Being that I'm the resident movie guy here at Zboneman.com I don't often get a chance (or have the time, for that matter) to write album reviews. Every now and again however, I'll hear a record that just feels to grand to pass up. Such is the case with Arcade Fire's sophomore effort Neon Bible.

I was first introduced to Arcade Fire by our very own music guru Kyle England, and almost immediately, I was hooked by the passion and intensity of this Canadian indie rock outfit. And in fact, their first record Funeral was the best album of 2004, and I can't tell you how many folks I persuaded, to buy that record when I still owned a record shop (oh how I miss that place).

Arcade Fire is back with a new album and, as was the case with Funeral, Neon Bible is populated with lush melodies, lavish orchestrations, swelling crescendos, and unexpected tempo changes. And the entire record is peppered with a spiritual vibe that reminds me a bit of U2.

Lead vocalist Win Butler has a distinct set of pipes and while David Bowie is clearly a major influence, I detect hints of Robert Smith and even a dash of Leonard Cohen (particularly on the haunting ballad "Black Wave/Bad Vibrations"). Butler is, quite simply, a compelling front man. But Arcade Fire isn't a one man show. This is a collaborative effort, and band mates Regine Chassagne (back up vocals, accordion, xylophone, drums), Howard Bilerman (guitar, drums), Richard Reed Parry (accordion, piano, organ, double bass, percussion), William Butler (synthesizer, xylophone, bass, percussion), and a slew of others, all bring their own unique contributions to the table. And I haven't even mentioned the gorgeous string section. All these ingredients make for a multi layered sound that puts Arcade Fire in a league of their own.

Neon Bible is dreamy and expansive and I'd be hard pressed to pick a stand out track (if I had to pick, I suppose I'd go with the infectious "Keep the Car Running"), because there's just an amazing watershed of impressive songs here. The instantly catchy "No Cars Go" will, doubtless, emerge as the most accessible tune on the record with it's sweeping, epic feel and heartfelt anthem rock closing, but it is merely one terrific song on an extremely well produced record.

A couple weeks back, Arcade Fire performed on Saturday Night Live, and these new tunes sounded even better live. Yes, this is a young band, but they're fiercely confident (and intense), and this is even more evident when witnessing them in a live setting.

The year is young, and while I still prefer Funeral, I feel confident in saying that Neon Bible will be one of the very best records of 2007. This is an extraordinary second effort from a great band that's here to stay.