Album review: Arcade Fire licks its wounds on Pink Elephant
And the band played on. More than two years after the sexual misconduct allegations against singer Win Butler that had some (this writer included) wondering whether this was the end of the road, Arcade Fire returns with a seventh album, Pink Elephant, out May 9.
Article content
Montreal fans got a sneak preview as the group performed sold-out shows Tuesday and Wednesday nights at the intimate Olympia Theatre. They appear on Saturday Night Live on May 10. So business as usual, right? Not exactly.
Article content
Article content
The album title is a reference to how attempting to suppress a thought makes it impossible to avoid, which accurately describes the impossibility of listening to Pink Elephant without reflecting on the controversy. In terms of mea culpas or deeper reflections on the topic, don't expect much more.
Article content
Article content
Like Arcade Fire's 2022 pandemic album WE, Pink Elephant finds Butler and wife and bandmate Régine Chassagne holed up in their New Orleans studio, crafting songs of love, loss and perseverance.
Article content
'I can take you anywhere / Where we're going, I don't care / I can work a 9 to 5, you can be an actress,' Butler sings on the ethereal Ride or Die. Translation: we don't need this music thing, anyway. Except of course, they do.
Article content
The song, like much of the album, bears the atmospheric stamp of the couple's new co-producer, Gatineau singer-songwriter and ambience guru Daniel Lanois, best known for his work with Brian Eno on U2's seminal albums.
Article content
Speaking of which, Pink Elephant begins with three minutes of tripped out synths, titled Open Your Heart or Die Trying. On the recently-released title track next, Butler sounds battle-worn as he reflects on heartache over laid-back power chords and a steady beat: 'The way it all changed makes me want to cry but / Take your mind off me.'
Article content
Article content
Chassagne joins him on first single Year of the Snake, whispering/singing about it being 'the season of change, and if you feel strange, it's probably good.'
Article content
The song has an insistent beat and twinkling pedal steel guitar, the latter courtesy of Lanois, whose subtle touch can't be overstated. For a band post-crisis, releasing a comeback album of sorts, the veteran musician's refinements provide emotional depth and nuance.
Article content
Synths are a driving force, particularly on '80s dance track Circle of Trust. Again, Butler and Chassagne can be found whispering, this time about escaping 'into the ecstatic night' and geometric communion.
Article content
Alien Nation ups the ante with Nine Inch Nails-inspired intensity. Fuzz guitars and synths collide as Butler waxes on his favourite theme of post-millennial dysphoria, name dropping Black Friday cyber attacks, fake friends and going off the grid as the song swells to a frenetic climax.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Edmonton Journal
13 hours ago
- Edmonton Journal
I saw Metric in Toronto, then watched the livestream: Which is better?
Article content Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. Canadians have always had a significant impact on the music industry, but one of my favourite eras has to be the indie resurgence of the early to mid-2000s. Artists like Arcade Fire, Bedouin Soundclash, Feist, Hot Hot Heat and Broken Social Scene were on heavy rotation on my iPod Nano at the time, and I'm happy to report that many of these bands are still touring today.
National Post
13 hours ago
- National Post
I saw Metric in Toronto, then watched the livestream: Which is better
Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. Article content Canadians have always had a significant impact on the music industry, but one of my favourite eras has to be the indie resurgence of the early to mid-2000s. Artists like Arcade Fire, Bedouin Soundclash, Feist, Hot Hot Heat and Broken Social Scene were on heavy rotation on my iPod Nano at the time, and I'm happy to report that many of these bands are still touring today. Article content Article content Toronto-based Metric is one such group currently on tour, and they recently performed at Budweiser Stage for a retrospective of their 2009 Juno Award-winning album Fantasies. I was at the show in person, but if you missed the event, there's still a way to watch from home. Article content Article content Metric live in Toronto Article content I've seen Metric live before, but it's been more than a decade since I attended one of their concerts. This time I was seated in section 301, which at the Budweiser Stage venue is about halfway between the stage and the rear lawn section, and a little to the right. Tickets for the show ranged in price from $55 – $315 per person. Article content Article content The concert kicked off with opening performances by The Dears (a new-to-me artist) and Sam Roberts Band (another Canadian act that made it big in the early aughts), both of which were a great way to start the evening. For me, however, Metric was the biggest draw. I was just about to graduate from high school when the album Fantasies was released, so the concert was a unique opportunity to transport myself back in time and do a little reminiscing. Article content
Calgary Herald
7 days ago
- Calgary Herald
Daniel Lanois, Rick Mercer, Blue Rodeo announced for fall events
Article content The fall calendar is starting to fill up with big-name concerts and other events. Article content Article content Both musician-producer Daniel Lanois, comedian-TV personality Rock Mercer and Canadian hitmakers Blue Rodeo announced tours that will bring them to Calgary. Article content Article content Celebrating 40 years together, Blue Rodeo is back on the road with an anniversary tour. They swing into the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium for two shows, on Oct. 1 and 2, before moving on to Edmonton for two shows. East Coast soul singer Adam Baldwin opens for them on all dates. Article content Article content Lanois, well-known as a producer working with such heavyweights as U2, Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Robbie Robertson, is also an eclectic musician who can't be pinned down to any one sound. Born in Hull, Quebec, his music spans folk, classical, soul, ambient, rock and electronica. Article content Article content Article content Lastly, Rick Mercer brings his sharp wit and political commentary to Edmonton on Sept. 13 and Calgary on Sept. 14 at the Jubilee Auditoriums as part of his Stand Up for Canada Tour. Article content Mercer is best known for CBC comedy shows This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Made In Canada and Rick Mercer Report. He has written four bestselling books and won nearly 30 Gemini Awards and Canadian Screen Awards.
