User Score
Universal acclaim- based on 918 Ratings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 819 out of 918
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Mixed: 71 out of 918
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Negative: 28 out of 918
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Oct 19, 2011
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May 6, 2022
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Nov 23, 2010
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Nov 8, 2011Not as good as it's predecessor, but still relevant in their songwriting and progression as a band. I like how they get down with their darker side, where Funeral seems lighter with a bit more of a pop feel.
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Feb 23, 2014
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Jul 23, 2014A soft and charming hug to the soul, illuminated with steady, eccentric and harmonic sounds and lyrics that ensemble joy, solitude and desperation. Honest as few, perfect as even less.
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Dec 25, 2021Neon Bible is my favorite album by Arcade Fire. Musically, it's darker and it feels like they really explored with their sound and style here and lyrically, It addresses so many different things (from religion to controlling parents). I was absolutely captivated with it and much like Funeral, It has a permanent spot in my playlist.
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May 12, 2011i enjoyed listening to this album. it was great. i still got to listen to funeral. but i really do like this one a lot. it had some great songs on this record
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Aug 7, 2011For a kid who grew up in a conservative evangelical home, this record speaks right to me. Heartbreaking and brilliant from the first track to the last. It's extremely difficult to rate an Arcade Fire over another, but this one definitely stands out.
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Nov 2, 2010Every single song in this album is amazing, everything is done perfectly. I still cannot decide which one I like more but this album defined a period of my life, I can't even imagine how many times I've listened to it.
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Sep 30, 2015
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Apr 19, 2014A masterpiece. Maybe the lyrics of Will sometimes falls to the cold-hard ground, but the grandiosity of the sound and the orchestra itself picks it up. If you are a true listener of music, go ahead. If you don't really like the society you live in now, go ahead. If you're an atheist, or a Catholic who knows of the lies of priests, go ahead. You'll never regret it.
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Jun 8, 2013Listen to it alone in the dark at night.
My four personal favorite tracks: Keep the Car Running; Black Wave Bad Vibrations; Windowsill; No Cars Go.
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Nov 14, 2011I think its hated on far too much because of how anti-religious this album is. Its not anti-religious in a bad way, Its merely saying that religion (while widely accepted) causes a lot more problems then what it is worth and that one day we will have to choose to keep it or abandond it. I loved this album and imo its the best album Arcade Fire put out.
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Sep 2, 2012Yes I'm writing this review in 2012, but now I've revisited this album after not giving it a fair chance the first time. I'm pleased to say that there is not a weak song on here. The other thing I like about it is the sense of cohesion and unity of mood that pervades. It really is a fun and engaging listen, and I daresay is my favorite AF album.
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Dec 6, 2020
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Nov 29, 2011Easily their best work. I think people hate it so much because the entire album is pretty much saying "F" religion. While the band's sound is different, Its different in a good way. I loved this album.
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Sep 24, 2010
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Oct 9, 2022Neon Bible is Arcade Fire's best album to date. That's saying a lot, considering the rest of their discography. This Grammy-nominated alt-rock album explores themes of how people misuse religion. For example televangelists, who seem to exploit the Bible for their own benefits.
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Dec 30, 2017
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Mar 19, 2012The album is different from Funeral, darker than Funeral, but I do not believe weaker than Funeral. The songs are still powerful, still excellent. It isn't just a bunch of songs lumped together, as is so common - this is a real album, with a certain theme binding its tracks together.
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Dec 10, 2012
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May 16, 2011My least favourite Arcade Fire album, though still pretty outstanding... I love Black Mirror and My Body Is A Cage, though the only song that brings the score of this album down is Keep The Car Running
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Mar 2, 2012I think that Funeral is the best Arcade Fire's album, but Neon Bible is my favorite. It's no pretentious but ambitious. The band made a very good album.
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May 13, 2022Intervention is unbelievably good
The other songs are pretty good as well! -
May 9, 2014
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Jul 15, 2014A fantastic album that encompasses such grand themes and lyricism that far outdo the competition today. An absolute masterpiece; lyrically, musically, thematically, and although vocally it isn't outstanding, that's almost the point... like the themes in their songs; nothing is perfect.
