Arcade Fire - Neon Bible

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 6:58 pm

For anyone who like me (and David Bowie and various here) thought Funeral was an utterly fabulous debut LP, Neon Bible, out a month today, is a mouth-watering prospect.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Neon-Bible-Limi ... F8&s=music

Hear (Antichrist Television Blues) here, plus a couple of others, and some live versions:

http://hype.non-standard.net/search/arcade/1/

Sounding good.

Wishing I'd got to London to witness this:

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/review/s ... 33,00.html

Guns of Brixton cover sounds amazing.

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 11:22 pm

I heard one tune - "Intervention" - the other day on Sirius and liked it a lot. A church organ thing happening. Sounds perhaps a bit darker than Funeral. Very much looking forward to getting this.

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 4:07 pm

That's what the Observer said. They also commented on the irony of playing an organ on stage when there was a real one at the other end of the hall.

Sadly nothing on Dime from the residency. Would love to hear the Guns of Brixton.

There is a Montreal show from Jan 20 on there:

http://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-deta ... ?id=131172

invisible Pole · Post by **invisible Pole** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 2:55 pm

You may not believe it but for some unfathomable reasons Iâ€™d had this strange misconception of Arcade Fire being yet another undeservedly hyped-up indie band. I may have even heard a song which I thought was not really my cup of tea (or maybe I was drunk, I can't remember). As a result I didnâ€™t even bother to listen to Funeral.

A couple of days ago, I had a chance to get hold of a copy of Neon Bible, and Iâ€™m amazed how great it is. Instead of angular, noisy, distinctly indie sound which I expected (donâ€™t ask me why), I found an album full of intense, very emotional songs (at times on the edge of being frantic), sometimes epic, sometimes dark, most of them lavishly arranged and very very melodic.
Too many highlights to mention all of them, but Intervention with its dense wall of organs, drums and intense vocal is sheer brilliance.
Two other instant faves are Antichrist Television Blues (which has a bit of Springsteen feel to me) and No Cars Go, which sounds like Jordan-era Prefab Sprout gone mad. Awesome !

Now time to finally listen to Funeral.......

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 3:27 pm

Sounds great. For me Funeral was very much a fourth or fifth play record. It's also an album full of 'intense, very emotional songs'. They're gonna be one of the greats if they can keep this up.

invisible Pole · Post by **invisible Pole** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 2:31 am

Five-star review in Guardian.

http://music.guardian.co.uk/rock/review ... 26,00.html

Chrille · Post by **Chrille** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 1:12 pm

Funeral is my favourite album from 2004. I've listened to this a few times today and it seems wonderful. There's only one song I don't think I will ever grow to like.

goodbyegirl · Post by **goodbyegirl** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 4:00 pm

Arcade Fire is the musical guest on SNL this weekend. For fellow "Office" fans, Rainn Wilson is the host.

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 7:24 pm

Chrille wrote:There's only one song I don't think I will ever grow to like.

Which is?

For some reason I have a blind spot with the song titles. I know all the songs fairly well, but often can't remember which is e.g. Haiti or Laika. This wouldn't normally happen to me, it's only this LP. Normally once a song is distinct and lodged in my head, the title is too. Not so here.

Chrille · Post by **Chrille** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 11:09 am

Title track.

Mechanical Grace · Post by **Mechanical Grace** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 8:44 am

They're playing Boston, Orpheum Theater, May 10th. Tickets go on sale in a little over an hour, and will sell out pronto, I am sure.

Wish me luck!

*fingers crossed*

Mechanical Grace · Post by **Mechanical Grace** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 12:46 pm

Crap crap crap.

Had a 10 am appt. so had to try to get tix by phone rather than internet. I got 2 seats and entered all my info through to exp date on my credit card (about 20' phone time in all) after which, the system hung up on me. I couldn't try again or I'd have been late(r) for my appointment, and when I checked afterwards, the show was entirely sold out.

Fuck fuck fuck.

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 12:59 pm

Maybe they'll add another date. There are also some shows tentatively schedule for New York around the same time (when, of course, I will be out of town), so that's another option.

Mechanical Grace · Post by **Mechanical Grace** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 5:04 pm

Who Shot Sam? wrote:Maybe they'll add another date.

Yes, I am hoping so-- the schedule seems not entirely nailed down, and they did sell out in an hour (or possibly less, but that's when I checked).

