Spunk - EMI
Available March 5th 07
This is the second full length release from Canada’s The Arcade Fire, which has seen them return with a thick blend of folk-pop, orchestral arrangements.
Since their first album came out, Funeral, scoring the first ever Pitchfork 10/10, the bands popularity has grown at an exponential rate with their recent American tour selling out in a matter of minutes.
This album sees the band extending their songwriting style and coming across more Big Band, more stadium and more anthem.
There is an American folk underbelly to the sound mixed with, at sometimes, a gothic styled, choir sound. This is probably to do with the fact they recorded the entire album in an Old Church, and even went as far as traveling to Budapest to record an orchestra and a military choir. Now that’s dedication!
The opener Black Mirror, is a driving whirlwind song, which set the pace for the first half of the record with songs like Neon Bible and Intervention giving us the familiar Anthems, and with splashes of church organs, horns from Calexico and some sizzling bass synth coming through it’s a mouthful to eat but is sure tastes good.
There’s something very ‘adult’ to this album, which is not a bad thing, but there are some overtones of Roy Orbison and Tom Petty coming through, even the Clash.
As an overview it’s a well polished, album which is sure to launch the band further into the limelight and get some of the international recognition they deserve.
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