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Apr 21, 2011
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PaulCMar 3, 2007This album is phenomenal. I'd almost go so far as to say its better than Funeral. Almost.
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tiffanybApr 2, 2007i love this band and there music
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mattaMar 2, 2007
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Kelly'1'Mar 9, 2007I finally understand the term 'art-rock'; and that term is not pretentious here. The most cohesive album since OK Computer
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SIApr 2, 2007'Intervention' is a theatrical god send. The entire record is blasphemously grand.
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AaronNApr 7, 2007
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markbMar 10, 2007I agree with one of the reviews that said this was much more "goth." It sounds a lot like Echo and the Bunnymen, but Echo and the Bunnymen's Ocean Songs is better. Good stuff, but more derivative than Funeral.
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DecepticonPomMar 12, 2007Wow - I think this has provoked the most polarised user comments of any album on Metacritic! Personally, not nearly as good as the flawless Funeral, but still gut wrenchingly honest and melancholly. A wonderful experience.
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JAMar 10, 2007The music is magnificent, feels like an expansion of their debut sound, a lot darker, richer, and with much improved production. However, the lyrics are pretty bad in some songs. Some of the rhymes make me cringe, my least favorite existing in the title track. An improvement in some ways, a detraction in others. Still one of the greater releases so far this year.
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CrabsodyInBlueMar 10, 2007Some people in this forum select 10 or 9 rating very easily. It's a very good album but it is not masterpiece. Which should be the rating for albums as The dark side of the moon, Highway to Hell, Ok Computer etc. etc then? 1000? 2000?
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PeterLMar 1, 2007Better? Worst? Simply different and as good as.
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t0nySMar 2, 2007imo, not as good as funeral, but then again, funeral took awhile for me to like it. At first listen i enjoyed it alot, hopefully as the listens build up it follows suite, much like funeral. I give it an 8, check it out!
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MårtenMar 2, 2007If this is not a 10, I dont know what it! Its not Funeral, its better.
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ForrealMar 2, 2007Woah! ALbum of the year???
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TomNMar 2, 2007I loved Arcade Fire's Funeral album and their EP. But, if I had rated Neon Bible two weeks ago on my first listen I would have only rated it an 8. However, I have found myself listening to this album almost exclusively since then and would now rate it an easy perfect 10. It takes a little while to sink in but this album is ultimately one of my favorite albums of all time.
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DamianMMar 2, 2007Funeral will be album of the decade. Neon Bible may just have to settle for album of the year :)
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SamCMar 2, 2007So Great!! Have fun singing along to all the great tracks!!!
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ajprimoMar 2, 2007
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ChrisMar 2, 2007Killer album, grows on you like funeral. However, it also takes the band in a slightly different direction, the lyrics are much more rooted in politics and whats happening in the world right now. I'd agree with others who've posted, this pretty much solidifies Arcade Fire as one of the first truly great bands of the decade, and the best Canadian Indie band ever.
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dingusgMar 30, 2007the reason why older NA indie bands are unrecognized is that they can't compete w/TAF. wah wah. if you've ever seen a live show, you know what i'm talkin about.
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ChuckSMar 4, 2007even though it's cool to slag off the arcade fire now, i just can't do it! this album is great!
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SinderVMar 4, 2007One of the best albums of the 2000's. Whatever its excesses may be, they are easily justified.
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MichaelDMar 4, 2007Two of the biggest mistakes seen in most sophmore albums are that they sound exactly the same and/or lack the musical talent that was seen in its predecessor. The Arcade Fire has created something that equals, or even improves, on their previous musical effort. Not only that, they have taken a new direction altogether... and they pulled it off.
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KellyMar 5, 2007If anything this album is under-hyped.
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reyMar 5, 2007I feel bad for the arcade fire because they set the bar so freakin high with "Funeral" that it is really hard, for me at least, to listen to "Neon Bible" "objectively". i don't think that this album will get the respect it deserves it. nevertheless, it is a worthy follow-up. songs like "ocean of noise"", "no cars go", and "keep the car running" are top-notch.
