Guest Review - An Appraiser. Album released March 6, 2007.
Our favorite French Canadian eight-piece is back with their second full length, and they clean up nicely. In most music circles, Arcade Fire have been affirmed as the next torch-carrying indie rockers with a Bowie-esque range of moods and orchestration and shades of Springsteen.
There's no question the production value on Neon Bible far surpasses that of Funeral, the band's first album. It has a much fuller and cohesive sound, with a full array of instrumentation including: pipe organ, strings and brass. One can say that Arcade Fire is becoming a post-punk orchestra, rather than the indie-rock darlings they were just two years ago. But make no mistake, Neon Bible is all about mood and lyrics. Even the cover art and accompanying booklet are predominately black. Recorded in a lower register than Funeral, Neon Bible has an ominous presence that is reflected in both the slower ballads and up-tempo anthems. Like most "indie" songwriters, Win Butler has no use for happy endings. The introspective bits of the CD reflect the feelings of self-doubt and aloneness. As one might gather from the album title, Butler doesn't make allusions about God & Church somehow associated with hopelessness and fear, he makes direct connections. One gets the feeling that these correlations are more of a commentary on the commercialized institutions that many religions have become, rather than "having a go" at God.
From top to bottom, Neon Bible is probably the most diverse yet cohesive album I have listened to in quite a while. I don't see much radio play or commercial success in the U.S. Most of us like our music in bite-sized snacks that are easy to digest. Arcade Fire writes songs that fill you up like a seven course meal; or I in this case, an eight course meal. http://www.arcadefire.com
Neon Bible is highly recommended - 8.5 of 10
Songs to download: 2. Keep the Car Running, 4. Intervention, 7. The
well and the lighthouse, 8. (Anti-Christ Television Blues), 9.
Windowsill
Our favorite French Canadian eight-piece is back with their second full length, and they clean up nicely. In most music circles, Arcade Fire have been affirmed as the next torch-carrying indie rockers with a Bowie-esque range of moods and orchestration and shades of Springsteen.
There's no question the production value on Neon Bible far surpasses that of Funeral, the band's first album. It has a much fuller and cohesive sound, with a full array of instrumentation including: pipe organ, strings and brass. One can say that Arcade Fire is becoming a post-punk orchestra, rather than the indie-rock darlings they were just two years ago. But make no mistake, Neon Bible is all about mood and lyrics. Even the cover art and accompanying booklet are predominately black. Recorded in a lower register than Funeral, Neon Bible has an ominous presence that is reflected in both the slower ballads and up-tempo anthems. Like most "indie" songwriters, Win Butler has no use for happy endings. The introspective bits of the CD reflect the feelings of self-doubt and aloneness. As one might gather from the album title, Butler doesn't make allusions about God & Church somehow associated with hopelessness and fear, he makes direct connections. One gets the feeling that these correlations are more of a commentary on the commercialized institutions that many religions have become, rather than "having a go" at God.
From top to bottom, Neon Bible is probably the most diverse yet cohesive album I have listened to in quite a while. I don't see much radio play or commercial success in the U.S. Most of us like our music in bite-sized snacks that are easy to digest. Arcade Fire writes songs that fill you up like a seven course meal; or I in this case, an eight course meal. http://www.arcadefire.com
Neon Bible is highly recommended - 8.5 of 10
Songs to download: 2. Keep the Car Running, 4. Intervention, 7. The
well and the lighthouse, 8. (Anti-Christ Television Blues), 9.
Windowsill
1 comment:
I agree. They rock
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