Fact: The Arcade Fire’s second coming is every bit as impressive as it has been hyped up to be. Moulded in similar fashion to the Canadian collective’s inspired debut, Neon Bible takes Funeral’s tainted eloquence to another level. Guided once again by the husband-and-wife team of Win Butler and Regine Chassagne, this new record has been elevated in terms of orchestration and exposed in terms of influence and aspiration. Its strength lies in the amalgam of change and progression that, despite retaining the dark edge already exhibited in previous works, boasts a warmer glint that should extend the scope of The Arcade Fire’s appeal to a broader audience.
Informed by a variety of themes, including war,
terrorism and religion, Neon Bible reflects a lot of what has been going on around us and, as a result, is far from entertaining from a topical perspective. The music, on the other hand, acts as a counterbalance to the harsh reality of the lyrics. While not offering any solutions, there are at least several moments that rise above the melancholy. The paced riff of Keep The Car Running and No Cars Go, the grandiosity of Intervention and the urgent acoustics of Antichrist Television Blues – are all essential ingredients that make Neon Bible one of the year’s best releases. File next to Echo & The Bunnymen and New Order!
CD COURTESY OF Exotique
Kylie minogue: Showgirl (Homecoming Live)
Despite her tiny frame, former soap-star turned pop icon Kylie Minogue has never been one to shy away from a big challenge. And her biggest yet came when she had just kicked off her Showgirl tour in Australia two years ago, which was cut short when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Despite her misfortune, Kylie put all her strength into getting better, and on recovering she lost no time in picking up the Showgirl tour, which is what this double-CD release is all about! Recorded (most appropriately) in Sydney and subtitled Homecoming Live, the two sides in this package are electric from start to
finish.
At first glance the track listing may look all too similar to her recent Greatest Hits release, but many of the songs here have been re-arranged (some fundamentally) to enhance the visual aspect of this performance – a significant blend of elements that makes this a show rather than just a concert! Just four tracks in, it is On A Night Like This that captures the emotive high of this particular concert the most, although the take of Somewhere Over The Rainbow and the alluring version of Confide In Me are equally impressive. The inclusion of new song White Diamond (written with the Scissor Sisters) is a clear sign that Kylie is back in business (even if she did later suffer a relapse) but in this perform-ance at least, she is brimming with energy, outshining even U2’s Bono (who steps in for Robbie on Kids) and sweeping through a set-list that highlights exactly why she is (and deserves to be) Australia’s best-known export. The DVD version, featuring more songs, is also available.