The Arcade Fire
 http://www.arcadefire.com

styles: indie pop, art-pop
others: The Unicorns, Wolf Parade, Broken Social Scene, Modest Mouse

Funeral
Merge, 2004
rating: 5/5
reviewer: wyatt


"Time keeps creepin' through the neighborhood, killing old folks, wakin' up babies just like we knew it would..."

I have my hands up in the air. I'm part of the choir and I'm ready to do what the Arcade Fire tells me to. I've been captured and smitten. A leap of faith is not required here. Funeral is like nothing you've heard before, and altogether familiar. Funeral comforts and cares, marches and dares, and towers over us with its anthemic choruses and orchestral arrangements.

It's been written that the members of The Arcade Fire did not all grow up listening to the same ten bands. Funeral is the ultimate companion/support piece to that statement. You could spend all day picking out potential influences while listening to Funeral; Motown, Neutral Milk Hotel, The Sugarcubes, New Order, The Pixies, The Talking Heads, and on and on. Does it really matter though? Does that ever really matter? I guess what we can note is that they made fine choices and we reap the rewards.

As some bands do, The Arcade Fire faced a daunting task in recording their first full-length. They had to balance crafting their own sound and fulfilling the lofty expectations created by their own stellar live rep. Many times, a studio release by a band with a strong live reputation can tend to sag under that weight of expectation. Funeral absolutely captures the passion and intensity of their live show. The band poured unlimited emotion into this record and in the process has left themselves vulnerable. This trust creates an amazing experience that a listener can really feel personally invited to. You can sense that something special is happening and somehow you feel a small part of it. You get it like you get the themes on the album of love, loss, birth, death, and family.

Like many classic releases, Funeral strikes a chord deep within and establishes a personal connection. The reason why? Because The Arcade Fire digs tunnels like us, watches pots boil like us, falls asleep in the backseat like us, and loves the bittersweet merry go round of this life -- like us. To top it off, they present all of this accompanied by some of the finest pop music and hooks of the year. And though named how it is, I believe we should celebrate this album in the finest tradition of an Irish Wake. For The Arcade Fire have revealed one of the best albums of the year, hands down.

1. Neighborhood # 1 (Tunnels)
2. Neighborhood # 1 (Laika)
3. Une Annee Sans Lumiere
4. Neighborhood # 3 (Power Out)
5. Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles)
6. Crown of Love
7. Wake Up
8. Haiti
9. Rebellion (Lies)
10. In the Backseat

Arcade Fire
Self-released, 2003
rating: 4.5/5
reviewer: wolfman


It was inevitable that, at some point or another, the music world would grace us with a band that could be considered the evolutionary offspring of the now famous Broken Social Scene. And how ironic that Arcade Fire, the newest addition to the molded and caressed sounds of BSS culture, resides in Montreal, Canada, possibly the coolest of indie rock hot spots, spawning such acts as The Unicorns, Shalabi Effect, and others. Filled with an endless supply of guilty pleasures, Arcade Fire's self-titled, seven-track debut is marked, track after track, with elements of perfectly baked pop. And by the completion of the record, all that is realized is a sense that this band is only just beginning.

The elements are all present: poppy musical hooks, breathy female vocals, quirky song breaks and structures, sweet melodies, and art-rock derivatives which really underscore why we're still so enamored with the sound of pop music. What's more -- Arcade Fire conveys these characteristics in a truly innovative, artistic way. From the straightforward and honest stomp of the opening track "Old Flame" to the down-tempo, acoustic flair of "The Woodland National Anthem," Arcade Fire embodies the sounds of modern day pop music by restructuring and reconstructing. This is also evident in the album's centerpiece "No Cars Go," as Arcade Fire plummets within its musical output to conjure the sweetest pop song to be released so far this year. Filled with droning organ, rhythmic drum thumping, and a captivating bassline, "No Cars Go" showcases the band's most intimate passion for the music they create. And this passion is truly evident on the entire record.

Arcade Fire displays a confidence in its music that is distinguishable and obvious. Beyond the comparisons to other credible bands, Arcade Fire permeates at a higher level of acceptance, with the potential to become an extremely popular musical group. The songs are catchy, infectious, and truly resonate with the listening audience. And don’t be surprised if you catch yourself singing their songs frequently after being exposed to their musical hypnotism. Because it'll happen. So move aside pop moguls, there’s a new band in town. And I always thought Montreal, Canada was famous for their smoked meat.

1. Old flame
2. I’m sleeping in a submarine
3. No cars go
4. The woodland national anthem
5. My heart is an apple
6. Headlights look like diamonds
7. Vampire forest fire