Arcade Fire’s Will Butler Beats on, Boat Against the Current in Video for ‘Close My Eyes’

Arcade Fire’s Will Butler has shared a new song and video, “Close My Eyes,” from his upcoming solo album, Generations, out September 25th via Merge.

The song has a breezy, bouncing pop groove that opens up into a lush chorus that places Butler’s voice against a wall of backing harmonies. “I know you’re gonna come around and stand by me,” Butler sings, “But I’m tired of standing while the world’s dissolving/Close my eyes, close my eyes, close my eyes/And it’s almost alright.”

“I tried to make the lyrics a straightforward and honest description of an emotion I feel often — a drive for change coupled with despair,” Butler said of the song. “‘I’m tired of waiting for a better day. But I’m scared and I’m lazy and nothing’s gonna change.’ Kind of a sad song. Trying to tap into some Smokey Robinson/Motown feeling — ‘I’ve got to dance to keep from crying.’”

Befitting that mixture of longing and striving, Butler paired “Close My Eyes” with a new video in which he primarily filmed himself pushing a rowboat — built by his grandfather — around a vast lake.

“Close My Eyes” marks the second offering from Generations, following “Surrender,” which was released in July. Generations follows Butler’s 2015 solo debut, Policy, while in 2016 he released a live album, Friday Night.