#cold fade

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HEAR: Meg Myers “Sorry”

Blatant self promotion Sunday.

After taking the long weekend (in Canada) off, Cold Fade is back with the amazing Meg Myers. 

Read what Mike and I think of this powerful singer songwriter.

Favourite lines:

And your tears - they taste like vinegar and blood 

Sorry that I lost our love, without a reason why 

No matter what we're feeling, it never feels enough 

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HEAR: Angel Olsen "Forgetting/Forgiven" on Self-Promotion Monday

Cold Fade is back with Mike Balsom and A.J. Junop.

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SEE: Fiona Apple's "Hot Knife" Viideo

Welcome to Shameless Self-Promotion Sunday.

Fiona Apple's song "Hot Knife" is an amazingly emotional track filled with lust and love. But that being said, this is one of the most passionate videos I have seen in a long time too. You can see Fiona push her way through this song with pounding drums, a sometimes carnival-like piano and delightfully strained vocals. Best of all is the synchronicity between Apple and her sister.

Learn more at www.coldfade.tumbr.com.

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HEAR: Broken Bells "Leave It Alone" More shameless self promotion. My friend Mike and I write a music blog called Cold Fade. Every week or so we take a slightly newer sometimes somewhat unfamiliar (to us) song, listen the crap out of it and banter back and for via email about what we like and don't like about it. I'll let the blog speak for itself. See you at http://coldfade.tumblr.com.

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Temples ‘Shelter Song’

  (MIKE) Since picking up my first copy of Circus magazine at age 13, I’d estimate I’ve read at least a million music reviews… if not more. Over the years, I’ve manufactured a list of favourite reviewers: Lester Bangs, Robert Christgau, Jenny Eliscu, Chuck Eddy, David Fricke and Rob Sheffield. I can instantly recognize who is writing what even before I glance at the by-line. The best reviewers bring their own style and personality to everything they write. So why is it that, after reading so many reviews and studying the masters to recognize what's right about their style, I find writing reviews so demanding?  Sometimes it is extremely challenging to find my own voice when writing. All of this brings me back to the subject of influences. You’ve mentioned before, AJ, that reviewers often lean on comparisons to help find a deeper meaning in the artist or the song or the album that they are writing about. That being said, with the very first chord of the Temples "Shelter Song", there's no chance I can think of anything other than the fact that this British band LOVES the Beatles in their late psychedelic period!

  (AJ) When it comes to writing, I think you might have clobbered the critical nail on the noggin. Sure I have been busy but any excuse is just an excuse for procrastination for me and that has always been my case when it came to my writing – especially when writing about music.

  That’s what I liked about being on the radio for so many years. I could say what I had to say and move on. I thought about it… I acted upon it… and I got on with my day. Writing affords me the opportunity to dwell. I live in a world of deadlines – and without one, without a date and a time when something is due… without a song winding down and the need to key on a mic in a couple of precious seconds, I am left to my own devices and my own overwrought thoughts about what I might think about something.

  You say you are having a hard time finding your critical writing voice? I am having a hard time trusting mine. I worry about whether I should like something or not. I wonder if I know enough to make those precious comparisons. I’m curious if I have a right to say the things that flash in my brain pan.

  But hell, if I could blurt them out on the radio for 20+ years, why can’t I just share what I think and what I feel on digital paper? (That’s rhetorical. The answer is dust in the wind.)

  So here we go:

  Temples=Psychedelia.

  You are so right. And this is something that ‘Shelter Song’ and the accompanying purple and yellow kaleidoscope video are not trying to hide. There is definitely a Beatles influence here along with early Stones, The Byrds, The Yardbirds, Strawberry Alarm Clock, and even The Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane – not that any of that is a bad thing.

  What is interesting is how fresh this vintage sound sounds. Remember, this is coming from a guy who might have been a little too young to appreciate psychedelic rock in the sixties first hand but I’ve listened to and played enough of the stuff in my musical past to appreciate how the genre contributed to the growing music scene of our youth.

