This is the New Arcade Fire Album Redux.

I've been waiting more anxiously for the new Aracade Fire album (I even pre-ordered it from Merge--something I've never done before) than I have since the new Yeah Yeah Yeah's came out last year. Since that worked out positively (Show Your Bones rulz), I expect this will be no different.

On Thursday, a friend of A's, who works in radio, gave her an advance copy of Neon Bible. Totes awesome, right? Five days ahead of the rest of North America. Woot. Here's my initial reaction by song:

1. Black Mirror- Good.
2. Keep the Car Running- Okay. A little too much wailing, but good and upbeat.
3. Neon Bible- Good, but would be awesomer at the end of the album.
4. Intervention- Too churchy. We get it, Fires, you bought an old organ.
5. Black Wave/Bad Vibrations- Good because it's spooky. His voice is getting old, though. Whine, whine whine! A friend recently said that Arcade Fire is our generation's Meat Loaf, and I'm beginning to agree. Also, was hoping for a Beach Boys mockover.
6. Ocean of Noise- More like Ocean of dude's voice and lyrics. Enough! Mach schnell mit the rocksies.
7. The Well and the Lighthouse- Finally, something upbeat and whimsical, right? Kinda. Why yous gotta always gotta end up with the chimes and the slowsies?
8. (Antichrist Television Blues)- Did Win meet the Boss while holed up in that church all last year? Did one eat the other? Seriously. The song is okay.
9. Windowstill- Let's leave the song title puns to Fall Out Boy, okay guys? Okay. And you're rambling something fierce.
10. No Cars Go- This song is six years old, and I already own it, and it's no different, but it's still good.
11. My Body is a Cage- See #4.

These things said, it's pretty good. But the lack of a Haiti makes it feel a little hollow. Holler.