I’d like to pay homage to some bands that I haven’t quite gotten to talk about, not because of any faults with these bands, but because they each bring something different to the table. Whether it be through interesting instrumentation, unique song structure or unique influences, I couldn’t quite fit the following bands into any other category. Here goes nothing.
They may have recently garnered a Grammy for Album of the Year and yet it’s still not the Arcade Fire’s best album. Don’t get me wrong, the winning album is good, but it gets away from their baroque roots in favor a more modern rock sound. “Neon Bible” and “Funeral” both sound like complete orchestras as many of the band members play multiple instruments, accentuated as band members switch up what they play during songs (compared to the new album which is more guitar heavy). The varied instrumentation and the influences of multiple styles of music makes Arcade Fire more than a band that keeps churning out similar sounding albums, but a group of musicians that creates many different cool sounds.
Beirut also features a full band but centers really on a single particular influence not normally heard. I mean, who listens to Eastern European folk music (like polka) and decides they want to start a band with it? If you didn’t get the hint, that’s what the members of Beirut did, fusing Eastern European folk music with indie pop sensibilities, highlighting such a global span with songs in other languages, notably French. Like Arcade Fire, Beirut does not rely upon the guitar and instead mixes up instrumentation to create music corresponding to their influences.
The Music Court 
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