Arcade Fire | Everything Now
Released: July 28, 2017
Genre: Alternative, Alternative Rock, Rock, Indie, Indie Rock, Canadian, Disco
Listening Format: iTunes
How did I find out about this album?

I got home from work at about 12:30-1am, and was looking on kingdom leaks before I headed to bed. I saw it was released. I went over to the albums page on Genius to see if it was transcribed yet, and the only song's that were available were the singles. By 3:30, the album had been fully transcribed on the website, and I was ready to sleep.

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Opening statements | What did I think of the album

I think that overall, the album was well done. Nice variety of instruments, and included a very nostalgic feel, while also maintaining a modern music style. As mentioned in Kevin Loo's article on the site, "The strong disco and pop-rock elements" definitely makes Everything Now stand out from the rest of their albums. I never listened to Arcade Fire until the album was leaked. Even at that, I figured I would help out the website by adding the lyrics and move on. However, after listening to the album once to get the gist of the lyrics, I found myself wanting to listen again with an open mind, without any distractions. This second listen was very different from my first play though. I found myself enjoying the songs more when my mind wasn't focused on what the artist was saying, I could listen to the instruments, and the meaning of the songs.

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How many times have I listened to this album?

3 times. Once to transcribe, twice to enjoy the album. I listened to individual tracks throughout the day, driving around town, etc. As I write this review, I am listening to the album on my iPhone, so the count has probably gone up when this review is finished.

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Track One: Everything_Now (continued)
Runtime: 0:46
Rating: 1/10

This song is the intro to the albums title track. This song was originally released as the intro to "Everything Now" on the music video, however it is used as its own track on the albums released. This song, while short, is very vital to the album. The song begins, where the final track, Everything Now (continued), ends off to create an infinity loop on the album. This style is very unique, I know of a few albums who have done this effect, and when done properly, can sound very seamless. An example of the "infinity loop" is found on Crywolf's albums, and I find myself enjoying the album even more, because I don't have to start it over. On his albums, the technique is used from song to song, but is still done seamlessly. There isn't much to say about this track, because it's short runtime.

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Track Two: Everything Now
Runtime: 5:03
Rating: 3/10
Favourite line: Every inch of sky's got a star / Every inch of skin's got a scar.

This song is very high energy. It kicks off the album with high energy, a catchy piano that can be heard throughout the song. I'll admit this song took me a few listens to "enjoy" it. When I first heard the song, it was very odd. I thought it was catchy, and very different style, with the back up singers constantly chanting "Everything now!" along with a very tropical feeling. When I listened to this track, I felt that I was in a tropical place, or that this song would be used in a destination video, wandering through New York City, or even a movie like Madagascar as it just has that feel to it. I am from Canada, so really anyplace that isn't cold is very tropical. Since my first listen, it has gained on me. It is not my favourite track on the album by any means, but it's not horrible.

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Track Three: Signs of Life
Runtime: 4:37
Rating: 7/10
Favourite line: Spend your life waiting in line / You find it hard to define / But you do it

This song is a very upbeat vibe to it, and acted as the second single for the album. The song's message is simple, we are all looking for something to fill a void. Whether it is some people who fill that void with partying, sex, faulty relationships, or maybe they will fill the void with another relationship that will be better. We all have something we fill the void with, while looking for that "sign of life" and when we don't find it, we fall back into the materialistic items. I think that this song was a very nostalgic feel, while including a disco melody, it caught my attention on the first listen. This song has to be one of my favourite songs of the album. Not to mention, the track is also produced by Thomas Bangalter, one of the two part duo Daft Punk. Just by listening to the track, you can hear the Daft Punk style stand out in the track while also including Arcade Fire's own twist to the track. This song definitely stood out for me.

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Track Four: Creature Comfort
Runtime: 4:44
Rating: 3/10
Favourite line: Saying God, make me famous / If You can't, just make it painless

While the message is great, the vocals on this track I found were terrible. I didn't find the lyrics to rhyme, or anything to make the song a notable song. The message is about people who fall into the trap of materialistic things, and are constantly feeling they need to change something about themselves to impress others. Win uses this song as a bold approach, to talk about the issues in our society. More specifically, the issues that millennials and after are facing. This includes the increasing amount of teens who struggle with anorexia, as well as (if I dare say) as a narcissistic society. This means, our ever-growing attachment to our cell phones, what others think about us, as well as if our "selfies" look flawless or not. It isn't specified to one gender either. Typically, when you look at those issues that people face mentioned above, the first gender you will probably think of is female. Be honest, that was the first. It's okay, however, male's feel insecure and take selfies as well. We men face the same issues there, it may not be as common, but it definitely is there.

