Will Butler + Sister Squares – “Stop Talking”

Former Arcade Fire member Will Butler will soon release a new album with his backing band Sister Squares, aptly titled Will Butler + Sister Squares. The singles — “Willows,” “Arrow Of Time,” and especially “Long Grass” — have been good. One more advance track dropped today, and it’s keeping the quality level high. “Stop Talking” is the sort of burbling synth-rock track that feels like it could soundtrack a tense montage on The Americans. Not to be reductive, but it sounds a lot like Reflektor-era Arcade Fire too (in a good way).

Butler notes:

This is one of the “dream songs” on the record. Emotion in dreams; dreams in reality; tired and confused. “Stop talking; there’s nothing to say”; not sure if it functions as a dismissal “Stop!”, or as a sign of love “You don’t have to say it; I already know”; I think, like a lot of communication between people who love each other—a little of both? Like, this song is full of fear; someone expressing fear to their partner, and the partner being like, “There’s nothing to fear, and also, shut up, quit being crazy.” That’s not exactly it, but there’s something of that here.

Listen below.

Will Butler + Sister Squares is out 9/22 on Merge.