Blissful Other-Wordly Joy
U2 fans may recall the soaring, ethereal crescendo of eerie sound that preceded their heroes entrance at their gigs this summer; this song was of course The Arcade Fire's stunningly emotional single 'Wake Up'. It's testimony to the band's greatness that they haven't released this track before now, as it's comparable to Ben-Hur in terms of epic-ness; you can't help but be in awe of the sweeping vocals, tremendous chords and versatility of sound. This tune embodies beauty, but not in your usual fragile, taciturn way for it's a massive, powerful tune that grabs your eardrums and sets them into complete rapture.
The whole atmosphere of the sound is divine, like you're floating on cloud 9 purveying the world below with a buoyancy of heart that is certainly quite out of this world. Dreamy violins and impassioned guitars collide half way through making way for a merry, lighter coda that finally releases you a little from the dramatic grip of the rest of the track. There's just one word - wow!