Reviews (page 12 of 15)
I need to give this a closer listen. I know arcade fire are really well regarded, and I like them, but I usually think they’re just…fine?
Overall pretty boring. Would not care if I never heard it again.
A few decent songs, but overall I didn’t love it.
I thought this album would be good, but i wouldn't know because most of this album you can't even hear the vocals. The Mixing is awful. The first song and last few songs are the only ones where its decent
Osittain hyvää, osittain aika rasittavaa. Laulajan ääni meinasi rasautella ajoittain. Haiti paras kappale ja Rebellion ok sen jälkeen. Vika kappale oli kanssa ok. Tulee vähän MGMT mieleen. Semmoista tavallaan rockia, mut sit pienellä en tiedä millä käänteellä.
while the band is admittedly very talented, this is not really my thing. i found most of the album to be kind of boring, honestly. nothing really stood out as interesting or worthwhile.
I really like this singer's voice, however this album was a little lackluster after the first couple of songs.
There’s just something about this band that bores me. I SHOULD like them at least somewhat but……meh? And I don’t know why other than they just don’t deliver. Always building, never really delivering. Wake Up is ok and In The Backseat is kinda nice but the rest is just so forgettable that I already forgot it all.
Pretty chill with some indie interesting vibes. Would listen to again.
This review might be influenced by a personal taste bias. I think I could say Arcade Fire is my favourite band. I love everything song I have heard from them. In this album, we found ourselves with an energetic start with the first three Neighborhood pieces. The last one works as a breaking point for the ballad "Crown of Love", which ends with a great change of tone. The final part of the album is all bangers. I adore the smooth transition from "Haiti" to "Rebellion". Love the sound, the vocals, the album as a whole. Definitely one of the best listens so far.
Està bé però no m'ha encantat. Molt en la línia del que esperava
This was fine.
This was OK. I am rarely in the mood for melancholy hipster rock.
I was a bit disappointed there was another Arcade Fire album in here, but I gave it a shot. Still don't like them, unfortunately. Probably deserves better but not my thing.
This is the third arcade fire album in quite a short period of time and it just feels a little dated. I think it's an ok album but I think that is mostly because I was an indie teenager around when these albums were released. I still like Rebellion (lies) but the rest was meh. I think this might be the weakest one of the 3 albums.
Nice album couple songs saved. Instrumentals on last songs were my fav 3.8
definitely an overrated album, but that shouldn’t take away anything from the quality of this, as it’s a damn good album - 9/10
not too sure why this is their big one everyone raves about but it was great, I don't know if any other act has grown on me as much as arcade fire considering how much i used to not like it. They manage to really gently weave in intense emotion when u least expect it which i find great
Solid Indie Rock album from start to finish
I thought, hey great, I like Arcade Fire. Turns out no, I don't.
Mg me robé un par. Me gustó mucho In the Backseat.
I mean, it's Arcade Fire
A relaxing listen, but not something that really grabbed my attention apart from Neighbourhood #3 (Power Out) but that track starts with some good strong instrumentation and it kept me hooked, that is until the next track came along. While not knowing their name I have heard their work before. Seems Arcade Fire did the movie score to the Joaquin Phoenix film “Her”, and with that being a film I quite enjoy then there is some stuff out there by Arcade Fire that I much prefer.
OK, now this is a strange one. The only thing I can say is I neither liked nor disliked this. There were good bits and not so bits. Part of me thinks well that means it should be a 3 then but the rest of me says if I were to do that then it would de-value all the others that I genuinely did like but only gave a 3. So there it is then 2.
This album really builds. Second listen of the day and it’s growing on me. I’ve always found Arcade Fire interesting when I’ve stumbled across them, and loved ‘Everything Now’ almost obsessively, but never ventured back to their early work. This album has the expected mix of instruments and arrangements that I hoped for. There really are a lot of musicians and instruments here and it all works. The male vocals are at times strained, yet they are quite mesmerising. Really liked the harmonies with the Bjork-esque female vocals on a couple of the tracks. ‘Wake Up’ and ‘Rebellion (Lies)’ are the immediate stand out anthems for me, and together with ‘Haiti’ sandwiched between them formed the best spell on the album. But that 2nd listen really prodded my senses more. So I’ll be adding this to my library and explore more of their work too. A solid 4.
Solid debut album this from one of Canada's finest, before the fame and media attention Win Butler probably could have done without. A big well rounded sound and quite bombastic in places showing a confidence in their material. Top tracks - 'Neighbourhood (Power Out)', 'Crown of Love', 'Wake Up' and their big single 'Rebellion (Lies)'. Another 4, but a low one.
Solid album, it does a fantastic job with maintaining its style all the way through while increasing its energy as well. I totally forgot that this was the album with “Wake Up” on it. I’ll definitely be adding this to my list of favorite albums.
I completely missed this album when it debuted but being from that era it's still hits just like the rest of those early emo indie pop albums. This was a really great cohesive project that helped lead the wave that was to come of the indie pop/rock genre.
Tanis liked it
Classic. Crown of Love into Wake Up remains one of my favorite back to back couplings of songs on any album.
Neighbourhood #1- 8.5/10 Neighbourhood #2- 8.5/10 Une Annee Sans Lumeire - 9/10 Neighbourhood #3 - 8.5/10 Neighbourhood #4 - 8.5/10 Crown of Love - 9/10 Wake Up - 8/10 Haiti - 9/10 Rebellion - 8.5/10 In the Backseat - 8.5/10 TOTAL -86/100
Very good album, come back to this again. The follow-up spotify radio was great too. 5/5
Bored, but not hatred
I very much like Arcade Fire. While I prefer The Suburbs, Funeral is pretty damn good too!
Pretty good. Would have liked it more at the time I think.
That's deep, man
Did not like this album
I loved this album. Nearly 20 years ago! Something has changed. Is it me? Or everything around me? It just doesn’t feel the same any more. It used to sound big, and warm. Full of soul and joy. Today it feels hollow, a bit forced … the word I keep coming back to is irritating. I know all the tracks really well, but I just have a constant desire to skip them. Did I oversaturate in its pomp?
