New Arcade Fire

[Jewish_Joke]

It's not very far into the year yet, but this album is most definitely in my top 5. Ambient, epic, and beautiful, Neon Bible is a masterpiece. Arcade Fire has amazed me with every song I have ever heard by them, and the new album gives me that electrifying and never-before felt emotion, along with the bittersweet nostalgic feeling that I loved in The Funeral and their early 2000s EP. The homage to their older work in their reproduction of No Cars Go was icing on the cake for me. The album blew my mind, and it's all I can do to NOT listen to it...

Any thoughts?

[Amotis]

New Arcade Fire sounds like a revival band...like The New Cars.

Anywho, I was happy with Neon Bible. There was hype sure, always is, but it was a good album. A cool thing I noticed was that these bands with epic catchy albums are releasing these subtle very low but still high albums. Like Wilco with their latest creation (which rocks, btw). Less accepting to the casual listener and less of a pop form style of music. Leaning away from those instant catch listen and more of a you have to listen to it more then once to get all the intricate things. Which is cool.

Another thing, I'm glad it wasn't another Funeral. They're experimenting, they're trying new things, and that's bloody awesome, especially when a band gets so much attention and pressure on their debut album, like they did. Too many bands just rehash an album they were praised on, and while it's safe, it's not healthy.

So yeah, Funeral was great, Neon Bible was great, now I want another great album that is not Funeral or Neon Bible but another new different Arcade Fire album. That is all.

[SDF]

I love the new album, possibly the best album I've heard so far this year.

[Amotis]

I love the new album, possibly the best album I've heard so far this year.

It's only March. :smalltongue:

Deerhoof's and Beruit's latests are top for me for this "year"

[storybookknight]

Didn't actually much care for Funeral. I think it's because they spend more time than I really enjoy putting together sections where they just sort of hang out leisurely on the hypothetical streetcorner, bangin' on a drum, playing sort of tinny guitar notes that hang there and don't really do much... I guess they don't have enough direction for my tastes, and the fact that a lot of their instrumentation sounds overly synthetic doesn't help.

[Amotis]

I think it matches their sound and music. Not all bands can be lo-fi or the kinks or whatever, and it certainly wouldn't match what the arcade fire is. Whether it's a random synth'd harp run or the timbre of their guitars, I certainly think it matches and I really can't hear any arcade fire songs without those colors. Just like you really can't image a Jeff Magnum or Bob Dylan song without their unique vocals. At least not properly :smallwink:

And if I interpret your "bangin' drums in the street corner comment" are you lamenting the loss of the guitar solo? Hahaaa....

edito - Also...I was there (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6V41qkhU-98). Jealous much? It was one of the best sets I've ever been there. Does it look fun? It was. I was so happy.

[Pyre]

Thought you were talking about a different song, also called The Funeral. Cept it's by Band of Horses. Love that song. :)

[Amotis]

The Funeral? Meh, they're better then that. It's stale, unoriginal, and it's like a REM cover.

[FdL]

LOL! Would that be a bad thing? :p
Now I have to listen to that song to know what you're talking about.

[Amotis]

Hehe, yeah those were my exact words to Zombierockstar.

"well...they sound like REM...not that it's a bad thing..."

[FdL]

I have to state that "sounding like R.E.M." to me means their classic sound of the earlier records, Rickenbacker a-jangling over that propulsive post-punk informed beat. I love it! ^^
The Manic Street Preachers also made their homage to that sound in their "Know Your Enemy" album (great, btw). The song is called "The Year of Purification". I mean, I haven't ever read anything that makes the connection explicit, but it's obvious to me as it will be to anyone familiar with R.E.M.

R.E.M. are so bland right now it makes me want to cry. :(

Neon Bible is pretty good, it's obviously a grower, not as immediate as their debut. But I understand what you say, Amotis, when you refer to Wilco's latest. Their previous was also one of those low-profile records,which may appear simple or boring in the surface but have a lot to offer. I for one loved the krautrock thing, though.