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 6:33 pm

Very hot right now. Will I ever see them? Wish I had in a church. Too bad. Hard luck, MG.

bambooneedle · Post by **bambooneedle** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 11:44 am

There's a live show floating around http://hearsay.alphaquam.com/2007/02/18 ... -new-york/

I like a couple of things I've heard by Arcade Fire (not that show, haven't heard it) but when I read this coming from a band it makes me not want to bother with them:

http://scatterolight.blogspot.com/

"arcade fire criticize u2, oasis, stones ...

win butler says "i don't know if u2 started it, or the stones or oasis but a lot of bands think in terms of: 'i'm going to be the biggest band in the world. fuck all those bands who've got no ambition'. i think that's a total crock of shit.

"there's nothing less interesting to me than the idea of marketing the fuck out of something so people are forced to like it. some bands are just manipulating people to buy music. that's how 90 per cent of the record industry works! it's basically the same as selling a fucking toaster or a cruise package."

Post by **BlueChair** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 3:33 pm

I think they make a good point though. Because The Stones, Oasis and especially U2 already act like they're the greatest band ever, they are not as inspired. They feel there's no room to grow, so they just put it on autopilot when they make a new record. It's always the bands who see room to grow that end up putting out better music. It's a big part of why Exile On Main Street is way better than A Bigger Bang and why Achtung Baby is way better than Atomic Bomb.

As for Arcade Fire's music, I thought their first album was okay.. didn't really do it for me. But I was very impressed by their SNL performance on Saturday.

Mechanical Grace · Post by **Mechanical Grace** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 3:51 pm

Not the most articulate or interesting quotes, but hardly offensive or even annoying really. Don't most young musicians say similarly insipid things? Sounds like standard-issue anti-market stuff to me; I've read stupider versions closer to home...

In any case I couldn't give a shit. Funeral is genius and their self-titled EP was damn good as well.

PS, just found this. It's not very recent but it's still interesting:

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/f ... rcade_Fire

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 4:09 pm

I missed the SNL performances (couldn't stay awake) but just caught them on YouTube. These really have my mouth watering for Neon Bible.

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 7:47 pm

It's funny cos I've had one of their recent NY shows on CD for a week plus with pretty well all the new LP played on it, but am resisting listening to it as a week from now I'll have the real thing to listen to. Will be more exciting to get to know the songs a bit first. To keep me going, I heard the new single on the radio today. Another song (after Headlights Like Diamonds and No Cars Go) with a driving theme, Keep The Motor running or the like. Sounded great. Very Echo and the Bunnymen, especially vocally.

The U2 thing is funny as they've done a lot to help plug AF by coming onstage to Wake Up throughout last tour. Edge said he can't hear it now without wanting to throw up! It must have been fantastic - such a dramatic and over the top piece to come out to.

bambooneedle · Post by **bambooneedle** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 12:07 am

BlueChair wrote:I think they make a good point though. Because The Stones, Oasis and especially U2 already act like they're the greatest band ever, they are not as inspired. They feel there's no room to grow, so they just put it on autopilot when they make a new record. It's always the bands who see room to grow that end up putting out better music. It's a big part of why Exile On Main Street is way better than A Bigger Bang and why Achtung Baby is way better than Atomic Bomb.

Not sure I could agree with your postulations there, Blue. But the thing that bothered me most was that he was just talking out of his arse, putting words in those bands' mouths. If The Stones, U2 or Oasis ever said anything like "fuck all those bands who've no ambition" they would have been crucified and deserved it, and they wouldn't ever be allowed to forget it. And no-one can "force" anyone to like or buy music with marketing, what a jerk.

Post by **BlueChair** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 11:08 am

Doesn't Oasis have a history of trashtalking other bands, even some of their biggest influences? I seem to recall them calling George Harrison a nipple.

Emotional Toothpaste · Wed Feb 28, 2007 1:58 pm

Whew! I just forced myself to watch 3-4 clips on youtube of this band, I just don't get it . . . at all. Embarassing and hard to watch.

If I could go back 23 years, yank myself out of my high school orchestra class, add a couple more of my goofy friends, force myself to compose something stylish yet edgy in 5 minutes or less . . . and get everyone to improvise and play along with my made-up tune and ask that each tries to outdo each other with strange on-stage antics . . . this might be close to what we would sound and look like. With a weeks practice we would probably even be a helluva lot better, but not much.

Goody2Shoes · Post by **Goody2Shoes** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 2:07 pm

So I guess you won't be lining up for the new album, then?

Emotional Toothpaste · Wed Feb 28, 2007 2:18 pm

I'd rather get wailed on the head with drumsticks for an hour (sans the crash helmet) than to make that purchase, even with a $15 coupon.