Let’s a take a break from all of the tech geek babble that I unleash upon the Web here. I want to speak about music – specifically Canadian indie rock – more specifically Arcade Fire‘s new album, Neon Bible – sickeningly more specifically the roads to indie rock success. Ha, specifically. 🙂
Arcade Fire are one of this country’s most celebrated independent rock bands ever. Deservedly so, of course. Their debut EP was decent but their proper debut album, Funeral, was spectacular. I listened to it constantly, each time uncovering something I hadn’t heard before. It was dark but usually offered hope at the same time. Which is why I’m not sold on Neon Bible, which probably puts me in the minority. Personally, I find it makes Trent Reznor seem more chipper than Mr. Rogers. Neon Bible is chock full of doom ‘n’ gloom shrouded in a multitude of instruments. I’m normally fond of wall-of-sound songs (see 90’s shoegazing) but Neon Bible has plenty of clashing sounds – like a constant barrage of those “sudden noises” of Yes‘ “Owner of a Lonely Heart” – all rolled into each song. So far, the only tracks that I like are “Keep the Car Running” and “No Cars Go” (which sounds better now than on the debut EP). Maybe the rest of album is just taking really long to grow on me.
In spite of my lack of interest in Neon Bible, it still is on its way to becoming a success. It placed itself at #2 on the Billboard album charts last week. An independent record from a Montreal band made it to number 2 on Billboard! That’s crazy. Profit margins aside, this shows that the Canadian independent music scene is truly world class. Arcade Fire, who now have 9 band members in their ranks, join the likes of Broken Social Scene and the New Pornographers. Actually, Arcade Fire are slowly reaching the size of BSS; Arcade Fire have 9 and Broken Social Scene have like 18….hundred (give or take a few). Which begs the question, does having more members equal indie rock success? Of the 3 big Canadian indie bands who have found global success (Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene and New Pornographers), I’m a bigger fan of the Pornos than the other two. But at only 6 members, the New Pornographers are going to have to draft a few more members to keep pace with the trend.
