quote:

Originally posted by Hophead:
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.

Since when is Radiohead considered indie?

quote:

Originally posted by johnb820:
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.

Based on the reviews that are up now, I think you're right. I think some people just don't want to like it. It's a shame, because it's a really, really good album.

I noticed that Playlouder gave Funeral a 100, but Neon Bible half that score. Another thing, where do all of these reviewers get the idea that the production is too muffled?

quote:

Originally posted by johnb820:
Another thing, where do all of these reviewers get the idea that the production is too muffled?

I've noticed that as a somewhat common criticism too, and I don't really hear it either. David Fricke of Rolling Stone's main problem with the album was that it had too much reverb. You'd think he was listening to MBV's Loveless or something. The production sounds fine to these ears.

I have to say my score of 7.9 is looking pretty on target, with the Metacritic score at 81 w/13 reviews so far.

ercig, I'm curious whether the stereo setup makes a difference. Would you say you have a hi-fi stereo?

Who wants to start taking bets on what Pitchforkmedia will give Neon Bible?

I think it deserves somwhere between an 8.9 and a 10.0 and I honestly think it will get that. I guess we'll see next week.

quote:

Originally posted by ezkcdude:

quote:

Originally posted by Hophead:
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.

Since when is Radiohead considered indie?

Indie as a genre. Indie as in fans of indie music like it. Tired topic for another thread.

Neon Bible is streaming here.

quote:

Originally posted by ezkcdude:

quote:

Originally posted by Hophead:
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.

Since when is Radiohead considered indie?

Well whatever that genre means now as far as I know Radiohead are currently without a record label...

I agree with every production complaint. It's underproduced. It sounds like I'm listening to it on laptop speakers when I'm using headphones. Everything about Funeral was superior. They recorded Neon Bible in a church. There's a reason that studios are small spaces. A lot of the vocals, especially most of Regine's, sound like they're coming from another room. The organ is overwhelming, although I do like it on "Intervention." Some of the lyrics are horrendous. They were much better singing about things that were personal than they were at complaining about America and the war ("Windowsill" is awful). If I wanted Springsteen, I'd listen to Springsteen.

There are three songs that would not have been a detriment on Funeral: "Intervention" and both the car-related songs.

I don't hate it, it's just not comparable to Funeral. That was, according to me, one of the top 5 albums of the decade and one of a handful of albums that launched me into fullblown indie snobbery. I think I most closely agree with cokemachineglow, as usual:
CMG Review

EDIT: Stop crapping on Pitchfork. You all read it and you all care what they think. They're like anyone else: when they love something, they tell everyone about it. Their reviews are much less abstract than they used to be. They love Arcade Fire, and they love their live show, but they're not going to give this a 9.7. Or an 8.6.

I thought the Cokemachineglow review was pretty good as well. Except, I'd still bump it up a little higher than the 75% they gave it. But I thought what they complained about it was fair. I agree "Windowsill" is pretty bad, but its not as bad as "In the Backseat" which I never liked. Overall, its solid, but the best of Neon Bible doesn't touch "Neighborhoods 1, 2, and 3, Wake Up, or Rebellion (Lies). I think a mid 8.5 review is fair.

Pitchfork gave it an 8.4.... Interesting, I thought it would be higher.

quote:

Originally posted by Everyoneanindividual:
Pitchfork gave it an 8.4.... Interesting, I thought it would be higher.

I think 8.4 is very generous.

Currently listening to Neon Bible my first way through, and to me it sounds like a hybrid of Funeral and some God Speed You Black Emperor. So far, I'd say it is better than I had anticipated. Anybody who thought they were going to come back and put out a record at the level of Funeral was just being naive and silly.

I think it's better than 8.4, but that's a good score so I won't complain. CMG I think was a bit off. I mean, they compared some songs to Evanescence. That's just unnecessary.

I laughed out loud when I read the Evanescence call, because, well, I can see the similarities. The other thing that resonated with me was CMG's take on that pipe organ.
The new album's growing on me but, man, the pipe organ just drones on and on and on and on.

I actually quite like the pipe organ. But on first listen, the track that stands out to me is the one I've heard before, "No Cars Go". They went back and turned this EP song into a flat-out transcendent, epic piece of work that actually brings tears to my eyes. Certainly the emotional high point of the record for me.

The other song that jumped out at me was "The Well and the Lighthouse". Overall, I like the album quite a bit. Will get back to you after several more listens.

The vocal melody on "My Body is a Cage", the last song, sounds so familiar to me. When he sings, "My Body is a cage that keeps me....". Anybody else out there that might be able to put their finger on it or had the same sensation? Very weird.

By the way I love the song even though p4k kind of ripped it. I think it's beautiful and haunting.

Yeah, I love "My Body is a Cage", but I can't help ya. The one which really gets me is "Ocean of Noise". That sounds like a cross between Funeral and Neon Bible and very personal.

Ocean of Noise is probably my favorite as well, though I'm definitely very partial to Keep the Car Running and Antichrist Television Blues.