Author Topic: My criticism of "Neon Bible" (Read 2557 times)

recursivelyenumerable · « **on:** June 11, 2009, 03:45:46 PM »

This record is great, but some of the pop culture references that I guess are supposed to represent mindless consumerism or whatever are pretty dated (and were even when it came out in 2007). Who the hell watches TV anymore? Instead of "I don't want to hear the noises on TV/Don't want the salesmen coming after me" they should have said "I don't want to read the inane chatter on message boards/Don't want the viral marketers coming after me".

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #1 on:** June 11, 2009, 03:57:31 PM »

I'll check it out. I have Funeral but I mainly listen to the single (Wake Up)

recursivelyenumerable · « **Reply #2 on:** June 11, 2009, 04:05:18 PM »

It's a serious concern I have, though here given a flippant and absurd expression since I can't be bothered to do the analysis that would have to go into an earnest formulation.

recursivelyenumerable · « **Reply #3 on:** June 11, 2009, 04:13:25 PM »

Yeah, I agree with that but what bugs me a bit is it kind of gives it a preaching to the choir quality since most of AF's audience probably already don't watch TV. So it's enabling them to feel smug about themselves.

Positive Touch · « **Reply #4 on:** June 11, 2009, 04:18:27 PM »

most people still watch lots of tv, dude

MyNameIsMethodis · « **Reply #5 on:** June 11, 2009, 04:19:26 PM »

People actually listen to the Arcade Fire

Mandark · « **Reply #6 on:** June 11, 2009, 04:35:09 PM »

Quote from: recursivelyenumerable on June 11, 2009, 03:45:46 PM

Instead of "I don't want to hear the noises on TV/Don't want the salesmen coming after me" they should have said "I don't want to read the inane chatter on message boards/Don't want the viral marketers coming after me".

That doesn't rhyme!

Flannel Boy · « **Reply #7 on:** June 11, 2009, 04:39:38 PM »

Quote from: Mandark on June 11, 2009, 04:35:09 PM

Quote from: recursivelyenumerable on June 11, 2009, 03:45:46 PM
Instead of "I don't want to hear the noises on TV/Don't want the salesmen coming after me" they should have said "I don't want to read the inane chatter on message boards/Don't want the viral marketers coming after me".

That doesn't rhyme!

I don't wanna read inane chatter on message boards/Don't wanna be hounded by viral marketing hordes/just wanna play these boring guitar chords/just wanna be praised as "indie rock lords"

Mr. Gundam · « **Reply #8 on:** June 11, 2009, 05:24:38 PM »

The internet will never replace TV for me. Same thing with digital downloads NEVER replacing physical media.

Reb · « **Reply #9 on:** June 11, 2009, 05:28:20 PM »

I'm all about digital, fuck all the kipple building up!

recursivelyenumerable · « **Reply #10 on:** June 11, 2009, 05:49:00 PM »

I'm for digital downloads in principle, in practice my impression is that existing vendors tend to want to sell you low-bitrate files, DRM crap, force you to use their proprietary software, etc.; until that changes I'll stick to buying CDs and ripping them to FLAC on my external terabyte HDD. But I wouldn't mind being rid of physical media, all it does is take up space, waste environmental resources, etc.

recursivelyenumerable · « **Reply #11 on:** June 11, 2009, 06:08:28 PM »

Quote

I don't wanna read inane chatter on message boards/Don't wanna be hounded by viral marketing hordes/just wanna play these boring guitar chords/just wanna be praised as "indie rock lords"

Have you ever heard an Arcade Fire song?

Flannel Boy · « **Reply #12 on:** June 11, 2009, 06:58:14 PM »

creative license.

recursivelyenumerable · « **Reply #13 on:** June 11, 2009, 07:02:33 PM »

After thinking it over a bit, I've concluded my gripes were pretty baseless.

I still wish someone would make a record that would tell me how shitty a person I am -- not enable me by telling me how shitty other people and institutions I don't associate with my ego are -- but do so in a way that actually motivates me to change, rather than just motivating me to feel shitty and beat myself up for a while but keep on behaving the same way, which is what usually happens. But I guess it's not really reasonable to complain about every record that doesn't do that.

Barry Egan · « **Reply #14 on:** June 11, 2009, 07:31:47 PM »

Quote from: Malek on June 11, 2009, 04:39:38 PM

Quote from: Mandark on June 11, 2009, 04:35:09 PM
Quote from: recursivelyenumerable on June 11, 2009, 03:45:46 PM
Instead of "I don't want to hear the noises on TV/Don't want the salesmen coming after me" they should have said "I don't want to read the inane chatter on message boards/Don't want the viral marketers coming after me".

That doesn't rhyme!

I don't wanna read inane chatter on message boards/Don't wanna be hounded by viral marketing hordes/just wanna play these boring guitar chords/just wanna be praised as "indie rock lords"

cool, your version sounds kind of like the Black Out Band

[youtube=560,345]j5SNOAcD3ak[/youtube]

Saint Cornelius · « **Reply #15 on:** June 11, 2009, 07:38:00 PM »

Arcade Fire

TakingBackSunday · « **Reply #16 on:** June 11, 2009, 08:05:38 PM »

Arcade Fire

Neon Bible

Funeral

recursivelyenumerable · « **Reply #17 on:** June 11, 2009, 08:08:44 PM »

I'm going to buy Funeral next week probably, tho I've already heard it a zillion times at coffeeshops.

