Arcade Fire - Neon Bible

I guess I should be used to the fact that my opinion continues to be completely different than everybody else’s on Earth. However, it still continues to shock me every time. Case in point: Arcade Fire.

‘Funeral’ is, arguably, the most important indie release of all time. Music lovers everywhere were completely smitten with it. It topped more year-end lists than any album in history and it earned Arcade Fire enormous amounts of respect. I thought it was great…but not THAT great. It was not my album of the year, but it did make my top 10. It didn’t blow my mind, it didn’t restore my faith in humanity and it didn’t cure my blindness. (OK, I’m not blind, but you get the point.) I just simply thought it was very good, and it got better as time went on. However, upon hearing "Neon Bible", I was ready to post an “OK now I get it...” type of review. Because upon first listen, this one did, in fact, blow my mind. I think this CD is a significant step up for the band. The playing is tighter. The writing is more imaginative and Win Butler’s voice is not only better, but I think it’s WAY better. But again, people seem to disagree with me. Phrases like “sophomore slump” and “it’s not 'Funeral' but…” seem to be circulating throughout the review world. The reviews seem to be generally positive, but not overwhelmingly so, as was the case with “Funeral.” I, (surprise surprise) disagree.

Since this is my blog and I’m entitled to my opinion, I would like to go on record as saying that I think “Neon Bible” is every bit as good as "Funeral" and, at this point, I would say even better. That having been said, there’s no doubt that every music blog on earth will be reviewing this little ditty this week, so I’ll keep my personal observations brief. "Keep The Car Running" is a burst of energy with vocals a la David Byrne. “Black Waves / Bad Vibrations” is another astonishing epic, which seems to be the band’s specialty. "No Cars Go" a reworking of a song from their first EP, with extra oomph and bravado, but the shouts and “heys” are going to be a definite crowd pleaser on the live stage. Like "Funeral", the CD sucks you in to the point where you’re completely lost in the moment; the strings and organs creating a wall of sound that is, in an overused hyphenated word, earth-shattering! The real test will be to see what I think of “Neon Bible” a few weeks from now. It’s always been my experience that my favourite albums take some time to grow on me. Albums I immediately love, on the other hand, I often grow tired of after a few listens. I’ll just have to wait and see.

Downloads:
Black Mirror mp3
Intervention mp3

Arcade Fire on myspace
Purchase “Neon Bible” over at Amazon.ca.