Toronto Mike

Too Early To Cover Yourself?

music

The latest single from Arcade Fire is "No Cars Go" from their Neon Bible album.  It's a great single, and I'll probably throw it on SLS18, but any fan of Arcade Fire has heard this song before.  Arcade Fire has covered themselves.

Before Funeral, Arcade Fire had a self titled EP that contained "No Cars Go".  The two versions aren't that different.  Arcade Fire has essentially covered themselves, and they're doing it on their second full album.  I'm wondering if it's too early for a band to cover their own work.

Of course, I don't think they call it a cover when it's your own work.  They'll tell you they re-recorded the song.  I'm not judging Arcade Fire, a band I totally dig, but was it necessary to re-record a song at this early stage of their career?  And it's not like this EP is obscure and difficult to get.  After Funeral, it was remastered and rereleased and it quickly found it's way into my collection.

I expect this from a band like Aerosmith who felt “Sweet Emotion” needed another crack at the charts, but Arcade Fire are not Aerosmith.  That's what we love about them.

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