Stand in the mirror and wait for the feedback
Some boys get too much, too much love, too much touch
Some boys starve themselves
Stand in the mirror and wait for the feedback

If you look at the song for its message, it's a beautiful song. However, listening to the track, something just doesn't add up. To me, the best way to describe it is almost like a whiney, annoyed kind of singing, while also (in my opinion) not sounding the best. I am not saying that Win isn't a great singer, because I truly believe that his voice is great, on this track, not his style.

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Track Five: Peter Pan
Runtime: 2:49
Rating: 9/10
Favourite line: Be my Wendy, I'll be your Peter Pan
Annotations: first | second | song bio

"Peter Pan" is one of my favourite tracks on the album. I love the reference that the group made to the classic book, which was later turned into a movie. One of the annotations {second} that I made for the track talks about the line found in the chorus.

We can live, I don't feel like dying

I love this line, as it is so clever. While it seems very self explanatory, it goes more in depth when talking about the Peter Pan story. If you haven't checked out the tate, basically I explained that Peter is a boy who can fly and never grows up. He falls in love with this girl named Wendy, and brings her and her siblings to Never Land, where Peter wishes they can live forever together on this island. This talks to anyone who is in a relationship. When you really love someone, you give them your heart, and devote yourself to them hopefully for the rest of your life. I think that talks when we live with that person for our life, we don't want to die because you really do love them. This line is very similar, only Peter really can live forever.

This song, while short, has a great catchy beat, that will draw you in first listen. Plus, it puts you in a happy state of mind, before listening to the following (slightly disturbing) track.

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Track Six: Chemistry
Runtime: 3:38
Rating: 6.5/10
Favourite line: Ask for a dance with another boy / My heart's a city, you're out to destroy / Chemistry
Annotations: song bio

This song takes the old saying "we've got chemistry" to a whole new level. While being a very clever song, and also well done audibly, it has a very dark and sinister undertone found when looking at the lyrics. The song starts off talking about a guy at a bar, who is attracted to a girl who shows no interest in him. This girl starts to create excuses to not be with this guy (i.e: dance with your boyfriend all night long | Call your mother, make an excuse) and he won't give it up because there is "chemistry" whether you want to deny it or not. While it may seem sorta romantic that he won't give up and that there is this "chemistry", the male character won't give up or "take the hint" so to speak.

When I looked back at the lyrics I had typed up, I felt very eerie about the song. It has a very disco feel and upbeat vibe, but the lyrics are very dark and stalker-ish. I feel that Arcade Fire was able to pull this off, but if you were quoting the lyrics or stating the lyrics in public, people will take it the wrong way. It doesn't read as romantic and fantasized as it does when listening to the track.

I appreciate the style that they took on this track. I honestly do. Taking the old quote of "chemistry" to a whole new style is very unique. Although, this track isn't my favourite track, it isn't horrible. It is a very twisted love song, especially after listening to Peter Pan.

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Track Seven & Eight: Infinite Content & Infinite_Content
Runtime: 1:37 | 1:42
Rating: 0/10

I HATED these two songs. I felt that they were both very unnecessary, and didn't have any structure. I don't even have a way to describe it. It didn't fit their style, it was out of nowhere, as well as repeated "Infinite Content" over and over. I understand their message.

The album includes the theme of social media, and the impact that it has on our life. As mentioned in Kevin Loo's article on the site,

"...he reflects on people’s desire for consumption. This theme is also prominent on “Infinite Content." Between never-ending social media feeds and constantly updating news, the repeated lyrics emphasize an obsession with digital content. Butler’s play-on-words only serves to highlight humanity’s deep dissatisfaction with modern life."

The ONLY positive thing that I have about these two songs, it includes the "Infinity Loop" talked about on "Everything Now" and it is hard to tell that you switched songs. I mean, listening to the song, you can tell because it goes from high energy, to acoustic. The lyrics don't change, but the style does. Truthfully, the band could have merged the two tracks together, and it would have sounded the exact same.

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Track Nine: Electric Blue
Runtime: 4:02
Rating: 7/10
Favourite line: Now you've got me so confused / 'Cause I don't know how to sing your blues

"Electric Blue" is very different compared to the other songs on Everything Now. I mentioned before how some parts of the songs are sung by back up female vocalists, well "Electric Blue" is only the female vocalists. From what I can hear, Win doesn't actually sing in this song. It is all the back up singers. I like this idea, as I feel it acts as an interlude or transition to the second half of the album.

This song seems to be a heavily inspired David Bowie track. It is unique, and breaks all kinds of rules that are set in place for artists when creating music. Like David Bowie's music, it doesn't matter, it is art and you like it or don't. Fans have speculated that the track is a tribute to Bowie as he helped out on their track "Reflecktor" and the term "electric blue" can be looked at as something that "helped influence David Bowie's career" as pointed out on the song's bio.

