Music Review – “Crown of Love” - Arcade Fire

Let me be the first to label this music as hymnotic!! “Crown of Love” is a work-of-art combining a Roy Orbison revival with the Honeydrippers fronting for an early Roxy Music. Musically brilliant with a hauntingly stunning arrangement of piano and strings, this song is truly an intense epic. The ballad spills over with soothing waves of violin in an expression of remorse that continually builds until the song bursts into a whirling dance sequence, which fairly oozes despair. The Arcade Fire is a very unusual band with a curious, beautiful sound. There are 15 musicians listed as contributors and the instruments include violins, cello, accordion, xylophone and even a recorder. Yes, the normal equipment is here too, but the supplementary instruments add fullness to the song, so that you almost cross into the music rather than just listen to it. Win Butler and Régine Chassagne provide some of the most pure and sincere vocals that I have ever heard. Butler has that vocal quality that even David Byrne and Bryan Ferry might envy. These days it’s hard to find a band that means what it sings. I’m glad I found this one. You can wake up from that hymnotic trance now!

Arcade Fire

* The Alternative One