  But what was an ‘era’ and a ‘genre’ 40-years ago could be looked at as a ‘gimmick’ today. ‘Shelter Song’ is immediately infectious but do you think Temples could be considered too narrow of musical scope in today’s world of downloadable experimental sounds? (Keep in mind, as I write this, I have not yet wandered into the green garden of YouTube to sample more Temples blossoms.)

  (MIKE) That garden is worth a frolic, AJ. They've been around a couple of years but are just now getting around to releasing their debut album. In fact, "Shelter Song" appears on that album but was actually released as a single back in 2012. In everything they do, Temples constantly wear their influences on their sleeves. But I don't think it is gimmicky. No, I suspect they have a true reverence for the psychedelic era, with the swirling, jingle-jangle guitars, the mounds of reverb surrounding the vocals and everything else… and of course the oblique lyrics. They do it well. Really well. Temples bring to mind early Jesus and Mary Chain (though they don't really sound anything like them) in the way their wall of sound envelops you, drawing you in and leaving you confused and breathless when it's all over. It is an all-encompassing atmosphere that's hard to escape. I'm not that much older than you but I was around to appreciate this sound's first arrival – essentially through the influence of my much older brother and sisters. The music of the Beatles and The Strawberry Alarm Clock, along with the Doors and the early Rolling Stones, were some of the first songs I ever sang out loud as a young tot. I carried that through to my teen years and into adulthood. But as a middle-aged man, I try not to look back too often, at risk of being the one who tells stories of walking 10 miles to school, uphill both ways, when the price of gas was the same as a package of Popeye candy cigarettes!

  I don't think I will ever be the one who says "music just isn't the same as in the good old days" and then spend the rest of my life listening to Classic Rock radio.

  Like you, I appreciate much of what I heard and loved in my formative years, but also look forward to fresh takes on music today and in the future. And "Shelter Song" is, to me, a fresh take on psychedelia, updated for an age during which technology not only brings us our music so fast but also makes it so much easier for artists like Temples to create great sounds. Can you imagine the work the Beatles and George Martin had to put in to create a similar sound back in 1967?

  (AJ) We have certainly seen Paul McCartney enjoy some success thanks in part to social media and this music-on-demand world that we live in. And it would have been fascinating to hear what John Lennon would have done with today’s technology. But for me, sometimes too much of the past is… well, just a little too much. Let me give you an example of where my head is at right now.

  There was a time in high school, while all of my friends lived on a steady diet of classic Zepplin, Hall and Oates and a fairly new band called U2, I was bouncing back and forth between REM, The Smiths, and Billy Bragg --- an eclectic mix I know.

  Bragg was interesting in the sense that I was the only person in my world who knew who the hell he was. But I didn’t listen to Bragg to rebel against the mainstream. I listened because just one song caught my ear and wouldn’t let go – “The Milkman of Human Kindness.”

  Flash forward 30-years. I was at work listening to what YouTube suggested I should listen to. That meant lots of World Party, The Cult and low and behold – Billy Bragg. But I didn’t just revisit Milkman. I repeatedly played some of his newer stuff too – in particular “The Handyman Blues” and “No One Knows Nothing Anymore.”

  Bragg has evolved. And like The Pixies who I recently had the great fortune to see live at The Orpheum in Vancouver, he too is sounding better now than he ever did before.

  Long story longer, you can listen to your past only so much before your brain screams for something fresh and new.

  I agree that Temples profoundly and expertly represent and revisit (and respect) the psychedelic era with Shelter Song along with “Keep It In the Dark” and “Mesmerise.” I really enjoyed listening to them. And the kaleidoscope clips on YouTube were a hoot too! But for now, I’m done.

  I appreciate what the band is doing. And I enjoyed listening to and learning more about these guys. But for now I have to say I’m finished. “Been there – done that” so to speak.