I did like Wake Up and Rebellion (Lies) but not enough to think I’d relisten to this album or even add those songs to a playlist.
Very good
I have enjoyed listening to Arcade Fire over the years, my sons actually introduced them to me. I have thought that if I had been the same age as my sons when they first listened, Arcade Fire would probably be one of my top bands.
What a throw back. Reminds me of middle school and high school riding the school bus. Good rhythmic rock, a little grungier than I typically like. The transition from Haiti to Rebellion really did it for me
Oof hard to listen to. Much prefer their later music (signs of life).
This is a damn good album and I’m so glad to have listened to it in its entirety. I think I’ve heard all of these songs before, some of them many times, but never as an album. The flip side to this project is hearing albums you’d never normally here, but it is refreshing to have something so deeply in my wheelhouse.
Top das galáxias
meh
Good energy. When this album came out you couldn’t escape it
Wow never heard this before. Even more impressive that this was their debut record. New favorite!
That was a pleasant listen. Can’t say anything leapt out but it was consistent and palatable.
THE BEST!
Interesting album. Might come back to it. Wake Up is by far the best song but Crown of Love and Haiti are interesting. Also Neighborhood #2.
It was good
And if the snow buries my / my neighborhood / and if my parents are crying / then I'll dig a tunnel / from my windows to yours. Always loved those lines, but didn't realise they were just a realistic description of Canadian winter till I moved there.
there was a different arcade fire album in this list and i remember thinking why that one and not Funeral. glad to see it here
This is a beautiful album that I just wasn't in the right headspace for. Will come back to it for sure
Eh it's decent, some cool ideas but nothing really stood out.
This was amazing. The Pixies meets Radiohead, this is something I love a lot. I’d give it 4.5/5 but it doesn’t let me do half scores.
More boring 2000's music
Nett. Hat immer wieder mal einen überraschenden Sprenkel drin. Erinnert mich an Patrick Wolf aber poppiger.
Meh Indie "rock"
Great album. Classic for me
my second arcade fire album in as many weeks. i used to like this album a lot but on this listen, it was not nearly as revelatory to me. i think this album is a quintessential mid-00s indie rock album. i still like it, but maybe not as much as I remember. and i will say it every time I have to review an arcade fire album, fuck win butler.
Really enjoyed this and I think I will enjoy it more on a relisten. Not as good as the Suburbia album, but still an easy 4-stars.
Moderne indierock, det fungerer meget godt
I feel like I've heard their music before, very unique sound. Not bad, reminds me of the Sex on Fire song type sound. Not sure if I'd listen to the album again
I like this indie rock sound, so this was easy listening for me. Nothing transcendent, but definitely enjoyable, with a few tracks that I saved: Rebellion (Lies) and Neighborhood #1. Every so often there'd be some of that grating instrumentation that I'm not a fan of, though.
I miss 2000s music. Arcade fire has a sound i associate with both modern indie rock and alt rock, twi genres I really love. This album is heartfelt and musically pretty simple, maybe it's getting a bit of a rating boost because it's the first album from the 2000s I have had, but I think its pretty good. Best played during late night cars drives, my favorite track was Neighborhood power out.
Quite good really like the first and last tracks
I assume this was innovative at time of release, but it no longer feels that way. The mix makes it hard to hear the lyrics at points so it’s hard to get a clear sense of the story. Vocals are quite weak at points. Having enjoyed other Arcade Fire records I was hoping for more with this one
It's good. I love Neighborhood 3 (Powers Out). There's just enough songs that don't really do anything for me that I always tune out. Maybe some more listens would help, but I probably wont.
Wel een grappig rock albumpie, verrassend leuk Sjoerd gaat dit sws4 geven.
Wel oke! Begon wat stroef maar verderop zaten wel betere nummers
crap
Two AF albums in a row! I'm in danger of becoming bored AF
Not my cuppa but some nice tracks
Ok… this is a classic. But why is emo catching strays in the book? Get with the times and put Welcome To The Black Parade on here
In the backseat är en av mina favoritlåtar nånsin... tunnels och crown of love är också jättebra. Resten går bra att lyssna på.
Changed my life.
я абсолютно не могу объяснить почему, но альбом понравился прям
у Arcade Fire есть своя магия и мне она заходит Но еб вашу мать, вы слышали такую интересную многослойность инструментов на средних и низких, но чтобы на высоких было чисто? это прям прикольно
Это симфония всего и всех. Считаю Arcade Fire одной из величайших инди-групп, которые смогли "пересобрать" влияние своих кумиров во что-то грандиозное, а главное - по достоинству оценённое. Слово, которое мне кажется идеально подходит сюда - трубадуры. Они и шоу устраивают, и грустные песни поют, и за собой идти зовут. В общем, это очень крутая группа, которая приятно удивляет каждой следующей пластинкой. Нам ещё предстоит услышать их два грэмминосных альбома, так что готовьтесь))
listened to again actually pretty great
This was not horrible, but I also did not find it especially memorable.
