Arcade Fire fans can listen to the band’s new album Reflektor online as of Thursday night. The Canadian group released all 13 tracks in a lyric video set to the classic Brazilian film Black Orpheus shortly after the album was leaked in Ireland.
The 10-piece band teamed up with Haitian percussionists and LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy as co-producer for the much-anticipated release, which has been nearly three years in the making. Reviews have been mixed so far — some say it’s Arcade Fire’s best work to date, akin to U2’s Achtung Baby or Radiohead’s Kid A, while others claim the album “feels unfinished and forced to this ‘completion’ point.”
We think the band’s lead singer Win Butler described the album best when he responded to a question from Stephen Colbert about whether listeners should pay attention to the lyrics or be moved to get up and dance. “I guess ideally you’d be shaking your ass with a little tear in your eye,” Butler said.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBjqUEMlHTY&w=420&h=315]