Arcade Fire Announces Album Details via Zany YouTube Video

January 8, 2007

Montreal cool kids the Arcade Fire have unveiled details of their hotly anticipated sophomore effort via a predictably screwy video the band posted on YouTube.

The clip features frontman Win Butler impersonating Arcade Fire guitarist Richard Reed Parry by wearing a paper cut-out mask of his cohort. Butler sits propped up on a director’s chair with a megaphone in one hand and a Juno Award in the other, announcing, “Do you remember how music used to make you feel? Hi, I’m Juno Award-winning guitarist Richard Reed Parry of the Arcade Fire. But I’m not here to stroll down memory lane: I want to tell you about what the future holds. On March 5 in the United Europe and March 6 in North America, our new album, Neon Bible, will make you feel that way all over again.”

Apparently aware that ironic-sweater-wearing hipsters are a fickle bunch who love to build up heroes only to tear them down, Butler promises viewers that they will not regret their loyalty and love of all things Arcade Fire.

“Do you remember when you started to get embarrassed about things that you used to think were cool? Well, here’s an album that will never make you feel that way,” text on the video reads. “I feel confident that these contemporary classics are going to blow you away!”

Butler then sits back as the album’s track listing floats across the screen, revealing the disc will include songs “Black Mirror,” “Keep the Car Running,” “Neon Bible,” “Intervention,” “Black Wave/Bad Vibrations,” “Ocean Of Noise,” “The Well & the Lighthouse,” “(Antichrist Television Blues),” “Windowsill,” “No Cars Go” and “My Body is a Cage.”

Fans interested in getting a sneak preview of the delicious indie-rock beats due out on Neon Bible can call the Arcade Fire hotline toll free to hear a raw track: 1-866-NEON-BIB(LE) or 1-866-6366-242. However, fans interested in seeing the band when they hit the stage in Montreal Feb. 6-10 are decidedly shit out of luck — unless they want to shell out heaps of cash. Tickets for the four-date stand sold out in minutes and are now starting at $310.00 US on eBay.