I enjoyed this. It was a very retro feel. Yes it is lofi from the early 2000s, but it felt nostalgic
Crown of love and wake up are masterpieces. Solid album all around
Summary: An all-over-the-place rock album with some hard-hitting walls of sound throughout. Sonically, it's pretty great to lose yourself in, if you can tune out the harsh vocals. Spectacular creativity, especially for its time, but that creativity only amounted to a medium amount of good. It's not really my style. Musically, close to a 4/5, but my enjoyment was a bit lower. Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels): Intense, self-assured modern rock. Thick drum-based textures underlay a passionate (and slightly crazed) delivery of some interesting lyrics that hint at a mortality theme. This'll be the only time I check the lyrics. Neighborhood #2 (Laika): Some fantastic breakdowns throughout, but the repetitive harmonies and lead vocals can get a little grating. Still a banger and really sonically enjoyable as a wall of sound. Une Année Sans Lumiere: Using French lyrics is a Beatles gag that I don't normally let bands get away with (especially after Billy Joel's subpar "C'etait Toi" on the otherwise stellar Glass Houses album). This song doesn't get away with it either, until around 2:50, when the previous feel is abandoned for a much more energetic one. And it kinda slaps. Neighborhood #3 (Power Out): Such an unusual sound here: frenetic vocals, a wildly indecisive shouting melody, brash drumming, and glockenspiels. It's not really my thing, but I have to give it credit for sounding incredibly unique for its time. The rising guitars at 3:00 are pretty cool. Neighborhood #4 (Kettles): A lower-energy track, and a welcome break from the previous songs' colossal textures. The wobbly strings (the "kettles") in the back are a little distracting, but at 1:55 we get a huge improvement and the song sounds much better after that point. The vocals are quite strong. The acoustic guitar and strings work well together. Crown Of Love: An emotional song that feels, instrumentally, like the sequel to Kettles. Nice backing vocals at 1:35 which would've been even better if they were harmonised (with several vocalists). Same comment for 2:45. The chorus/post-chorus part at 3:00 is really strong. What the heck happened at 3:40. I love it. I-iv chord changes are the best, and the strings do them justice. Wake Up: A riff that would be stronger if it had more than one unique note in it. Still, a strong, memorable intro. The singing in the verse is stretched out awkwardly, and the vocal inflections don't help here (he's out of tune and it sounds like he's just been crying). I can't help but like the song, though. Must be the bias of seeing 140 million streams and subconsciously believing that it has to be good. The sound wall beginning at 3:20 is pretty sick. At 3:50 we have an unnecessary tempo and textural change that adds little to the song, at least until the singing starts again. They start to hit their sonic stride again, but then the song kind of disappears without warning. A weak ending. Haiti: The vocalist is great here. I wish she was a little more forward in the mix so that I can distinguish the lyrics from the floaty, magical instrumental. A little repetitive after the halfway point. Fantastic transition to the next track. Rebellion (Lies): 20 seconds in and I already really like it. The kick drums are aural dopamine. Harmonically, pretty simplistic, but the chord progressions in the second half of the song are wildly popular among musicians for a good reason. Great use of muted strings, and a brilliantly thick texture that doesn't go overboard. My favourite track. In The Backseat: The piano(? harp?) arpeggios are great with the backing guitar and strings, and the vocalist really shines here too. Until 1:15, it sounds like a completely different band playing (the electric guitar brings it back). Lengthy instrumental with a soft, harp-based ending.
Great
Solid and enjoyable. Not something I will listen to every day, but I enjoyed it the whole way through.
The debut album by Arcade Fire was an indie sensation of the 2000s. It set forth the sound that would be perfected later in Neon Bible - quirky, dramatic, and theatrical. It was reminiscent of the early Genesis album Trespass, when they too were on the cusp of their best work. You could see what they would become once they refined their sound.
Enjoyed this as I have before - pretty familiar with this album
Best rebellion, wake up, hair, neighbourhood 3 Worst neighbourhood 2, in the backseat Overall 8.5/10
Terrible. Novelty music.
Love this album
wake up nekoc najdraza pjesma ikad
An album with a few good singles, rather than a good album in my view
Enjoyable.
After the album, The next 5 songs played by my Spotify Algorithm: St. Vincent - Cruel Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps Elliot Smith - Son of Sam Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal The Strokes - Someday
9/10
I forgot, oh lord I forgot. This masterpeice put Arcade Fire on the map. Their sound is no longer super unique, but when this came out it was a revelation. This cracks top ten rock albums.
Classique! Pense pas je l'ai écouté une fois du début a la fin. Très bon, moins fou que les Suburbs. J'ai de la misère à accorder un 4.
As the second arcade fire that was offered to me on this list, I was prepared to start throwing shade. I'm pleasantly surprised. I might even go and seek this out to listen to on my own in the future. A solid and competent entry into the "Stomp/Clap" genre.
Honestly there was a good 70% chance I was going to listen to this today anyways The crown of love has indeed fallen from me
Not that hreat
An album I loved when it released but not so much anymore. Either my music tastes have changed or it hasn’t aged well. Still some great songs and instrumentation though.
Classic
Pop-rock sin estridencias. No es un grupo que me aporte nada significativamente. Se puede escuchar, simplemente
One of my all time favorite albums
I think I've heard a couple of these before, but not the whole album--lets see how it goes. (Yup, I know neighbourhood#2 and wake up) First impression: feels like sticking an arm out the car window on a bright, cold day. Other thoughts: I'm sure the lyrics are probably meaningful, but I can't understand most of what the lead singers words in the first couple songs. The album has a quiet, methodical vibe. A slow deliberate pace to most of the songs, with understated instrumentals and plaintive vocals. Feels wistful. Overall it wasn't bad, but not the right vibe for me today
Never heard of this band before. Listened to the album several times, kinda like it
Whole album just feels meh.
None of it was bad at all, but it was kinda just uninteresting and at parts plain boring
An easy to listen to early indie album. Great background music for writing this MMPI-2 interpretation 👍
Väga 2000-ndate indie. Käib küll, aga 2004. aastal meeldis mulle kindlasti rohkem.
Entire album has enjoyable tunes, even some reminiscent of Rush.
Nice to hear Wake Up and Rebellion again (forgot about the latter). Neighborhood #3 was a fun find. Liked it overall.
High school Meg would be so happy
Heel leuk
Really fun debut album
Not my style but I liked the instrumental bits and the beats
One new liked song
Not for me
Liked
6/10 for me. loved few songs. it seemed a little too loud and rocky for me, but good album in general.
This is one of those albums that captures a soundtrack of my own personal life so it is hard for me not to only sing praises for this record. It is a very well executed, well recorded, interesting and unique expression of this era of music. Beautifully poetic lyrics and a musical magic senergy that that only seems to exist when family members create art together. I have always appreciated the sweet and somber sadness that this record possesses, like smiling on a gloomy rainy day because you understand that this moisture is what makes the the gorgeous green contrast on that future sunny day.
