The driving force behind Montreal's alternative band Arcade Fire is the husband and wife duo, Win Butler and Québécoise Régine Chassagne. After David Bowie reportedly discovered the band while on tour, Arcade Fire soon released its internet-driven debut album, Funeral, in 2004. It immediately drew the world's attention with five hit singles (the best of which are the four-part "Neighborhood" and the song "Wake Up"), and resulted in collaborations with Bowie (who performed with the band in Central Park) and U2 (who covered Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart" with the band in concert). The album features a rich tapestry of guitars, drums and bass, with flourishes of piano, violin, viola, cello, double bass, xylophone, keyboard, French horn, accordion, hurdy gurdy, harp and mandolin. Funeral is arguably better that Arcade Fire's sophomore effort, Neon Bible. Funeral tracks include:

1. Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) 4:48
2. Neighborhood #2 (Laika) 3:32
3. Une Annee Sans Lumiere 3:41
4. Neighborhood #3 (Power Out) 5:12
5. Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles) 4:49
6. Crown of Love 4:42
7. Wake Up 5:35
8. Haiti 4:07
9. Rebellion (Lies) 5:10
10. In the Backseat 6:20

G. Merritt

It's tough to say anything about this record that hasn't already been said in a hundred other reviews. Nonetheless, it never hurts to try. On their debut LP Funeral, Arcade Fire sound fresh, invigorated, and confident. The band stylistically apes a number of great classic artists, not to mention some much more modern ones. Their style of pairing upbeat melodies with dark, brooding lyrics is taken directly from contemporaries Of Montreal, who have been writing quirky, downtrodden pop songs for years. What sets Arcade Fire apart from many indie bands doing a similar sort of thing, such as the Besnard Lakes, is their taste for production and songwriting, which really can't be matched by their direct competitors. The songs are lively and passionate, though often enough they stray and overstay their welcome. Seven out of ten tracks on this record clock in near or over five minutes when many of them would have been tighter and more enjoyable at four.

Songs such as opener "Tunnels" and track three "Une Annee Sans Lumiere" have bright and creative instrumentation, though Arcade Fire is hardly the first band to get so creative in their use of older 'uncool' instruments. The Decemberists have been using things like glockenspiel and lap steel since their first EP. At the end of the day, Funeral is a spry and enjoyable debut, but like many good things, it gets a little more credit than it is due, resulting in the polarization of rabid fans and detractors, leaving little room for casual fans to have any say about the band. Funeral is a great record, but it isn't life-changing or future-forging the way many critics say, but songs like "Power Out" will leave little doubt as to whether or not this album is worth the dough.

Didn't like it too much at first but it grows on you after 2 weeks.. i think my mind couldn't categorize the music maybe?? it's all i listen to when i work out now.. 8 of the songs are great.. 2 are ok.. Track 2 is incredible.. read the words on the lyric sheet on that one and you will be cracking up.. crazy crazy sometimes but some songs are very touching and personal.. cool CD - the neighbors must think i'm nuts with how i blast it in the garage every sunday.. that's ok.. if the neighbors don't like it "THEY CAN DANCE IN THE POLICE DISCO LIGHTS!" (SEE TRACK 2).. get this it is nuts and emotional and sometimes slow but GOOD !!!

no one has a better ear for new bands then mac and laura from Merge, and no one from Canada has such an original inpact on my indie rock music than tne Arcade fire.

*Review From A Classic Rock Fan
I found this album to be very repetitive. Maybe not in the song structures or lyrics, but in the sound. I have listened to this five times now and I still have not found an amazing song that really sticks out among the rest. The upside to this however is that there is not a bad note, making this album just OK. It is the album's sound that has probably made it so popular, because then there is not much room for criticism. However, that is why I like there next album so much more, because it is so much more diverse, and something that I would recommend well before this one.