It all started with a live performance I caught on UK TV’s only serious terrestrial modern music show, Later. The Arcade Fire (a collective of American musicians now residing in Canada) dazzled with its inventiveness, adventure, passion and consummate skill. In short, I was blown away. But then I started to wonder why we had not heard about this new band, and why no review material had been received. While I tried to find out who was distributing the band’s music in the UK Chris Martin declared his love for the band during a TV interview. I finally last-resorted it and went into a local HMV music store and discovered that Rough Trade was handling the band’s recordings over here.

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