The Arcade Fire Cometh
I have only a handful of “life-changing” records — records that come along and seep into your skin, dripping deep down into your DNA. Songs you can’t get out of your blood. Music that resets your life.
Examples are Fugazi’s self-titled debut EP (collected on “13 Songs”), Nirvana’s “Nevermind,” Belle and Sebastian’s “If You’re Feeling Sinister” and June of ’44’s “Engine Takes to Water.”
Greatest of all, however, is The Arcade Fire’s “Funeral.” Currently holding the crown of my personal favorite record of all time, “Funeral” came along at a very critical time in my life — in the year of Tina’s pregnancy, while my girls were being formed. Thematically, “Funeral” is about big things — life, death, family, growing up. It fit quite profoundly in what was going on in my life at the time. I still feel deeply moved when I listen to it. On my iPod’s top-twenty-five most-played list, something like 12 of those songs are Arcade Fire songs from “Funeral.” No other band has more than two songs on the list.
So it’s with a little fear that I approach the band’s new record, “Neon Bible.” I want to love it, but I also know the band has moved on from the place they were in for “Funeral.” I can’t help but think of Belle and Sebastian’s “The Boy With the Arab Strap,” beloved by critics and bigger in some ways than “If You’re Feeling Sinister,” but for me infinitely disappointing. “The Boy With the Arab” strap was the start of the long slide away from “If You’re Feeling Sinister,” the start of the chain that would ultimately lead to the dismal self-parody that is last year’s “The Life Pursuit.”
I love the Arcade Fire too much to see them go the route of Belle and Sebastian. But fortunately, the first two songs I’ve heard are very promising. Not life-changing, but solid, and good. “Intervention,” the first iTunes single, reminds me of their splendid “Us Kids Know” EP, and “Black Mirror,” available for streaming on the band’s web site, is interesting, perhaps a little darker than we’re used to.. I’m starting to get excited, now. I only wish they’d let us know the release date.
Indie Rock | jeff | 07 January 2007 |