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NaveenPMar 7, 2007As strong, if not stronger than Funeral
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ChrisGMar 7, 2007Absolutely brilliant. Those who diss or don't get it are either not listening closely enough or don't enjoy the band for what it is.
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JohnKMar 7, 2007It took a couple listens but I am hooked. I think it is just as good as Funeral.
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SimonOMar 7, 2007i like it. however there arent enough stand out tracks for me. its very much an album album, like pitchfork said u can only really access it from one point and thats the opening track and then it takes u on a dense, moody, glorious journey from there on in
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MikePMar 9, 2007Not as great as Funeral, but still up there. The scope of the music and lyrics has expanded, and thankfully, on the whole, the songs havent been lost under the need to make a 'new' sound. The one let down for me is that one of the best tracks - No Cars Go - is a revamped version of a 3 year old song from their original EP, and i prefer the old mix!
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PerspicaciousCriticMar 9, 2007I don't know why some bands, like Doves, who have a very similar, epic and emotive sound as Arcade Fire (and who, to me, surpass Arcade Fire) doesn't get the overzealous, universal hype, like Arcade Fire. Fate can be fickle, sometimes.
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GuyHMar 9, 2007
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ErinKApr 10, 2007This may be a little premature but... I think we have the best rock album of the year. I just can't imagine anything else being better. Not only do I think we'll still be talking about this album as being one of the very best of 2008 come December, it may also be one of the best sophomore albums I've heard in years.
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DJMiknocheApr 16, 2007This is a wonderful disc. Made me fall in love with rock music all over again. Just like when I first heard Patti Smith's "Horses" or Television's "Marquee Moon", or the Stones' "Exile..." or Neil Young's "After the Gold Rush". Arcade Fire's music makes me come apart in a blissful way! A disc for the ages...
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DouglasD.Aug 1, 2007After The Radiohead Age, came the The Arcade Fire Age. It's hard to compare Neon Bible to Funeral, but, after several auditions, the comparison is over. NB is a great solid album and the new version of No Cars Go is wonderful.
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ScottAug 22, 2007
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NeonB.Feb 8, 2008Masterpiece, one of the best in decade and in my opinion even better than Funeral. I enjoy every single piece of it.
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TiagoA.Oct 4, 2009Another great album from this wonderful band.
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BrettBOct 29, 2007Ive only just discovered this gem..........I listened to Funeral after hearing this..........what great talents and hopefully more to come...........truly the best release for 2007 so far.....
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AlexFeb 16, 2007Fantastic Sophmore!
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MichaelFeb 18, 2007Inventive. Refreshing. Complex. Pure genuis! "Neon Bible" solidifies Arcade Fire's prominence into modern, uncomercialized music.
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JordanCFeb 19, 2007Another great album. They've taken the best song of their first LP remastered it and it serves as a heavy hitter to end the second LP. I don't know if its good or bad that they will never have another album with angst and frustration that we found with funeral. But lets hope they keep making music like this.
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ScottFFeb 20, 2007It doesn't have the same twists and turns that Funeral did, but that results in a more solid and focussed feeling album.
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MenschFeb 28, 2007
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JustinAMar 10, 2007There are certainly a number of missteps here - namely the clunky lyrics on "Black Mirror", the sterile "Neon Bible" and "My Body is a Cage" - but when The Arcade Fire stick to what they do best - play earnest, emotional art rock including all the instruments under the sun - they are as damn good they ever were on Funeral.
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PrestonTMar 10, 2007Obviously it would be next to impossible to expect this album to live up to Funeral, so I won't even go there. It is a very strong album emotionally and has several moments when they use their crescendos to perfection. However, a couple of the songs are duds, and that really has an effect on the overall cohesiveness. All in all, it's made me even more excited for their next release.
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JonasFMar 11, 2007
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JonFMar 11, 2007YAY! Thank god these people were put on Earth. Music is this and only what this should be.
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laloMar 10, 2007Brilliant. Intense!
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KellyWalrusMar 11, 2007Although the songs on Neon Bible are on par with the songs on Funeral, I have to admit that Funeral is the overall better album. Also, as Kris B stated, the special edition is quite lame and is not worth the extra $12 (Canadian).
