Arcade Fire”s new video for “Afterlife” couldn”t be more different than the clip for “Reflektor”s” title track.
Instead of showcasing the band in oversized masks and white suits, the Emily Kai Bock-directed video plays out like an indie film about the life of a Hispanic family trying to get through life day-to-day.
The clip, which does not feature the band, starts with a long Spanish-spoken intro with a man, presumably a single dad, having dinner for his two sons after a day spent selling flowers by the roadside-a very familiar sight in Los Angeles, by the way.
They then all have their dreams, seemingly all about the same women: the father”s love of his life, who is the mother of his two children. She”s absent from their lives now for unexplained reasons, but weighs heavily in their thoughts. It”s sweet and poignant and beautifully shot, especially the black and white portions from the father”s dream. But the nightmare of the little boy being put in the washer almost sent me over the edge.
Better yet about the video: you don”t have to dress in a costume or formal wear to watch it. As you heard, Arcade Fire”s request that fans wear “formal attire or costume” to their arena shows was met with a bit of a backlash from fans who thought paying for a ticket should be all required for their entry.
Yesterday, Arcade Fire took to its Facebook page to tell everyone to calm down a little bit; they were just trying to liven up the festivities:
“To everyone really upset about us asking people to dress up at our shows… please relax. It’s super not mandatory. It just makes for a more fun carnival when we are all in it together. So far these have been the best shows we have ever played.
See you soon.
Love,
Arcade Fire”