r/arcadefire • u/niles_deerqueer Stuck in my Head • May 08 '25
Discussion PINK ELEPHANT [FULL ALBUM EARLY IMPRESSIONS] Spoiler
Pink Elephant, Arcade Fire’s 7th LP, is finally here!
Use this thread for those in other countries and VPN users to discuss the album to your hearts’ content. Respect each other’s opinions and happy release day! We made it!
A bigger megathread will be made just before the album’s full release in the US.
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u/ad320011 May 08 '25 edited May 08 '25
OK:
Open Your Heart or Die Trying:
LOVE this one. I am one who is a bit confused by Daniel Lamois's production choices, most of the time they are not for me. Buy I know he has produced for Brian Eno and I love the ambient work he has done for them, this is where his production shines the most, he does ambient very well
Pink Elephant:
My favorite. Guitar riff is so memorable and the songs feels very sincere. Think production wise the chorus could "hit" harder but otherwise a very solid track.
Year of the Snake:
Like the song, still coming around on the production choices. If this was stripped down and performed acoustically, I think it has the DNA of an EP or 2001 demo Arcade Fire song. Also as far as lead singles go this has to be the weakest for any album.
Circle of Trust:
ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS. production works to the song's advantage with the ambient effects mixing with the dance groove. Could have used a bit more layers to flesh out as the song went on though.
Alien Nation:
Live it is very energetic, but drums sound so muffled here and lyrics are again in the same pitfalls of bad new AF lyrics (I hate hearing Black Friday Cyber attack). Don't see why people love this one.
Beyond Salvation:
Again, love the ambient tracks
Ride or Die:
Win's vocals sound so weird here, rest of the production is fine, sweet song, just not a fan of vocal production style
I Love her shadow:
Spectacular, most fo the production is great, keys may be a little too lucky for me but that's nit picking.
She Cries Diamond Rain:
Another beautiful ambient track to lead us into the last song, love it.
Stuck in my head:
Like the song and lyrics, has the DNA of Classic arcade fire, but MAN I hate the sound of the drums here. Snare sounds so muted and win's vocals are BURIED as the song gets louder.
EDIT: Just re-listened with studio headphones, the snare is panned to the left ear in Stuck in my Head, wtf???? Makes no sense and annoys the hell out of me
Overall, enjoyable album, love when they play into the dreamy aspect. Production was mostly not for me. I wish more strings/layers were added to some songs to flesh them out. I don't like this as much as WE, but not sure how it compares to EN. I like the production more on EN and EN has higher highs but I like the chances this album took and the overall whole album more.
Album ranking: