Arcade Fire- Wake Up

Does anyone remember the song, “Hey Brother”? If yes, then does anyone remember that every time you got in the bloody car that’s all that they fucking played, and even if it wasn’t that song particularly it was some cookie cutter version of it? Well I do. Okay, okay, I don’t want to sound like a music snob, and for the love of God, I DO NOT want to be put in the same box as the hipsters, but every song on the radio just sounds the same. It seems like if a song isn’t brand friendly it just won’t get produced. That’s exactly what Arcade Fire and their latest release, “Everything Now”, was trying to ridicule.

Arcade Fire are an indie rock group from Canada with a career spanning back to the early 2000’s. Their debut album, “Funeral” (2004) was an underground favourite from the get go, appealing to the “emos” of our generation- me included. Funeral is an attempt to find hope when it seems unattainable, it’s an album that targets the emotions that most of us refuse to acknowledge, it’s a celebration of those we have lost and one of the strangest yet most powerful coming of age albums I have ever had the joy of listening to.

“Wake Up” has always been a favourite song of mine, it’s a build from ignorance to recognition, both of human potential and emotion, it’s growth.We grow from cowering from sadness to embracing it. And using theta to find a light in our potential and using it to guide ourselves toward our future. It’s something that almost anyone can relate to without seeming like it’s attempting to be “relatable”, it’s instrumentals allows it to build naturally with the lyrics, starting simple and getting more complex alongside the message. It’s art. And that’s only one of their songs, each track on this album is powerful in its own right, each song draws directly from the artist's emotions and shows how complex and beautiful music can be. Not like what you hear on the radio, none of the corporate bullshit, it’s real music built on compassion and pain. This album will always have an impact on me. I remember listening to it and just taking it all in, it made me feel powerful and in control at a time when I felt most out of touch. That’s what music should be, that’s what music should do.

As time passed the band grew in popularity, releasing classic after classic. With 2017 came around the release of Everything Now, a satire picking at the corporate image and how businesses are ruining art and music in every sense. This albums saitric nature seemed to go over the heads of most of the public, and unlike their other albums, it wasn’t as popular with the masses. However, lead singer Win, commented on this in an interview with the guardian, stating, “If that’s the worst thing we can possibly do then I’m at peace.” And I completely agree, if this masterfully made and produced album is the band's worst work, they must be one of the greatest bands of all time.

Even the build up to the album itself was a jab at the over commercialisation of music and artists, with an elaborate promotional campaign where the band pretended they were contacted by Everything Now Corp, to sell marshmallows and other items. But deep down, this album isn’t just satire and a joke, it’s empowering. The song Everything Now is an inspiring story, encouraging the listener to live a heartfelt and meaningful life. Much like their other songs and albums, each has a deeper message, my favourite being Creature Comfort, as it’s one of the only songs on this planet that has genuinely made my cry.

Creature Comfort might be my favourite song of all time, from the synths to the build itself, it still gives me chills. And then there's the message itself, which isn’t necessarily about the band but the fans. It’s a song about depression, suicide, eating disorders, the ugly side of ourselves that we never show to the world. It’s eye-opening, and it doesn't display it in a preachy way, it’s real and painful, and oh no why am i tearing up again… ahem... anyway.

It’s hard to find a band that can relate to its audience in a real way, a way that matters, and that’s exactly what Arcade Fire is, and what they do, they’re real and they care and that’s all you can ask for. Indie rock isn’t for everyone, but I promise you will find something you like, they are one of the most versatile bands I've ever had the pleasure of listening to and they will continue to be one of my favourites until I leave this earth. LISTEN TO THEM.