Originally posted by ezkcdude: Sorry to be a party pooper, but Neon Bible is not that good. It just isn't it. If you loved Funeral, you will probably just like NB. If you liked Funeral, you will probably think NB is nothing special.
I disagree ezkcdude. I thought Funeral was just okay, but I'm enjoying Neon Bible a lot. The songs on Neon Bible have a real timeless quality Funeral lacked.
The only thing I'm not crazy about is the first minute and a half of "Black Wave/Bad Vibrations". Not bad, but it sounds out of place.
My favorite tracks are "Intervention" and "(Antichrist Television Blues)".
----- I’ll be Ben Gazzara, you’ll be Gena Rowlands.
Posts: 5159 | Location: Michigan | Registered: 19 June 2005
I think the emotional impact of Funeral depended a lot on your tolerance for the melodramatic. Myself? I liked the tunes, was a bit disappointed lyrically (and there were a few questionable disco break outs that should have been given the axe), although I spun the album quite a bit when it came out...haven't had any desire to listen since.
Listening to Neon Bible actually makes me yearn for the frostbitten melodrama of the first record. I think this one misses the mark.
In talking about something else Arcade Fire earlier this month, they referred to the album being "sublime." There is no way it's getting lower than a 9. Ones opinion of the album might differ, but Pfork loves it...I can already tell. It certainly not going to get the 9.7 (Is that right?) that Funeral got, but Funeral didn't really deserve that either...
Posts: 132 | Location: DC | Registered: 05 April 2006
I remember a really bizzare pitchfork review: Rooty by Basement Jaxx. It got 3.8 and then i saw it on the list of the best albums from 2000-04(somewhere in the top 50).
I remember a really bizzare pitchfork review: Rooty by Basement Jaxx. It got 3.8 and then i saw it on the list of the best albums from 2000-04(somewhere in the top 50).
The bottom 50 of that list was very odd, I thought. They had that Erlend Øye album that I've heard literally nothing about since, and also had the not-so-great Annie's debut (what was up with their fixation with Annie?) Seems really weird to give Rooty a 3.8 and then stick it at #65 on the top albums of half of a decade.
Posts: 1376 | Location: Valparaiso, IN | Registered: 01 July 2006
Subtract about 2 or 3 padding points from Pfork and you will get the actual score...so 7.9 is probably closer to what it really deserves. Do you find any part of this album surprising or innovative?
Originally posted by CouldBAnyone: Do you find any part of this album surprising or innovative?
It's surprisingly good.
Not for me
To CouldBAnyone: It's just damn good. It sounds like little else out there, and that's something hard to find. I can't say there was anything surprising or innovative - Menomena, perhaps, is more of both of those - but Neon Bible is the best album I've heard so far this year.
------ Let's raise a toast to St. Joe Strummer! I do believe he was our only decent teacher
Posts: 2060 | Location: ATL-abouts. | Registered: 24 October 2006
Originally posted by Johnsofats: In talking about something else Arcade Fire earlier this month, they referred to the album being "sublime." There is no way it's getting lower than a 9. Ones opinion of the album might differ, but Pfork loves it...I can already tell. It certainly not going to get the 9.7 (Is that right?) that Funeral got, but Funeral didn't really deserve that either...
Hmmm...They only gave "Intervention" 3 stars in a track review.
Posts: 848 | Location: Ain'T it stiLl obvious? | Registered: 22 August 2006
I predict it will score in the high 7's to low 8's, enough to be "recommended," but too low for "Best New Music." The fact is, they can no longer take ownership of their popularity, so they have no incentive to promote them any further. Besides, they usually reserve the really high scores for bands that they've never given that tag to before.
Just when I thought this album might be the one met with as little criticism as possible, it is going to suffer from people who in my opinion just don't want to get it even if they liked Funeral. Neon Bible is a massive accomplishment for the Arcade Fire and to me it even surpasses Funeral.
Posts: 5 | Location: Buffalo, New York | Registered: 11 February 2007
I think Pitchfork goes 9+ with this as well. Along with Animal Collective and Radiohead, they're now one of the most important indie-rock bands of the decade.
Posts: 1315 | Location: Atlanta, GA | Registered: 24 December 2004