  As for your writer’s voice Mike, don’t worry. I hear you loud and clear. You speak a passionate truth that no one can deny. That is your style. It’s timeless. And I need to learn to trust my voice. We both need to remind ourselves to continue to be honest and unmerciful.

  I am curious though. What do you think Lester Bangs would have to say about these guys?

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Rosanne Cash “A Feather’s Not a Bird”

  (MIKE) I have to start with a somewhat embarrassing story. Years ago, while splitting time between college and jobs at a grocery store and a radio station, I was pursuing a girl. I really wanted to impress her. So I told her that if she listened to my weekend show on the local country station, I would play a song for her.

  How could she resist!?

  I played Rosanne Cash's cover of a Tom Petty song, “Never Be You".

  The lyrics included the lines:

  "But he only has me,

“He don't have my heart,

“He could never be you.”

  It’s a great song about being stuck with one while wanting another – a situation I could easily relate to at the time. But the message never got across to the girl. She was confused with the gender change in the song! Rosanne Cash has come a long way since her new-country hey-day in the 80s. Over her long career, she's never released an album that was not at least nearly perfect.

  She excels as a songwriter and is equally adept at interpreting other people’s songs – most likely something she partially inherited and/or learned from her dad Johnny and her stepmother June Carter. (To get an idea what life was like growing up with two legends; pick up a copy of Rosanne’s excellent memoir "Composed.”) In fact, her 2009 album "The List" was a collection of covers gathered from a list of 100 essential songs her Dad gave her when she turned 18. That release was named the Americana Music Association's Album of the Year. Rosanne’s latest album, "The River and the Thread" will be a contender for that same title this year.

  The album was inspired largely by a trip with her producer / multi-instrumentalist husband John Leventhal from their New York home to the South.

  "A Feather's Not a Bird" is the lead-off track, and it sets the tone for the collection. Here, Rosanne travels to Florence, Alabama – then on to Memphis and Arkansas, making reference to Nashville along the way.

  In the album's liner notes, she explains it was at a friend's sewing studio in Florence where, while threading a needle, her friend said "You have to love the thread." The line sent chills down Rosanne’s spine. It was at that moment that she realized this was exactly what her spiritual journey was all about.

  She had already written the lyrics:

  "A feather's not a bird,

“The rain is not the sea,

“A stone is not the mountain

"But the river runs through me."

  And the idea of the thread was a serendipitous fit with the theme of the song.

  Instrumentally, other than the drums and the strings, everything you hear is played by Leventhal. And the excellent gospel-tinged choir includes the late great Levon Helm’s daughter, Amy.

  It is a perfect road song, and a perfect slice of Americana.

(AJ) A road song! A driving song – in the literal sense of the word! Thanks Mike. That was the one missing element that was floating around in my brain that I couldn't put my finger on when trying to describe why Rosanne Cash’s “A Feather’s Not a Bird” ‘works’ for me.

  A lot of people think that you have to have crushing guitars and booming bass lines to create the perfect mixed tape for cruising. I say – not necessarily.

  What you need is a song with a persistent heartbeat. “A Feather’s Not a Bird” has that.

  The term ‘Americana’ has been rearing it’s beautiful head a lot in my life as of late – especially thanks to the music being used in a number of TV shows. From Jace Everett’s “Bad Things” from the beginning of “True Blood” to the excellent duo The Handsome Family and “Far From Any Road” – a song originally released in 2003 but finding the glorious light of day under the opening credits of “True Detective” starring Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson.

  The sound alone of “A Feather’s Not a Bird” is contemplative. It’s the kind of song that makes you realize we live in a Michael-Bay-Transformers-type world where there really is more than meets the eye. And the song makes it feel like Rosanne has been holding back for a long time – but not anymore.

  Cash controls the lyrics – she doesn't let the song control her. She could be angry or redemptive or envious. But instead she (and her vocals along with the river of strings and the steady bluesy strum of Leventhal’s guitar) is in complete control from beginning to end. I like that. I envy that. I envy that sense of control and knowing and discovery.

