Sometimes, I must admit, it may appear as though I have dissolved into the general background of bland office furniture. I, like the surroundings, am mostly composed of tan, beige, and inoffensive earth tones. Such an optical illusion, however, should perhaps be dispelled at the sound of my voice: “Hello, how may I help you?” Does the stark, irrefutable fact that it speaks fail to differentiate the thing behind the computer screen, from the leafy thing inside the plastic vase? Does an object’s professed desire to put itself at the service of another – does this count for anything at all?
Not always, I have gathered.
Like most people under the age of thirty with ears, I’ve been fawning over the Arcade Fire ever since their debut album, “Funeral.” I’m not much for musical hype, but I considered “Funeral” to be the most stirring album I’d heard in years. They managed to conceive a tightly cohesive concept album using a variety of instruments (including the oft-maligned accordion and hurdygurdy), and crafting songs about various subjects ranging from “exile due to military dictatorship” to “bad weather”. The Arcade Fire absolutely smashed the music scene with a stellar first album, and an also excellent EP. Wild success at the outset, however, tends to prove the downfall of many a promising band.
Not so with the Arcade Fire: “Neon Bible” is a stunning album, and in many ways stands superior to its predecessor.
