Music: Arcade Fire

After all the "Who are they?" comments following their 2010 Album of the Year Grammy, I've decided to give an introduction to the Montreal-based band Arcade Fire.

The band, described as Indy but akin more to Stadium rock, consists of husband Win Butler (lead vocal/guitar), wife Regine Chassagne (drums, lead vocals, piano, odd instruments), brother Will Butler (everything) and a few other close friends. 

Known for being one of the best live acts around, Arcade Fire takes advantage of their numbers by employing a multitude of instruments and sounds throughout each of their songs, both in studio and live.

Funeral (2004)

Their major label debut, Funeral, was widely praised by critics, many citing Funeral as the best album of 2004 and 2005.

There first released single, "Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)", describes the aftermath of the infamous 98' Ice Storm that cover all of northeastern North America, in which cities were ripped apart, power lines knocked over, and in some cases injuries and deaths occurred. 

"Wake Up", probably one of their most well known songs to-date, namely because of its use in promotional advertising and movie scores, is what you would call a "show-stopper". With a thrilling sing-a-long chant, this song is the type of song that every artist dreams of writing.

"Rebellion (Lies)" cited as one of the best off Funeral, is expertly crafted from droning bass lines, pounding keys and a rolling drum beat to die for. Whats not to love?

Neon Bible (2006)

After their explosion into the mainstream through Funeral, the band used their next project, Neon Bible, to explore new musical territory, with new instruments, new song styles, and a new perspective on life.

However, that doesn't mean that the band abandoned their signature bass lines, big band sound and addicting melodies, as can be seen in their hit single "No Cars Go".

The Suburbs (2010)

After a two-year hiatus, the band hit back hard with the release of The Suburbs, aptly called due to its thematic fixation on youth. Though not the first album in which Arcade Fire chose an overall them, The Suburbs is by far the most successful in that regard.

I therefore present you with my two favorite songs on the album - the first being the ever-droning "Empty Room".

Finally, I present "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)", one of the many beautiful songs that include of Regine as lead vocalist. This was one of the first songs on the album I really got into, and I was very happy when they chose to release it as a single - something I didn't think would happen. 

Well, thanks for sticking with me here, I know getting to known new bands can sometimes be a tedious adventure. So, did anyone know about Arcade Fire previous to the Grammy win? If you have one, what is your favorite song by them? Thanks again!