Laika

Montreal’s The Arcade Fire have a habit of sounding like six different bands arguing at once, with the result that there’s something for everyone in their debut long player Funeral. That said, ‘Laika’ seems a peculiar choice for single, being the track where Arcade Fire’s debt to Talking Heads is at its most blatantly obvious. Better is the b-side, ‘My Buddy’, a cover of 1940 big band number by Alvimo Rey, great grandfather of AC frontman Win Butler. A masterpiece in sepia.