Some songwriting context. I believe “Laika” refers to a dog, one of the first animals in space and the first to orbit the earth. She did not survive her trip. Haiti used to be a French colony where many enslaved people were stolen from Africa. A slave revolt granted Haiti’s independence. Fast forward a couple centuries and Haiti is under a brutal dictatorship. Band member Regine Chessigne, the one singing has Haitian roots. Her aunt was murdered by the Duvalier regime before she was born.
The "Alice" that the singer Regine Chassagne refers to in "In The Backseat" is her mother, which only make her vocals at the end of the track even more impactful. I would highly recommend listening to Neon Bible after this. It's the album that released directly after Funeral and is as almost as good as it IMO. The Suburbs is very good too then they tailed off after that for me.
On In the Backseat, you were disappointed at first when the drums dropped out, but it makes it so much more impactful when they eventually come back in for the oooo-oooo--ooooo part. That's exactly how I felt the first time I heard it.
This was pretty revolutionary when it released, but some people will call it overrated because everyone suddenly tried to sound like Arcade Fire, so you got kind of a muddle of somewhat pretentious indie rock, with Funeral being the instigator. That's not to say Funeral is bad, it's phenomenal, but that's the argument some use to say it didn't age well. There's very similar discourse around Is This It by The Strokes.
Arcade Fire and Interpol both occupy a similar space to me Both of them have absurd, genre defining debuts - and incredibly lackluster catalogs outside of them another great early 2000s record is Change by The Dismemberment Plan
This album is a solid intro to Arcade Fire. Neon Bible, The Suburbs, Reflektor, and Everything Now are all pretty much Arcade Fire cannon (with The Suburbs being a massive hit with some major Grammy wins). All are worth checking out even though a few of their more recent ones are a bit newer than your channel usually goes. I think it's still on brand since you're checking out artists in so many stages of their artistic expressions (and Arcade Fire has evolved in so many ways over the years).
Love the videos! A few recommendations: Nurture - Porter Robinson (light summer electric with fun production) Koi No Yokan or White Pony - Deftones (very heavy, sexier and heavier radiohead imo) Hypochondriac - Brakence (very experimental emo rap, glitch pop)
Recommendations: KNOWER - KNOWER FOREVER Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel... Richard Dawson - 2020 Silver Jews - American Water Buck Meek - Two Saviors Lost in the Trees - A Church That Fits Our Needs Ween - The Mollusk
Hey not sure if you heard it already, but please, check out Heaven or Las Vegas by cocteau twins. This record is the first dream pop album and is incredible.
Here’s a recommendation that’ll both be a challenge (because few people can make out the lyrics as sung by Elizabeth Fraser) but is also a revelation to most who listen to any of their albums for the first time, Treasure by Cocteau Twins. Maybe you can do The Moon and the Melodies except that one has been played out by TikTok but the entire album is a bit impenetrable unless you’ve just had an entire bottle of Pinot Noir or just blazed out.
First of all, i love all of your reactions. You need to listen to something from LCD Soundsystem, the big one is Sound of Silver, but i think This is Happening is a better starting place.
I always felt like in the backseat was about losing someone who you relied on-let you stay in the backseat. And then not only feeling the loss of death but having to deal with having to step into adulthood at the same time because of that death
@@alexmw14 actually the same for me too in terms of the whole album. I didn't love it at first, but over time it's brilliance and musical composition just got better and better for me.
I love this album. One of the best indie rock records of all time. Neon Bible, their second album, is also fantastic. And if you are interested in another indie rock classic I highly recommend Perfect From Now On by Built to Spill.✌
Haiti is a country on the same island as Dominican Republic, close to Jamaica. Montreal (where Arcade Fire is from) has a great Haitian community. Nothing to do with Eiffel towers. Great album review tho 😊
You picked up on a lot of the feelings and themes. Backstory to the album is that a number of the band members had recently lost family members. Hence the title of the album, Funeral. One of my all time favorites. The last track always gets me.
Joanna Newsom - Ys, Have One On Me , Divers Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues, Selftitled Father John Misty - Pure Comedy, I love you honeybear. The Microphones - Mount Eerie Swans - The Glowing Man, The Seer.
