Putting A Bow On Our Pre-Release Neon Bible Chatter
The pattern of scorching, pre-release hysteria followed by apathetic, blogspot silence by release date is nothing new, but given the relatively deafening din of Neon Bible's leak period, we thought we'd remind that you can actually BUY the thing on Tuesday. Seriously! People are already starting to receive their super deluxe royale packages in the mail, replete with posters, books, and other pretty things.
So by now you guys have had some time to live with the songs, see 'em live once or thrice, watch Win get violent with his Haitian-inscribed guitar, etc. The burning question for next week, then: What's P4K gonna give it? More importantly, what do YOU think of the record? No need to quantify your opinion in numbers. We prefer the star system. Oh just kidding.
But while you're mathematically calculating the merit of Neon Bible vis a vis Funeral, etc., enjoy these pics, taken by a New York magazine photog who trailed the band during their week of church gigs here in the city.
Knowing that Win thinks about Joe Simpson was shock enough, but seeing him yuck it up with Drew was a mind explosion. More artsy, backstage pics here.
Okay, time's up. Let's hear it, 'forkers.
Neon Bible is out 3/6 on Merge.
UPDATE: Still not ready to weigh in? Maybe the New York Times article on "One Very, Very Indie Band" will help out. Holy press overload.
Posted at 7:00 PM
Tags: Arcade Fire
My deluxe edition shipped from Insound today. I've avoided listening to leaked copies, in an effort to relish the anticipation. But I'm really looking forward to May...when I'll be driving down to see them in Chicago (haven't seen them since 2004, in Minneapolis).
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I know in my heart that Funeral is better, but consharnit I just plain like Neon Bible more (I also liked Interpol's second more than their first -- sue me). I expect a 7 from Pitchfork for whatever reason.
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9.2
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I expect Pitchfork to tell me what I should listen to and what I shouldn't.
Therefore I will accept whatever rating they give it, adopt the same view and proceed accordingly.
I expect Pitchfork to tell me what I should listen to and what I shouldn't.
Therefore I will accept whatever rating they give it, adopt the same view and proceed accordingly.
I expect Pitchfork to tell me what I should listen to and what I shouldn't.
Therefore I will accept whatever rating they give it, adopt the same view and proceed accordingly.
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No way is this album getting anything less than an 8.0. I am thinking they'll give it a 8.4, and here's why: it's safe! I mean, put it this way. If they gave it less than an 8.0, people would freak out and it would undermine their already waning integrity and respect. Plus they are so much more than just music critics now, they want to be all excited about the band, so they can't trash them. We all still love them, so with a band like this, they kind of have to too. Or else they lose all of us. And then who's going to pay R. Schrieber's mortgage or whatever?
I think Funeral is a better record, but this is an excellent second record. I give it 9 stars out of 10.
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Also, please look out for my reunion album with The Jackson 5. It's gonna be hot!
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I couldn't resist; I listened to the leak. Obviously, different. It definitely doesn't seem as hopeful, rather, more complicated. I feel the songs are more... distant than those on Funeral. More morose, bleak. A much more worldly message. Just different. I need to learn how to put things into words.
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On a scale of John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band to Bruce Springsteen and the E. Street Band I'd give it a Hold Steady.
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Excellent album. Really incredible.
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This album is horrible. They remembered the anguish but forgot the tunes. Total fucking letdown.
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The album is not horrible.
It's just kinda bad.
I would say it's about a 90% fucking letdown.
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Anyone who's interested in a serious wager, I'll contend that it'll get between a 6.8-8.3. My guess is that it'll get a 7.4 with guarded praise, probably making similar points to what RS made about the album lacking the thematic cohesion of Funeral and sounding a bit distant. Anyone who thinks that it'll get best new music should be humbled by the recent three star intervention review and the lack of new track reviews (why no black mirror review?) Isn't it customary for p-fork to review the single before a major album comes out? Yes, unless they are planning on taking a small dump on the album and so witholding reviews as a courtesy.
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polarized, i feel ya. but you should know that they got rid of the track review section. and they have posted neon bible tracks in the forecast section. so i wouldn't look into that too much.
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I like it more than Funeral. I love Funeral. Is there something wrong with me? Should I seek professional help?
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"If they gave it less than an 8.0, people would freak out and it would undermine their already waning integrity and respect."
Umm... since when did they have integrity or respect????
