Will Butler (Arcade Fire) – “Take My Side” (Singles Going Steady)

Chris Ingalls: This one threw me for a loop. At its core, it’s basically a simple, sloppy rockabilly rave-up. But it seems filtered through a very punk sensibility: it’s like rockabilly by way of the Ramones (which may very well be how Butler discovered the genre). The backing vocals add another layer and give the song a (possibly unintentional) greater dimension. It’s as if Butler can’t be satisfied with an innocuous punk tune — it needs more. And the payoff is worth it. [8/10]

Emmanuel Elone: Will Butler has had incredible success as both a solo artist and as a member of Arcade Fire, so one has to wonder why he’s trying to pull of a bad Jack White impersonation on “Take My Side”. It’s typical run-of-the-mill 12-bar blues, with nothing to distinguish it from any other blues-rock song that’s ever been done before. The lyrics are typical, the riffs are elementary, and the vocals are nothing particularly remarkable. If I wanted to listen to blues rock, I’d go to the Black Keys, the White Stripes, Cream, Led Zeppelin, Stevie Ray Vaughn, etc., but never Will Butler. [3/10]

Steve Horowitz: Will offers a nice slab of rock, with a solid electric guitar at the edges and heavy drum beats at the center. Get ready to get sweaty! You don’t need to pogo to know which way the wind blows, but it helps. The song positively bounces with raw energy. Freed your body and your mind will follow — funk for those who would rather jump than dance. [8/10]

Chad Miller: The instrumentalists are really impressive, and Butler puts a lot of emotion and energy into his vocals. The song itself is really good too with catchy melodies and excellent harmonies scattered throughout. [8/10]

Will Butler‘s new album Friday Night releases June 17th via Merge Records.

SCORE: 6.75