  At the same time, her voice is so clean and expressive. For whatever reason, part of me expected something grittier. But life has a way of giving you exactly what you need.

  One last thing and I don’t want this to come off as a bad thing, but “A Feather’s Not a Bird” is damn catchy. After just one listen, I found myself singing along with Rosanne – badly. But my lack of singing ability is not the sum of all my parts. I love my family. I love words and ideas and images and music. And I love that this song reminds me of that very thing.

  By the way Mike, did you ever get the girl?

  (MIKE) No.

[coldfade]

Glen Hansard "Drive All Night"

(MIKE) Thanks for putting me onto Glen Hansard and Eddie Vedder’s cover of Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Drive All Night.’ I still remember being floored the first time I saw the movie ‘Once.’ It was such a simple love story set on the backdrop of a real-life relationship that was, as we soon found out, in flux.

But it wasn't so much the movie or the acting as it was the way the original songs, written by Hansard and partner Marketa Irglova, weaved their way in and out of their low-budget surroundings. Obviously Oscar voters felt the same. ‘Falling Slowly’ took home the Academy Award for Best Song in 2007.

Like Hansard and Irglova, their band The Swell Season broke up too. But the story and the songs behind ‘Once’ continue to live on in the form of a Broadway musical of the same name.

So, it begs the question:

“Why is Glen Hansard, who is such a great songwriter himself, releasing an EP with the centrepiece and title track being a cover song?”

‘Drive All Night’ was originally part of The Boss’ double album release ‘The River’ – one of Springsteen’s more bleak collections. (‘Nebraska’ followed two-years later in 1982.) Whereas ‘Born to Run’ can still leave me feeling euphoric with promises of great things to come, ‘The River’ seemed almost like a reality-check.

Sure, there were upbeat tracks such as ‘Ramrod,’ ‘Out in the Street,’ and ‘Cadillac Ranch.’ But I still remember the sadness of the title track – and the despair dripping from ‘The Price You Pay.’ Even Bruce’s first top-ten hit ‘Hungry Heart’ sounded somewhat upbeat but it was a pretty desperate look at life and searching for the next best thing.

‘Drive All Night’ is another of those "downer" tracks. Hansard certainly seems to capture the feeling of the original in this version – so much so that even the Boss can be seen giving Hansard his blessings at a show in Ireland. Adding to the credibility and acceptance of this cover is Jake Clemons playing sax on the track. Is that name familiar? Jake is late-great E-Street-Band Big-Man Clarence Clemons’ nephew.

How do you like the way Hansard's voice works with Eddie Vedder on this track?

(AJ) I have a new found respect for Vedder after ‘Lightening Bolt’ was released and watching some of the promotional documentary material that was shared with the world leading up to ‘Sirens’ debuting on the radio. I was especially impressed at the reverence the other members of Pearl Jam pay to their de-facto leader. They seem to appreciate is creative bursts and give him enough room to be Eddie.

That being said, Eddie Vedder is a consummate professional who seems to willingly share that same kind of respect with Glen Hansard.

I not only think that Vedder nails the accompanying vocals on ‘Drive All Night’ and that his baritone is a wonderful mix with Hansard’s more emotional delivery, I think he knows what his job is during this gig – that he’s part of the support team. And there is no time during the song when Vedder even tries to take over and steal the limelight… even though I get the feeling that Hansard would welcome the interruption. Both singer-songwriters are overwhelming generous in this performance.

In my small word, Hansard can do no wrong. I just wish I had the foresight to recognize his wave of talent before it washed over us when I was watching the movie ‘The Commitments’ over and over again in 1991. (Hansard played guitarist Outspan Foster (great name Roddy Doyle!) with the huge mop of red hair and a huge lack of confidence when it came to asking out any of the Committmentettes.)

