As far as debuts go, the Arcade Fire's seven-song introduction to the world will forever be lorded over by its behemoth older sibling, 2004's commercially and critically lauded Funeral. While the hundreds of people who coveted the self-titled EP prior to its 2005 re-release on the ultra-hip Merge label can rest assured that their copies are indeed original, those who are looking for a prequel to the anthemic, end-of-the-world bombast that emanated like a black-box recorder from Funeral are in for a treat. While there's nothing here that matches the goosebump-inducing electricity that runs through "Tunnels" or "Power Out," there are moments -- both musical and lyrical -- that portend the fireworks to come. "Old Flame" starts things off innocently enough with a simple melody tied to the even simpler pangs of new love -- "My mouth is full/Your heart is an apple" -- and "I'm Sleeping in a Submarine" extends that joy with a defiant chorus of "A cage is a cage, is a cage, is a cage!" However, it isn't until the third track that the record begins to take shape -- "No Cars Go," with its driving accordion melody line and unified shouts, sounds like the blueprint for Funeral's "Rebellion (Lies)." Régine Chassagne does little to escape the Björk comparisons on the sparse "Woodlands National Anthem," but her distorted, blood-curdling howls on the pulsing "Headlights Look Like Diamonds" are one of the EP's highlights. By the time the listener arrives at "Vampire/Forest Fire," with its familiar themes of pain both spiritual and familial, it's obvious where the band is headed. Like Broken Social Scene or the Flaming Lips, the Arcade Fire are sometimes earnest to a fault. While each of the seven tracks contained herein are fully realized, they are as unfocused as they are beautiful, resulting in an intangible, dreamlike atmosphere that reduces each cut -- no matter how deep -- down to a mere scratch. ~ James Christopher Monger

The legions of fans waiting for the follow-up to the Arcade Fire's critically championed 2004 indie masterpiece, FUNERAL, may be slightly disappointed to learn that this EP, officially released in 2005, is not FUNERAL's follow-up but, in fact, its predecessor. Originally recorded in 2003 and sold over the web and at Arcade Fire shows, this seven-song EP plays like a sonic blueprint for the majestic, passionate songscapes of the band's 2004 watershed album. Of course, FUNERAL is so fully realized, so full of emotional drama and unique, meticulous songcraft, that comparisons are unfair.

Like the songs on FUNERAL, the tunes here treat themes of loss, love, family, youth, and self-awareness with startling sincerity and vividness. The band's distinctive instrumentation, which includes strings, accordion, banjo, and French horn amid the usual rock guitars, bass, and drums, highlights the orchestral nature of the Arcade Fire's arrangements, while Win Butler's warbly, soulful vocals (and the impish voice of Regine Chassagne) ring out over the fray. The band's knack for memorable melodies that surge and stir comes to the fore, especially on the driving "No Cars Go" and the soulful, folky sway of "Vampire/Forest Fire," which builds to a thunderous apex. Though overshadowed by the band's full-length debut, this is still an absorbing listen that represents the Arcade Fire's first confident steps.