One of my absolute favorite albums, so I was very excited to see this reaction/review. Glad you enjoyed it! Keep up the great work! Gonna be "that person" and put out some suggestions for future reviews: "The Magnolia Electric Co." - Songs: Ohia "Left and Leaving" - The Weakerthans "Control" - Pedro the Lion
I love this record, brought me to happy tears in more than one ocassion. Also, Haiti was a French colony, and it had one of the most bloodiest revolutions, led by Toussaint L'Ouverture (remember that To Be Kind song?). There were like 90% African slaves, Toussaint was a more "refined" slave, he knew how to speak French, and did accounting for their masters. At one point, the slaves realized they outnumbered everyone in the island, and just overthrew the government in a really bloody war.
One of my favorite albums of all time! The way it explores themes of life, death, and growing up is just so fucking beautiful. Here's a few recs: -And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out - Yo La Tengo -Mellon Collie & The Infinite Sadness - The Smashing Pumpkins -Low - David Bowie Also if you loved her vocals on In the Backset you HAVE to check out The Suburbs. She is a lot more prominent on that album and her performances are some of the best in the band's discography
Great reaction, thank you for that. Arcade fire is soo good. By the way, they are influenced by Bowie, he works with them later and they become a friendship. And thats my point, please check out more Bowie.
Hey man im from Argentina i would love to recommend you some hispanic albums like bocanada-gustavo cerati or artaud-pescado rabioso i love your videos ❤🇦🇷
If you wanted to diversify even more, I highly recommend an album called "The Low End Theory" by A tribe Called Quest. A true classic of early 90s underground hip hop. They masterfully weave themes of urban life in the projects with some of the best production you'll hear, jazz elements etc.
They're from Montreal broooo. But awesome vid, made me relive the feelings i had when i first heard this in sixth grade and was like "OMFG this is ME". And was just so proud that they were based in my city.
Ok, now you HAVE to check out Reconstruction Site by The Weakerthans. Another great (and pretty similar music wise) Canadian band that deserves more love!
Some other albums for your consideration: Animal Collective - Centipede Hz. Animal Collective - Time Skiffs Animal Collective - Isn’t It Now? mewithoutYou - Brother, Sister 🍻
mewithoutYou is without a doubt my favorite band of all time there isn't a single bad album/ song by them literally a no skip band for me I've seen them live 3 times so underrated broke my heart when they called it quits last year. And Animal Collective used to be one of my favorite bands as well Kinda lost interest after Fall Be Kind but recently bounced back with Time Skiffs
dude, love your reactions ngl, been binging them for a few days now. some recommendations i'd give would be : My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade Polyphia - New Levels New Devils Archive - Controlling Crowds Deftones - White Pony all of these albums are legendary bangers
@@parsnipappendectomy Yeah was gonna say, polyphia is soulless wanky trash. I definitely find both of the guitarists technically impressive and they seem like cool people but the music is just so soulless.
also just to mention, "Laika" was the name given to the Russian dog who was the first animal in space, its used in the song metaphorically because he left the family apparently (or "set out for a great adventure")
Laika set out for a great adventure, but was never expected to return. It was a one way trip for Laika, and I think they feel the same for their older brother Alex
Bit of context for laika: Laika was a dog that the russians sent into space to see if it would live Also you should check out reconstruction site by the weakerthans, another great Canadian indie project
Great reaction as always!! If more fishmans stuff sounds intriguing u should check out some of their studio albums. I just got into the kne with the album cover where they’re all jumping lol wikipedia says the title translates to “aerial camp” It has a few songs from the live album you reacted to but a lot of stuff you haven’t heard as well, it’s really cool
Found your channel recently man and found out how new your stuff is dude. Congrats with the growth dude! You should totally listen to some Daft Punk or King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard records.
This album is awesome. The Suburbs I think is even better. They were really influenced by New Order who I think you’d really dig (Joy Division after Ian Curtis died). Check out Brotherhood or Technique by them.
Will you listen to javelin by Sufjan? It's AOTY ahead of Scaring the Hoes. But if you didn't listen to Age of Adz yet, listen to it to experience some folktronica by him.