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I didn't like Funeral the first few times I listened to it, it had to grow on me (though I did grow to love it). I liked this one right away. The difference may be attributed to the fact that I am just more prepared for what to expect from the band, but I gotta say that "Intervention" takes my breath away.
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I say that it's a better Springsteen album than the Killers' attempt (no shit!), but it still lacks originality ("Keep The Car Running"=Springsteen's "All I'm Thinkin' About"), and some of the tracks keep gathering momentum but end with a whimper instead of a bang. I think the 'Fork will give it an 8.1.
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Maybe less than a 4.9 (but that's only wishful thinking).
Knowing how much Pitchfork and their readers masturbate to all things Arcade Fire about everyday, they'll most likely give this shit above 9.7, if not a pretentious cum-guzzling 10.0.
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There's a case to be made for "Neon Bible is better than Funeral." When I saw Fluxblog at one of the NY gigs, he had some good points (he likes NB much better).
I think P4K will give it 8.4815162342.
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Wow! was Tom Green backstage too??!!!!.....having Drew Barrymore "hang" with you = jumping the shark
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Read Review
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Win Butler: Trying desperately not to stare at Drew Barrymore's cans.
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I'm thinking it'll get something in the low 9's.
I love the album, in some ways it's better than Funeral, in other ways it's not. You couldn't ask for a better follow-up.
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I have a feeling that it will receive an 8.8.
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Who cares?
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This album is not Best New Music. It's good, but it suffers under its own weight. (I guess Danielson's Ships did, so you never know.) Note the teetering mess that is "No Cars Go."
"Antichrist Television Blues" is the best song, which is sort of sad. 7s for sure.
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who is Amy Wagner and who let her count?
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i love funeral, but this is a whole new beast. I think this album has a lot more layers, lyrically and musically. I could find myself getting much much deeper into Neon Bible from a narrative standpoint than Funeral (and that says a lot). I love both albums, but i think this one will take much longer to digest, which is a good thing.
PS - i got the leaked version, but i also bought the deluxe edition.
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new wilco, aliens and sage francis tracks come here
http://www.poponparade.blogspot.com/
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Aw, don't remind me. I pre-ordered the LP but now it is on deep backorder due to a manufacturing flub. But I give Merge credit - they did quality control... Unlike Polyvinyl, which shipped pristine copies of Of Montreal's "Hissing Fauna" which STILL skip.
DwD
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Oddly enough my initial feelings about the album were more positive than my continued ones. It is a good album, but that's about it.
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2.3 - massively overated dreck like Ys
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That blogs can go on and on about Arcade Fire when there's much more interesting stories and artists to cover is discouraging. People are paying 400 dollars a ticket to see them live where I live. They're a good band, but I don't understand the uncontrollable fanaticism. A more interesting subject for instance, is this compilation of Devendra Banhart's influences, Yo Si Oigo....
http://www.naturalismo.wordpress.com
now there's someone who deserves a little more attention... and his influences are a lot more in number and interest than the new arcade fires smaller in scope plastic ono tinged romps...
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win looks like john elway in that picture with drew barrymore.
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ulaaloo- O stand corrected, i totally forgot about that shitty forkcast thing because I never even bother looking at it. If they don't have the gumption to give ratings then why should I care what they say? The infinitemixtape idea was way better- i downloaded every one of them shits. Nevertheless, because the hype the Arcade Fire shows and the burn on Intervention, I really foresee I review that's in the low 7 range.
If I were pitchfork I'd want to project "We're not so caught up in the hype that we thing this record is great, but we're also not so caught up in the backlash that we're gonna pretend it's shit either." Something more like "look how honestly and forthrightly we're able to look to the facts"- i.e. 7.4.
They'll damn well stay away from the flowery bullshit prose about childhood (ala funeral review) or they might just get Crossed again, my man.
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The writing at Pitchfork is good, albeit self-indulgent. Just because some would-be indie kids allow them to dictate their tastes doesn't disqualify them as a valid source of music criticism. You guys don't have to dislike Pitchfork related things just to be contrary. It's pointless. They're often right. Neon Bible is really good. Pitchfork called it "sublime" at one point, so I wouldn't guess underneath an 8.5.
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Pitchfork - 7.9
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It's more detailed from Funeral, but believe or not "Neon Bible" is as brilliant as meteor, so after more than twenty spin, my rating:
10/10
I love this ratings, they're so personal, though.
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Hating all things Pitchfork is such a tired cliche. You guys aren't near as cool as you pretend to be.
