Arcade Fire [EP]

Don't expect just an extension of their full-length debut "Funeral," though. This EP was recorded two years and several personal upheavals before their full-length debut, so it has a very different sound -- the sound of a lush, melancholy band who is figuring out their musical style.

It starts off on a high note with "Old Flame," before stumbling slightly with a mellow, meandering rocker with Régine Chassagne's eerie vocals taking the lead. After that, they dabble in dreamy folk-rock for awhile, before climaxing into the exquisite "Vampire Forest Fire," a painful look at destructive families. "You wanna be set apart?/Burn all of your art/repair the wasteful part/I'm a vampire in a forest fire..."

It's hard not to be smitten with the Arcade Fire. Ever since several nu-psychedelic bands went off the radar, it's become difficult to find bands that are brave enough to experiment, but able to keep it accessable. Enter the Arcade Fire, a Montreal band that does both things, a refreshing change in the world of increasingly stale music.

"EP" isn't quite as wildly unique as their later work; some of the songs have echoes of Mercury Rev or fellow Canadians Broken Social Scene. The thing is, they're really good echoes. And the songs that they echo through are very good work, rich and complex, putting the musical and lyrical talents of Arcade Fire to work.

Much like the later "Funeral," there isn't a lot of happy-happy-joy to be found here. Either the stuff is ambiguous like "I'm sleeping in a battle ship," or the Arcade Fire is musing on loneliness, fear, sorrow, romantic unworthiness, and deserted countrysides. Even the relatively hopeful "Headlights Look Like Diamonds" has a mournful edge: "Tell me how this story ends/Before the fires go cold..."

The Arcade Fire's debut EP is a must-have for fans of this unique band. While not as powerful or unique as their full-length album, it's still a richly engaging EP.

1. Old Flame - 9/10 - a catchy song, a nice way to introduce the EP. Not their best work but still a very nice song.

2. I'm Sleeping in a Submarine - 8.5/10 - Pretty good, extremely catchy bass line that kicks in after a little while.

3. No Cars Go - 10/10 - Simply incredible. I thought it was mediocre at first but after about the 10th listen I started to really appreciate its beauty. It's about how you move on when you die...very moving. Comparable in quality to "Wake Up" or "Rebellion (Lies)" from the full-length Funeral.

4. Woodland National Anthem - 8.5/10 - Pretty good song, somewhat repetitive.

5. My Heart is an Apple - 7.5/10 - Probably my least favourite off the EP...in my opinion, swear words have no place in Arcade Fire songs. It's like putting ketchup on ice cream.

6. Headlights look like diamonds - 9.5/10 - Another mind-blowing song. Unbelievably good.

7. Vampire/Forest Fire - 8/10 - along with My Heart is an Apple, this track makes up the weaker side of the EP. Still not a bad song though.

Overall - 9/10

New listeners to the Arcade Fire should start off with Funeral, the stronger of their albums. However do not overlook this EP, it is worth having in your music collection.