Music Review: Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
Geeky CD Review: "Neon Bible" Arcade Fire
Generally I'm not a huge fan of the track-by-track album review. However, when you're dealing with Arcade Fire's new record (arguably the most anticipated release of the last 3 years), properly dissecting every electric page of the upcoming Neon Bible would be the most prudent course of action.
After 2004's Funeral, Neon Bible strays away from the previous quaint, loveable vignettes about the neighborhood in favor of heaping sociopolitical commentaries and anti-commercial religion cries. Although this development may not be favorable for people like me, who believe the Bush/Right Wing-bashing subject more than a bit played out to be entertaining, the music is strong enough on this LP to keep Arcade Fire high up the charts and deep in the hearts of their earnest followers until the next set of songs.
Opinions on each track after the jump...
1. Black Mirror
Not quite the goose bump catalyst opener that "Neighborhood 1 (Tunnels)" was, but still a strong rhythmic punch. Definitely the first sign of the recurring Berlin-era David Bowie tribute sound in Neon Bible.
Highlight: "Mirror, mirror on the wall. Tell me where them bombs will fall."
2. Keep The Car Running
Crisp, beautiful mandolin track running through this one, but that's about the only thing remarkable about it. Not much different than, say, the latest Goo Goo Dolls single.
3. Neon Bible
"Not much chance for survival if the neon bible is true." There's a clear feeling of a yearning for peace in Win Butler's voice here that's a very clear glimpse into the physical and emotional drain that the whole Funeral creation process and tour must've been. A subdued, yet fitting title track.
4. Intervention
A very cleansing first single for the European market and the first track to really get buzz here on the internet. Great story about a man in his divine quest to work for the church and forgets about his friends and family.
Highlight: Loud, transcendent Pipe Organ.
5. Black Waves/Bad Vibrations
The first half is the lone lead singing effort from Régine Chassagne. Weaving her beautiful English and French lyrics through an 80's shoe gazer Joy Division-esque musical passage. It ends up being a lead-in to her singing a siren background for Win's apocalyptic pictures of "eating in the ghetto on a hundred dollar plate."
6. Ocean of Noise
Fast becoming my favorite on the record- this dark ballad seems to tell of a love overcoming every sort of dread in the dark sea of life. If you have even a shred of hopeless romanticism in your body, this one is bound to be a tear jerker.
Highlight: What a powerful ending passage with the Spanish-flavored horns. Is it just me or are horns becoming as prevalent now in pop music as they were back in the early R&B days?
7. The Well & The Lighthouse
The beginning, or "The Well" half, sounds like it could easily be an Interpol EP song. But just when we think Arcade Fire are making a lazy, generic song, they bust into a half-time groove and "The Lighthouse" portion corrects everything.
8. (Antichrist Television Blues)
Continuing the mega-church theme of a man begging God to make his daughter a famous Gospel singer. Probably the second best track on the album. I thought Pitchfork's Bruce Springsteen comparison to Win was way off base until I heard this romp- complete with hard acoustic guitar strumming, background choir, and hand clapping.
Highlight: A huge screaming lead guitar phrase. It literally sounds like someone screaming harmonics.
9. Windowsill
This is where the Dubbya-Smashing gets tired, in a song that really doesn't have any melodic redeeming qualities. Quick Note to Foreign Pop Musicians: Those of us here that didn't put Bush in office have been living with his tyranny for the better part of seven years. We don't need you reminding us how much our country's political landscape sucks right now. (That goes doubly for you Thom Yorke. If the next Radiohead album is an anti-Presidential statement, I'm not buying it.)
10. No Cars Go
Frodo said something interesting about this track that I have to borrow: He said, "It sounds like running into an old friend." Although I never heard the original (on the Arcade Fire EP), I know exactly what he means. This rehashing sounds like a tune this band is so confident with that they can display it in a new light and get the maximum effect out of it.
Highlight: A resplendent vintage synth and accordion build up when you think it couldn't get any more epic.
11. My Body Is A Cage
This sounds like it was a lost song dug out of Roger Waters' vaults and was supposed to be on the later half of Dark Side of the Moon. The big organ we all love from "Intervention" makes a comeback. For any other album, this would be a fantastic closer, but it seems glued on to the butt of "No Cars Go" and a little bit out of place.
Visit the Neon Bible website for more goodies until the album's March 3rd release date.
Check out Arcade Fire's full library on 
What say you?!