ARCADE FIRE
WE
NEW ALBUM OUT MAY 6âThe Lightning I, IIâ Single & Video Out Now
WE, the eagerly anticipated sixth studio album by Arcade Fire, has been confirmed for a May 6, 2022 release via Columbia Records.
WEâs arrival is preceded by first single âThe Lightning I, II,â available now across digital platforms â and as a video directed by Emily Kai Bock, which can be seen HERE.
Produced by Nigel Godrich, Win & Régine, and recorded in multiple locales including New Orleans, El Paso and Mount Desert Island, WE paradoxically distills âthe longest weâve ever spent writing, uninterrupted, probably ever” (per the bandâs Win Butler) into a concise 40 minute epic â one as much about the forces that threaten to pull us away from the people we love, as it is inspired by the urgent need to overcome them. WEâs cathartic journey follows a definable arc from darkness into light over the course of seven songs divided into two distinct sides — Side âIâ channeling the fear and loneliness of isolation, and Side âWEâ expressing the joy and power of reconnection:
âIâ
Age of Anxiety I
Age of Anxiety II (Rabbit Hole)
End of the Empire I-IV
âWEâ
The Lightning I, II
Unconditional I (Lookout Kid)
Unconditional II (Race and Religion)
WE
On the albumâs cover, a photograph of a human eye by the artist JR evokes Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy. This stunning image — embellished by the distinctive airbrush color tinting of Terry Pastor (utilizing the same physical technique he employed on David Bowieâs iconic Hunky Dory and Ziggy Stardust covers) â is the visual expression of WE.
Arcade Fire is: Régine Chassagne, Win Butler, Richard Reed Parry, Tim Kingsbury, Jeremy Gara, & Will Butler.
For further information, see the note from Win below or visit www.arcadefire.com
Photo credit: Michael Marcelle
