 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
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 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Neon Bible
- By Arcade Fire
- Genre: Indie Rock
Common Sense Media says
Raw, wide-eyed band reacts with intense lyrics.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this album is a treasure chest of emotions and worldly perspective. The words are brutally honest and sometimes depressing ("A vial of hope and a vial of pain/In the light they both looked the same" and "I'm standing on a stage/Of fear and self-doubt"), but the dark messages are lifted by beautiful, soaring instrumentals and interesting sounds. Once you get past the influx of intense reactions to the government, church, military, and basic rights of the common man, you'll be happy to know that profanity, sexism, and commercialism aren't an issue on this album.
What's the story?
Most of NEON BIBLE is peppered with self-righteous chants that sometimes come off as paranoid ("I can't breathe! I can't see!/World War III, when are you coming for me?"). Cathartic melodies and edgy emotional lyrics make for a provocative, inspirational mix, but "No Cars Go" is where Neon Bible reaches its climax. Vocalists earnestly repeat "between the click of the light and the star of the dream." The song wants to bring optimism and a sense of lightheartedness ("Women and children let's go/Old folks let's go/Don't know where we're going"). The epic, melodic undertones save the song "Keep the Car Running" from its intense lyrics ("Men are coming to take me away," "eight pressing down," and "I can't swim across a river so deep").
Is it any good?
The Montreal-bred, eight-piece band dives into an abyss of brooding lyrics successfully by surrounding each song with lush sounds and beautiful, soaring instrumentals, like the hopeful vocals in "Antichrist Television Blues" and "Black Wave." Neon Bible is also top-rate thanks to samples from church pipe organs, a military choir, Calexico horns, and a hurdy-gurdy (fiddle)
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the malevolent vision depicted in the lyrics. How do you empathize with the band's critical point of view? What do you think of their reactions to the government, church, military, and basic rights of the common man?
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AGE
Wow
This may be my favorite album of the year. Perfect, amazing instrumentals, great vocals, though not as good as 'Funeral'.
Songs to Download
My Body is a Cage
Windowsill
No Cars Go
Intervention
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AGE
Magnificent
I love the organ in the song "Intervention".
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AGE
Deserves a Grammy
This album completely blew me away. I'd never actually heard Arcade Fire before, and I bought the album after reading a good review- I was not disappointed! The lyrics are poetic, thoughful, and fit the music like key and lock. If I ever wanted to be in a band, this is what I would aspire to.
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AGE
AMAZING album.
I absolutely LOVE this album. Arcade Fire is one of the best bands of this generation...one of the few who still produce good, REAL music instead of the fake garbage that dominates 99% of the charts these days. This truly is an amazing album, and, in my opinion, is ever bit as good as "Funeral", their amazing debut album that you should also buy. I would suggest songs that you should download if you're not going to buy the whole album, but, quite frankly, I can't suggest anything BUT purchasing the whole album. The only song on the album that I don't love is the finale, "My Body is a Cage", and the only reason is that it's not really "epic" enough to be the finale. I'm sure I would like it a lot more if it was the second-to-last song on the album and "No Cars Go" was the finale instead...that song is truly epic. Anyway...buy it, buy it, buy it!
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AGE
Quite Possibly the Arcade Fire's Best
Wow. I don't even know where to begin. Like the Common Sense review says, the songs on this album focus on government, church, military, and the rights of the common man. And the lyrics are just fantastic! Also, I agree with moose drinking water, the organ on Intervention is really cool.
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AGE
Amazing album!
This is definitely Arcade Fire's best album! The songs are great, and more memorable. The power in these songs is intense. My 3 favorite tracks: Ocean of Noise, No Cars Go, and My Body is a Cage.
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AGE
"Funeral" was better
vocals are a little whiny, could have been better. I liked their album funeral better. Not bad.
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| Artist: | Arcade Fire |
| Release date: | March 6, 2007 |
| Label: | Merge |
| Genre: | Indie Rock |
| Parental advisory: | No |
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