Dear Diary, today is September 30th, 1993. Homecoming is next week and I really hope Johnny asks me! Everyone else already has dates! Anyways, I found this new album that explains how I feel. My angst is composed with a sense of confidence that everything is going to end up ok. I’m going to walk up to Johnny and demand he ask me to the dance! Wish me luck!
really good already done with cringe tags sad pop rock website broken for me so cant change rating
I liked it. My favorite song was Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)
Pretty groovy. Wish I could understand the words better so I could sing along
Somewhat commercial. Neighborhood#1, Wake up & Haiti were familiar
Mellow, easy to listen to while working.
Probably my 3rd favorite arcade fire album but definitely a goodie!
I like Arcade Fire just fine, but this album is just okay to me. 3.5
Haven't really listened to this album since I was 14, but it reminds me of how I casually went to their concert with my dad and his friend after school one day (spur of the moment) in 8th grade and his friend gave me his backstage pass so I met them, got a signed setlist (which I have since lost to time), and saw Emma Stone from afar. I still carry that guilt to this day
What a fantastic album. Full of so many contradictions that would ruin any other album. Quaint yet unbelievably grand. Frail and DIY while also maximalist and so well produced. Definitely influenced some of the worst acts working today with it's theatrics (Imagine Dragons UGH) but isn't stained by the works of these subsequent acts. Genuinely stellar.
meh
First album. I liked it!!
Not the worst
Couple of really good songs, but mostly meh
Chill alternative rock album. It makes me feel that warm mellow feeling inside with its sweeping music and wide orchestral voices.
Slaps.
I don’t care for it
So good, just a shame Win Butler is a bit rapey.
I remember being enthralled by Rebellion (Lies) when it first came out. This album does not hold up at all for me. I listened to it a lot when it come out, but now it is a snooze fest. It is the body complicated background music ever written. Indie Muzac.
has a lot going on at once, but not too interesting for me
Decent album Lots of interesting musical ideas that cover a lot of genres. Haiti was really cool.
Indie rock feel. Was ok. Like listening to something new.
This was listened to in the recovery from New Orleans. Mellow in the way it needed to be. But I worry I’m not cool enough to get arcade fire. Which I think is even less cool to say now than it would have been 20 years ago to say.
Moody and intense
It’s a perfect album. I’ve loved this for years and nothing has changed about that. Intense, beautiful, it bangs.
Liiieees Liiiees
The album was fantastic. It had a great overall theme and the music itself was well produced and executed pleasantly.
Bardzo dobry początek przygody z 1001 albumów. Zaczynamy od pogrzebu który dryfuje między melancholią, a fajnymi momentami mocnych riffów gitarowych oraz dudnieniem bębnów. Git.pl
Solid album. 4-4.5 / 5
Great Album. Had it since 2004. Noticed a resurgence in popularity around 2010 when Where the Wild Things Are came out.
pretty bland and boring overall, Rebellion (Lies) is the best track of the album, a little more engaging, but meh nonetheless
Le genre d'album que feldup écoute ça je suis sur Perso je suis pas trop fan mais ça passe Jdirai 2.5 mais on peut pas
Emo rock, but done well
Good album. But I enjoyed The Suburbs a lot more.
This album comes so close to toeing the line between alternative feels that I love and Indie feels that I loathe perfectly. It's pretty much just 7 Kettles that keeps this from getting a perfect 5 here. Favorite tracks: Power Out, Crown of Love
Good, but unmemorable album
They would eventually get biger in sound and in ambition, but never quite as good as this.
I know it's supposed to be good and all, but I never seem to enjoy their material, except for The Suburbs that sounds a lot like a watered down version of QotSA.
This album is like a bad mixture of Coldplay and Franz Ferdinand.
This is far better than Neon Bible, because at the very least it isn't boring, at least not most of the time. There are some songs I would even dare say I enjoyed here. Nothing I'd add to my personal library, but it works as an album. What irks me the most here is the singer's voice, as its not only very whiney, despite none of the songs expelling specifically sadness, but also that it just sounds like Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse but less interesting and singing songs that lend themselves far less to the voice. It makes some songs that feel like great indie rock tunes conceptually turn into songs that sound like stomp and holler shit you'd hear out of the Lumineers or some other early 2010s indie folk band no one likes. Another issue I find is a lot of songs tend to pick up and start to do something interesting like a minute too late, and the song ends up ending before the payoff really does its job. I just feel like this is almost there, and who knows, maybe if I gave this a couple more tries I'd start to like it quite a bit, but for now, I can only claim that this is ten times better than the slog that is Neon Bible. Okay, this actually got REALLY boring with the last few tracks, so it's still a two, but it slipped down a bit from that. No matter what I do not get the praise here. While we're comparing them to Modest Mouse, how does this band have three on here and Modest Mouse has zero? So weird.
smushy goodness.
Um….kinda mid
Low key - some songs are reminiscent of Bjork
The songs are good, but I can't stand the flat singing. Would have been an extra star with a different singer. Favorite song: neigborhood #2.
Bit too “millennial” for my tastes.
Came out many years earlier than I thought.
Groundbreaking sound, fantastic arrangements, superbly written, really worth its 1001 title in the modern age. 4.5
Indie rock de los 2000, muy bueno
Mjög hrifinn af þessari, eiginlega mjög hrifinn.
One of my favorite albums of all time. It's absolutely perfect, with no skippable tracks, and such a diversity of sounds and song structures. I listened again for the hundredth time just now because it appeared on this list, and still loved every bit.
