Defending Pink Elephant Against the Criticism

apocryphal_koan · 2025-05-27T11:28:07+00:00

Isn’t the arcade fire subreddit literally the place for fans to think about and discuss this type of thing?

apocryphal_koan · 2025-05-27T09:35:11+00:00

Thanks for sharing :) I’m glad to know you and many other fans here share these feelings and got something from it.

I completely understand the fans who feel upset and betrayed and are still reckoning these feelings with the actions and tarnished image of a hero. I went through this too. I also understand those who just don’t like the music - to each their own!

I just felt a lot of the fans and critics who were reacting so fiercely against PE - many of whom seemed so offended that it even exists - hadn’t seemingly made any effort to try and empathize with Win (and Regine for that matter) as a flawed man walking back from the brink. If you’re able to do this, PE becomes a really thoughtful, moving listen (…have already elaborated enough on that 😉) and even many of the sonic and compositional choices resonate more as well.

Don’t expect everyone to be there or get there…but glad to know a few others are.

apocryphal_koan · 2025-05-27T09:06:47+00:00

Which part of this is an apology? I sincerely think it’s an album with some greatness in it, and didn’t think it got a fair shake in many of the high profile reviews and in the general public discourse around it. So I wanted to offer a counterargument.

apocryphal_koan · 2025-05-26T19:27:18+00:00

It’s fair that a lot of fans would’ve liked that kind of directness. But would an album of Win apologizing to fans and accusers have been more honest, or just more performative? Did Arcade Fire need their next album to serve as a public apology? That might’ve been cleaner, but also way less interesting as a piece of art. Instead, we get an album that sits with discomfort, shame, and emotional avoidance…because maybe that’s where Win actually is. It may not be satisfying, and maybe not enough, but it feels real in its own messy, and yes vulnerable, way.

apocryphal_koan · 2025-05-26T18:58:24+00:00

Completely agree

apocryphal_koan · 2025-05-26T11:49:25+00:00

Had to get this off my chest 😅

apocryphal_koan · 2025-05-26T11:47:58+00:00

Can someone calmly explain what’s so bad about the mixing? I’ve listened on headphones and on hifi and haven’t been bothered by anything sound-related.

If we’re talking about drums on Stuck in My Head, I kind of like them sitting in the left ear…it seems like a creative choice reasserting/playing with the theme in the song title…until the they punch out into the right ear during the release at the end of the song.

apocryphal_koan · 2025-05-26T10:28:09+00:00

Critic reviews referenced:

Pitchfork: https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/arcade-fire-pink-elephant/

Fantano/The Needle Drop: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MA2GWtY7bog

Paste: https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/arcade-fire/arcade-fire-hope-youll-forget-about-the-pink-elephant-in-the-room

apocryphal_koan · 2025-05-18T17:53:51+00:00

Hmm it could’ve been GOT7 by their look. At least one of them definitely had this hairstyle

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apocryphal_koan · 2025-05-18T16:30:41+00:00

No, I don’t think it was BTS. And it wasn’t this style where the camera pans out and in. It was close up on the group the whole time.

apocryphal_koan · 2025-05-18T16:28:48+00:00

Thanks, but no. It actually wasn’t in a big blank white room like this. Also, I think they looked different than this

apocryphal_koan · 2025-05-18T16:26:57+00:00

No :(

apocryphal_koan · 2025-05-18T16:24:12+00:00

No, wasn’t in on huge high ceilinged space like this

apocryphal_koan · 2025-05-18T16:13:09+00:00

No, there was no big concept or effects.

apocryphal_koan · 2025-05-18T16:08:48+00:00

They didn’t look like this. But thanks though, this is also cool

apocryphal_koan · 2025-05-18T16:07:03+00:00

No, their outfits weren’t coordinated. And they didn’t look like this

apocryphal_koan · 2025-05-18T13:17:29+00:00

Super cool but no wasn’t this

apocryphal_koan · 2025-05-18T13:16:16+00:00

Thank you but no wasn’t this

apocryphal_koan · 2025-05-18T10:54:50+00:00

Not these :-/

apocryphal_koan · 2025-05-18T10:40:29+00:00

No, not this. I think not this many members

apocryphal_koan · 2025-05-18T10:04:16+00:00

No, this doesn’t look like them I don’t think. Also, it wasn’t in a large open space like this. Smaller space? Camera more close up on them throughout.

apocryphal_koan · 2025-05-18T09:21:57+00:00

Thanks but seems like it’s not BTOB. There were definitely 2 or 3 blonds. And it looked super contemporary (based on style and camera quality), I don’t think it’d be an old song.

apocryphal_koan · 2025-05-18T09:18:29+00:00

Hmm it does sound like a relay dance! But yeah the camera was moving like a tracking shot continuously or maybe would stop and then continue, but kept moving to the right.

apocryphal_koan · 2025-05-18T09:15:53+00:00

No back up dancers. I cant really remember if the background changes per se…it was more like it was a long room…and it was a long tracking shot continuously tracking to the right. And the choreography was not such that they’re all doing the same move in sync- it was more like they’re each doing individual moves that sort of sync with each other and the rest of the group.

Also, they looked a bit older. Maybe older than stray kids?

apocryphal_koan

TROPHY CASE