By Victor Beigelman and Andy Verderosa
Just one week ago, Arcade Fire released their fourth album, Reflektor, to the masses. It’s been more than three years since they dropped the Grammy-winning, absurdly good The Suburbs, so thankfully we’ve all had some time to let our wrists heal from dancing non-stop with Regine to Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains).
Unfortunately, we’ve been listening to Reflektor on repeat all week, and have already developed horrible carpal tunnel syndrome from the wrist twists. Fortunately, the album is, if not amazing, at least solid, and now that we’ve digested it many times over, we’ve decided to summarize each track as part of a heavy text conversation between the couple of the century, Win Butler and Regine Chassagne.
(Of course we can’t do this without shouting out the honorary best true best friend, Shea Serrano whose now famous “Texts with Pop” series last June changed journalism forever.)
So here it goes:
Reflektor
Regine: Entre la nuit, la nuit et l’aurore. Entre les royaumes, des vivants et des morts
Win: What?
Regine: Feel like you don’t trust me
Win: ??
Regine: We’ll call it Reflektor
Win: Reflector
Win: Is that how they spell it in French?
Regine: No
We Exist
Regine: We have to tell the world we are here.
Win: I think they kno
Regine: I just want to be appreciated
Win: I appreciate you
Regine: this isn’t about you
Flashbulb Eyes
Regine: You know I grew up in Haiti right?
Win: Umm, yeah
Regine: Me, Wyclef, and Pierre Garcon, top 3 most famous Haitians
Win: Feel like success is getting to you
Regine: Do people in Houston even know who you are?
Win: I’m more from Montreal
Regine: haha ok
Here Comes The Night Time
Win: Babe I’m scared of the unknown
Regine: Like what
Win: Heaven, hell. The dark. Suburban sprawl. Stuff like that
Regine: We talked about this. Turn on the night light
Win: Will doesn’t like sleeping with it on
Regine: Can’t talk. Out right now. Just ran into that LCD Soundsystem teddy bear guy
Normal Person
Win: Would you say we’re a rock band?
Regine: I don’t like labels
Win: It’s just like..
Regine: What?
Win: I don’t want to become the norm
Regine: That’s what the makeup is for
Win: But I look like the black swan
Regine: Didn’t that win an Oscar?
You Already Know
Regine: I can’t sleep
Win: What’s wrong?
Regine: I don’t know. I just feel sad
Win: I know life is moving fast but we’re doing great
Regine: Ok. Maybe it’s just postpartum depression
Win: We have a kid?
Joan Of Arc
Win: You’re such a powerful woman
Regine: Don’t patronize me
Win: Seriously I love you, you’re so inspiring
Regine: Why are you being weird?
Win: I’ll follow you anywhere
Regine: Well can you pretend I’m at the grocery store and follow me to get some eggs
Win: On it
Here Comes The Night Time II
Win: Ok the night light just went out. I’m scared
Regine: Jesus dude. I’m still out with James Murphy. We just ran into Bowie
Win: Can you come home? I really need you
Regine: It’s 10:30pm. No.
Win: : (
Awful Sound (Oh Eurydice)
Regine: The story of Orpheus and Eurydice is so tragic
Win: What’s it about?
Regine: Orpheus tries to lead his dead wife out of the underworld but looks back too soon and she dies for good
Win: Why does looking back kill her?
Regine: Because he can’t follow instructions
Win: hmmm
Regine: Can’t believe you burnt mac and cheese
It’s Never Over (Hey Orpheus)
Win: Hey want to go to a movie tonight?
Regine: I just don’t know if I can trust you sometimes
Win: What? Babe I love you
Regine: I love you too but you can’t even make mac and cheese out of a box
Win: I just don’t understand how that’s relevant
Regine: You don’t get me
Win: I’m still going to sing about you until you’re sick of me
Regine: Aww babe
Porno
Regine: Do u ever watch pornos?
Win: …no
Regine: Why not
Win: They’re gross
Regine: Really?
Win: Unrealistic portrayal of women.
Regine: ….
Win: Plus, I got you.
Regine: I don’t believe you
Win: James Murphy made me watch one once.
Afterlife
Regine: Hey I’m sorry we fought
Win: Me too
Regine: R we okay now?
Win: Yeah. It’s healthy to scream and shout at each other
Regine: I don’t know. Is it?
Win: We work through shit together. It’s sexy.
Regine: What would we do without each other’s love?
Win: Die
Regine: Think I’m going to go dancing tonight
Supersymmetry
Win: Should our last song be 11 minutes long or 12 minutes long?
Win: And let’s spend the next year in bed together after this album hits
Regine: I don’t have time for either one of those things
Win: Then what do you have time for?
Regine: A lengthy, round-a-bout marketing campaign
Win: I just want to stare into your perfect eyes
Regine: Ah, lalala lala
