The Arcade Fire
 

The Arcade Fire's "Funeral" has been getting great reviews, but I don't think anyone's talked about it here. Did a search and found nothing.

So, anybody else have any impressions of this?

It's yet another one of those albums that gets better every time I hear it.

Totally!

I picked up this album from Merge, and it is gradually living up to the hype behind it with every listen.

I'm always a sucker for these bands that draw Neutral Milk Hotel comparisons (even though the only similarities are always the Magnumesque nasal vocal styling). They've got some strong songs on this album, and I'm looking forward to catching these guys play next month.

I picked this up yesterday and it is quickly growing on me.

There is a ton of hype about this album. But the stuff I heard so far sounds good so maybe it's deserved.

i want this album bad. im a big iTunes DL'r but they dont have it. ill have to get the cd of the net.

I'm (finally) picking it up after work today based on the strength of "Rebellion (Lies)" alone. That track has enjoyed decent airplay on 97X for the past couple of weeks.

i was just thinking about starting a thread. i just listened to the album yesterday, and it's really something to be heard. i really can't stand neutral milk hotel, and like it was mentioned above, only see the similarity in the vocals. maybe. this cd is great!

I made it through the first five tracks on the way to work this morning. Their approach reminds me of Sparklehorse, which isn't what I was expecting...but I like Sparklehorse, so I'm not complaining. I'm anxious to listen to the second half, if only to see how they transition to the sound of the "Rebellion (Lies)" as the album progresses.

I like the album but feel that they are trying to channel the career of the Flaming Lips on one album. You have the feedback-ladden rock of Transmissions from the Satelitte Heart and the pscyhadelia and experimentation of Yoshimi and The Soft Bulletin. Not bad at all, but I would only rate it a 8 so far.

In my opinion, Modest Mouse's "Good news for People who Love bad News" still rates number 1 for the year.

Good stuff, I'm digging it.

sooo frickin good! best album of the year so far! at least thats what i would say.

beats out ac newman, rogue wave, les savy fav, citizens here and abroad, sonic youth for my tops so far this year (ok...i'll admit it, i really liked kanye west too).

Neighborhood #2 is addicting!

Simply fantastic.

I heard an EP of theirs last year and did not care for it.

But - wow - the "Funeral" album grabbed me from the
very beginning.

What a terrific listen this thing is.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0...1.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

Agreed. Easily one of this years best.

MP3s of the 11/12 show at TT the Bears in Boston here.

thanks for that link! the whole page is great, although, i'm not sure how legal it is.

I missed tonight's concert at the Southgate House. :(

maybe i also forgot to mention this: out of all 1,000+ albums that i have, this is in my top 3. i was blown away upon first listen. what music!

If you have a chance to see the band live, DO IT. Their show was one of the best concerts I've ever seen. Even better than the CD.. in fact, going home to listen to the CD was almost underwhelming after seeing how powerful their live show was.

I too forgot about the Southgate House show :(

Nothing in the album comes close to the first four tracks. They should make an EP of those and "In the Backseat".

Just bought this album today, and I love it. One of the best albums I've heard this year for sure. Nice to find a disc where the accolades are well deserved.

just saw the band last night in seattle. what a show! the sound wasn't immaculate, or even that GREAT. but with all 8 band members on stage, they never stopped being energetic, and they seemed to all be having a really great time. they played all songs from the album, plus a couple others. well worth the $15. we don't get concerts like this often enough anymore...

I saw them in Phoenix last Monday and it was an excellent show, especially for $8. They're one of those rare bands that must be experienced live - such an intense and energetic act.

It's a given that after I hear overwhelming raving reviews such as being 'blown away' by an album that I will myself leave disappointed by it. On the other hand, I would have never heard of the band outside of these reviews (I believe I first searched out this particular CD from glowing feedback on this forum).

So, after buying it and listening to it one time each entering and leaving Sedona, Arizona (which is one of the coolest places to drive in all of the US), I have mixed feelings. Actually there was a break where I had stopped listening to it at the beginning of the album (around track 3 I think), when we had continued on our trip I was still expecting the Magnetic Fields 'I' CD that we had previously been listening to. I was immediately confused and thought, 'how did this Modest Mouse CD get in there, I didn't even bring one'.

