Since having seen Arcade Fire I cannot get through a day without listening to Neon Bible. When Arcade Fire plunged into the ears of many it was truly magical. A crafted, delicate, unique sound was created. And rumours flew round about their amazing live performances.
So to get to go and see them was more of an exciting opportunity than I could comprehend. And with good reason. They were absolutely astounding. Easily one of the best bands you could wish to see.. probably on the face of the earth right now. The reproduction of the songs, sounds, noises, ambiance and atmosphere was spot on. Its the best way to describe. And I did. Last night. Drunkenly. Shouting in people's ears. But to reaffirm they were great. Even down to the violins being so perfectly mastered as not to be drowned out by all the other far more powerful electric instruments. I'm still in awe now.
Neon Bible is going to be an album of the year and probably more, a year is an odd way to measure it. A friend of mine, Mr Douglass, quite aptly suggested that Neon Bible is the best album that has been released since Funeral. Very insightful.
Yet my best friend Paul and I have been candidly discussing Neon Bible and when we don't blissfully agree we painfully (for him) fall out. Jiggling around to Keep The Car Running is incredible. No Cars Go since having seen it performed live makes me cry, its beautiful, fraught, tense and anthemic. But Paul and I massively disagree about Black Wave/Bad Vibrations he thinks that the point at which Win thunders in completely ruins and interrupts a perfectly good song. Yet I vehemently object. I feel that it adds to a song by interrupting in such a dramatic, booming and noisy way. Screaming for retribution. Paul is wrong. I say so.
Hopefully when Paul gets his act together he'll send me some pictures and I may share with you the best.