This is not a very musical notion on my part but I think one of the things that I like most about Hansard is that he seems so genuine. That comes through in everything he performs. His commitment (excuse the pun) to his music seems unparalleled. And maybe that’s why everyone from Vedder and Springsteen to Bono and Iron and Wine’s Sam Beam want to work with this guy. That’s admirable.

Hansard’s voice and broken guitar are so strong on ‘Drive All Night’ and that strength comes through even in the end when he is quietly, soulfully exchanging lines with Vedder.

“Don’t cry now.

“Baby can you feel it.”

I have to admit that I had forgotten about this song and how much I liked Springsteen’s original. I still remember buying my copy of ‘The River’ at a record store in Ottawa. Listening back, Bruce’s version seems more pained compared to Hansard who comes across as almost hopeful – not as lonely.

You asked why such a strong singer-songwriter was recording a cover of someone else’s material. I think Hansard answered that question himself in footage from a live show on Portugal where he said,

“Gonna end on a Bruce Springsteen song because it just feels like the right thing to do.”

But this is certainly not the end for Glen Hansard. It’s just not the beginning either.

Do you think that, with the help of this song, Hansard has the chops to regain the sadly limited commercial success he once had with ‘Falling Slowly’?

(MIKE) Sadly ‘limited’ is so true. Just looked up the Billboard numbers for the song. ‘Falling Slowly’ hit number 8 in Canada and number 2 in Ireland. And it only peaked at number 61 in the States. So yes, an Oscar is a big accomplishment. But it didn't seem to translate into huge sales. Then again, how many artists who write songs as good as Glen Hansard actually break through to the mainstream? Will this new song and EP gain him back the commercial success following "Falling Slowly"? I don't think there's a chance, unless someone does an auto-tuned remix with beats by someone named Dr. Kanye Timba-rza.

Just dusted off my old vinyl copy of ‘The River’ and popped side-four onto the turntable. Listening to the original version of the song makes me realize that Hansard's vocal is much different than Springsteen's – and the treatment by the E-Street band is fuller and more rounded than the new version. But Hansard does the song justice with both his arrangement and his vocal performance.

Technically, and this may come across as sacrilegious to some, Hansard is a far superior singer to the Boss. His voice is purer and he hits certain heights that bring a different emotional resonance to the song. And the harmonies with Vedder – at times their voices work together as one to the degree where I would not be able say "Hey, that's Eddie Vedder" if I hadn't seen the song credit or the concert video.

The song and the EP was produced by the great Joe Henry, and is being released as a fund-raiser for a charity that aims to put musical instruments into public schools. It's a very nice gesture from a singer-songwriter who, to me, has always come across as a very nice guy -- someone you could share a Guinness or two with along with some very interesting conversation.

And with ‘Drive All Night.’ he seems to be a guy who is also willing to give credit where it's due—paying allegiance to one of his biggest influences and staying as true to that influence's spirit. Hansard doesn't really make this song his own. But he seems happy to introduce some new fans to a long-forgotten song by one of his idols.

(AJ) I disagree a little. I do think that Hansard does make this song his own. True, he doesn’t play radically with the arrangement. But Hansard, unlike the majority of generic singers that pop up on American Idol and shows of that ilk, has such a unique and passionate sound, you can’t help but recognize that this is a guy with a voice – with something to say and the ability to say it.

Springsteen, Lennon, Sting – just three artists sitting on the top of my brain that you can recognize after any of them sing just one note. Hansard has that ability.

For now, Hansard is just going to have to settle for being the guy that everyone in the music industry wants to work with. Why? He seems noble without irony or effort. He seems to be what we wish we all wish we could be – happy doing what we do wherever we want to do it with whomever we want to do it.

Writing about Hansard brings out the best and the worst in me. My voice becomes flowery and pathetically poetic in a poser kind of way. My purple prose potentially compromise my own dreams of being as free as Hansard’s soaring vocals and ripping guitar. I am almost sabotaging myself trying to compete with Hansard’s passion.

