Arcade Fire posts Reflektor online after album leak

After months of teasing the release of its anticipated new album, Montreal band Arcade Fire has released Reflektor five days early streaming it from the group's website and via YouTube to combat an online leak.

The Grammy-winning rock troupe directed fans to its website arcadefire.com on Thursday evening after a low-quality version of the album turned up on the internet. The album had been set for release on Tuesday.

On the band's site and on YouTube, Reflektor's 14 songs play as a backdrop to a Brazilian film titled Black Orpheus.

The leak appeared alongside social media claims that a few music stores began selling the album early, reportedly Rollercoaster Records in Kilkenny, Ireland, and a Czech Republic retailer.

The rock collective has engaged in a lengthy promotional campaign for the new album, includingplaying shows under fake names,hiring graffiti artists toblitzneighbourhoods with the album's logo (in chalk) andhigh-profile performances on Saturday Night Live and The Colbert Report.

• CBC Music: Arcade Fire's Reflektor
• CBC Music: Build your own Arcade Fire

On Monday evening, Arcade Fire will perform a special concert from Capitol Studios in Los Angeles.

CBC Music and NPR will livestreamthe hour-long performance of songs from Reflektor, beginning at 10 p.m. ET.