Very very anthemic, beautiful chords and climaxes, feels very special but at the same time, how grandiose and reverby it is takes away from a personnal connection to the songs
pas mal du tout, j'aime bien Je ne vois pas trop le "fire" par contre 5/5
9/18/2023 Arcade Fire Funeral (2004) Never listened to this one at all. Never listened to Arcade Fire at all - reading the Wikipedia, it appears that this album is regarded as one of the greatest of all time. That’s a lot of hype to live up to! 1 Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) - lyrics are very hard to understand,the singing is kind of waily. Rhythm doesn’t seem to shake out until after the first verse. (3) 2 Neighborhood #2 (Laika) - singing modded with discordant echo. I wouldn’t say the lyrics make a lot of sense to me … in this one, the neighbors are dancing in the police disco lights, that’s not bad. In one of the later choruses, the female singer kind of shrieks like Yoko, that’s never something I enjoy. (3) 3 Une Annee Sans Lumiere - lyrics are mostly in French and from what I can tell sung in a very poor accent. You can probably tell that I am so far unimpressed with this album. Big mood change late, with fast strum guitars. I guess that was the “outro” (2) 4 Neighborhood #3 (Power Out) - the fast strum continues, a little better melody and singing this time. Ok, I take it back about the better singing. I kind of like the fast strum as a drone. Discordant string playing as a prelude to chorus, ugh. (3) 5 Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles) - a bit folkier start. Man, some of these lyrics are dramatic - “my eyes are covered by the hands of my unborn kids”. I really can’t gather any meaning from these lyrics, not that they have to have any, just not resonating with me much. I guess I like this one a little better than the others I have heard so far? The strings are really nice, but seems like synthesizer from my reading. I guess this band probably set the stage for bands like Bon Iver and Mumford and Sons. (3) 6 Crown Of Love - old timey piano, weak singing like he’s trapped under something. Droning piano part is ok, with strings over the top. Rhymed cancer and answer in a love song, not sure how to feel about that. Big change at the 3:45 mark, didn’t care for it. I am just not connecting to this record. (2) 7 Wake Up - a bit rockier than the previous tracks, then with choral vocals (3 in unison)? Some better lyrics here too, but they kind of scream them and ruin it. “Our bodies get bigger but our hearts get torn up”. (3) 8 Haiti - much stronger lyrics here, partly in French. Feeling bad about what I said earlier about accents, because they apparently are French. I’ll just go with “they’re not great at singing.” The music is just a drone march, though. (3) Ending leads into next track which is supposed to be the best on the album. 9 Rebellion (Lies) - definitely their most straightforward composition on the album, still pretty drony, and not great singing. (3) 10 The Backseat - female vocals, again, sound like she might be trapped under something part of the time. Something about her singing style really irritates me. (3)
Some bangers, some overly melancholy blandness
It's a shame about the singer! I really enjoy this record, it's been a while so I'm looking forward to revisiting this one.
So impressed that this was a debut album, truly one of the best. Songs that make me feel nostalgic towards a past that I did and never had.
This is a solid record; good songwriting and solid performances. Not life-changing per se but I can't help but wonder if the hate is from Gen X'ers who, upon listening to this album in 2004, realized that they were in their 30s now and that their youth was behind them. So the bile might be more of an association thing as opposed to a problem with the album itself.
First entry by everyone’s favorite 300 person indie band with a thematic album about something I’m sure. It’s a 00’s indie listen
Pretty unequivocally their best album, I think. A great from a a great era in the genre.
There’s a push and pull to this album that goes from profound to pretentious. Depends on whether or not you’re into the style. In my opinion, though, at it’s peak, it still fails to capture my interest. The whole album feels unfocused and directionless. There are great concepts here and the songs are fun so I know there’s a lot of potential going forward, but the execution on this project leaves something to be desired. 3/5
Not a fan of Arcade Fire, so I just skipped through the album.
Not bad. Quirky, especially the vocals. It's different, but I don't really see what all the fuss was about.
Some great tracks and I enjoy their alt rock style
Faktiskt ganska så bra!
I found this tedious, but I'll round up from 1.5.
Aside from their mega hit Wake Up, the rest was ok. Not something I'd actively want to listen to.
Meh. Not really a fan of them. I didn't hate it, but it's a defintite "one and done" for me.
Comically shit in some places. Pretentious in others. I’ll give it a 2 because I liked one song
This is a much acclaimed album and there are one or two numbers I quite like. But I don't generally see what all the fuss is about. It's okay. I'll leave it at that.
Meh was ok but just did not vibe with it.
Ok album. I don't know if it was a reverb or chorus effect on the vocals, but it was distracting and made everything seem muffled a bit. 3/5
this folk-ish artsy indie rock is/used to be one of the most overhyped albums in the indie culture, now it's somewhat trendy to hate on this. When one listens to this album and actually doesn't fall asleep midway, he himself can hear why it's considered to be overhyped as shit. It's middle of the pack indie, nothing extraordinary or nothing you'd want to claim as your favourite album
Liked a few of them, but wasn't a huge fan of the rest. Vocals were a little bit whiney for my tastes, but I can appreciate why this album is well-regarded.
85/100
Bang average. No plans to listen again. First time ever hearing Arcade Fire. Not my thing. Best Track: Crown Of Love
Wow, it made me feel super elderly reading some of the reviews for this... it was 18 years ago already?! I don't like all of Arcade Fire's albums but their Reflektor tour was one of the most memorable gigs I've been to. Soooo.... it has to be 5* for this classic. Even if it's because I'm a starry-eyed old millennial.
I have no complaints here, except that Max promised me a review and he has yet to deliver. Tsk tsk.
How do I put this properly? Arcade Fire is a good band. This is probably their best album. The collection of songs at the end are fantastic together. But I don’t like Arcade Fire that much. I appreciate them and I recommend them to others, but I don’t want to listen to them on my own for any reason. Technically good, but my ears process their music as nothing more than sound that is arranged in an intelligent way. Maybe a 4, but I just don’t see how.
A Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) 3 Neighborhhod #2 (Laika) 4 Une annéee sans lumère 3 Neighborhood #3 (Power Out) 5 Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles) 3 Crown of Love 5 Wake Up 5 Haiti 4 Rebellion (Lies) 5 In the Backseat 5 This is an all-time favorite of mine. One of those albums that I've been waiting for throughout this whole process. My only gripe is that Haiti interrupts the best three-piece combo in music (Wake Up, Rebellion (Lies), In the Backseat).
