Neon Bible

by

Arcade Fire

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After one listen, I said to myself, "Wow this really lacks everything I loved about Funeral. I'll have to go on Amazon and write a review chiding this band for making an overproduced mess with murky vocals, poor songwriting, and way too much organ." (I know, there will be people on here who think "he should have stuck with his first instinct!!!"). But ANYWAY, I put the CD down for a few days and then thought I would give it another chance. OK, a little better, some of the songs starting to grow on me a bit, and hmmm....they really tried some interesting new things on here. I started reading some other reviews and realizing that I might be missing something, I listened to it a few more times. Wow, this is clearly not a remake of Funeral but it is something altogether different and unique and dark (let me stress dark---this is what you would call a pretty "heavy" album). I personally love it, and if you find some of the songs a bit slow and heavy, there is always the (very big) payoff of "No Cars Go" to look forward to (one of the finest Arcade Fire songs I have heard, by far). This is not an album to listen to once and make a judgment on it. Another reviewer/commenter on here has suggested that this is a copout---that I am trying to make myself accept this to be a good album by imploring others to listen to it more than once. I strongly disagree with this person (obviously)---some of my favorite CD's did not "blow me away" the very first time I heard them. In fact a truly complex and beautiful song will take its time to creep into your subconscious, but once it is there, it will never leave. Simple pop songs can "grab" you the first time---but complex art often takes a little time. Give this CD a chance if you enjoyed Funeral---it really is a worthy follow-up by a band which is not afraid to take a risk.

Neon Bible is an OK album, not nearly as good as Funeral and the band drifts into poppy Springsteen esque musings that lack the depth and intensity on Funeral. Neon Bible is OK, I would have given it three stars but this "special edition" is a complete rip off. I expected some sort of real nuance into explaining the band more. Instead you get two mini-flip books that are composed of photos the band orchestrated in order to make some lame animated still-photo junket. Very, VERY self indulgent and offers nothing special or really extra to fans. A lame hook to get people to buy this thing. I am an impulse buyer, no one but myself to blame utlimately for falling for this con job in packaging. But the band should be ashamed of tricking fans into buying this. Music is OK if you're into Arcade Fire, but this special edition is inexcusable, no extra songs, nothing really extra at all or special, unless you're into stop-action photographic animation and in the day of the internet and hi-def TV, this is laughable. Buy the regular edition, not being ripped off will allow you to enjoy this album more.