Some may blame me for this being another easy post, because I am already very aware of this record, and already very in love with it. I would go as far as to say that it is among my favorite rock albums I've heard in the past three years. I don't know why I picked three years, but that is the number that came to me and I stand strong behind it. I find Funeral to be at it's very best during the first days of Spring, when everyone is happy that it is warm again, and you are driving (or riding) in a car with the windows down, and that for me is the perfect situation for this album to be heard, loudly. If you already have the album, I suggest putting it away and taking it out on the first real day of Spring and try this method of listening after not having heard it for a while. If you don't have it, I suggest buying it and burying it in the yard like a squirrel with a nut, and dig it up come spring time, and enjoy it while riding in your car with the windows down. Perfect.
Funeral was released in September 2004 by a bunch of Canadians. I also really enjoy multi award-winning 2008 release Neon Bible, but it falls a little bit short of Funeral quality. Still good though, and still recommended. There is a lot going on within the sounds of Funeral. It is best described as indie-rock, whatever that means to you, but what really sticks out to me are the thick instrumental textures. There are a lot more instruments than your typical guitar, bass, drums, vocals rock album. I am currently listening to Neighborhood #3 (perhaps the most well knows song from the album) and bells/glockenspiel (looking at the liner notes it is probably xylophone, actually) and string parts really stand out to me. Perhaps the bells on this album are what drew Chris Laun to it? Also played on the album are a variety of synthesizers, accordian, recorder, multiple percussionists, violin, viola, cello, horn, harp, double bass (woot!), and last but not least male and female lead vocals. That is a lot of additional instruments not often heard on rock records, and the thick instrumentation really makes the album. Great, great songwriting too. Solid all around...Adam wholeheartedly recommends. Some clips:
A great animated video for the previously mentioned Neighborhood #3:
And a special bonus live version of Wake Up from Funeral, with guest David Bowie!:
3 comments:
I highly highly recommend the Rock-afire Explosion video to Neighboorhood #1, and then I recommend you wikipedian Rock-afire explosion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4aIblRt72g
Yes, that is great too. Even better I think is their video of Usher's "Love in this Club."
Adam, you don't do that little footnote of what you are listening to while posting, and there was no mention of that stopping. Did you think someone wouldn't realize?
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