Summer is in full swing today and brother, it is a HOT one. The sky is that hazy shade of blue and yellow, the air is dead still, and heat is rolling off of the asphalt in shimmering waves. Ugh.
Summer also means nostalgia. It's when you go back to that boring, minimum wage summer job in your hometown, see your high school friends, ride your bike down the streets you grew up on. Nostalgia is hitting me hard this year because I'm out of college and I don't know what the future holds; all I have is my past. Everything that I see and do reminds me of something that I've seen or done. It's like my life is a huge reference to itself, an extended deja vu where everything is familiar but nothing is as good as it once was. As a wise woman once said, "I'm happy, free, confused, and lonely at the same time." Simply put...I'm feeling 22.
There are two works of art that perfectly encapsulate both summer and nostalgia for me, and I always turn to them when I start feeling this way. The first is the movie Stand By Me; the second is Arcade Fire's third album, The Suburbs. Since this isn't a film blog, you can probably guess which one that I'm going to talk about...
Arcade Fire made a serious splash when they first came on the scene for a couple of reasons. For one, they're multi-instrumental, employing strings and bells and guitars and horns and organs and hurdy-gurdys (google it) to create a rich-yet-organic atmosphere that wasn't really present in popular music at the time of Funeral's release. The interesting voices of the husband and wife team add another layer of uniqueness.
The real money, though, was in Arcade Fire's lyrics and album themes. First album "Funeral" was about dealing with death; "Neon Bible" about religion; "The Suburbs" about - you guessed it - growing up in the suburbs. One concept album is brave. Three is really brave. Successfully pulling off three concept albums is miraculous. Arcade Fire somehow succinctly captures three extremely heavy and complex themes by blending earnest and personal lyrics with lush music, calling to mind songs like "I'm On Fire" and "Baby We Were Born To Run" by Bruce Springsteen (or more recently, Death Cab's Transatlanticism ).
On these "Essential Artists" posts, you should listen to all of the artist's albums. But here is a little teaser list to get you started.
Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)
Two kids band together while their parents grieve a death. Beautiful piano riff throughout joined by a jangly guitar and a steady drum.
Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)
The confusion and frustration that attends neighborhood kids who don't quite understand whats going on in their parents world.
Rebellion (Lies)
Amazing song. Interpret it as you will.
Keep the Car Running
The most Springsteeny song on the list.
Intervention
Pipe organs fit well with the theme of an oppressive church. Majestic and tragic.
The Suburbs (Whole Album)
Listen to the whole thing and then listen to it again. And again. And again.
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