whichwayup.org

02/24/07 05:59 PM: Review: Arcade Fire, Neon Bible

Arcade Fire
Neon Bible
Merge, 2007

Grade: B

It’s been joked within the indie circuit that when Neon Bible drops, it will be a competition over who can pretend to hate it the most. After all, it’s our duty to bring the leader of the Overhyped Canadian Import Brigade™ back to Earth, no? The sophomore release is what makes the band, and certainly no band could ever live up to the hype that the Arcade Fire saw after 2004’s Funeral.

And guess what, they don’t. Neon Bible certainly isn’t the best thing to ever happen to music. Upon hearing it, you don’t drop whatever it is you’re doing and write on your blog about how the record has changed your life. However, it is a good record. A solid release.

If you’re looking for more “epic” songs along the lines of “Rebellion (Lies)” you’ll be pleased with “Intervention.” The already-released single, starts off with the powerful pipe organ and doesn’t quite let you go. “Black Wave/Bad Vibrations” and “My Body is a Cage” also have potential to be stand-outs. However, none of these are quite on the same level as “Wake Up,” which is one of the best songs of this decade.

My main beef with Neon Bible is that it relies on rather cliched subject material. Religion, sin, war, etc., can make for good material, sometimes. The Thermals’ The Body, the Blood, the Machine comes to mind. However, I always associated the Arcade Fire with more interpersonal subjects, or at least more personal than the general subject of “war,” for example. I think my dislike of the title track says it all. There’s only so much you can say about the commercialization and general bastardization of religion in today’s culture.

Neon Bible is a decent sophomore effort by the Arcade Fire. It shows some development and evolution in their sound, which is always a good thing. This record confirms that the Arcade Fire has staying power. It also confirms that they are human, and that the hype over this release was impossible to live up to.