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NEON BIBLE:
5*****5*****5*****5*****5*****5*****5*****5*****
5*****5*****5*****5*****5*****5*****5*****5*****
5*****5*****5*****5*****5*****5*****5*****5*****
5*****5*****5*****5*****5*****5*****5*****5*****
By the way. Those photos from New York Magazine are terrible. You have that kind of access to (currently) the best live band in the world at some of the most mind-blowing shows of the year and you take shots with horrible angles and of their backs?!?!?!?
These are the ten best shots?!?!?!
Gimme a break. I could throw a can of PBR and hit any hipster-photo-blogger in Brklyn that could take ten better photographs with their digital camera. What a shame.
http://mybigmouthstrikesagain.blogspot.com/
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You know what I find amazing? People are so critical of a second album by a new band. If "Neon Bible" was a first album by a new band, I bet MONEY that those who think it isn't very good would be shi%!ing themselves over it and raving about it. But now that the band is getting a lot of attention, all of a sudden some people just can't handle that. Neon Bible is a fantastic album...and it should get the respect it deserves. If you don't like it, go listen to Fall Out Boy. ;-) Maybe that is more your style. Just my two cents.
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The leaked MP3's I have heard all sound like they have something wrong with them. The highs all sizzle like all those pre release Shins MP3s did a few months back. I certainly plan to buy the record and then judge it after listening to it very loudly on a great stereo system a few times, not through a roughly assembled batch of questionable MP3's on my shitty mac.
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p'fork's review of Funeral was very instrumental in creating a buzz about the band. I don't see them giving them anything under an 8, which would be perceived as a kind of turning their back on the band. but, i don't see them giving it anything greater than or equal to 9.7. i'm guessing around 8.5-9.3 and "best new music" designation...which is probably right about what the album deserves. It's a great album, not perfect...which is what it would have to be to merit anything over Funeral's rating. with all of that said, I think I probably starting to like Neon Bible better.
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7.0
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uhhh, first of all its not as good as the real bible. uhhh, thirdly of all, drew berrymores tits (titties) slapping together is probably arcade fires best song(s) IMHO.
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Backlash is quite silly and Pitchfork is no stranger to formenting it. I would be surprised however if they gave this album anything less than a 9. But that's irrelevant. What's relevant is the fact that, if this album came from any band besides Arcade Fire, and it popped onto our collective radar, 90% of people who read this, and who read other similar blogs, would think it was the greatest thing that happened to music this year. Of course, once you reach darling status, as Arcade Fire have, and once you've also produced an album that people identify with so heavily, as Arcade Fire did with Funeral, then it's almost impossible for people to look at that second album objectively. But think of some of the other bands we've all gotten excited over recently. Go listen to their albums. And go listen to Neon Bible. And if you can still come back and report, objectively, that, for example, Annuals album is better than Neon Bible, I'd be shocked.
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The packageing of the limited edition version is SUPER! I love it. to flip books where you can see an animated neon bible and those three people diving or whatever they're doing. and the cdsleeve inside the box is really cool. and not to mention the box itself!
and since I ordered it from hmv I got this Neon Bible bookmark too. sweet!
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You "hating on pitchfork was so last year" people are fucking retarded. We're criticizing pitchfork because it lets trendy fashion concerns bias its qualitative assessments (see see arc of the Crane Wife last year, from best new music to a post-backlash afterthought on the year-end list.) And so you respond by appealing to trendy fashion concerns?
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I enjoy your verbosely inarticulate criticism of Pitchfork, Polarized.
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I'm lovin' the "Neon Bible". It took me a few listens, but I'm hooked now. Maybe seeing it live helped. I was fortunate to see one of the 5 Montreal shows last month. (which was brilliant!) Admittedly, I had a more visceral response to "Funeral" the first time I heard it, but I think that "Neon Bible" is still a great record. I like the retro sound it has going, though it does stray a little close to Springsteen territory a couple of times. My personal highlights so far are "My Body is a Cage", "Windowsill" and "Keep the Car Running". Always an amazing band to see live.
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Pitchfork cares more about making statements then supporting artists. There is no statement to make by giving a mediocre follow-up a high review just because they gave the band album of the year for their first album. I'm sure they would like Arcade Fire to put something better together just like everyone else. But they will still suffer from a Radiohead syndrome like most everyone else and find someway to love it and give it a score in the low 8s.