What I need to do is learn from the master. I want to stay true to my own voice in the same vein that Hansard can. I love that Hansard can sing and record a Springsteen song with Eddie “Freakin’” Vedder “because it just feels like the right thing to do.”

Maybe neither of us will be rich and famous (well, maybe I won’t be rich and famous) but at least we can all enjoy this moment.

[coldfade]

Arcade Fire ‘Reflektor’

(Mike) I have to begin by stating that I have not been a rider on the Arcade Fire bandwagon since the beginning. I did buy their first three releases – almost out of a sense of obligation to their importance as a ‘Canadian’ band on the world scene.

But I have never completely warmed up to "Funeral", "Neon Bible" or "The Suburbs". To me, all three were interesting releases but were missing ‘a warmth’ that I craved. I loved what Arcade Fire was doing in their videos, taking that art form to a new, interactive level. But the songs often left me with a cold, empty feeling. I guess you could say I paid my fare but didn't jump on for the ride.

Having said that, ‘Reflektor,’ though not full of that warmth, is breaking new ground for me as a listener to this band. Their musicianship seems to have reached Talking Heads-like quality, exhibiting a willingness to take new chances with rhythms, instrumentation, and lyricism – as shown in Regine Chassagne singing in French throughout this song.

It's propelled by a dark, driving beat that, even without a chance to watch the intriguing video (or to participate in the interactive version) gives you a feeling of watching a David Lynch film. This is a moody, foreboding song about life and death, and the connections in between those two worlds. Has the route to heaven been found, or is it just a reflection? I have already warmed up to this track in a way I have not previously been able to with this band.

Much has been said already about the influence of a trip to Haiti taken by Win Butler and by Regine Chassagne (who is of Haitian lineage.) I don't particularly hear that in this track. But what I do hear is David Bowie's influence.

Bowie has admitted that he provided backing vocals on ‘Reflektor,’ and though it is difficult to pick out his voice, you can certainly hear a blast of his 80s inspiration. In fact, Alexis Petridis of The Guardian writes that the new disc is obviously a tribute to Bowie's Scary Monsters album. And Chris Richards of The Washington Post refers to Win Butler "pulling on David Byrne's oversized blazer" on another song on the CD.

Hmm. David Bowie... Talking Heads… Two ultra-80's comparisons for a very modern rock band. What do you make of that, AJ?

(AJ) I’ll take your eighties observances and trump you with a seventies card. And I’m not just talking about the mirrored disco ball that lights Arcade Fire’s way through a fascinating fun video.

When you asked me what we should talk about next on Cold Fade, I suggested ‘Reflektor’ qualifying my choice with a sheepish “because I don’t really know what I think about this song yet.” Even after a couple of listens and jotting down a few notes, I am still not sure. I am hoping that the process of writing this post will help me explore my ambivalence and allow me to get back to my more usual decisive self.

So far, I do know this:

I don’t love this song.

I don’t hate this song.

I’m not sure how this song makes me feel.

And before I could tell anyone what song you and I would be exploring next, I had three people including Kerry (my wife) suggest that we give ‘Reflecktor’ a spin because all of them really liked it.  (Interestingly, none of these people were big Arcade Fire fans before ‘Reflektor.’ Again, it wasn’t a hate-thing. It was just that, despite the Grammy win, the band wasn’t on their musical radar.)

It would seem that you and I were rocking the same musical boat (as opposed to being on the Arcade Fire bandwagon) when it came to what this Canadian ‘supergroup’ from Montreal had produced in the past. Sadly, you could probably play almost anything from these guys for me and I might not be able to tell you who they were. That feels embarrassing to admit. I feel like I should turn in my passport and move to Buffalo. (There is one exception to my moronic rule: I really did enjoy “Keep the Car Running’ from ‘Neon Bible.’ I suppose I am being too cliché when I said that the song had a style and a rhythm that kept me going for the entire 3:29 but so be it.)

