Neon Bible

Arcade Fire

This CD left me breathless. Twice already.

I liked the few tracks of Arcade Fire's first CD, "Funeral", that I heard but never got around to hearing the whole CD so I can't rightly compare the two. This one was on sale at Target last week for $8 and I got 10% off with a coupon so I bought it, sound unheard.

The dark religious theme is paired alternately with a wall of anthemic sound or acoustic guitar which includes violins and a pipe organ crescendo Saint Saens would die for. Angelic children voices sail over a pulsing bass line. . My own dark attitude toward religion probably accounts for my attraction to many of the tracks, especially "Windowsill":

Don't wanna hear the noises on TV.
Don't want the salesmen coming after me.
Don't wanna live in my father's house no more.
Don't want it faster, I don't want it free.
Don't wanna show you what they done to me.
Don't wanna live in my father's house no more.

Arcade Fire was part of the huge wave of musicians that surged out of Montreal in 2006 and from the reports I've read this album has exceeded expectations. Neon Bible will likely require multiple listening sessions for those who want to get to the bottom of the many layers of vocals and music.

Highly recommended.