On a sidenote, I found that this song sounds very similar to one of my favourites bands MUTEMATH. More noticeably on their newest album Vitals and new track's "Hit Parade" or "Stroll On", both Arcade Fire and MUTEMATH have seemed to get this style down pat. If you listen to some of MUTEMATH's work, you can notice that the heavily used electric guitar and almost disco sound is constant with both bands. It feels very nostalgic, and also as if you are listening to music from a utopian society. It's very unique, and if it's done right, can sound beautiful.

I'll admit, it took me a few listens to start to enjoy this track. It is not my favourite on the album, but it is not horrible. It gets a solid 7 because I enjoy the style of the track, as well as the message it gives.

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Track Ten: Good God Damn
Runtime: 3:34
Rating: 9/10
Favourite line: Maybe there's a good God / If He made you
Annotations: first (co-sign) | song bio (co-sign)

"Good God Damn" has to be another one of my favourite tracks on Everything Now. The song is very deep and heavy, it deals with the suicidal thoughts of a girl who is also a big fan of Arcade Fire (as fans speculate her story is introduced on Creature Comfort. After attempting to end her life, she has an epiphany where she wonders what if there is a Good God who is looking out for her, and backs out of ending her life.
While this song is heavy, being as it was released shortly after the death of Chester Bennington of Linkin Park, it shares a message of hope. I am a Christian, so I believe that there is a reason for this pain or dark time that you or I might be going through and it will get better. Now, some people don't think the same way as me, which is totally okay! I don't hate you or anything like that. This song just speaks to me as it shows someone who turns to religion in times that are tough, rather than giving into the temptation or evil thoughts of suicide.

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Track Eleven: Put Your Money On Me
Runtime: 5:53
Rating: 10/10
Favourite line: If there was a race, a race for your heart / It started before you were born | We were born innocent, but it lasts a day

"Put Your Money On Me" is my favourite song on this album. When I first heard the track, it was an instant favourite. I love the style that they take, with back up vocals returning on the track, but behind Win. This song has a very nostalgic feel, with some fans sensing a heavy inspiration from ABBA.

I really enjoy every part of this song. The message is about a man, who really wants his woman to trust him. "Money" is a sign of wealth and power, as pointed out in popular novel "The Great Gatsby" where the characters and side characters all get distracted by money. This song reminds me of Gatsby for a few reasons. In the novel, Gatsby uses his money to prove he is worth it, and also tries to lure Daisy into falling in love with him. This man tries to get his girl to show the money that she has and bet that he is worth it.

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Track Twelve: We Don't Deserve Love
Runtime: 6:29
Rating: 8/10
Favourite line: When we met, you'd never expect this / And you said, maybe we don't deserve love

First of all, this song was very hard to transcribe. Before the album was released, there was a lot of question marks left on the page. Since then, official lyrics have been added and the message is a little easier to understand. This song deals with loss of a loved one, and even regret. Listening to this song, I start to understand the feelings that Win must have felt while writing this song. Heartbreak, and even curiosity powers this song and drives it's message out of the park. I love the animated feeling that Win has, he sounds very passionate about the subject. I wonder if he had these emotions happen recently, or knows of someone who has and wrote it inspired by them. It's not a love song, its a message for those who have lost a loved one and are looking to move forward in life.

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Track Thirteen: Everything Now (continued)
Runtime: 2:22
Rating: 2/10
Favourite line: We'll make it home again

This is the final track on Everything Now and acts as the first half of the infinity loop. Where this song ends, the first song picks up. There isn't much to comment on, as it has been stated for "Everything Now" and "Everything_Now (continued)" plus the lyrics are very minimal.

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FINAL THOUGHTS

I enjoyed this album. With a very unique style, it will definitely be an album I can throw on while studying and not be distracted, but also not be bored. Another band that I will indulge into their music, and discover more styles unique to their name.

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Will I listen again? | Yes, more than once
Will I suggest to a friend? | Depends on their music style, if they enjoy rock or alternative, definitely.
Will I add this album to my vinyl collection? | If I can find it at a reasonable price, probably. It also will help to have it here in Canada, in stores. That will play into account as well.

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Well, if you have read this by your own will, lucky me! If you stumbled on my account by accident, again lucky me! I look forward to writing another review next week. I plan to write a review every weekend.

ALL THE LYRICS FOR EVERYTHING NOW ARE AVAILABLE NOW.

NEXT PROJECT REVIEW: Andy Mineo and Wordsplayed Present Magic & Bird