I do like ‘Reflektor’s’ big full sound. Right from the beginning, there is no doubt that Win and company are not messing around and that they have a story to share. Rhythmically, the song immediately catches you with subtle genre-shifting changes and soaring ethereal vocals. I too couldn’t help but reflect a little after hearing their “If this is heaven…” line. And in the end, after listening to the song and watching the video and hearing and reading what others have to say – I have the upmost respect for the big talents and supreme artistic attitudes that make up this group and create such a complete cohesive sound. But I still don’t fell a personal emotional connection to the song.

Is it that the song sounds too big? No. I don’t think so. On the contrary, I think I might be disappointed by anything less from these guys. Even at seven-plus minutes, I don’t feel the need or desire to fast forward and skip to the end. The song stays fresh minutes past what could have been its expiry date. As a matter of fact, I love the ‘to be continued’ kind of feel to the end of ‘Reflektor.’ It makes me think there is more to say and that’s a good thing.

But it’s taken a lot of listens to train my cluttered brain to even recall the tuneful chorus.

(Mike) It is a BIG song, even taking into account that little 7-note piano-plinking motif that takes over just past the half-way point. Perhaps this ‘bigness’ is the reason why the band has now stirred up some controversy over their directive that fans dress formally at their shows. The request seems to have ticked some people off. I mean, an arena is not really the place you want to go dressed formally these days. Apparently, Win Butler has said the fancy clothes will improve the chances of Arcade Fire's fans getting laid! Somehow, I have never equated Arcade Fire's music with an increased chance of that, but maybe I've been missing something. I'll have to throw on my old baby-blue tux and slip on the whole CD to see if this works for me tonight.

As for you not recognizing the music of this Canadian ‘supergroup’ on early listens, it brings to mind a point that has irked me a bit since they hit the big time. Yes, I know they "formed" in Montreal, and they bought an old church in Quebec to record in. And yes, Regine Chassagne is Canadian and grew up in La Belle Province. But is this band really, truly Canadian?

Its principal songwriter, lyricist and de-facto band leader Win Butler, was born in Texas and raised in New Hampshire. His brother shares that background and is another member of Arcade Fire. I guess its okay to take them on as our own, and to be proud of their success on the world stage, but it all rings a little less true to me.

Anyway, back to the song. The more I listen to it, the more I love it. In fact, I got in the car this morning on my way to work and stumbled upon the song about two minutes in. I realized instantly that this is one of those tunes that I can recognize at any point and enjoy thoroughly no matter where or when I joined in.

And it's one of those songs whose hook will stay with me for the rest of the day – no matter what else I listen to between then and when I retire for the evening. I know when I lay my head on that pillow tonight, I will be singing "It's just a reflector…" to myself over and over and over. It's musical candy for me.

(AJ) You’ll have to let me know how the whole “tux” experiment worked. On the other hand… don’t.

My lack of ‘love’ for the song also places it in the “musical candy” category for me. And I agree that the minute you hear even a little bit of ‘Reflektor,’ you can instantly stand-up at the top of Mt. Robson and yell “That’s Arcade Fire! I know it is!” But candy is sweet and eventually dissolves to nothing. Even the sugar rush wears off in the end leaving you with not-a-lot to show for the treat. And that’s why ‘Reflektor’ is still a ‘like’ and not a ‘love’ for me.

One of the three who recommended that we talk about ‘Reflektor’ suggested that what I need to do is listen to the entire album. I agree. I miss those days of listening to a CD or a cassette (especially when I was driving in my “running” car) or even an LP from beginning to end; and taking-in the band’s science of flow and order. To me, Arcade Fire is more than the songs they produce. Their work harkens back to a day when concepts and themes were a bigger part of the greater scheme of things.

So for now, while you sit comfortably on the Arcade Fire bandwagon, I’ll continue to walk along side wearing a giant papier-mâché head listening to Bowie and Byrne on my iPhone.