Originally Posted by mordwyr

Bell Gardens - Full Sundown Assembly
[2012] (chamber/psychedelic pop, folk rock)

Keep in rotation. This is just the kind of chill, rustic not-rustic music I dig.


Arcade Fire - Funeral
[2004] (indie/alternative/art rock, baroque pop, post-punk revival)

Keep in rotation. Today was perfect weather: sunny, 24 degrees C, and a nice breeze blowing. So some other professors and I sat out on the patio beside the student center and had lunch. Since one of them just happened to have portable speakers in his bag, I plugged in my Walkman (yes, Walkman) and played the next thing up: this album. We;re sharing the table with one American who is a real piece of work. He's been here forever and has never bothered to learn the language, even though he married a native. He's got a superiority complex and criticizes Japanese people constantly for being backward and stupid (which they're not).

"Who is this?" he asks me.

"Arcade Fire," I respond. "One of my favorite bands. I like this one, but if you're interested in their sound, start with The Suburbs."

He chuckles and adds, "Wouldn't it be funny if one of these Japanese derps walking around came up right now and said, 'Hey! Arcade Fire!'" This douche never misses a chance to aggrandize himself at others' expense. He just assumes no one here knows anything about anything.

I nod, take another bite of my BBQ pork. "Well, since it was a Japanese man who introduced me to Arcade Fire a decade ago, I wouldn't be surprised."

He shut up.