Arcade Fire are also known as the band where when you give it a couple of years they'll turn out to captivate you in a way that is almost obsessive. It's often cool on the first listen but if you stick to it you'll get addicted. Except for their albums Everything Now & WE.
Check out the band Stars who are an indie outfit also from Montreal. Their albums Heart, Set Yourself on Fire, and In The Bedroom After The War are my faves though all their stuff is great. Their music is very beautiful & emotional & creative kinda like Sigur Ros (whose album Taak you must check out) but different.
I’m WAY too late holy shit. Starting to hurt my reputation as a fan here, geez. Anyway, you’re doing great work, keep it up king 👑 Suggestion (Spoiler: It’s the same as the other 782 times): Silent Alarm by Bloc Party
I heard this band on JJJ back in the day, Bought the CD, and boom was on repeat a lot, somehow this whole album is one amazing synchronis masterpiece, I sort of followed this band a lot after hearing all that, and yr right that last track sounds a lil like Bjork, totally cool reaction their Smag, will watch some more
One of best albums ever Imo it def grows on u over time. I had similar reactions to all the songs first time hearing and now I love every song. Top 5 album for me fosho
one of my favourite albums.. I dread that day but I may feel obligated to sing in the backseat at my parents funeral.. I covered a few songs of them as well, including tunnels ^^'
In the Backseat is somehow very underrated in their catalogue when talking about their legacy. It's certainly one of their best songs in my book.
I've always thought Laika was a reference to the Russian cosmonaut dog who died on her voyage into space.
I’m pretty sure it is, the music video would help support that. God, the wailing vocals and dissonant strings on the chorus make me shiver
Many months later I’m replying but laika was the dog destined to die alone. He’s calling his brother Alex a dog who will die alone
Arcade Fire has such a special place in my heart! This album is so nostalgic for me.
Some songwriting context. I believe “Laika” refers to a dog, one of the first animals in space and the first to orbit the earth. She did not survive her trip.
Haiti used to be a French colony where many enslaved people were stolen from Africa. A slave revolt granted Haiti’s independence. Fast forward a couple centuries and Haiti is under a brutal dictatorship. Band member Regine Chessigne, the one singing has Haitian roots. Her aunt was murdered by the Duvalier regime before she was born.
You should definitely do some LCD Soundsystem! Either Sound of Silver or This Is Happening. Some of the greatest indie music ever.
YES PLEASE!
The "Alice" that the singer Regine Chassagne refers to in "In The Backseat" is her mother, which only make her vocals at the end of the track even more impactful.
I would highly recommend listening to Neon Bible after this. It's the album that released directly after Funeral and is as almost as good as it IMO. The Suburbs is very good too then they tailed off after that for me.
bro reflektor is fire respectfully
in The Backseat always makes me cry, what a tune
The France stereotypes are hilarious, especially since they’re French Canadian 😂
Was looking for this comment !
On In the Backseat, you were disappointed at first when the drums dropped out, but it makes it so much more impactful when they eventually come back in for the oooo-oooo--ooooo part. That's exactly how I felt the first time I heard it.
This guy dont miss
I'm telling you bro, when you have the chance add The Suburbs by Arcade Fire to your poll
You should really consider You Forgot it in People by Broken Social Scene, it's the similar era of indie music with higher production levels.
Such a great album- when they were truly the ‘supergroup’ of Canadian (Montreal-based) indie bands
This was pretty revolutionary when it released, but some people will call it overrated because everyone suddenly tried to sound like Arcade Fire, so you got kind of a muddle of somewhat pretentious indie rock, with Funeral being the instigator. That's not to say Funeral is bad, it's phenomenal, but that's the argument some use to say it didn't age well. There's very similar discourse around Is This It by The Strokes.
Arcade Fire and Interpol both occupy a similar space to me
Both of them have absurd, genre defining debuts - and incredibly lackluster catalogs outside of them
another great early 2000s record is Change by The Dismemberment Plan
This album is a solid intro to Arcade Fire. Neon Bible, The Suburbs, Reflektor, and Everything Now are all pretty much Arcade Fire cannon (with The Suburbs being a massive hit with some major Grammy wins). All are worth checking out even though a few of their more recent ones are a bit newer than your channel usually goes. I think it's still on brand since you're checking out artists in so many stages of their artistic expressions (and Arcade Fire has evolved in so many ways over the years).
