Record Label: Merge
Genre: Indie Rock
Band Link: link
Buy on Amazon.com link

As one of the most hyped albums so far this year, Neon Bible had a lot to live up to. After all, it does share its name with the lesser-known first novel by John Kennedy Toole (who wrote A Confederacy of Dunces, one of the greatest books ever). Add onto that the fact that everybody and their grandma became fans with the release of funeral, and you have a band that has quite a bit to look up to.

Fortunately for the Arcade Fire, they manage to match the intensity and passion that made their first album so popular, both critically and commercially. This one is denser, better produced, but just as strongly constructed as Funeral. Mixing catchy hooks and heartfelt croons, Win Butler and crew take all the best parts of the post-Stop Making Sense Talking Heads and add a bit more lyrical catharsis and layered orchestration.

One thing I love about The Arcade Fire is their ability to be so accessible and yet so complex. They haven’t traded their sound for success; more than anything, they’ve kept it even more complicated. Yes, there are singles here that could play on the radio, but they’re by no means the standard pop territory that some feared they may veer into. The Arcade Fire are a band out of time, taking most of their sound from the 70s and 80s, but adding some silent-film era gothic touches, especially in their visual aesthetic.

Neon Bible is an album that demands repeat listens. Songs get richer with each subsequent listen, and they haunt you for days. Black Mirror leads the album with haunting percussion and string arpeggios, while Keep The Car Running sounds like early 80s neo-soul-pop on overdrive. One of the more interesting parts of the album is the reworked No Cars Go, a track that was far sparser when it was featured on the band’s debut self-titled demo four years ago.

So, in conclusion, if you like music of the awesome variety, pick this shizznit up.

Bottom Line: Terrific follow-up album that will stay in your head for days.
Notable Tracks: Keep The Car Running, Black Mirror, My Body Is A Cage, Intervention, Ocean of Noise
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