You can hear short sound samples at Amazon.com without registering for
anything. Do a search there at music:arcade fire.



 On 6/3/07 7:08 AM, "Colin Hill" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> Nope, had to register.
> Now looking forward to tons of Spam.
> Haven't quite had the courage to seek any sound files of the band
> though............
> Colin Hill
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "John Woosley" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: <[email protected]>
> Sent: Sunday, June 03, 2007 9:06 AM
> Subject: Re: [HG] Arcade Fire?
> 
> 
>> I've just seen the Arcade Fire play here in Portland as part of a
>> largely sold-out tour. They were superbly enjoyable. Their attraction
>> can be attributed largely to the band's musical honesty, their catchy
>> and strangely familiar melodies, a dreamlike lyrical potency, and the
>> extraordinary degree of enthusiasm which comes across in all their live
>> shows.
>> 
>> The group is Montreal-based, currently touring as a ten-piece band.
>> Their latest album, "Neon Bible", has been out for a couple months on
>> the US label Merge (a good independent label also home to Neutral Milk
>> Hotel and other quality "indie" rock bands). Although Arcade Fire have
>> a fairly straightforward modern rock lineup with guitars, electric
>> bass, drums and keyboards, they utilize violin, accordion, acoustic
>> bass, mandolin, and brass regularly and to very good effect. The hurdy
>> gurdy is a recent addition, as band member Regine Chassagne apparently
>> became enamored with the instrument in the last couple of years.
>> 
>> There isn't much gurdy apparent on the new album, to be honest. In
>> concert, Regine played HG during the show opener ,"Keep the Car
>> Running", and one other number later on. Her playing was more evident
>> in the mix during the show; it must be pretty buried in the studio
>> recording, sadly.
>> 
>> To answer your question more directly, Melissa, I believe the HG makes
>> an appearance in Arcade Fire due to personal passion more than any
>> desire to be cool. Certainly, it isn't the focal point of the group's
>> sound, and the cathedral pipe organ (!) makes a bigger impression on
>> the album than the HG. In concert, Regine's playing posture, stop/start
>> styling, and coup technique were competent, and as such, bring a great
>> deal to the uninitiated music loving population.
>> 
>> If you are curious, there is a great photo of Regine's HG on the Arcade
>> Fire discussion forum. It is certainly a Weichelbaumer. Hopefully this
>> link is available to all without forum registration:
>> 
>> http://forums.arcadefire.net/viewtopic.php?id=8103
>> 
>> For anyone who is interested in checking out Arcade Fire, I recommend
>> purchasing their first full length, "Funeral". Though off-topic,
>> HG-wise, it's as good an album by any artist, in any genre, as I've
>> heard in the last five years or so. This is a rare band whose
>> popularity hasn't affected their integrity. Their songs are relevant
>> and strangely affecting. The followup "Neon Bible" is quite good as
>> well.
>> 
>> John
>> 
>> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> On Jun 2, 2007, at 8:35 PM, Melissa Kacalanos wrote:
>> 
>>> I've been hearing a lot about this band called Arcade
>>> Fire. ...
>> 
>>> Which track contains the hurdy gurdy? Can anyone
>>> confirm this as a hg sighting, or is this band just
>>> claiming to play hg in an attempt to seem cool?
>>> 
>>> Melissa
>> 
>> 
> 

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