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If you think over in that way, you have to hit your head to a big rock. Nothing is perfect in this world. You'll find nothing complete in the life. 10/10 doesn't mean that it's perfect, it means that it's a very succesful record in its own genre. If you want to give a low rating to a record, there is always a way to criticize. Oh can't you see, it's made by a human, so there is no human without deficiency. So you can't say David Bowie's Low is 10/10 or Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon is perfect indeed. These are only good records that contributes to the music.
Now Think Twice and see REVIEW RATINGs Are only for fun. You should dig the record, if you don't wanna dig, then don't do it. That's why we call this ART, Personal, personal and personal. Folks at Pitchfork Aren't special creatures. If they say Neon Bible is good, it won't be a good record. Relative, so relative. Review gives opinions, so don't kill yourself because of 1/10 or 10/10.
Good Night! And stop criticize music sources, if you wanna say something, try to listen all those records and try to spread the word about music. You'll see how it's easy to talk from your bed.
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"Wow! was Tom Green backstage too??!!!!.....having Drew Barrymore "hang" with you = jumping the shark"
That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. I guess I didn't realize maintaining your "integrity" involved being a pompous jackass that doesn't speak to anyone who doesn't conform to your indie rock ideals.
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quote:Then you will know what we think. And then you can all go fuck yourselves.
U MAD?
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Cut human resources?
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how could this one be as significant as Funeral? The strength of the first album relied upon the sheer magnitude of the project. It just seemed to mean so much. Now it's just another record, mostly about cars for some odd reason, from a band that really doesn't have as striking an identity as most would have believed. Mostly I just don't need thunder and tea kettles to make me feel like the music is important. They did make "No Cars Go--Special Edition" complete with the latest in CGI technology. The closer is called "My Body Is a Cage". How's that for melodrama?
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It'll get 8.something. It probably deserves a 7. Love these guys to death and I'm glad their sound matured a bit on this record, but it doesn't have the same organic energy that made Funeral work so well.
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9.9
I just love this album.
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I can't stand this new album.
But hey, thems the breaks. If you like it, good for you. Music is there to be enjoyed. In fact, I think I'm tired of talking about music. I'm just going to listen to it for awhile.
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i love this so much. and i just dropped an EXORBITANT amount of money to see arcade fire in chicago (it was sold out). im so excited!
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8.1
(+/- 0.7)
Funeral it ain't.
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I think I'm unreasonably concerned with the boost in recognition it seems to have given John Kennedy Toole. :s.
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you're a john kennedy toole. OHHHHHHHHH snap.
just kidding.
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According to blogs, nobody's second record is ever any good. Everyone is looking for The Revelation Of A New Rock Hero. In 24/7/365 blogworld, either the band gets hyped so much for a year or 2 after their debut release that no sophomore record could ever live up, or you get the alternating "it was too-much-like/not-enough-like the first one" reviews, or you get the "I guess they shot their wad on the first one" reaction.
Like someone else said, if the second record were released first, it would be The Revelation and gushed on accordingly.
That said, I'm not a True AF Believer, but I liked Funeral a bit better: 8.0 vs. 7.8.
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I already have my preordered Deluxe edition, and it's completely incredible. The experience that the listener goes through while listening to Neon Bible is completely different to that of Funeral, so it really isn't fair to compare them. But I think I like Neon Bible a bit more as an album. Funeral may have a few better songs, but Neon Bible is so cohesive. It deserves atleast a 9.5 from pitchfork, but who knows what they'll give it.
Everyone should buy it next week though! Who wouldn't want to see Arcade Fire have the #1 spot on Billboard!?
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I start to listen to NB, and I think: eh, it's OK, fine, not great, about what I expected.
But then I think: I could be listening to the new Andrew Bird instead, which is the Ph.D. to NB's high school diploma. So I listen to Andrew Bird.
Oh, and PF gives NB an 8.something.
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Ok people keep your plants on. Just wait till Monday. Then you will know what we think. And then you can all go fuck yourselves.
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his CREOLE-inscribed guitar, not haitian-inscribed guitar
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I want to throw some sophomore slump opinions into the ring. I think the whole "ragging on bands' second albums" automatically is a cheap way to justify records: look at Chutes Too Narrow, Aha Shake Heartbreak, Return to Cookie Mountain (2nd proper LP), or hell, Led Zeppelin II. No one denies they are all great improvements on the debut album, and I think it is often recognized when bands succeed on this front.