What about We? It's pretty good
an amazing album. too bad win butler might be a POS. the suburbs is top 5 oat
after the magic - parannoul
Love the videos!
A few recommendations:
Nurture - Porter Robinson (light summer electric with fun production)
Koi No Yokan or White Pony - Deftones (very heavy, sexier and heavier radiohead imo)
Hypochondriac - Brakence (very experimental emo rap, glitch pop)
Deftones!!!!
Recommendations:
KNOWER - KNOWER FOREVER
Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel...
Richard Dawson - 2020
Silver Jews - American Water
Buck Meek - Two Saviors
Lost in the Trees - A Church That Fits Our Needs
Ween - The Mollusk
Such a great album. Love your videos man!
The new Sufjan Stevens record dropped today and it’s amazing, you gotta check it out!!
Hey not sure if you heard it already, but please, check out Heaven or Las Vegas by cocteau twins. This record is the first dream pop album and is incredible.
The suburbs is really good by arcade fire too
Here’s a recommendation that’ll both be a challenge (because few people can make out the lyrics as sung by Elizabeth Fraser) but is also a revelation to most who listen to any of their albums for the first time, Treasure by Cocteau Twins. Maybe you can do The Moon and the Melodies except that one has been played out by TikTok but the entire album is a bit impenetrable unless you’ve just had an entire bottle of Pinot Noir or just blazed out.
great singing in the beginning
also fire reaction
Hey bro love your content and arcade fire. U should check out steely dan. Albums i’d recommend from them are “can’t by a thrill” and “aja”.
First of all, i love all of your reactions. You need to listen to something from LCD Soundsystem, the big one is Sound of Silver, but i think This is Happening is a better starting place.
I always felt like in the backseat was about losing someone who you relied on-let you stay in the backseat. And then not only feeling the loss of death but having to deal with having to step into adulthood at the same time because of that death
Please do Neon Bible by them next! I think it's one of the best albums of the 2000s. Every song is a banger on that one for me.
Neon Bible has my favorite song (Keep the Car Running.) It was definitely a grower, taking a couple years to reach that top spot.
@@alexmw14 actually the same for me too in terms of the whole album. I didn't love it at first, but over time it's brilliance and musical composition just got better and better for me.
the people want more ween😳😳😳
The Wrens - The Meadowlands
I love this album. One of the best indie rock records of all time. Neon Bible, their second album, is also fantastic.
And if you are interested in another indie rock classic I highly recommend Perfect From Now On by Built to Spill.✌
Arcade Fire is so good! Glad you're diving into their work. Check out their Suburbs album.
I suggest The Suburbs and Reflektor albums, you'd be surprised!
Haiti is a country on the same island as Dominican Republic, close to Jamaica. Montreal (where Arcade Fire is from) has a great Haitian community. Nothing to do with Eiffel towers. Great album review tho 😊
You picked up on a lot of the feelings and themes. Backstory to the album is that a number of the band members had recently lost family members. Hence the title of the album, Funeral. One of my all time favorites. The last track always gets me.
When the pawn, Lateralus, or Frailty by Jane Remover next 😌
Boy, just google the word “Laika” instead of speculating about it. Am I crazy? Why waste time talking about how you don’t know what a word means?
Joanna Newsom - Ys, Have One On Me , Divers
Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues, Selftitled
Father John Misty - Pure Comedy, I love you honeybear.
The Microphones - Mount Eerie
Swans - The Glowing Man, The Seer.
smags more like swags frfr
listen to electric ladyland by jimi hendrix!!!11111
😎
One of my absolute favorite albums, so I was very excited to see this reaction/review. Glad you enjoyed it! Keep up the great work!
Gonna be "that person" and put out some suggestions for future reviews:
"The Magnolia Electric Co." - Songs: Ohia
"Left and Leaving" - The Weakerthans
"Control" - Pedro the Lion
Left and Leaving is seriously one of my favorite songs of all time. It just hits so hard for me so many memories tied to that song!
