Group Members:
Similar Artists:
British Sea Power,
Interpol,
Broken Social Scene,
Modest Mouse,
Bloc Party,
The Polyphonic Spree,
The Walkmen,
The Shins,
Spoon,
Bright Eyes,
Radiohead,
Clinic,
Plants and Animals,
All the Saints,
The Dreamscapes Project,
The Main Drag,
White Whale,
Mystery Jets,
Golden Dogs,
Bound Stems,
Islands,
Franz Ferdinand,
One Ring Zero ,
The Causey Way,
The French Kicks,
Mogwai,
The Olivia Tremor Control,
Neutral Milk Hotel,
Rosebuds
Influenced By:
Followers:
Fanfarlo,
Le Loup,
The Acorn ,
Emanuel and the Fear,
Black Fortys ,
Married to the Sea,
The Rural Alberta Advantage,
The Eye the Ear and the Arm,
The Touques ,
The Deadly Syndrome,
Rademacher,
Kill the Lights,
Metermaids,
Gentleman Auction House,
Loney Dear
Formal Connection With:
Relationship With:
- Formed: 2003 06, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Genres: Rock
- Representative Albums: "Funeral," "Neon Bible"
Biography
A combination of indie rock muscle and theatrical, unapologetic bombast turned Arcade Fire into indie royalty in the early 2000s. Originally comprised of Régine Chassagne, Richard Parry, Tim Kingsbury, and brothers William and Win Butler, the group formed during the summer of 2003, after Win spotted Chassagne singing jazz standards at a Montreal art exhibit. The grandson of famed swing-era bandleader Alvino Rey, Win was quickly charmed by Chassagne's performance, leading the two to launch a songwriting partnership. Romance followed shortly thereafter, and the duo expanded its sound by gathering Parry on organ, Kingsbury on bass, and Win Butler's younger brother, William, on synthesizer and percussion. Drawing from the bandmates' varied influences, Arcade Fire began mining an eclectic mix of bossa nova, punk, French chanson, and classically tinged pop music, referencing everything from U2's passion to David Bowie's eclecticism in the process.Arcade Fire issued a self-titled EP in 2003, having briefly retreated to Maine for the recording sessions. Propelled by Win Butler's quavering vocals and his bandmates' symphonic swells, the disc helped earn the band an official offer from Merge Records. The bandmates' luck faltered later that year, however, when Chassagne's grandmother passed away. The Butler brothers' grandfather followed suit in March 2004, and Parry's aunt died one month later. Seeking catharsis in the studio, the members of Arcade Fire funneled their energies into the creation of Funeral. Released in September 2004, the debut album was met with unanimous acclaim -- both commercially and critically -- and Arcade Fire found themselves maintaining a nearly constant presence on the road, playing such high-profile festivals as Lollapalooza and Coachella between a slew of smaller club dates. They also appeared on the cover of Time magazine's Canadian edition, garnered a Grammy nomination for Best Alternative Music Album, rubbed shoulders with superfan David Bowie, and toured alongside U2. Following an exhausting year, Arcade Fire decamped to a church outside of Montreal to work on a second release. The ambitious Neon Bible arrived in March 2007, featuring such grand ornamentations as a pipe organ, a military choir, and a full orchestra. ~ Andrew Leahey, All Music Guide
