New Arcade Fire: First thoughts

[DonGately]

I moved this thread from "SWAYLTRN?" since folks who don't usually read that thread might be interested in some first thoughts on the Arcade Fire's new album.

[quote]
Originally posted by glokstadt
Just got this from my iTunes spam in my inbox:

"Since first hearing Funeral a year and a half ago, this is the day we've been waiting for. Arcade Fire follows up their incredible debut album with the equally stunning Neon Bible. Fresh off their Saturday Night Live performance, the band has released an album that not only crushes any talk of sophomore jinx, but also cements their place as one of the most exciting, important, and entertaining bands in the world.

Pick up Neon Bible today on iTunes and also get a bonus digital booklet, complete with lyrics and images created by the band."

So do tell Don, like the description above??? [?]

[/quote]

First four songs are strong. They work really well together. So far, it's solid.

It sags at a tune called "Black Wave/Bad Vibrations". But this tune is the low point of the album.

Song after is "Ocean of Noise" which has a bit of a Velvet Underground influence, a la "Caroline Says" or similar VU tunes. It's not a direct VU ripoff, but I can hear the influence.

The next tune, "The Well and the Lighthouse" has power pop vibe, but it still sounds like "classic" Arcade Fire, if a band who has released two albums and an EP can have a classic sound. I'm not a power pop expert, so some of you who are may take exception to my use of the term here. It's a decent tune.

"(Antichrist Television Blues)" is the most Springsteen sounding song on the album. I don't have much of an opinion on the Boss, so the influence doesn't affect me either way. This is a pretty good tune.

"Windowstill" is a bit too repetitive before it builds up to it's climax. So, I'm not too into it. Shorten it by one minute and I would like it better. I think critics like this tune because the lyrics stick it to the man with lines like "I don't want to live in the USA". Whatever.

"No Cars Go" has lots of instrumentation, sweeping violins, people yelling "Hey!" in the background, swelling horns, etc. I like things like that. It's a good tune. It's the song that's gonna save rock, as said by some of the reviews I've read? No. It's a good song, it might be fun to shout to in the car, or to put on the road trip mix disc. Is it cathartic? Maybe for some people, not for me.

"My Body is a Cage" starts as a downbeat tune, dominated by drum and church organ, and lifts towards a kind of spiritual crescendo. They're going for the cathasis on this one, the epiphany, the Holden Caufield moment, whatever. Maybe it's because I have a cold, or maybe it's because I've heard lots of albums that end like this, but it's not doing it for me.

Many of the songs have an epic feel to them; In spite of what I said, the "epic-ness" of the songs does not feel forced, and that's a good thing. The album is pretty goddamn sincere.

Is this thing being hyperbolized to death? Yes. The big bad marketing machine is out in force. But there's only one true dud on the album, and a couple of misses. Everything else is good, or at least do-able. I might warm up to the other tunes later.