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Arcade Fire

Arcade Fire

Date: Jun 25 2007

Themes: Music

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

Sometimes listeners can find similarities in the music of two seemingly very different artists. Arcade Fire is essentially an indie rock band, but many people think that in a way they sound like Bruce Springsteen, an all-American classic rock hero.

Marni tells Kevin that, in her opinion, Arcade Fire does indeed share a certain quality with Springsteen. But if you want to see and hear Arcade Fire before you listen to Marni and Kevin talk about them.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

Log in to Listen

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Kevin

Kevin

Marni

Marni

Kevin:  I was just walking on Broadway and I see that Arcade Fire is coming to the Schnitz.

Marni:  Oh, I love Arcade Fire?

Kevin:  Are you gonna go?

Marni:  Hopefully, but sometimes those big shows are kind of expensive. The Schnitz…kinda fancy.

Kevin:  Yeah, but fun.

Marni:  But fun.

Kevin:  I don’t really know that much about them, but I hear really good things.

Marni:  I really enjoy them. They’re from Canada. I don’t know, it just seems like Canada is the green light for success. But, no, they’re really good. You haven’t heard the new album then?

Kevin:  No, I haven’t.

Marni:  This is their second release, Neon Bible, I actually was just listening to it last night. It’s great and an interesting thing is…this new album in particular, some of the songs have been compared to Bruce Springsteen. Which seems kind of a very unlikely comparison, but there’s one particular song, I think it’s called “Antichrist Television…something”, I don’t know, but I was listening to it and I totally could see the comparison. And I certainly hope they feel it’s a compliment because I love the Boss, personally.

Kevin:  I mean, I like the Boss, but that kind of rough around the edges?

Marni:  Well, I think it’s an unlikely comparison in a lot of respects. I don’t think someone would listen to them and naturally make that comparison. But, there’s just a lot of soul and breadth to the new album.

Kevin:  Like really good energy, strong, manly, kind of buff.

Marni:  Kind of buff, yeah.

Kevin:  Cool, I’ll check it out.

Marni:  You should.

 

Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

Kevin was walking down the street in Portland when he saw that Arcade Fire will be playing a show at a place called the Schnitz. Marni says that she loves Arcade Fire but that she’s not totally sure she’ll go to the show because concerts at the Schnitz can be expensive because it’s a fancy place.

As it turns out, Kevin doesn’t know that much about Arcade Fire. He hasn’t heard their new album. Marni was actually listening to it last night, so she tells Kevin about the band and the record. She says that some people have been comparing the album to the work of Bruce Springsteen, who is nicknamed the Boss. The comparison seems a little odd to Marni, but on one particular song (which she can’t remember the name of entirely) it makes sense. She hopes that Arcade Fire is happy to be compared to Springsteen because she likes Springsteen too.

Kevin guesses at the qualities Arcade Fire shares with Springsteen. And Marni says that both are a little bit manly and high energy.

Can you think of an unlikely comparison between two seemingly different artists?

 

Comments

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miffoo

miffoo

Slovakia

honesty I never heard this band

02:37 PM Jan 06 2009 |

miffoo

miffoo

Slovakia

good lesson:)
I haven’t heard this band

02:32 PM Jan 06 2009 |

rockbabe

Taiwan

ARCADE FIRE IS AWESOME !!I LOVE IT~

02:59 AM Jan 19 2008 |

banjoln

banjoln

China

wow, I LIKE it very much.They enjoy special voice,well, style. Power Out is terrrrrific.Try it.

04:53 AM Dec 21 2007 |

Jackie2007

China

good lesson!

03:15 PM Oct 23 2007 |

NIKOLOZI

NIKOLOZI

Georgia

very good lesson! :) Cool i wanna to lisen hugho masakela an anather time Tongue out

10:19 AM Oct 23 2007 |

NIKOLOZI

NIKOLOZI

Georgia

veery good lesson :)

10:18 AM Oct 23 2007 |

fanshulong

China

i haven't heared of it  and avril is from canada , i love her songs

10:49 AM Oct 20 2007 |

fanshulong

China

i love music all kinds of music

10:34 AM Oct 20 2007 |

Chanbopha

Cambodia

To Robert

I think she wanted to give some opinions about that, but that seemed too strong, so she took her words back before speaking them out. She made a decision not to speak anything after all. Hope that helps.

12:32 PM Oct 11 2007 |

nrgul

Turkey

i think she is kidding

06:54 PM Oct 07 2007 |

atilay

Turkey

which one is true?

I'll go to America if they give me a green light

I'll go to America if they give me a green card

:) 

09:01 PM Aug 09 2007 |

strawberry1229

China

yes, i like it . very good.
i’m a freshman, i like english very much but my english is not very good. who can help me .
thanks .

10:39 AM Jul 28 2007 |

victor25

victor25

Moldova, Republic Of

You are doing a great job, the lessons are getting better and better with good vocabulary.

06:54 AM Jul 01 2007 |

刘月诗

China

Very good music,I enjoy so much.

09:55 AM Jun 30 2007 |

hassan_k303@yahoo.com

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

i don’t hear that until now .

03:07 AM Jun 26 2007 |

seleh

seleh

Iraq

hi robert,

 There Marni says the musicians in Arcade Fire are from Canada and then says it seems like Canada is the green card for success you see she doesn't say most people become in Canada and then become popular.

 I think it wasn't a good explanation but that is all I can say. It was a difficult lesson actually…

06:01 PM Jun 25 2007 |

HelmesFan

HelmesFan

Germany

nice lesson! I hope there will be a lesson soon about an european musican like Robbie Williams. :D

04:05 PM Jun 25 2007 |

HelmesFan

HelmesFan

Germany

nice lesson! I hope there will be a lesson soon about an european musican like Robbie Williams. :D

04:05 PM Jun 25 2007 |

naazia

naazia

Pakistan

good music

01:31 PM Jun 25 2007 |

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