Neon Bible- a review

Album name- Neon Bible
Artist- Arcade Fire
Label- Rough Trade/Reprise

"Professional" reviews-
AMG 4/5
Robert Christgau A+
Metacritic 87/100 ("Universal acclaim")

Perhaps I'm a reverse order specialist, but I hadn't heard Funeral, the Montreal-based group's widely lauded debut, when I first turned on "Intervention", which isn't even the first track on this album, so I guess that if I had, my reaction to this would have been different in some way or the other.

But I hadn't. All I had heard going into this thing was the seemingly ridiculous amount of critical acclaim it had received. And that it was supposedly indie/art-rock, even post-rock. Well that part is bullshit- what this is rock at its loud, irresistible, indelible best. To be sure, it doesn't sound like Led Zeppelin, but rock has evolved. There's as much magic in Win Butler's musings and the unique, lush seven-piece backing (plus military choir) as in almost any guitar rock album ever made. It is effortlessly melodic, surprising and heartbreaking- Butler doesn't quite pip chamber-pop genius Rufus Wainwright as the most affecting songwriter today, but he comes darn close. It is equally refreshing to hear a rock frontman who can tackle political issues effectively, and the reason Butler succeeds here is because he remains personal, but not self-conscious, pretentious or over-ambitious. The songs themselves are all good, with even the weakest ones sounding like an interesting version of Snow Patrol (and there are only one or two of these). Four are instant classics- "Intervention", "Windowsill", "Neon Bible" and "(Antichrist Television Blues)", and "No Cars Go", "Keep the Car Running" and "Black Waves/Bad Vibrations" are nearly as good. Why, then, do I withhold the A+ grade? Two reasons- that is reserved for all-time classics, and I simply can't go that far yet with this one; and secondly, I'm waiting for them to top it. Which, if the Neon Bible isn't right, they, God willing, will.

Edit: I'm bumping this album up to A+. It is an all-time classic and I was daft to think otherwise.

Grade: A+