Magnolia electric co is so freakin good, hopefully he does it
I love this record, brought me to happy tears in more than one ocassion. Also, Haiti was a French colony, and it had one of the most bloodiest revolutions, led by Toussaint L'Ouverture (remember that To Be Kind song?). There were like 90% African slaves, Toussaint was a more "refined" slave, he knew how to speak French, and did accounting for their masters. At one point, the slaves realized they outnumbered everyone in the island, and just overthrew the government in a really bloody war.
🤯🤯🤯
any good documentaries you'd reccomend about this? i always wondered what that song on to be kind was about
Tunnels is such a good song
The suburbs next, pleeeaseee
One of my favorite albums of all time! The way it explores themes of life, death, and growing up is just so fucking beautiful.
Here's a few recs:
-And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out - Yo La Tengo
-Mellon Collie & The Infinite Sadness - The Smashing Pumpkins
-Low - David Bowie
Also if you loved her vocals on In the Backset you HAVE to check out The Suburbs. She is a lot more prominent on that album and her performances are some of the best in the band's discography
Great reaction, thank you for that. Arcade fire is soo good. By the way, they are influenced by Bowie, he works with them later and they become a friendship. And thats my point, please check out more Bowie.
Hey man im from Argentina i would love to recommend you some hispanic albums like bocanada-gustavo cerati or artaud-pescado rabioso i love your videos ❤🇦🇷
If you wanted to diversify even more, I highly recommend an album called "The Low End Theory" by A tribe Called Quest. A true classic of early 90s underground hip hop. They masterfully weave themes of urban life in the projects with some of the best production you'll hear, jazz elements etc.
Chat Pile - Gods Country! Don’t be scaaaaaared
So fucking good!!!
They're from Montreal broooo. But awesome vid, made me relive the feelings i had when i first heard this in sixth grade and was like "OMFG this is ME". And was just so proud that they were based in my city.
Same! I went to Concordia with a few of the members, fantastically creative people ❤️
In the Backseat is about her having to take control after the death of her mother Alice
Ohhh
Ok, now you HAVE to check out Reconstruction Site by The Weakerthans. Another great (and pretty similar music wise) Canadian band that deserves more love!
Yes.. also Left and Leaving by them is a perfect song
Still the best Arcade Fire album imo.
Some other albums for your consideration:
Animal Collective - Centipede Hz.
Animal Collective - Time Skiffs
Animal Collective - Isn’t It Now?
mewithoutYou - Brother, Sister
🍻
mewithoutYou is without a doubt my favorite band of all time there isn't a single bad album/ song by them literally a no skip band for me I've seen them live 3 times so underrated broke my heart when they called it quits last year. And Animal Collective used to be one of my favorite bands as well Kinda lost interest after Fall Be Kind but recently bounced back with Time Skiffs
dude, love your reactions ngl, been binging them for a few days now.
some recommendations i'd give would be :
My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade
Polyphia - New Levels New Devils
Archive - Controlling Crowds
Deftones - White Pony
all of these albums are legendary bangers
Thank You!
ngl polyphia is not good
@@parsnipappendectomy Yeah was gonna say, polyphia is soulless wanky trash. I definitely find both of the guitarists technically impressive and they seem like cool people but the music is just so soulless.
@@obsidianman50 yea it feels like red pill faux-cool cringecore
also just to mention, "Laika" was the name given to the Russian dog who was the first animal in space, its used in the song metaphorically because he left the family apparently (or "set out for a great adventure")
Laika set out for a great adventure, but was never expected to return. It was a one way trip for Laika, and I think they feel the same for their older brother Alex
Happy you chose this album over their others. 😅 really brings me back..
Bit of context for laika:
Laika was a dog that the russians sent into space to see if it would live
Also you should check out reconstruction site by the weakerthans, another great Canadian indie project
Arcade fire is great at building up songs, even the songs I didn’t like would be a banger for the last 30 seconds
epic album and epic reaction 😎
Here are my top 3
1.Crown of love
2.In the backseat
3.rebellion
I’ve been waiting for this one 💯 love that album
bro, I love your content. Greetings from Chile
I couldn’t find you for a second 😭😭 phew 😂
better late than never ! 😂
their first ep before this one is great too but i never clicked with anything later personally
have you checked out mitski? her stuff is pretty good, especially puberty 2 and bury me at makeout creek
Anyone else feel like he’d enjoy Give Up by The Postal Service
Well it still not Van Der Graaf Generator but acceptapble
hi bro race alex g 😂😂😂😎😎😎😊 or maybe XO elliott smith
Hey, you gotta react to the New Sufjan drop. No one has reacted and it's the best album I've heard this year.
