Saturday, December 17th 2011
News: Arcade Fire
Check Out Arcade Fire’s Interactive Video For ‘Sprawl II’
It is no surprise that Arcade Fire has opted to release yet another music video to accompany their brilliant 2010 record The Suburbs so long after the album’s initial release. The music still feels as fresh and as relevant as it did a year and a half ago, and considering the recent experimental measures the band has taken regarding their music videos, it is always pleasing to see a musical group as essential as Arcade Fire push the limits further.
Arcade Fire’s newest video for the remarkable Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) comes in two forms: a traditional version and an interactive version.
The traditional version sees Régine Chassagne gleefully dancing to disturbingly familiar scenes from the suburbs as her papier maché-headed bandmates – along with an assortment of suburban zombies – gradually join her throughout the video. You can watch the Vincent Morisset-directed video below:
The more fascinating, interactive version of the video requires viewers to turn on their webcams and dance to the song, with their hand motions and movements correspondingly advancing the video. The vagueness of the instructions adds to the amusement of trying to carry the song onwards.
It is crucial to divulge, however, that the prospect of the band watching and diabolically laughing at the number of flailing arms failing to move the song forward always looms in the air. So dress wisely.
These are great but I just can’t get into them.
Saw them live on the first tour and the only thing I had against them was the guy who sings had very little power in his voice as though his vocal chords were not loose enough, other than that, live they blew me away.
Music like this should be popular.