Arcade Fire - Reflektor

Montreal, Quebec, Canada's finest Arcade Fire have returned with their fourth studio release titled Reflektor. The follow up to 2010's Grammy winning Album of the Year opus The Suburbs finds our neighbors of the north continuing to bring their orchestral wave of indie rock back with a sharper and direct focus that will continue to expand their ever growing legion of fans, and attract some new ones in the process as well.

We start things out with the title track, a sprawling seven minute opus that reintroduces you to the lead vocals of Win Butler, who contributes a great deal to the band's style and charisma that is omnipresent on every Arcade Fire effort up until this point, and is represented well right here. "We Exist" is a full featured, melodic blast that is syncopated with rich musical delights and the lovely backup vocals of Regine Chassagne contribute a great deal to the band's style that is already well known to this point. "Here Comes The Night Time" features an neat piano arrangement coupled with a strong musical focus from Win and everyone involved to create a high energy and whimsical piece that will leave you spellbound before all is said and done. "Normal Person" features an array of distortion before settling into a straightforward rock groove that deviates slightly from their prior musical mission, but works to their advantage beautifully right here. My favorite song off the album is "You Already Know" an upbeat, jazzy tune featuring colorful musical arrangements and top notch instrumentation that makes you stand there in wonder of these musicians, and watch the magic unfold right before your eyes and ears, just an amazing track all around.

The second half begins with "Here Comes The Night Time II", complete with a vocal refrain sung in unison between Win and Regine that accurately portrays their musical relationship, and shows the capabilities of a group that work far behind the confines of the musical spectrum, and in another dimension as far as I'm concerned. "It's Never Over (Hey Orpheus)" finds the band delving into some light electronic instrumentation that works its way through the musical foundation, and trickles in ever so softly and eventually breaks through in a deluge of sharp instrumentation and a honed in focus that shows the band is in their element and at the top of their game as well. "Porno" features an array of instrumentation including fingersnaps and an eerie synth wave working its way in and shares some similar musical characteristics as the prior ones exhibited. "Supersymmetry" concludes our musical stay here with a 11 minute downtempo number that is markedly different than the other tracks, and features a certain level of ambiance that will make you appreciate the band that much more, and what they can do for you musically. Arcade Fire is a band that has quickly grown on me in recent years, and they have brought a new sense of musicality and ambition that I haven't seen from a musical act in quite some time, and it has made me extremely hopeful for the future of current musical acts out there looking to expand their musical horizons.

Overall, an extremely creative and ambitious effort from Arcade Fire who are continuing to spruce up their musical resume with a sea of musicality and unbridled musical syncopation between all musicians that will definitely impress you upon first listen.

                                                                                                                                Album Score: 4/5

Track Listing:

Disc 1

1. Reflektor
2. We Exist
3. Flashbulb Eyes
4. Here Comes The Night Time
5. Normal Person
6. You Already Know
7. Joan of Arc

Disc 2

1. Here Comes The Night Time II
2. Awful Sound (Oh Eurydice)
3. It's Never Over (Hey Orpheus)
4. Porno
5. Afterlife
6. Supersymmetry