Love how he sings Alex G at the beginning 😂
can’t imagine how he made and edited this video!
Great reaction as always!! If more fishmans stuff sounds intriguing u should check out some of their studio albums. I just got into the kne with the album cover where they’re all jumping lol wikipedia says the title translates to “aerial camp”
It has a few songs from the live album you reacted to but a lot of stuff you haven’t heard as well, it’s really cool
Top 10 albums all time for me
funeral? how about pooperal! LOL
Found your channel recently man and found out how new your stuff is dude. Congrats with the growth dude! You should totally listen to some Daft Punk or King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard records.
Thank You!
This album is awesome. The Suburbs I think is even better. They were really influenced by New Order who I think you’d really dig (Joy Division after Ian Curtis died). Check out Brotherhood or Technique by them.
Wow, I don’t think of Arcade Fire as “old”.
They’ve been around for 22 years.
We are old now, we have to own it :(
@@GreenLevi-ec6pz I guess so
It’s all relative anyway
Will you listen to javelin by Sufjan? It's AOTY ahead of Scaring the Hoes. But if you didn't listen to Age of Adz yet, listen to it to experience some folktronica by him.
Arcade Fire are also known as the band where when you give it a couple of years they'll turn out to captivate you in a way that is almost obsessive. It's often cool on the first listen but if you stick to it you'll get addicted. Except for their albums Everything Now & WE.
HARD RECOMMEND more king krule (listen to the ooz my man you WONT be disappointed)
Check out the band Stars who are an indie outfit also from Montreal. Their albums Heart, Set Yourself on Fire, and In The Bedroom After The War are my faves though all their stuff is great. Their music is very beautiful & emotional & creative kinda like Sigur Ros (whose album Taak you must check out) but different.
My favorite album - so tight track wise and versatile. Im flying to dublin in july to see the 20th anniversary show for this album
Pleaseeeee listen to Burial's EP Kindred. Perfection
hii, just saw your reaction to disintegration, i think youd like bloodflowers by the cure aswell
I’m WAY too late holy shit. Starting to hurt my reputation as a fan here, geez. Anyway, you’re doing great work, keep it up king 👑
Suggestion (Spoiler: It’s the same as the other 782 times): Silent Alarm by Bloc Party
I heard this band on JJJ back in the day, Bought the CD, and boom was on repeat a lot, somehow this whole album is one amazing synchronis masterpiece, I sort of followed this band a lot after hearing all that, and yr right that last track sounds a lil like Bjork, totally cool reaction their Smag, will watch some more
Neighbour is spelt wrong in the second song, daft American lyrics!
Great album though.
Go on Love - Alone again or
You never miss! Please listen to Quarantine by Laurel Halo, it's kind of electronic ambient with eerie vocals.
You should listen to terror twilight by pavement, probably their most underrated album.
Have you heard Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness? I recommend it.
said this a couple times but would still be very cool if you listened to come in by weatherday !!
Great album, again. But please... PLEASE! ➤ Suede - Dog Man Star. Please.
One of best albums ever Imo it def grows on u over time. I had similar reactions to all the songs first time hearing and now I love every song. Top 5 album for me fosho
3rd song is one of my most played song last year...
alsooooooo
new sufjan stevens album is fireeeeee
Laika was the first dog in the space ,hahahaha.
One of my favorite albums here, clicked this video so fast when i saw it
we need nonagon infinity by king glizzy 🙏
Thank you😂😂 this is good react!!
Actually allergic to missing
"They show potential..."
😂👍
one of my favourite albums..
I dread that day but I may feel obligated to sing in the backseat at my parents funeral..
I covered a few songs of them as well, including tunnels ^^'
here we are... 😔