Quick N' Dirty Reviews

Arcade Fire/ Neon Bible
There’s no denying the fact that the last six and a half years have been a very contentious and polarizing time in both American politics and in the country in general. Both sides have incredibly strong opinions – some valid… and some very, very wrong. Music has long been used as an outlet for these feelings, often resulting in protest songs that rally the masses in a way that nothing else can. In this regard, it’s sad that for all of the venom that’s been directed at the Bush Administration and the war in Iraq over the past half-decade, the best music that people point to as being “scathing” indictments are Green Day’s American Idiot and essentially Bright Eyes’ entire catalog. That’s really the best there is?! Well… guess what, suckers? You’ve just been schooled by a bunch of Canadians. Neon Bible, Arcade Fire’s follow up to their critically acclaimed debut, Funeral, is by far the strongest and angriest condemnation of the right’s appropriation of religion to justify an increasingly unnecessary war. Boasting a bigger yet much darker sound than its predecessor, Neon Bible dispenses with the amateur, juvenile nonsense of American Idiot and “When The President Talks To God” for something much more grown up and, well, not brain-dead. Win Butler and crew have found the perfect lyrical and musical combination to vent their frustrations with a country that isn’t even theirs. There is so much well disguised and subtle vitriol on this record that it may take a few listens to pick up on it but when it hits… my God does it ever hit. Butler’s lyrics (“Mirror, mirror on the wall/ Show me where them bombs will fall…” on “Black Mirror;” “Working for the church while your family dies…/ Hear the soldier groan, ‘We’re going it alone.” on “Intervention;” “I don’t wanna live in America no more,” on “Windowsill”) cut right to the bone and are backed by some incredibly lush orchestration. Arcade Fire employs church organs, backing choirs, rolling thunder drums… everything imaginable to convey their sense of disillusionment and frustration with the state of the country. Much of Neon Bible has a tent revival feel, almost like Arcade Fire is attempting to take back what has been perverted and bastardized to fit into a cause that increasingly few numbers support. Regardless of where you stand in our country’s great debate, it’s impossible to look at Neon Bible as anything less than a vital masterpiece of dissension and discussion… everything that the United States stands for. Too bad that it took our neighbors to the north to point it out to us.

Dirty Rating: 95/100

Arcade Fire On MySpace Music
Arcade Fire's Official Site

Velvet Revolver/ Libertad
Take one part Stone Temple Pilots, add three parts Guns N’ Roses, and top it all off with a dash of Wasted Youth. Recipe for rock superstardom, correct? After Velvet Revolver’s debut, Contraband, fell flat upon its release in 2004 you would have thought the answer to that question would have been an unqualified “no.” Sure, “Slither” and particularly “Fall To Pieces” were modest hits but they didn’t do much to allay fears that Velvet Revolver was an idea whose intentions didn’t quite meet its actual execution. It’s more than a little surprising then that their sophomore effort, Libertad, comes off as well as it does. It still isn’t an accurate representation of these guys’ true potential, but it’s at least a step in the right direction this time around. Let’s face it – Velvet Revolver is good at one thing and that one thing is full on, unadulterated cock rock. You know what you’re getting yourself into and Libertad does that one thing very well, at least before tailing off slightly in its second half. A purportedly clean Scott Weiland means richer and fuller sounding vocals than we’ve gotten from him in years. He’s not quite back to the level of STP’s Core or Purple, but it’s doubtful that we’ll ever hear anything like that out of him again so this is the next best thing. For much of the first half of the record, Velvet Revolver succeeds in stacking hooky track after hooky track as “She Mine,” “Get Out The Door,” and “The Last Fight” all sandwich the album’s best track (and first single) “She Builds Quick Machines,” which sounds like the perfect marriage of STP and GNR that everyone envisioned when Velvet Revolver was formed. Boasting an incredibly catchy hook in its chorus, “She Builds Quick Machines” proves not only that Slash can still play the shit out of a guitar but also that these guys still know how to write a fucking rock song. Album closer “Gravedancer” also stands out for coming closest to the balladry of “Fall To Pieces” while also combining elements of STP’s sublime “Sour Girl.” True, there are missteps here – the Pearl Jam rip-off “American Man,” “For A Brother,” and the horrid “Spay” come to mind – but it never sounds like the band is having anything less than fun with this record. Simply put, Libertad is the sound of Velvet Revolver gelling as a band and – although it’s far from perfect – it does much more to spike interest than Contraband ever did.

Dirty Rating: 74/100

Velvet Revolver On MySpace Music
Velvet Revolver's Official Site

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