Though only having recorded two albums (similar to my 10B band, Cassino), Arcade Fire comes in at #9 due to their massive influence on my life through those releases. Headed up by Win Butler and his wife, Regine Chassagne, Arcade Fire comes from Montreal, Canada. A group of seven musicians, Arcade Fire is renowned for putting on high-energy shows that leaves crowds in pools of sweat, awe and pure joy.
The live performances are just a piece of the puzzle, though. Arcade Fire's two albums have been so positively reviewed, I am simply salivating at the opportunity to listen to their next foray (which is supposedly going to be released mid-2010...). Their first release, Funeral, has been widely hailed as a top 5 album of the decade. It has gone on to take home album of the year (in 2004) from many publications, and is ranked almost universally in the top 5 or 10 of albums of the decade (Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, Paste, Stereogum and many more). Five singles came from the landmark album, but those alone do not do it justice. If you want to be completely blown away, listen to Funeral all the way through. It's ten songs of joy, heartbreak and everything in between. There is not a weak song to point to. It is a masterpiece. However, if I have to pick just one song from the album, I'll take the arena rocking "Rebellion (Lies)". Take a listen and see if you don't dig deeper.
The second release from the Canadian indie-rockers was titled Neon Bible and was released in 2007 to more critical acclaim. While not packed with non-stop enjoyment like it's predecessor, Neon Bible still packs a great punch. With songs like "Intervention", "(Antichrist Television Blues)", "Keep the Car Running", "My Body is a Cage" and "No Cars Go", it debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200, a tremendous success. Again, almost universally, another Arcade Fire album was reviewed as top 5 of the year. The band was gaining steam and going full boar ahead.
That is where we stand now with the fantastic Northerners. I can honestly say that I have not been this excited for a band's next release in years. Let's just hope it follows up on their previous success.
Finally, here is my favorite song from Neon Bible. Enjoy.
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