New Arcade Fire Documentary Playing for One Week Only on Pitchfork

Miroir Noir is a documentary about Arcade Fire’s Neon Bible tour in 2007.  And for one week only, Pitchfork is playing it for free! I haven’t watched it yet, but the One Week Only features on Pitchfork are always fascinating.  The DVD just became available last week, but this is a nice opportunity to get your eyes on it without the purchase.

MP3: Arcade Fire-Rebellion (Lies)

MP3: Arcade Fire-Brazil [ysi]

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Arcade Fire used for Where the Wild Things Are Trailer

The great picture book by Maurice Sendak was one of my favorites growing up, likely because I shared the name with the main character.  The film promises to be good, as the visionary Spike Jonze is helming the artistic crew.  The case includes some incredible actors including Chris Cooper, Catherine O’Hara, James Gandolfini, Mark Ruffalo, Catherine Keener, and Forest Whitaker.  Plus, they got the kids costume EXACTLY perfect.  The Arcade Fire song “Wake Up,” used in the official trailer only whets the appetite even more. Video and mp3 below.

MP3: Arcade Fire-Wake Up (Where the Wild Things Are Trailer version)

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The Rise of Semi-Supergroups?

For the second day in a row, I have heard about a newly formed music venture made up of backing players from relatively well known bands.  I am wondering if there is a new trend here, or just a minor bump in activity that has always happened in the music industry.  Those ambitious, young dudes wanting more than to just play back up for Win Butler or Rick Nielson.

First: Team B. Made up of members of Beirut, the Arcade Fire, and LCD Soundsystem, this group is streaming songs from their first album on their MySpace.  Think more Beirut than either of the latter groups, but they put together some interesting sounds (although none, in my opinion, as strong as Final Fantasy).

Second: Tinted Windows.  This group is comprised of members of the Smashing Pumpkins, Cheap Trick, Hanson, and Fountains of Wayne. The tune sounding from their web site sounds most like Fountains of Wayne, with a lighter, straight-driving rock and lyrics that border between playfulness and the inconsequential.  Listen to “Kind of a Girl” on their web site, or catch them at their premier at South by Southwest.

Supergroups were made famous, of course, by outfits such as Cream, CSNY, The Traveling Wilburys, and Velvet Revolver.

MP3: Team B-On My Mind

MP3: Tinted Windows-Kind of a Girl

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M@M: Arcade Fire-Neon Bible

The most popular visual counterpart to this soft, beautiful track was received after great anticipation at www.neonbible.com. The interactive and minimalistic video, I have to say, was fun and deserved recognition from music geeks. A much more powerful video to couple with the song, however, is provided from the folks at Le Blogotheque. They are constantly providing video of amazing performances by independent artists. Be sure to be on the lookout for more M@M’s from them soon. Enjoy the video and mp3 after the jump.