They win awards all over the shop.
Like best album at The Brits and the Grammy’s.
They win most critics’ albums of the year time after time.
They perform concerts that blow people away, but they are either mostly unheard of or dismissed.
Come on world…
gibberish 
Do you want them to be another Take That? I don’t really understand the point you are making. They sell millions. Who cares if those hardwired to Glee & X Factor have yet to appreciate.
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no, of course not. I just think a lot of people haven’t even heard of them. I seem to recall that I may have introduced them to ou quite recently. Me, of course, I bought Funeral (their first) the week it came out. But anyway, Take that have their moments.
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I’ve heard them. I’ve even been to see them. They are fab live, Occasionally a little contrived and up themselves on disc. In the same way that REM occasionally were ( as supposed to U2 who are permanently up themselves). So there you have it. Not bad, and a lot of fun to see.
Does that help Mark?
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excellent summation. Particualrly agree with the REM comparison. And of course Bono can go fuck himself.
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I’ve seen them live and, yes, they were great.
I also have 3 of their albums. Not sure if that’s them all or not, but it’s probably 2 too many.
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Neon Bible dipped. Funeral and The Suburbs are brilliant. Can’t comment on live as not seen them yet.
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There’s a general theme emerging about respect (Ian Dommett in particular made this point to me on Face book) more than love. For instance, I LOVE the Human League and The Clash and Belle and Sebastian, but I respect Arcade Fire. Dunno why that is. Too intellectual? Too worthy?
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Best band in the world at the moment IMO – three cracking albums (never understand the notion that Neon Bible isn’t as good – for me it’s their strongest album) and quite incredible live performers (going by TV that is – never had the fortune to actually see them live myself. Yet.)
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I share your thoughts on Arcade Fire. I’ve tagged them best band in the world for the last 6 months.
Bought Suburbs in release week in the summer. It’s been played (worn out) at home and in car and on pod (good marker for rating that – car, hoose and ipod).
Bought Funeral on release for a brother’s chrimbo prezzie. They both overshadow Neon Bible.
I try not to lift my snobby brow too high when the usual playground comparisons with friends’ fave bands take place in the pub (Kasabian, Kings of Leon and a host of other yawn-inducing-Led-Zep-by-numbers bands).
And I’m in agreement with you that the world should sit up and take (more) notice than they presently do. Two exceptional concept albums in the last decade, in an age of disposable, single-tune purchasing getting this kind of recognition pleases me greatly. Can their next be as great? I doubt it but hope so.
They seem non-plussed by their own rise from what I’ve read of them in interviews but I’ve a radical theory on those that release music – they’d like people to hear it. Musicians that release music want people to hear it. I know, I know, groundbreaking.
As for live – you have to see them live to comment(ie be there) but I’ve seen them live on TV a number of times and was slightly disappointed each time.
Despite our “I liked them first” claims it’s good to see we haven’t gone all “sellouts!” on their increasing mainstream popularity and actually wish them it – coz, like in the playground, that’d make us sound like a right couple of wankers – or, as Stephen Fry would write…..
“One of the most unattractive human traits, and so easy to fall into, is resentment at the sudden shared popularity of a previously private pleasure. Which of us hasn’t been annoyed when a band, writer, artist or television series that had been a minority interest of ours has suddenly achieved mainstream popularity? When it was at a cult level we moaned at the philistinism of a world that didn’t appreciate it, and now that they do appreciate it we’re all resentful and dog-in-the-manger about it. I am old enough to remember the cool long-haired boys at school who were seriously annoyed by the success of Dark Side of the Moon. They went around muttering “sellout” when a month before they had bored anyone they could find on the subject of the misunderstood brilliance of Pink Floyd and how the world was too stupid to recognise their genius.”
Dangerously close there Mark! – but no cigar ;o)
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