Canadian indie-rock icons Arcade Fire have wholly embraced the thematic album side approach for WE, their sixth studio album. WE splits its economical 40 minutes essentially down the middle, with Side 1 (denoted as I) functioning mainly under an individualistic introspection umbrella and Side 2 (dubbed WE) operating with a much wider, all-are-welcome embrace. Co-produced by the husband/wife tandem of Win Butler and Régine Chassagne along with Nigel Godrich, WE synthesizes its humble New Orleans studio beginnings with broader, open-air instrumentation (a Godrich specialty). The initially minimalist opener “Age of Anxiety I” is the very definition of feeling claustrophobic, with Butler’s measured lead vocals mixed way out front and guest Josh Tillman (a.k.a. Father John Misty) providing, just as the credits state, “stomps & breaths,” usually spread to the far reaches of the soundfield. From there, Arcade Fire’s full-bore, full-stomp milieu begins to crest, especially when it’s fueling the electrifying pulse of “The Lightning II” and the 80s dance-club mélange of “Unconditional II (Race and Religion),” the latter featuring a vocal give-and-take between Chassagne and Peter Gabriel. WE weaves the connective sonic tissue that makes Arcade Fire music all about us and them together in a most inclusive fashion. 

The post Arcade Fire: WE appeared first on The Absolute Sound.

Canadian indie-rock icons Arcade Fire have wholly embraced the thematic album side approach for WE, their sixth studio album. WE splits its economical 40 minutes essentially down the middle, with Side 1 (denoted as I) functioning mainly under an individualistic introspection umbrella and Side 2 (dubbed WE) operating with a much wider, all-are-welcome embrace. Co-produced by the husband/wife tandem of Win Butler and Régine Chassagne along with Nigel Godrich, WE synthesizes its humble New Orleans studio beginnings with broader, open-air instrumentation (a Godrich specialty). The initially minimalist opener “Age of Anxiety I” is the very definition of feeling claustrophobic, with Butler’s measured lead vocals mixed way out front and guest Josh Tillman (a.k.a. Father John Misty) providing, just as the credits state, “stomps & breaths,” usually spread to the far reaches of the soundfield. From there, Arcade Fire’s full-bore, full-stomp milieu begins to crest, especially when it’s fueling the electrifying pulse of “The Lightning II” and the 80s dance-club mélange of “Unconditional II (Race and Religion),” the latter featuring a vocal give-and-take between Chassagne and Peter Gabriel. WE weaves the connective sonic tissue that makes Arcade Fire music all about us and them together in a most inclusive fashion. 

The post Arcade Fire: WE appeared first on The Absolute Sound.