The Arcade Fire - NeonBible

Fri 16th Feb, 2007 in Music Reviews

A spectacular debut such as Funeral is arguably difficult to top, but Arcade Fire’s new album Neon Bible is certainly an admirable effort. Win Butler’s vocals soar over layered guitars, organs and synthesisers, attempting to mimic the same ethereal effect that earned the band such a cult following. The first single and album opener, Black Mirror, is a good indication of the quality of the album – solid indie-rock with pop sensibilities and clever, cultural lyrics.

Butler’s vocals alternate between twee pop (Black Mirror) and deep country croon (Ocean of Noise), and Building Downtown (Antichrist Television Blues), could well be something from Born in the USA with its Springsteen-esque vocals, twanged guitar sounds and typical third-fifth chord progressions. Musical integration does not go astray on this album, nor does experimental noise – the opening of Ocean of Noise features seaside sounds, really setting the scene for the desired ambience of the song. The heightened inclusion of the organ also sends the album to great heights, adding an extra layer of texture.

But ambitious as Neon Bible is, the magic of Funeral - the goosebumps and smiles – is nowhere to be found here. Sure, this is a strong album that delivers quite well, but the perfection of the first, whether it be the newness of the sound, the honest lyrics or the combination of unlikely instruments to create a masterpiece, seem to have been lost amongst the hype. Where strings featured heavily in the first, their inclusion in the follow-up is sparse and scattered, somewhat destroying the romantic and atmospheric mood that The Arcade Fire have become famed for.

Furthermore, Neon Bible’s material is simply too predictable. Where Funeral’s pieces were haphazardly structured, mysteriously titled and an intense journey to listen to, the new pieces are conventional, sometimes repetitive and hardly groundbreaking. In particular I refer to the title track, Neon Bible, which just seems like a filler track, with its trite repetition and ostinato. This album requires little independent thought to deconstruct – really, Butler and friends have laid it all out.

Overall Neon Bible is a solid album but had it been by someone other than The Arcade Fire, perhaps it would have received stronger acclaim. Unfair as it may be to compare this to Funeral, after seeing what the band is capable of, this album fades. It’s not awful, but it’s not revolutionary either.