On paper, Arcade Fire ticks all my boxes. I love that raw emotion and the lyrical content and the music is just the right side of heartbroken. I don’t really know why they haven’t made more ingress in my knowledge base. They are used a lot in TV shows to counterpoint action or as commentary for a montage. Every time I hear them, I remember how much I like them and go on a rabbit hole search listening to certain songs. But just as quickly I forget about them. I can’t say why, whether it’s been a matter of timing or just time. I do love those violins and Wake Up gets me every time. Children, don't grow up Our bodies get bigger but our hearts get torn up Ain’t that the truth!
The album was fine. Perfectly pleasant. There was a time when there was quite a hike around this group and I just never got it.
When this album first started, I was pretty certain I wasn't enjoying it. The vocals sounded affected — I was wondering if there was a connection to Modest Mouse in just the vibe and overall sound of the band and vocals. And then, song by song, I started falling under the album's spell, and by the middle, I was fully on board. I wasn't able to give this a close enough listen to get into the lyrics and meanings of the songs — this one definitely warrants another listen — but I heard enough to get swept into the emotive, creative, well-written, well-produced songs.
I practically wore out my copy when this was released. Then I stopped listening and haven't really revisited since. It still holds up, though I'm not quite sure it reignited a spark to put this back into regular rotation. (Not that I have time for a rotation with all these daily albums coming at me.) Anyway, this is a confident and astonishing debut. They've got hooks for days and the arrangements are creative and memorable. I'm not sure why I'm not connecting with it like I used to, but that's on me, not them, I think.
Every time I played this the music just kept getting lost. Like it just drifted away in the background of my kitchen. Underwhelming
Very Arcade Fire. Kind of all the same. No memorable melodies. I feel like I am supposed to really like Arcade Fire but … meh.
First listen was while I was cutting the grass; overall impression was this is solid early-00s folk-indie that reminds me a bit of The Decemberists. 4 / 5 Second listen I felt pretty similarly; however, no particular songs stood out to me. I'd say this is a 3.5, but I'll round up.
Never really listened to Arcade Fire besides Wake Up. Glad it's on this album because it's a top 100 song for me. This album so far is a unique intersection of rock and folk with a touch of emo. I love the beat switches in their songs. Rebellion is also a familiar song. Good album, will probably listen again.
I'm happy that this is on here. I've always heard of Arcade Fire but never listened and have always wanted to. The Neighborhood songs are awesome especially #3 The speed up part at the end of Crown of Love was a very welcomed surprise I know Wake up it's a great fit in this album to be a single That album was very good. For me it definitely peaked in the middle then fell off with the last two songs. But still an album I will be listening to again. Strong 4
Only really listened to Reflektor by them which I hear is insanely different from their usual style, so I'm excited. Pretty good listening. Then Neighborhoods #3 (which reminds me of the song Reflektor with less electronics). Damn I just kept picturing hearing that song live. Probably fuxxx. Wake Up is an obvious jam. Didn't even realize that was by them but knew the song. Haiti song makes me happy. Loved the buildup in In The Backseat. Great album. I think I like Reflektor better but was trying to not be biased. I know this is critically acclaimed but just felt kinda stagnant at some points. Really enjoyable though.
Sentimental bias but I adore this album front to back. Bummer about Alice, though. RIP.
Listened while cleaning out a drawer filled with old stuff and felt a little emotional. Good album.
Always been on the fence with this band....lets see....
Perfect album
Fantastic top to bottom. So much depth to their sound - they're incredible at making you feel a vibe
This reminds me a lot of "Funeral for a friend" by Elton John, which I really appreciate.
It sounds like if Cage The Elephant forgot how to write catchy hooks, I enjoyed a few moments alright though. Probably won’t listen again any time soon.
I really like the overall vibe of this album. The sound. The atmosphere. It all works pretty well as background music to everyday life. Thats kinda what this album feels like though, just background music. Some tracks attempt to stand out more than others such as Laika, Crown of love, wake up and Rebellion however, even those dont really take the album to a different level. On the whole I'd say Funeral just kind of meanders. The only reason this would be a "must listen" album is because while not pioneering a genre of their own they did popularize a sound that spawned countless imitators. Quite a few of which did it better. Despite my previous criticism I do like Arcade Fire and have listened to this album, Neon Bible and The suburbs a number of times. (both of which I enjoy more)however as the years have gone by they just don't stand out for me the way they used to. This album is a high 3 low 4 to me now.
New sound to me, liked it
I had listened to this album a few times before and didnt really get the hype, but this inspired me to listen again. And it clicked pretty hard. Great album, tunnels will be stuck in my head for a while
Good album but not as big a fan as I used to be in my teens
Almost blasphemy not to give this one a 5/5, but it really only ventures into greatness from 'Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles)' an onwards. The three-track stretch of 'Wake Up', 'Haiti' and 'Rebellion (Lies)' is peak Arcade Fire and defining an entire new genre, giving us artists such as fun. (wuhu).
I still have a hard time understanding that Funeral is a debut album. Arcade Fire revolutionized the entire genre with this. There is an edge and a sense of awareness to this that their more polished and pretty contemporaries lacked. Arcade Fire, for me, peaked early on. They just don’t get any better than this.
Great debut album from Arcade Fire. This is one of my personal favorites of the 2000s, an emotional, grand journey from front to back. A must listen for any indie enthusiasts
I thought it was going to be better than what it was.
A greater guitar-driven effort from Arcade Fire I overlooked in favor of their progressively synthier discography that followed. There’s no denying the genuine emotion here, but something felt unsatisfying - my best guess would be how homogeneous the instrumentation and mostly upbeat melodies feel throughout the entire LP, never really throwing any curveballs or even mildly deviating from expectations once the first track is done. This was a decent listen, but just never shifted into a gear that demanded my attention.
great stuff from mtl!
Meh. Whole album is similar sounding and there's no real progressive story. A bit pretentious and folksy without the charm behind it.
One of the albums that cemented the importance and ethos of the indie rock early this century. Love this album!
Pretty good album. Unique sound, has a genuine, honest feel to it. 3/5
Ok, I didn't hate it. If you put this on in the car, I could listen to it. Some songs were better than others.
