Over 15 years Canadian stalwarts Arcade Fire have become immediately recognizable by their innovative, highly conceptual albums. With their fifth album Everything Now, the band bring a wide range of influences to the front, translating these into 13 extraordinary tracks that prove Arcade Fire are still at the top of their game.
The chaotic noise of opening track Everything_Now (Continued) turns into the dreamy disco of Everything Now. The prevalent theme on the album revolves around commentary on the all consuming internet age. The band reflects on its ability to educate and connect, and on the flipside, the struggle to constantly be on-demand.
Creature Comfort reflects on the crippling pain of wanting to be more than what you are, lead vocalists Win Butler and Régine Chassagne singing in unison as their voices reflect the agony of unfulfilled aspirations. With Butler and Chassagne marrying prior to the band starting, there’s always been an underlying romance to Arcade Fire, perhaps most apparently so on this album. Peter Pan pairs the idea of immortality with enduring commitment towards someone, followed by the hook heavy Chemistry which features impressive brass to give the song an old-time swing feel.
Infinite Content is a comparatively more rock driven track that looks critically at the digital age and its impact on our mental state, while Infinite_Content uses the same lyrics but presented in an entirely new context, the delicate instrumental backing accentuating Butler’s emotive vocals.
Electric Blue is the first song on the album with Chassagne on lead vocals, her trademark sharp vocal style well suited to the ‘80s new wave inspired groove of the song. Good God Damn’s relaxed beat along with Butler’s near whispered vocals makes it the best slow burner on the record, while Put Your Money on Me would be at home on the band’s sophomore album Neon Bible, its intricate layering of synths and surprising progression making it a rewarding listen.
Penultimate track We Don’t Deserve Love is the cornerstone of the album, the song’s six minutes the most revealing on the record. Everything Now (continued) revisits the refrain heard at the start of the album, strings bringing the record to a moving conclusion.
While some of their sonic experiments may seem risky, the pay-off leads to a musical strength that is hard to compare. Arcade Fire are ultimately one of the best examples of how ambition within a project can pay off, Everything Now is truly a reflection of a band in their prime.