[Jewish_Joke]

Neon Bible appealed to me in the sense that it wasn't funeral, and it wasn't so experimental and new it would take weeks to love it (like Clap your Hands say Yeah's new one).

But it appealed directly and almost frighteningly to my taste in music. There was just enough crunch to get my foot moving, and just enough lyrical and orchestral presence to move me.

It's one of those "watch them grow" kind of albums. Which is what I wanted.

Speaking of R.E.M. I imagine everyone here has heard World Leader Pretend (the band from New Orleans named after the song)?

[FdL]

Speaking of R.E.M. I imagine everyone here has heard World Leader Pretend (the band from New Orleans named after the song)?

No, are they any good? You know, I have to say that I find it appalingly unimaginative when a band name themselves after a title of an album or song of a band they follow. I think that kind of obvious things are better left hidden. Because it's usually a pretty obvious connection to everyone. :s

[Jewish_Joke]

They were so-so. They have a few really good instrumentals, and a lot of the vocals sounds like Beck. Which isn't really a bad thing... :smallwink:

[FdL]

Meh...With time and post-hype perspective I've reached the conclusion that he's greatly overrated. His vocals, though, are probably the best about him (in general he's not a total hack, though, he's good but I think he tries too hard)

[Amotis]

I actually don't really need the time and post-hype stuff. I never liked those indie/alt standards/poster boys like Beck and Morrissey. Never really hit me.

[Closet_Skeleton]

edito - Also...I was there (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6V41qkhU-98). Jealous much? It was one of the best sets I've ever been there. Does it look fun? It was. I was so happy.

It may just be the audio quality of the recording or my sugar deprived state of mind but that band sounds crap.

[FdL]

I actually don't really need the time and post-hype stuff. I never liked those indie/alt standards/poster boys like Beck and Morrissey. Never really hit me.

I agree, I've yet to listen to a solo Morrissey album and like it. The latter stuff is more likeable but the first phase of his career is something I couldn't possible get into. I have a confession to make, I know The Smiths are great and a seminal band, but I never got into their albums either.

The problem with Beck is that it got into a position in which it's considered "hip", and the music seems a weak justification for this. I guess it's the lowering of standards that comes when you're that successfull and anything you release is overly praised.

I still like his "One Foot On The Grave" lo-fi folk album on K records. Hmmm...Maybe I AM one of those music snobs/purists, LOL!

(No, I'm not :))

[Amotis]

Guysguysguys!!!

Omgomgomg...

Look! (http://www.neonbible.com/yope.html)

Click on number 6, Guns.

Yes...yes it is the song you think it is. Yes they're playing in England. Yes, it's bloody awesome.

:smallbiggrin:

[FdL]

Amotis, your new avatar sure does disorient me :p

[Sneak]

Personally, I'm not a fan of Arcade Fire.

I haven't listened to them much (read: I probably can't judge 'em, since I've only heard the clips from iTunes), but from the little I've heard, they're not really my type. Not that others can't enjoy 'em, but it seems like there's a lot of hype for a band that doesn't seem that unbelievable to me.

Whatever. 'S not like anyone has to listen to me, anyway. You can always take my opinions with a grain of salt. Or a grain of sugar, whichever is handy at the moment.

[Sornas]

I don't follow Arcade Fire all that much, but I do like what I have heard.

But I guess I am biased, because their video for Rebellion (lies) was filmed in my hometown. ^^ There was this whole big to-do about it, and my high school video teacher was floating around the whole time, meeting just about everyone he could.

[Penguinsushi]

I'm not sure if i've listened to Neon Bible enough to form a complete opinion on it as a whole, but i'm a fan of "(Anti-Christ Television Blues)" - I mean, based on the title alone. I think "No Cars Go" was on an earlier EP, but it's a pretty good track as well.

~PS