The Arcade Fire made fans of both David Bowie and David Byrne with their first album, got them on the front of Time Magazine, scored them numerous spots on television and even helped them gain Grammy nominations. Coldplay’s Chris Martin has even called them ‘the greatest band in history’. Two and a half years on, fans have been on the edge of their seats with anticipation for the new Arcade Fire record. And so finally, they are back with their sophomore record, Neon Bible. In some ways, it’s just the sort of sophomore record you’d expect. The band has harnessed their gift for songwriting and as a result, the album is much more consistent. The highs aren’t as high as they were in Funeral and the lows are certainly not as low. A few songs do stand out, but not to the same extent. As an album, Neon Bible is arguably a grander, far more dramatic statement, which is a very good thing. It’s another impressive piece of work from The Arcade Fire that’s about as good as their first, Funeral, and features some truly wonderful songs. While The Arcade Fire have certainly progressed, Neon Bible features everything that made them special in the first place, in even more epic proportions. However, when their second album is this grandiose, one has to wonder where they can go from here.
