May 15: The band posts a virtual postcard (the front of which you see above) saying they're just finishing pressing their new 12-inch.
May 20: Snippets of both songs appear on the Arcade Fire's website, which is at its least cryptic ever.
May 26: Pitchfork reports that the single appeared in a Glasgow record store. It took all of three hours for both songs to be played on the radio, ripped, and posted in various places (that last link is a Spanish language page because Arcade Fire Mania knows no barriers or borders).
So, how is the new music from the band that was once crowned the messiah of indie music? Pretty good, actually. Considerably less dramatic/world-weary than in the past, although this is still Arcade Fire, so things are still a little glum.
But "Month Of May" is something like surf rock, which is a huge leap for these guys. Think Yo La Tengo's "Little Honda" cover with more emotive vocals. And "The Suburbs" is borderline funky. Guess retreating to your stone church and focusing on gardening will do wonders for your worldview.