TakingBackSunday · « **Reply #18 on:** June 11, 2009, 08:10:35 PM »

I liked Funeral quite a bit, but I was much more impressed with the maturity of Neon Bible compared. Funeral got all the media praise, but I'm of the opinion that Neon Bible was actually, you know, better.

I think RoboJ feels the same as well

CurseoftheGods · « **Reply #19 on:** June 11, 2009, 08:20:09 PM »

Not sure if the OP was serious or sardonic, but it fails in both instances.

recursivelyenumerable · « **Reply #20 on:** June 11, 2009, 08:20:29 PM »

No, YOU fail in both situations!

recursivelyenumerable · « **Reply #21 on:** June 11, 2009, 08:24:31 PM »

I still hear Funeral played at coffeeshops, restaurants etc. way more than I ever hear Neon Bible, so the people have spoken I guess. I like them about equally though we'll see what I think when I get a chance to listen to Funeral on my own headphones without surrounding noise.

CurseoftheGods · « **Reply #22 on:** June 11, 2009, 08:28:42 PM »

Neon Bible's standout tracks (No Cars Go and My Body is a Cage, to name a couple) are better than Funeral's. Funeral as a whole is the better album, in my honest opinion.

TakingBackSunday · « **Reply #23 on:** June 11, 2009, 08:30:41 PM »

Oh wow, you thought those were the two stand-outs? Wow, I'd actually say the opposite, I thought both of those were largely to most forgettable. I rage face to Ocean of Noise, Intervention, Well and the Lighthouse...actually the entire middle part of the album.

recursivelyenumerable · « **Reply #24 on:** June 11, 2009, 08:32:50 PM »

To me they're more or less all standout tracks. I was never one for just listening to a few songs out of a record, anyway.

TakingBackSunday · « **Reply #25 on:** June 11, 2009, 08:35:32 PM »

Neither am I, I'm an album kinda guy too, but I always got fairly bored in the middle of Funeral. And with Neon Bible, I always turn it off after Windowsill, heh.

CurseoftheGods · « **Reply #26 on:** June 11, 2009, 08:40:57 PM »

Quote from: BrandNew on June 11, 2009, 08:30:41 PM

Oh wow, you thought those were the two stand-outs? Wow, I'd actually say the opposite, I thought both of those were largely to most forgettable. I rage face to Ocean of Noise, Intervention, Well and the Lighthouse...actually the entire middle part of the album.

I said "to name a couple", but yes, those two are my favorite tracks. I like the ones you've listed too.

Both are great albums, and Arcade Fire is an awesome band. It's hard to choose which of their two albums I prefer.

Barry Egan · « **Reply #27 on:** June 11, 2009, 08:48:34 PM »

like both albums, but I think the Well and the Lighthouse is the most layered and interesting song they've ever made.

Trent Dole · « **Reply #28 on:** June 11, 2009, 10:10:58 PM »

Arcade Fire kinda blows.

TakingBackSunday · « **Reply #29 on:** June 11, 2009, 10:38:53 PM »

Robo · « **Reply #30 on:** June 11, 2009, 11:38:00 PM »

Quote from: BrandNew on June 11, 2009, 08:35:32 PM

Neither am I, I'm an album kinda guy too, but I always got fairly bored in the middle of Funeral. And with Neon Bible, I always turn it off after Windowsill, heh.

What the hell - you don't like My Body is a Cage? That's like my favorite song on the entire album.

TakingBackSunday · « **Reply #31 on:** June 12, 2009, 12:43:28 AM »

Recently I like it a whole lot more than I used to-thanks to the Benjamin Button trailer, heh

To be honest I didn't think it was a particularly strong song to end the album on. Switch No Cars Go and that, and it's like perfect.

ch1nchilla · « **Reply #32 on:** June 12, 2009, 12:59:28 AM »

Quote from: RoboJ on June 11, 2009, 11:38:00 PM

Quote from: BrandNew on June 11, 2009, 08:35:32 PM
Neither am I, I'm an album kinda guy too, but I always got fairly bored in the middle of Funeral. And with Neon Bible, I always turn it off after Windowsill, heh.

What the hell - you don't like My Body is a Cage? That's like my favorite song on the entire album.

Soooooo... slooooooooowwwwww.....

recursivelyenumerable · « **Reply #33 on:** June 12, 2009, 01:06:15 AM »

I kinda like how the last three songs are laid out. I like to think that to avoid having to see the rising tide at their windowsill, the kids all escaped to the magical place where no cars go (fade out, title: "20 years later") but then things started to go sour ...

CurseoftheGods · « **Reply #34 on:** June 12, 2009, 01:09:59 AM »

^ That's a cool way to look at it. I never thought of that before.

BobFromPikeCreek · « **Reply #35 on:** June 12, 2009, 04:11:23 PM »

Quote from: BrandNew on June 11, 2009, 08:30:41 PM

Oh wow, you thought those were the two stand-outs? Wow, I'd actually say the opposite, I thought both of those were largely to most forgettable. I rage face to Ocean of Noise, Intervention, Well and the Lighthouse...actually the entire middle part of the album.

I agree. Funeral is really consistent, but the middle part of Neon Bible has a great streak of really good songs. I don't know which I consider better though.

Robo · « **Reply #36 on:** June 12, 2009, 04:14:25 PM »

I just realized I hadn't read like half the posts in this thread, so my last post seems pretty distinguished mentally-challenged.

Bloodwake · « **Reply #37 on:** June 12, 2009, 09:38:36 PM »

I actually need to pick up Funeral. I got hooked on Neon Bible too.

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Author Topic: My criticism of "Neon Bible" (Read 2557 times)