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AllenMMar 1, 2007A whole new direction seperate from Funeral. I love this album.
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SeanVMar 10, 2007Everything I wanted, and more. Keep the Arcade Fire Running.
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BillPMar 13, 2007Anyone who has always been a fan of Springsteen's voice but couldn't bare his horrendous lyrics and show-bouty James Brown rip off act should like this album. No lyrics about dancing and waving a flag around here just great lines and fine musicianship. Glad he finally decided to stop imitating Byrne!
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RRMar 14, 2007Pure Magic.
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karlravageMar 17, 2007Most powerful disc since PearlJam vs.Oh, and Rollingstone and NOW have a bunch of fags writing for them. Your skinny freaking legs in tight jeans are making your brain bleed!!!
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PhilippedMar 10, 2007I have to say I was fearing the worst when I listened it first, but when you give it few listens (like many said), you realize the Masterpiece it is. My Body Is A Cage, No Cars Go, Ocean of Noise and Intervention are my favorite so far. I think only The National can beat them for Album of the Year
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KevinJMar 19, 2007
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ColinSMar 2, 2007Excellent Sophmore effort.
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andresLMar 20, 2007They deliver in spite of the insane expectations.
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KidAMar 20, 2007After I listened through this album the first time I let out a massive sigh of relief. My beloved Arcade Fire had made an album that maintained the immensely high standard of Funeral. If you loved Funeral, you will love this.
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TonyDMar 2, 2007Best band ever.
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KevinCMar 2, 2007Here's an idea: stop being so fixated on Funeral. This obsessive need to rank Neon Bible as "better" or "worse" is getting tiring. Neon Bible is an amazing record and fully stands on its own without the need for Funeral to prop it up. I realize we're only 3 months in, but so far there's simply no album this year that comes even close to the brilliance and power of Neon Bible.
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SamHMar 22, 2007A generation-defining release of tension from post-modern pressures. A couple of weaker songs ("Intervention" and "Black Wave") are a little too melodramatic for me, but this is some of the most genuinely emotional alternative rock of the decade.
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JGMar 22, 2007Simply the best. Arcade Fire has the power to evoke emotion out of their listeners like no other band out there. Can't get enough of this album.
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dgMar 2, 2007How they didn't disappoint us after Funeral is beyond me...but this album picks up at just the right spot, with a different sound, but a great listen again. These guys are on fire.
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ZeroSMar 20, 2007
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MarcMar 2, 2007Pure genius. Give it a few listens before you dismiss it as an 'ok' follow up to Funeral. I can't stop listening to it. 'Intervention' gives me chills. In my mind, this record stakes a claim for the Arcade fire as the 'best band on the planet' right now.
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FelipePMar 2, 2007Good record, but failed when the record is not make with the same reasons like Funeral, with the heart and soul and fatalities, sounds more artificial and some poor lyrics, but it's a awesome second album.
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KevinEMar 3, 2007
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ChelseahMar 3, 2007I feel a stronger connection to this album than Funeral. Powerful album, talented artists.
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OliverCMar 4, 2007As a follow up for funeral it feels a little sad at first. But after a few listens it really does add a whole new great sound to the Arcade Fire's history. The only thing it could use is some more variation, but what it does focus on it does very well. Would love to see them live..
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Mr.HankeyMar 4, 2007It's a near-perfect attempt at gothic gospel rock. Deep, lyrically and musically, Neon Bible proves this band as being the most important band of the decade. "Funeral" was a brilliant album, Neon Bible sounds nothing like it but still has this essence of childlike innocence even if it is darker. They are back!
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Awards & Rankings
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So, Funeral was by no means a fluke. The Arcade Fire are unquestionably the real deal. And to prove it they’ve now thrown in another contender for ‘best record of the decade’.
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The Canadian septet are the greatest art rock group since Talking Heads stopped making sense.
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Alternative PressWhile devotees of Funeral... will surely enjoy Neon Bible, the album does have a decidedly different feel than its predecessor--mainly, there seems to be less of an emphasis on choruses. [Apr 2007, p.182]