After listening to this, Modest Mouse, Built to Spill crossed my mind in addition to a score of other bands. And I guess overall this a negative to me because when I listen to a lot of my favorite bands I never think of who they sound like. They simply sound original to me, like no other than themselves.

Although I like it, perhaps might even to grow to like it a lot (although I honestly now doubt I'll grow to love it), its sound is all over the proverbial indie map for me to truly appreciate.

But my opinions are apt to change....as I do love the Killer's 'Hot Fuss' and I do love that derivative Duran 2 sound it has going on....or is that something I just read. What the hell do I know?

MP3s of their 1/17/05 show on KCRW's 'Morning Becomes Eclectic' here.

Those links are much appreciated stevevt, that's the closest I'll get to experiencing them live for awhile probably. I just started listening to them a little over a week ago, which unfortunately made it too late for me to pick up tickets for the show in San Diego as it was already sold out. I agree with the others who said this was one of the best releases of 2004.

Overrated is my response. There are some excellent tracks but I am getting a LOT more from another album richdork--I mean, uh, pitchfork media raved about--Dungen's "Ta Det Lungt." Great stuff.

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record...et-lugnt.shtml

Track 2 of Funeral feels to me like a direct lift from a Pere Ubu track.

bye the way. i got the album a while ago and its absolutely the best album of 2004 in my opinion as well. i love this album and have not tired of it in the 5 or so weeks i have had it. it is amazing. i really want to hear dungen as well.

thanks for the heads up on that dungen album. picked it up. it's pretty great! although, not nearly as good as "funeral" :)

I may have to check that out.

I saw the Arcade Fire on Conan tonight and was pretty impressed. It looks like all of the bandmembers really get into their performance. Hopefully I'll be able to go to Coachella in May and see them play.

I usually end up hearing recordings months after all the hype starts. Heard this for the first time last week and was not let down at all by the good writeups. I love this stuff.

I'd like to check out this band. I think I saw them on a late night talk show the other night. Do they have around 7 people with a few women on non-guitar instruments?

Yes indeed. They were on Conan the other night. If you were interested by what you heard on the show, I'd definately recommend you check them out. Compared to what I've heard previously, that wasn't even one of their better live performances. The song they performed on the show is called Neighborhood #2. Other favorites of mine include Une Année Sans Lumière, Neighborhood #4, In the Backseat, and, well...basically the whole album.

Was this the band where the lead singer's voice reminded me of David Byrne?

when i saw them in december, they had like 8 people on stage. they'd switch instruments and such, and during some songs, a couple would just run around singing and shaking hihats. very energetic group. nothing beats a band with two members that wear motorcycle helmets and beat on them with drumsticks as an instrument for one of their tunes.

That's them. Motorcycle helmets.

As a sidenote, at a recent NYC show, he actually joined them onstage to do a song with the band. File that under, "you know you've made it when.."

WOW! I kept hearing about them, and then saw them on conan the other night! I was so amazed at their performance I went out the next day and bought the cd. It's not as intense as the live show, but it is very very good! I am listening to the cd right now and love every minute of it! Great stuff. They actually remind me a bit of my friends band: Everything, Now! They have a lot of people on stage at their shows and act pretty crazy. They also have a glockenspiel (sic) and synth and whatnot.

www.everythingnowmusic.com They actually have some mp3's from each of their cd's on there.

But yeah, buy this arcade fire cd if you have not already!!!

i have a problem with this album...









i can't stop listening to it. it seems to be every other thing i listen to at the moment. i'll think that i've heard it enough and move on... i'll listen to another cd (maybe two) and then i inevitably go back to Funeral.

sheesh.

plus, i keep waking up with different songs from the album in my head. today it was 'Crown of Love'.

sheesh.
-di doctor-

That's perhaps one of my two favorite songs. I noticed something else while I was listening to it today. When I first got the CD, I listened to it and immediately liked about 4 of the songs and I just kept listening to those songs. Then I'd happen to hear another and I would think that one was great too and couldn't understand how I didn't notice it the first time around. Now I'm at the point where I think 8 of the 10 songs are excellent, and I'm sure I'll think the same about those other 2 songs as well before long.