Arcade Fire
Montreal’s pop orchestra appeared at their sophomore Austin City Limits Music Festival riding high. The Merge recording artists are David Bowie and U2 faves, and the te-piece ensemble taped an ACL TV segment the day before their stage-closing festival set. Like Pavlov’s dogs, fans slobbered. And not because founding members Win and William Butler hail from the Houston area. “Black Mirror,” kicking off this year’s decidedly non-sophomore-slump, Neon Bible, primed an already dripping pump from which there was no ebb until houselights washed up after the sole encore, “Wake Up,” from their near-perfect 2004 debut, Funeral. Régine Chassagne, founding member and Win Butler’s soulmate, was MVP – lead vox, trap drums, hurdy-gurdy, keyboard, accordion, glockenspiel, and found percussion. This is one of Arcade Fire’s strengths: Every member plays everything. And somehow it all works, and works to singular effect. Sampling equally from both albums, the midset 1-2-3 of “No Cars Go,” “In the Backseat,” and “Intervention” (dedicated to Gov. Bush) was perfect. Merci beaucoup, mes amis. Ne soyez pas des étrangers.
This article appears in September 21 • 2007.