Joseph Murfin

Staff Writer

In 2004, the world was given its first taste of the progressive indie rock sound of Arcade Fire, a Canadian music group from Montreal whose unique sound serves as a self-fulfilling stable for its “experimental rock” fan base.
Composed of seven band members, Arcade Fire employs original composition and delivery techniques as well as a unique array of instrumentation to create “the sound” that sets it apart from the rest of the humdrum indie rock acts that tend to clog up the iTunes bandwidth.
The band’s first major release, “Funeral,” is considered by many music critics to be the birth of what has come to be called the “Canadian rock sound.”
In fact, the band was featured on an April 2005 cover of Time Magazine, where it was hailed as “Canada’s most intriguing rock band.”
On March 5 of this past year, the group released their follow-up record, “Neon Bible,” an album that definitely lives up to the Arcade Fire standard of unique musicality.
The album is very good.
Though this particular style of music is not a type I typically enjoy, I found myself immersed in the music, and needless to say, by the end of the CD, the band had definitely grown on me.
The music is extremely eclectic and changes dramatically from track to track.
From “Keep the Car Running,” which I can only describe as a mixture of a 1950s teen be-bop tune and a 1960s Broadway musical, to “(Antichrist Television Blues),” an almost-12-bar that spends a little extra time on the V chord before resolving back to the IV-I progression, “Neon Bible” leaves the listener guessing as to what might possibly come next on the album.
This is especially true of tracks such as “Intervention,” which opens with a powerful Bach-like Baroque fugue that all of the sudden modulates into an almost rock opera style ballad reminiscent of such great albums as the The Who’s “Tommy.”
In addition to great style diversity, the record features a wide range of musical timbre.
In addition to a pipe organ, a hurdy gurdy and a complete military choir, the band employs the musicianship of a full Hungarian orchestra to back it up, creating a unique, full sound of strings, winds and electronica that Metallica almost pulled off in the late ‘90s with its “S&M” album.
“Neon Bible” is definitely worth giving a listen, even if you’re not particularly into Arcade Fire’s style of music.
The musicianship is very strong and the music provides the listener with a bit of fresh air from the monotonous drab that often floods the FM airways.
So go check it out. In 2004, the world was given its first taste of the progressive indie rock sound of Arcade Fire, a Canadian music group from Montreal whose unique sound serves as a self-fulfilling stable for its “experimental rock” fan base.
Composed of seven band members, Arcade Fire employs original composition and delivery techniques as well as a unique array of instrumentation to create “the sound” that sets it apart from the rest of the humdrum indie rock acts that tend to clog up the iTunes bandwidth.
The band’s first major release, “Funeral,” is considered by many music critics to be the birth of what has come to be called the “Canadian rock sound.”
In fact, the band was featured on an April 2005 cover of Time Magazine, where it was hailed as “Canada’s most intriguing rock band.”
On March 5 of this past year, the group released their follow-up record, “Neon Bible,” an album that definitely lives up to the Arcade Fire standard of unique musicality.
The album is very good.
Though this particular style of music is not a type I typically enjoy, I found myself immersed in the music, and needless to say, by the end of the CD, the band had definitely grown on me.
The music is extremely eclectic and changes dramatically from track to track.
From “Keep the Car Running,” which I can only describe as a mixture of a 1950s teen be-bop tune and a 1960s Broadway musical, to “(Antichrist Television Blues),” an almost-12-bar that spends a little extra time on the V chord before resolving back to the IV-I progression, “Neon Bible” leaves the listener guessing as to what might possibly come next on the album.
This is especially true of tracks such as “Intervention,” which opens with a powerful Bach-like Baroque fugue that all of the sudden modulates into an almost rock opera style ballad reminiscent of such great albums as the The Who’s “Tommy.”
In addition to great style diversity, the record features a wide range of musical timbre.
In addition to a pipe organ, a hurdy gurdy and a complete military choir, the band employs the musicianship of a full Hungarian orchestra to back it up, creating a unique, full sound of strings, winds and electronica that Metallica almost pulled off in the late ‘90s with its “S&M” album.
“Neon Bible” is definitely worth giving a listen, even if you’re not particularly into Arcade Fire’s style of music.
The musicianship is very strong and the music provides the listener with a bit of fresh air from the monotonous drab that often floods the FM airways.
So go check it out.