Arcade Fire's new video for "We Used to Wait" (from the album The Suburbs) is all about childhood nostalgia. Director Chris Milk employed Google maps and HTML5 technology in order to let fans to get in touch with their own upbringings. Users are prompted to enter the address of their childhood homes, at which point a the computer screen is stormed with a handful of smaller windows, each one synced up to the song's rhythm. Coming from one who grew up in your standard middle-class enclave, this is something to behold: The song's somber tones are enlivened by satellite views of in-ground pools and SUVs. Truly, the video is a stand-alone interactive experience.
Arcade Fire's already proven it's the band to watch and set on repeat: The group sold 156,000 copies of The Suburbs in the first week of its release. And lest we forget, Terry Gilliam just directed a live stream of its show at New York's Madison Square Garden for YouTube. With yesterday's video release, Arcade Fire is topping the indie charts, and all of our personal playlists.
Try out the video for yourself at The Wilderness Downtown.
