Far From A Weak Link
Arcade Fire has been an indie darling since their debut album received critical praise in 2004. Their career reached new heights when The Suburbs won Album of the Year at the 2011 Grammys. Needless to say, there’s a lot of expectation for their newest album, Reflektor.
Reflecktor is a double album that mixes elements of disco and new wave with Arcade Fire’s characteristically lavish sound. This time around, there is much more emphasis on dancability than on any of the band’s previous albums.
Disc one is bright, catchy, and upbeat. Songs like the title track, Normal Person, We Exist, and Here Comes the Night Time feel like radio singles ready to be played. But with all the sleek sounds in Reflektor, Win Butler’s somewhat unconventional voice stands out from the others.
Disc two is where you’ll find the longer, more atmospheric tracks on Reflektor. Here Comes the Night Time II, Awful Sound, It’s Never Over, and Porno are big, sweeping jams filled with youthful introspection. This is music to re-evaluate your life to.
Fans of the band will be pleased with this release and I’m sure Arcade Fire will continue to reach new listeners. I prefer The Suburbs, but Reflektor is not even close to a weak link in Arcade Fire’s discography.
RIYL – David Bowie, Death Cab for Cutie, MGMT, The Smiths
Recommended – (Disc 1) 5, 4, 2, 7 (Disc 2 ) 2, 3, 1, 5, 4
Label – Merge
Reviewed by Zach Clossin November 5, 2013