~Arcade Fire
On viewing some Neutral Milk Hotel sites on the web recently, I came across a
statement by a N.M.H. fan stating that Pitchfork, the ‘new music’ website, in favorably
reviewing Arcade Fire’s 2004 debut CD Funeral – made Arcade Fire famous.
This is not true. Arcade Fire became famous because they are an awesome group,
who (just like the groups of the Elephant 6 community) play only ‘independent
and authentic’ music, and get great joy in doing that.
I will even go so far as to say that Arcade Fire is at its core a very Elephant 6-like group,
except that its from the north as opposed to the south. Those of us who heard Funeral
when it first came out in the fall of 2004, did not need Pitchfork’s review to confirm
the notion that Funeral was a great monster of a CD.
I remember trying to turn the N.Y. artist Dan Asher onto it, and when he didn’t like it,
screaming at him to listen to it more carefully. Within a week he was following
the group all over the East coast.
I had turned him onto Joanna Newsom’s amazing debut CD Milk Eyed Mender
in the spring of 2004, and by that summer he was photographically stalking her live
shows, here, and in Europe, so I was happy that he got it.
Like the Elephant 6 band, Olivia Tremor Control, Arcade Fire became famous
through word of mouth from their supercharged live shows. I vividly remember the
great reviews their live shows generated.
Arcade Fire’s new CD Neon Bible has 4 or 5 songs that are real masterpieces.
“Intervention”, “Ocean of Noise”, “Keep The Car Running”, and
“(Antichrist Television Blues)” are all totally incredible musical recordings, which are probably even
more epic and spectacular when heard and seen live.
In my opinion, the church organ on “Intervention” is worth the price of the CD alone.
Buy the CD, don’t miss them live, and be amazed.
first 3 images: Arcade Fire, FUNERAL, The Arcade Fire 2004, MERGE RECORDS
COVER ART: Tracy Maurice
PHOTO and INSERT: Hilary Treadwell
last 2 images: Arcade Fire, NEON BIBLE, ‘Recorded & mixed during 2006
at “the church” in Quebec. Additional recording was done at Win and Regine’s house,
the St. James Anglican Church in Bedford, Quebec, the Eglise St. Jean Baptiste in Montreal,
as well as in New York, and Budapest. Additional mixing was done at Olympic Studios
in London.’
COVER ART: Tracy Maurice