That being said, I killed Funeral in 2004-2005 (yet still love it) and now find Neon Bible an amazingly fresh album that is not yet canonical or stale.
From me: 9.6 (0.1 off for Bad Vibrations)
From the PFcrew: 8.7 (just watch--plus, the higher profile the album, the worse written the review is for some reason)
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its up. p4k gave it an 8.4 and best new music.
kudos to jermainejackson for getting it on the money
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I think an 8.4 is just about right in terms of my opinion thus far. I dislike bluesy Springsteenian songs like Television... and Keep the Car... I just expect something more from Arcade Fire. I'm not a blues fan anyway, I think its derivative (I know that's the point but it doesn't have a place in indie rock/pop) so it saddens me when a band as powerful as arcade fire then use chord structures as predictable as that. One of the great points about Funeral was that it was unpredictable and I hate listening to a song and knowing where the song is going next (obviously this doesn't apply when I've already heard the song).
Another thing I don't like is the production. I'm waiting for my deluxe copy but the leaked copy I obtained sounds messy and not nearly as open and fresh as Funeral - I'm hoping that's just the leaked copy's sound quality. I really liked the way the instruments were constantly changing on Funeral, the way different instruments played the same fugues and they've completely abandoned that as far as I can hear.
And how come it gets an 8.4 and Best New Music - I thought the threshold for BNM was 8.5?
I enjoy P4K by the way, don't understand why some of the gum's readership needs to slag it off so much. I like the reviews and the way they really try and think about the music they're listening to. I think Deusner probably mentioned "cathartic" once too many times though. Twice is once too many.
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golden bonce, have you actually heard a blues record before?
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From what I've gathered, Best New Music applies to the majority of albums, but not all, that score over 8.0. It seems to be a discretionary thing for the lower half of the 8's.
Whatever, it's a good review. And a safe one, thankfully - I think had they given it a score lower than 7 or higher than 9 the indie Internets would have spontaneously combusted.
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Alex, I admit I haven't heard many blues records but you must know what I sort of mean, the chord progression is predictable. When I reference blues (rightly or wrongly) I'm talking about your standard blues riff. I admit though I know nothing about the blues, apologies for the confusion...
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Pretty good review- I'm glad nobody took my wager. Incidentally, for those who take the piss out of pitchfork (despite everyone being totally over it) it's out of love and not hate you know. At least for me.
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The number of people on this talkback that guessed about if not exactly 8.4 is amazing. Does anyone know if there's a site/blog that predicts Pitchfork's ratings? I'm sure any of us could guess within 0.5 for every 3 out of 5 reviews.
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http://predictfork.blogspot.com/ meets yuor criteria. Nice guy who runs it, too.
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I was .1 off. An appropriate rating, I'd say. Seeing as that's all over, who's heard the new Patrick Wolf?
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I can't wait until tomorrow to run down to Other Music and actually buy(!!!)this album. I want to hear the actual finished product instead of the grainy leaked version. It's like freaking Christmas Eve. Well, not really but close.
http://mybigmouthstrikesagain.blogspot.com/
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Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh finally after 3 years. It's out. And it's great. Pitchfork can say whatever they want. I'm too busy enjoying myself with another awesome Arcade Fire album.
I'm only on my second spin (went to a downtown record store at 12am to get it!) and it's great. Intervention kicks the pants off of most Funeral tracks. And No Cars Go kicks a$$ as well. I'm enjoying Black Mirror, Keep the car running and hell even Windowsill. Just go get this album people.
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I've said it before, and I'll say it again: you know you're in trouble when the best song on your new album is the one you wrote five years ago.
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i think the moral of the story here is that they just didn't make that much progress. the album is relatively enjoyable because it sounds like their first, which people went nuts for. i'm sorry to say i have nothing to rant or rave over...cause it's just "nice" - aka. if we went on a date, they'd be smart but kinda ug. check out my review on culturecloud:
http://www.culturecloud.com/Articles/00002132/Arcade_Fire_-_Neon_B.aspx
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why does win butler shave his temples?
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wtf!!?? Fugues!!?? Arcade Fire goes for Baroque!
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Neon Bible is a good album though not great. There are many original and interesting textures for which I rate it an 8.5. Though I can't help but get the feeling like the bands success gave them too much time and choice of instruments compared to to the quality of arrangements.
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I just got my special edition preorder today! so i am totally stoked, i love this version of "no cars go" better, because the audio is polished, and the recording seems to be redone. but i need to give the album a good listen
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