WE

by Arcade Fire

Overview

After the slight stumble of 2017's Everything Now, Canadian indie rock heroes Arcade Fire re-center themselves on their sixth album, WE. Produced by Nigel Godrich, Win Butler, and Regine Chassagne, the pensive set captures the whirlwind of emotions felt during the first years of the pandemic -- and not just because of COVID-19 itself, but also from the drastic social shifts and interpersonal adaptations made across the globe -- and soundtracks that melodrama with a tightly sequenced journey that plucks from every era in the band's catalog. Timely and relevant, WE works best when experienced in a single sitting. Split into two parts, Side "I" comprises the two-part "Age of Anxiety" and the four-part "End of the Empire" suite, picking up steam for Side "WE" and "The Lightning I, II," "Unconditional" parts one and two, and the title track finale. The thematic split creates a thoughtful progression from the isolated and fearful first-person singular to the warmer, hopeful plurality of the second half, slowly unfolding from the persistent synths and dystopian feel of the aptly titled "Age of Anxiety I" and "Age of Anxiety II (Rabbit Hole)" into the nearly ten-minute epic "End of the Empire I-IV." Essentially four songs for the price of one, this climactic centerpiece is the turning point where fear and loneliness give way to personal rediscovery, togetherness, and setting our sights on what matters. As the piano-driven, "Imagine"-echoing dirge "Last Dance" bids farewell to American global dominance, the energy builds with the sax-punctuated, Queen-esque "Last Round" and the sweeping beauty of the string-backed "Leave the Light On," wherein Butler laments, "We've got one life and half of it's gone." Finishing with "Sagittarius A*" (the name of a supermassive black hole), he contemplates modern life and technology, pulling listeners into the now with references to social media, streaming services, and clothes that don't fit anymore. The emotional catharsis and thought-processing of the first half is a necessary exercise that forges a deeper connection with each successive listen, but when Arcade Fire finally lock in on "The Lightning I, II," it's off to the races for longtime fans starved for the urgent, band-driven sound found on Funeral and Neon Bible, especially on the gloriously rousing latter portion of the track. The patient "Unconditional I (Lookout Kid)," a touching lullaby to Butler and Chassagne's son, is another earnest highlight that forgoes the production tricks and sheen that defined much of the group's sound in the 2010s, returning them to a pure and nostalgic time when they were just a young band from Montreal. Meanwhile, "Unconditional II (Race and Religion)" places Chassagne at the fore, backed by the neon synths and island percussion of Reflektor and a surprise appearance by Peter Gabriel. While not as immediately accessible as the all-star run of their first three albums, WE will at least be a course-corrector for fans still alienated by Everything Now and the underrated Reflektor, a satisfying journey that realigns the band's heart and soul. ~ Neil Z. Yeung

Product Details

Release Date:	05/06/2022
Label:	Columbia
UPC:	0194399712214

Tracks

1. Age of Anxiety I
2. Age of Anxiety II (Rabbit Hole)
3. End of the Empire I-IV
4. The Lightning I, II
5. Unconditional I (Lookout Kid)
6. Unconditional II (Race and Religion)
7. WE

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Arcade Fire   Primary Artist
Everton Nelson   Strings
Natalia Bonner   Strings
Sally Herbert   Conductor
Liza Rey   Harp
Louis Michot   Fiddle
Owen Pallett   Strings
Sarah Neufeld   Strings
Richard George   Strings
Chris Worsey   Strings
Geoff Barrow   Synthesizer
Peter Gabriel   Featured Artist
Andre Michot   Accordion
Ian Burdge   Strings
Lucy Wilkins   Strings
Rachel Robson   Strings
Mark Braud   Trumpet
Charlie Gabriel   Saxophone
Louisa Fuller   Strings
Wendell Brunious   Trumpet
Josh Tillman   Stomping,Breathing
Helen Gillet   Strings
John Metcalfe   Strings
Tom Pigott-Smith   Strings
Matt Rhody   Strings
Oliver Langford   Strings
Marianne Haynes   Strings
Harry Hardin   Strings
Michael Brun   Synthesizer
Willonson Duprate   Congas
Paul Beaubrun   Sound Effects
Romeo R. Bougere   Agogo Bell
Orlando Primo   Congas,Djembe

Technical Credits

Mark Lawson   Engineer
Steve Mackey   Pre-Production
Craig Silvey   Mixing
Greg Calbi   Mastering
Sally Herbert   Arranger
Owen Pallett   Engineer,Orchestral Arrangements
Geoff Barrow   Additional Production
Win Butler   Composer,Producer
Regine Chassagne   Composer,Producer,Orchestral Arrangements
Jean Rene   Cover Image,Photography
Ryan Smith   Mastering
Nigel Godrich   Mixing,Producer
Justin Tocket   Assistant Engineer
Steve Fallone   Mastering
Will Butler   Composer
Josh Tillman   Additional Production
Julia Simpson   Engineer,Creative Producer
Marco Ramirez   Assistant Engineer
Mikko Gordon   Engineer,Assistant,Additional Production
Eric Heigle   Engineer,Producer
Gerardo "Jerry" Ordonez   Assistant Engineer
Edwin F. Butler   Whisper
Felipe Gutierrez   Assistant Engineer
Suvi-Eeva Aeikaes   Engineer
Matt Aguiluz   Assistant Engineer
James Seymour   Engineer
Dani Spragg   Assistant
Nathanael Graham   Assistant Engineer
Emily Eck   Engineer
Maria Jose Govea   Photography
Francesca Edwards   Assistant Engineer
Joy Stacey   Assistant Engineer
Pablo Godin   Assistant Engineer
Ping Pong Ping   Graphic Design