Had this on heavy rotation in the 2000s, but hadn't listened for quite a while. Still stands up as a top notch album. Probably Arcade Fire's best, the next couple of albums were great too, until Reflektor went downhill. Also, shame Win Butler turned out to be a creep.
omg!! better than my expectations. first five songs or so were really great, rest of the album was still quite good but didn't reach those heights in my opinion. i was pleasantly surprised because i've listened to arcade fire's newer stuff and not liked it very much, but this is actually awesome. there's a homeliness about it that i like a lot.
Pop rock, kinda Indy feeling
But overrated to be honest
Always thought this wasn't their best album, and still do, but don't think you can argue with the tunes on here. Shame the lead guy is called Win and is Pervy Pete
Never heard of this band or album but absolutely loved it. Not hard to see why it has won son many accolades, they're well deserved.
Big at the time, pretty Middle of The Road nowadays
I can tell there is something deep in here. Wake Up is a good tune. That closer was so powerful, this is worth a deeper dive.
Excellent indie
It was okay
I was going to post about 'warm' and 'cold' albums but instead will reflect on how extra-ordinarily back-loaded this album is. The first four tracks are indistinct, hesitant, a bit sound and fury signifying not that much. And then the three punch of Kettle, Crown of love and Wake Up delivers something else entirely. The rest of the album maintains that level, perhaps its part of that uber-indie vibe this album has to make people work a bit first. Anyway, not their best album but very good.
This album is my best. Made me love this band. Still do.
As I said in another review, I like the first two Arcade Fire albums so this was an easy listen, however I really do wonder if they needed 3 albums on the list. They are a great band but did they need 3?
Ik vind dit een heel lekker album. Fijne nummers en mooi geheel
I wanted to be cynical about this (probably due to his recent indiscretions) and say that on reflection they didn’t deserve the godlike indie reverence they received, but it’s just banger after banger.
it seems like the same thing over and over again and i’m not that crazy about that particular thing
Second thoughts are this is a very good album, and definitely an 8.5/10 This album is incredible, at each track is laced and has its own unique personality. The instrumentals are superb, there is not a single bad song. There is not much to say in a negative light, other than the fact some songs may sound similar, and some have basis indie riffs. Favorites: #1 / Une Annee Sans Lumiere / #4 / Crown of Love / Wake Up / In the Backseat
Indie elevator music.
kinda cool tbh
"Funeral" is the debut album by Canadian indie rock band Arcade Fire. Indie rock, chamber rock, art rock and baroque pop. Yeah, sure. Well, everyone in the band seems to play all instruments. And there are all instruments. The album was recorded in Montreal and produced by the band for a mere $10,000. The album title and the basis for several songs came from several bandmembers recently losing family members. Multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Régine Chassagne lost her grandmother and her husband Win Butler and his brother Will lost their grandfather (both multi-instrumentalists as well). The song themes include alienation, loss of innocence, frustration with and tensions in governments and family ties in neighborhoods. This album had widespread critical acclaim propelling them to indie rock icons. An organ hum, undulating strings and a repetitive piano melody open one of the four neighborhood songs in "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)." The drums kick in and the song keeps building with the pace picking up and increasing. I've had a lot of songs building over the past two days. The song is set in the 1960's with two kids sneaking off to each other through tunnels leaving parents distraught with the Vietnam War, assassinations and sex, drug and rock and roll. There's been a few songs I've heard where as soon as I heard it I went out to immediately buy the album and "Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)" did that for me. A pop beat, jangly guitars and an initial xylophone melody. Layered guitars. One of a few anthems on this albums. This song was inspired by the 1998 ice storm in Montreal resulting in a week-long blackout. Overall, about alienation. "Crown of Love" has weeping strings and a piano and then totally changes towards the end going basically disco. The second half of this album has several songs where you see the music style change within the song. Welcome to big anthem #2 in "Wake Up." Also, Arcade Fire welcome to permanence as arena-level artists. '"Oh-Oh-Oh....-Oh." You know it. Guitar, drums, strings. Another musical change at the end with Régine taking over lead vocals from Win. Loss of innocence and trying to reach someone who's suffered trauma. A repetitive piano and bass help build tension in "Rebellion (Lies)." "Every time you close your eyes. Lies. Lies." Maybe the struggle for a government you want to what currently is. Yeah, this is a pretty landmark indie and overall album. The songs are musically optimistic and uplifting despite mostly lyrically dire landscapes. Most songs build with a chamber/baroque pop start ending in more of rock and roll realm. It's quite a feat writing a few anthems on your debut album. I do like several of the subsequent Arcade Fire albums quite a bit. But, "Funeral" is without question my favorite and their best.
comfort album
couple of very good sons, others are mid and very similar
easy listening/chill
Least favourite band in the world for me (in other words, havent heard a bigger carp than this)
Good stuff
It came out at a time when I was too busy with kids etc to pay attention to music. Parts flickered with recognition - was OK
I remember buying this when it came out and despite it being full of great track was a little disappointed. Stands up well now and one of the better offerings by AF.
Alright, unpopular opinion here, considering the accolades this band has received…I don’t get it. I remember reading something a long time ago about how they are the highest awarded or selling or something, and I tried to give a few songs a listen and didn’t enjoy it. I thought since a few years have passed, and my musical taste had grown, maybe I’d understand it now. I gave the album two full listens and I’m still lost. I don’t see anything special about any of it, and actually wanted to turn it off multiple times, but figured I HAVE to be missing something. I still don’t get it hahaha. Listen again: nope Purchase for my collection: no Favourite Song: In the Backseat (only because of a few riffs mid song. The whining is annoying).
