourite releases: 1. Arcade Fire Funeral - 2. The Streets A Grand Don't Come for Free - 3. Grant-Lee Phillips Virginia Creeper

Arcade Fire "Arcade Fire" (2003) (ep)

Arcade Fire, ep
release date: 2003
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5]

Tracklist: 1. "Old Flame" - 2. "I'm Sleeping in a Submarine" - 3. "No Cars Go" (4 / 5) - 4. "The Woodland National Anthem" - 5. "My Heart Is an Apple" - 6. "Headlights Look Like Diamonds" (4 / 5) (live) - 7. "Vampire / Forest Fire"

The ep album debut by Arcade Fire. This album was originally a self-released album the band sold on live concerts and from their website. After they signed with Merge Records the album was re-issued in a remastered edition and released in 2005. The sign is here but the production is too narrow or poor to come near the actual debut album Funeral (2004).