It's been about four years since Arcade Fire released their Haitian dance influenced record, Reflektor (2013). Since then the fear has been that Win Butler and company had closed up shop for good, like LCD Soundsystem. But, also like LCD Sundsystem, quitting was not the case when a couple of new Arcade singles began dropping for a forthcoming album entitled Everthing Now (2017). While the title track, "Everything Now", left me somewhat cold it did show that the dance vibe would still be heavy on this next record. How much I didn't realize until their next single (and video) came out.
"Creature Comfort" is everything now (and everything I want). Blade Runner synth beat, new wave lamé fashion, overwrought lyrics concerning possible suicide, and keytars. Can't hate a song with keytar. While covering seemingly serious and thoughtful subject material the music betrays the despair with high vocals over crashing electronica. The video is atmospheric and, like Arcade Fire, artistically minded. I've heard Arcade Fire explained as "theater kids" and that's not an entirely incorrect observation. Every video for an Arcade track is dramatic and dynamic, if at times damn near melodramatic. But that's what works for them. That's what they want to be. The kids who stand out in a crowd and have the loudest voice.
This track has made me very excited for the new album. Some have called the group out for leaving their initial indie sound behind, what with the move to a new label and dance vibe, but I'm hoping the trend of 80's aesthetic that peeked through on Reflektor and The Suburbs (2010) revels itself fully on Everything Now. I know that I want it (Just make it painless).
"Creature Comfort" was co-produced by Geoff Barrow and Steve Mackey.
Barrow was a member of electronic act Portishead while Mackey was the bassist of Britpop band Pulp,
explaining perhaps the tracks marriage of synth and guitar.