Neu Bible

THE ARCADE FIRE


My original attraction to The Arcade Fire came from their Us Kids Know EP blending together perfectly two of my seemingly most incompatible favourite bands. They were symphonic and tender like The Polyphonic Spree, yet ferocious and yelping like the Pixies. Three years later, it's time for their third release and their sound has changed vastly. But anthemic epics like 'Intervention' still carry the same undeniable influences, as the Pixies' squealing guitar meets the Polyphonic Spree's choir. But there's also an obvious - and huge - spiritual element to the band, and this isn't constrained to their punch-the-sky "holy shit, I'm alive!" live show. And while they've made lyrical references to religion before, Sherlock Holmes wouldn't be charging premium rates to figure out that this album was written and recorded in a church. Over half of the album is soaked through with mentions of churches, antichrists, bibles and judgement day, and the whole record carries the aura of a creepy sermon delivered by a demented cryptologist.

Somewhat surprisingly, Neon Bible doesn't feature a Neighbourhood #5, but that's not to say that it doesn't carry forward the spirit of its ancestor. 'Black Mirror' is a murky piece of beauty, furnished with fairground piano and ghostly voices wisping between channels. 'Keep The Car Running' positions itself wonderfully, somewhere between The Spinto Band (assuming they've copyrighted all usage of the mandolin) and Shout Out Louds, yet remains as authentically Arcade Fire as the concept of an tunnel between two bedrooms. The title track is a definite grower; a short, whispered acoustic lullaby with a "don't fuck with us" gang (but still whispered) chorus. 'Ocean of Noise' builds itself into an incredible haunted mariachi waltz and the questionable decision to include a rerecording of 'No Cars Go' results in a no-brainer answer, from its flourishing Disney intro to its spectacular "LET'S GO!" breakdown. And on the album's climatic 'My Body Is A Cage', their newly acquired church organ is further utilised in a dramatic Zombies-esque epic which goes out of its way to successfully secure its place on the tracklisting of every retrospective compilation of "the noughties".

While Funeral sounded like an antique recovered from under the soil of an indefinable era, Neon Bible sounds decidedly modern; even futuristic. If their debut was their celebratory funeral, Neon Bible is their more sombre resurrection. But they are alive, and how they know it.

Intervention

Pre-order Neon Bible at a discounted rate.. You have three equally-lovely format choices, and you'll also get a poster and other free stuff!

Satan Said Yeah!

CLAP YOUR HANDS SAY YEAH


Emily Jean Stock

Last year, I got a hold of some of Clap Your Hands' early demos and was particularly amazed by one song I can't remember the name of (although I know it wasn't called Emily Jean Stock), because even in its raw homemade state, it was one of THOSE songs. Reminiscent of a handful of classic tunes (most of which probably don't actually exist), its weirdness of melody and harmony ranked it as possibly Ounsworth's best composition. Under the impression that these demos were from times past, dug from the vaults, I mourned the fact that this song would never receive studio justification and public adoration. So when the second song on their second album smacks of instant familiarity, I beam and gape at my laptop and this song, now uninspiringly entitled 'Emily Jean Stock'. Dave Fridmann has taken the studio reigns (they're obviously spending their self-produced debut's profit margin wisely!) and given the band a fresher sound, throwing in - on this song - big Flaming Lips' drums, Flaming Lips' gongs and, er, 'Do You Realize??' guitar. To do this and avoid sounding anything like the Flaming Lips is an admirable and ear-pleasing achievement.

And so it is that CYHSY acquire an epicness and intensity well-demonstrated on album highlights such as the single Satan Said Dance (terrifying when on the radio at 10am) and the ungrammatical Underwater (You & Me). Fridmann has marked their foreheads with a lightning-shaped scar which sets them apart from the rest of the 'blog bands'. And to accompany the lightning is some loud thunder - 3/4 of an hour's worth of striking and tuneful gems.

They have the debut album and some different versions of new songs at eMusic.

All Free Today.

VOLUNTEER PIONEER


Some bands just sound important. And importance in the 21st century is measured using a unit known as the "myspace friends". So it is with great shock that - having listened to four of their tracks - I discover that Volunteer Pioneer have less than 400 friends!

After one listen, it was possible for me to decide that Separate Planes would easily be making it on to my 'Best of 2007' list. Neutral Milk Hotel's twinned acoustic guitars play basic chords and Spencer Krug's yelp sings to the listener in a style so clearly subliminally influenced by Mangum's familial familiarity ("your parents fly on separate planes to make sure you don't end up an orphan"). All this whilst a harp plays a melody so sickly sweet and infectiously memorable that it sounds like it belongs on a TV advertisement for toot sweets, Chupa Chups and treacle tarts. This music will rot your teeth and melt your ears.

Separate Planes

3 more demos at Macktronic
Their myspace