I was recently giving my apartment a cleaning while listening to my iPod. While on a random shuffle I was allowed to listen to tracks by Broken Social Scene and Arcade Fire back to back, which led to the thinking...which of these two bands is more deserving of the hype? It is an interesting comparison, what with all of their similarities. Let's give them a quick run through...1) Both hail from Canada
2) Both have released two official full length LPs (Let's not count EPs and collections here)
3) Both could be considered collectives, or groups of friends who collaborate on an album
4) Both have principle song writers who form the backbone that is then expanded on
5) Both draw from a circle of talented musicians who play a multitude of instruments
6) Both sounds, though different, have the same layered atmospheric feel
7) Both have received astronomical amounts of hype
So who is more deserving. I am just one humble opinion, but let it be heard. My vote is for BSS. I believe the self titled sophomore effort by BSS to be a highly underrated effort that seems to have flown low of the peaks reached by You Forgot In People. The Arcade Fire in much the same case had a spectacular debut that garnered all sorts of critical acclaim and anticipation of a second effort. That second effort is, in my opinion, a dud. The only highlight I've found that I could listen to in the long run is No Cars Go, which is a rerecording of a song they had previously released. Go back and listen to You Forgot in People, then listen to Broken Social Scene and tell me I'm wrong. I dare you. Simply for the mere fact that KC Accidental might be one of the most beautiful songs that I've ever heard, one of only two songs that I can tell you exactly where I was when I first heard it, BSS gets my vote. Don't mistake me, I look forward for a third album from both, I just think that Arcade Fire fell a little flat for all the hype this time around. And if you haven't heard the Arcade Fire offshoot Bell Orchestra then you have been missing out.
1 comment:
I was leaning on your side for years buddy, I'll tell ya, but then I saw this video : http://www.blogotheque.net/article.php3?id_article=2868
My reasons are simply that The Arcade Fire's innovation and crowd control make them a better live presence, further tilting them to being a better band. Although I feel like I'm committing sacrilege, I'd have to say the Arcade Fire.
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