Arcade Fire returns with its fourth (and arguably most danceable) single ahead of ‘Everything Now,’ “Electric Blue,” fronted by Regine Chassagne.

Arcade Fire continue to rock…well, dance.  Four singles into Everything Now, it’s clear that that the Canadian alternative rock band want to…dance.  Depending on who you are, you have a different opinion whether you like or dislike the direction that the band is going post-The Suburbs. Maybe most surprising is the fact that following the dance-rock of Reflektor is the fact the band is going deeper in that vein.  Moving on, “Electric Blue” is “another one for the steppers,” as R. Kelly might put it.

Like the singles preceding it, “Electric Blue” grooves hard.  70s disco, coupled with a rich palette of synth sounds fuel the fire.  If nothing more, production continues to be a selling point for Arcade Fire.  Another selling point, at least to some extent, are the vocals.  Win Butler has been the head honcho up until this point, but Regine Chassagne takes over fronting duties for this one.

Perhaps Chassagne’s tone is polarizing – some will like and others will not. Given the style, these vocals fit the bill.  It should also be noted that she sounds confident AF.

“Now I can get my head around it / I thought I found it / But I found out I don’t know shit.”

In summation, the sound, vibes, and attitude are a pro.

Along with the pros come the cons.  While it is refreshing to hear Regine Chassagne singing the lead, it’s also a lot of Chassagne.  On “Creature Comfort,” we got a taste of her vocals, which was sufficient.  Here, maybe it’s too much – no disrespect of course.  Also, given the register coupled with the highly rhythmic style, it comes off a bit annoying after a while.  Also, compared to “Everything Now,” “Creature Comfort,” and possibly even “Signs of Life,” “Electric Blue” feels less memorable – less distinct. That isn’t to say that it isn’t – the aforementioned paragraph lists numerous pros – but, something is missing.

Final Thoughts 

So, how does “Electric Blue” stack up? It’s certainly interesting.  Personally, this has been my least favorite single so far, yet it grows on you after a while.  The main rub is that at this point you wonder, has Arcade Fire overdone the dance rock thing? “Electric Blue” has its fair share of virtues, but it’s not a surefire gem.

Arcade Fire • Everything Now • Columbia • Release: 7.28.17

Photo Credit: Columbia