Funeral - Arcade Fire

The word hype, doesn't even come close to describing how this album was talked about before it came out in 2004. Everyone was talking about it and by January 2005 it was everywhere.
Arcade Fire at least had an album to back up the column miles that were taken up by critics spouting on and on about it.

This dramatic album re-wrote the rules for indie bands pretty much everywhere and as per usual spawned many half hearted wannabe soundalikes.

Fronted by the husband and wife team of Win Butler and Regine Chassagne Arcade Fire crafted an album that reminds listeners of the healing power of music. Funeral is a journey through despair and loss to hope and joy, unadulterated joy.

Track Listing:

1. "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)" – 4:48
2. "Neighborhood #2 (Laïka)" – 3:31
3. "Une Année Sans Lumière" – 3:40
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. "Haïti" – 4:07
9. "Rebellion (Lies)" – 5:10
10. "In the Backseat" – 6:20

Innervisions - Stevie Wonder

1973 Stevie Wonder aged just 23 released his 18th album, Innervisions. Considered part of Wonders classic period Innervisions is a tour de force of everything the Stevie Wonder does best.

The album is crafted with all of Wonders talents. He comments on many of the social issues topical in the early seventies, drugs, politics ethics and life in an American city and still manages to make us dance.

On Living For The City, we are taken on a journey as we follow a young man from Mississippi to a city and all the perils that wait for him there. Too High is a cautionary tale on drug use. Higher Ground, Jesus Child Of America are unusual takes on Eastern Religious philosophy as heard through Wonders easy gift for funk and pop. Stevie Wonder even has a go at Richard Milhous Nixon on He's Mistra Know It All.

Who knew that the same man would go on to write I Just Called... Sigh...

Track Listing

1. "Too High" – 4:37
2. "Visions" – 5:22
3. "Living for the City" – 7:22
4. "Golden Lady" – 5:00
5. "Higher Ground" – 3:42
6. "Jesus Children of America" – 4:10
7. "All in Love Is Fair" – 3:42
8. "Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing" – 4:44
9. "He's Misstra Know-It-All" – 5:35