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Arcade Fire (Arcade Fire/Facebook)
Arcade Fire's new album is No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The Canadian indie rock group sold 156,000 copies of The Suburbs, but not everyone’s buying the band’s epic songwriting style and hyper-intense live performances. Today, our critics debate Arcade Fire in a Soundcheck Smackdown. Plus: live music from New York jazz ensemble Respect Sextet.
Tell us: What do you think of Arcade Fire and their new album? Leave a comment and let us know.
Smackdown: Arcade Fire
True to their namesake, Arcade Fire are a hot commodity: the Montreal ensemble knocked Eminem off the number-one spot on the Billboard albums chart with their new disc The Suburbs. But not everyone is moved by the band's hyper-dramatic anthems and onstage theatrics.
Respect Sextet: In Studio
New York's Respect Sextet is known for its brash and eclectic approach to the jazz tradition. The group’s pieces mix and match elements of free jazz, funk grooves, New Orleans-style marches, bebop, and commercial jingles, all with a dash of whimsy.
Selling Well or Selling Out?
Arcade Fire succeeds while sticking to their guns.
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