Light 9
A defining moment of the indie rock scene of the first decade of the 2000's. Considering that indie rock really saw its heyday in that period, that's really saying something. The album begins with what remains one of my favourite Arcade Fire songs and one of my favourite songs in general, "Neighbourhood #1 (Tunnels)". Set amongst an incredibly rich and artfully arranged array of instruments, this song is a masterclass in album opening songwriting that gradually builds to a powerful and memorable crescendo. That the band is able to maintain such quality throughout the entire album is a testament to its greatness. They oscillate between harder-hitting and energetic tracks ('Laika', 'Power Out', 'Wake Up', 'Rebellion') and more subdued, reflective pieces ('Une Annee Sans Lumiere', '7 Kettles', 'In the Backseat') in such a seamless and purposeful way, making for an extremely enjoyable listening experience that is never overwhelming, despite the thematic and musical heft carried by these songs. While Arcade Fire would go on to release more popular albums, in my opinion, this remains their magnum opus. Absolute freakin fire.
very solid album
This is the third Arcade Fire album that I have gotten on this list and I can confidently state that I am not a fan. Their work just isn’t my preferred kind of music. Although I think I liked this album the best of the three. Not for me but I can understand why others enjoy them.
Love this album!
I know upfront I like this one. Rebellion (Lies) might be my favourite AF song.
height of early naughts indie then, just a pretty good album now Favorite Tracks: Neighborhood 1-4 4-4.5/5
One of the most well textured projects I have ever had the pleasure of listening to. It carries its air of melancholia flawlessly with soaring strings, strained vocals, and beautifully crunchy guitar tones.
Not for me, but a good album never the less, i found it interesting to hear that the genre can also be desrcribes as "baroque pop" great description 3/5
This is the second album I've reviewed by Arcade Fire in this generator. The first one was The Suburbs. Of the two, this one is my favorite. Arcade Fire are a Canadian indie rock band from Quebec. Overall, not a bad album. I'm not a huge fan of indie music, so I wouldn't rush out to buy this, but I didn't immediately want to shut it off either. A fairly average album. Favourite songs: Rebellion (Lies), Wake Up, Neighborhood #3 (Power Out), Une Annee Sans Lumiere Least favourite songs: In the Backseat, Crown of Love 3/5
Cool album! I liked this one better than the other one of this list (The Suburbs).
Bra gjort Montreal!
Had it on in the background and wasn't really locked it but there was something there that made me want to give it another run. Listened again with headphones on and yeah, now I get it.
The nostalgia is strong today. Not much of a fan outside of this album but I can't get enough of this one. straight up (Arcade) fire
A great debut by Arcade Fire, it has the typical sound that we have come to know of Arcade fire, but at the time of release, their style was quite new and fresh. Filled with lots of emotion and atmosphere, I think it's one to add to the record collection! Best: Neighbourhood #3 Worst: Neighbourhood #4
Grew on me over the course of a day. Swelling orchestrals, a raucous energy. I can only imagine how much better it would be in context of it’s time. Will continue listening to this one I think. Cannot wait to explore the lyrical content.
I had listened to The Suburbs on a recommendation before listening to this and really liked it so i was hopeful. it’s definitely not as good but there are some really great moments, the best of which comes at the end of Crown of Love with the switch from 6/8 to disco 4/4
This wasn’t my cup of tea. The instruments were fine, but the singers voice just annoyed me. It wasn’t horrible, just really boring. I’m starting to wonder if I really need to hear all these albums before I die.
Expected better, nothing fabulous
This resembles so many other early 2000s "indie rock" albums that I am amazed I ever found interesting.
Top 3 Songs: 1 - Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) (1) 2 - Wake Up (7) 3 - Rebellion (Lies) (9)
64 albums in and this is my second Arcade Fire one. So that doubles my historical Arcade Fire listening experience. I didn't get what the hype was about on the previous one and I'm afraid this one's the same. I'm sure that if you're a fan this is sublime or something. I'm obviously not a fan. It's not horrible, but I won't listen to the album again out of choice.
Rockindie 2004.. jahas jahas..Paskinta paskaa btw rummut aina samat rummut pum pump pum pum pum menee tahtia.. Se pelastaa että oikeesti conceptual hyvä alnumi ja hyviä kappaleita.
This is a band I find that I'll never fully appreciate. The music doesn't engage me and I do not enjoy the singing at all. There might be good lyrics in this album, but it's hard for me to focus on it when I can't enjoy the rest.
BEST DEBUT ALBUM EVER (in my opinion haha). There are definitely more influential debuts, but for my money this album is the best home run for a bands first time at the bat. Just so perfectly put together. The energy that runs through this thing is so insanely positive and breathtaking. Love it.
it is definitely a good album. No song drags the experience down but the songs itself aren't that great and wonderful. It's good but it doesn't achieve the 4/5 7.5/10 (3/5)
Indie pop that’s just experimental enough to make people think they’re smart because they listen to it. There’s a cohesive, expansive sound to the record, but the songs don’t really accomplish anything, go anywhere or have any bite to them; it’s just a lot of sound that ends up being not very memorable. Didn’t get the hype when it came out. Still don’t get it now, but this might be the record that spawned a thousand imitators trying to cash in on the “indie sound”, which ultimately ruined indie rock. In that regard, “Funeral” is a fitting title, indeed.
reminds me of a bad modest mouse song.
They brought an original sound, which is not easy to do. Worth a few listens, at least.
3,75
This was quite good. The vocals are quite distinctive. Not sure if this is something to worry about later since Morrissey's vocals were also distinctive. There is good pace to this album.
This is a terrific debut release. It’s well-developed with lovely arrangements – the violins and accordion make for a big sound – and lyrically they tackle heavy themes. The one weak link might be Win Butler’s vocals, which don’t hold up when he really tries to belt it out.
Back in 2004 I walked into my local record shop and started to thumb thru the racks of records when this music came on that really caught my attention. I had never heard anything quite like it before. It was so unique and so original sounding. I asked the clerk who it was and he proudly announced it was this new Indie band from Montreal called Arcade Fire. I grabbed it and couldn’t wait to get home to listen to it. I still think this is probably their best release and one of the best Indie albums from the early 2000s. The songs on the album are similar sounding but yet very cohesive and the segues from song to song are just perfect. This is a very high 4, almost a 5 for me.
Killer album
Please, this is not one of the finest albums of all time
Fresh and new, it was interesting.
This album was really good. my favorite track by far was crown of love and I will be adding it to my playlist. I highly recommend the full album if you like indie/alt music.
Reminded me to listen to more arcade fire, but I prefer the suburbs as an album