i am SO AHEAD of the curve. yes, indeedy. if you'll remember, several months ago i alerted you, dear readers, to the awesomeness of a band called the arcade fire.

today, pitchfork gives their new cd, funeral, a 9.7:

Earlier this year, Montreal-based The Arcade Fire's ferocious live show secretly incited a bidding war that saw the band bouncing between three of North America's most respected indie labels before finally landing with Merge. While their demos offered virtually no indication of potential to outsiders, those who witnessed the group in concert would vouch that the band would soon prove to be of an exceptional caliber. Funeral is that proof-- a profoundly catharic, sophisticated, and melodic debut that finally restores "emotional" as a positive descriptor.

go buy!