Funeral

I absolutely love this album and reminds me of happy teen years when I discovered Arcade Fire. I love the grand and varied nature of AF, and I do think they were unique at the time, I think they've inspired lots of bands I really love now (like Black Country New Round).

Well it's an excellent album

the original architects of the twee faux country indie movement. this really did sound like nothing else when it was released, hard to imagine now there is an abundance of imitations with shouting bits in it (looking at you lumineers). having not listened to it for years its better than i remembered.

Every time I close my eyes I picture myself at my own funeral. I'm surrounded by an orchestra of dwarves playing Arcade Fire tracks on flutes. My mother is crying, my father is dancing. My wife and children are nowhere to be seen. It's a sorry state of affairs. In the distance I see the shadowy figure of a woman I used to love. Her face is pale, with crimson lips. I try to reach out to her. I scream, but she looks through me blankly. I fall to me knees and crawl towards my coffin. It's draped in a Chelsea flag which has been completey covered in the jizz of the entire Chelsea first team and backroom staff. I laugh. The ground opens and I fall into hell. This is where I finally see my wife and children. They hate me. It's everything I ever wanted.

BEST. FUNERAL. EVER!!!

This one came out when I was in my late teens. I never really got the hype and still found the first couple of tracks a bit lacklustre, but reading the lyrics along with listening to the album has been beneficial. This is a really cohesive record with some great lyrics about the joys and pains of growing up and some really rousing moments. Neighbourhood #3 Power Out is where it started kicking in for me. The final track on this album brought me right back to that summer with Cat M. I hope she is doing OK. I miss her.

A little Meh. There was nothing bad about the album, the tunes were pleasant enough but nothing inspired me to listen again. I found the vocals "whiney" on most tracks. Fine for background music

Dull. Boring. Did not like AT ALL. all the songs sound alike, in fact they sound like 1990s teenage boy music desire being a 2006 album. Vocals were dreadful, music was a drone.

Really good. I can tell where other bands were influenced by this album. The sound is similar to a lot of stuff that is popular right now.

I'm not convinced this was a really special record - not very much of it stood out for me.

First full arcade fire album, a lot of it sounded similar but I can see why they blew up.

I don’t get them. I don’t get any of these “how many people can we fit on a stage? More? Give ‘em a drum” bands. If the songs were there I’d be down, but I’ve heard them for years, and listened now and found that literally none of it sticks in my mind. Gun to my head, I couldn’t name an Arcade Fire song to save my life. And I JUST listened to this album!

This is going to be one of those rare times where I massively disagree with my my co-hort in my reviewing group here. Have a totally different view than you Paul...absolutely love this album from the first moment I heard it. One of the few good things to come out of my time at CMN/CEN magazine...hearing this album for the first time.

I just don’t understand this disc. I find it dead boring. There’s the odd instrumental flourish, but I really can’t stand the lead vocalist’s voice. Can’t really find anything positive to say about it.

Described as anthemic, grandiose, dramatic, sweeping, cathartic, emotional, oh, how the critics swooned. I am so bored. Bored, bored, bored, bored, boringly bored, bored, bored. Wake Up is a pretty great tune, and is head and shoulders above the rest of the album. It started playing, and my ears immediately pricked up.

Это было неожиданно слишком хорошо.

A pleasant, steady, and inoffensive rock album. Their style isn't too exciting in my opinion so each track seemed to lean more on the composition, which was mostly fine. The bulk of the album didn't live up to its best tracks, but when does it ever

C'était vraiment sympa mais je commence à en avoir marre de recevoir des appels du patron d'eltrapeze en pleurs au bout du fil et d'être obligé de le rassurer pendant une grosse partie de mon temps libre.

Je pensais qu'Arcade Fire était un groupe de rock de pubs britanniques, il n'en est en fait rien, cet album était tout bonnement excellent. J'en profite pour vous faire un retour sur l'avancée du projet d'enceinte dans les locaux de mon entreprise: mon patron n'a toujours pas donné suite, je l'ai relancé en joignant un plan detaillé de construction de l'édifice audio. A suivre

I don’t like the vocalist’s singing. I know I like a few songs from them.

So much to love!

Such a good album!

The instruments, production and lyrics were good from track one. The drummer needs to try something besides a hi-hat disco beat. The constantly strained vocals were not my favorite but they grew on me—or at least, the virtues overcame the distraction over time. Haiti Mon Pays and Rebellion(Lies) cemented it for me. This is a great album!

This is one of my absolute favorite albums and I can't really talk about it without sounding like an insufferable douchebag. If you want my thoughts (I'm sure you don't), you'll have to get them over drinks. Best track: Wake Up

Well composed album. Chill listen.

Good but not great. No real stand out tracks (other than Rebellion (lies) which I knew before) but works well as a whole piece. Singing in French and playing accordion are always welcome here!

Wanted to like it more than I actually did Way too meandering Rebellion (Lies), Wake Up, and Crown of Love are the good songs

a bunch of bangers here

Love this

Exactly what I imagined an Arcade Fire album to sound like. Layered, textured, complex and consistent. I quite liked it, but doubt I'll revisit. Rating: 3.5/5 Playlist track: Wake Up Date listened: 25/07/22

Yeah, great album. Saw them live just before they broke in a small venue in Glasgow. A revelation.

Arcade fire is not it

Maybe this is just my bias for this type of music but it’s hard to find a flaw on this album. The connective tissue tracks are thematically relevant and the high points like Wake Up are extremely high. In the conversation for album of the century so far.

Solid

A toe tapper - but yet another of those bands I just can't get along with. Something too 'sweet' about the music. I won't reach for the volume to turn it up, but equally won't turn it off if they come on the radio.

I’ve herd it once before and I like it but just a tad overrated for me but hey it’s a new day so I’ll try it with new ears… Also for the neighbourhood songs I am just gonna call them by whatever is in the brackets as I find the whole multi part idea stupid when the songs have no real musical flow and are completely separate works… The album opens with tunnels, one of the most enjoyable tracks of the album, perfect instrumentation for the album’s opener with the grand build up in tempo throughout truly an epic tune! Laika has a great chorus but the vocals on the verses are too muffled and static really for me. Une anee sans lumiere is a song that I appreciate for speaking in a different language ( well for the odd line or two at least) and feels like a nice mid side 1 break ( so I guess the neighbourhood thing does work). Power out is really explosive ( like a dark disco track) but it also has these playful bell sounds that make it really unique to be honest! 7 kettles is a nice slow song to end the whole dumb neighbourhood thing and this is the album’s worst track, well performed but mediocre. < note to self: well I guess the first two songs make sense as a part of “neighbourhood” but doing 3 and 4 is dumb> Crown of love is really soft and sweet great way to rebuild the album after 7 kettles; the dance bit at the end is odd but it’s just a great song to be honest. Wake up is the closest you would get to a full blown rocker on this album ( like it’s all heavy guitars until the last minute or so) and it’s one of the best songs on the album (especially when you give it time like this)! Haiti goes for a female vocalist swapping between English and french over a great rhythm. Not a favourite but I like it especially with the echoey voice. There are these sirens at the end of Haiti that flow perfectly into the penultimate track rebellion ( lies) this song is great like the album’s opener it builds up well as the song progresses but unlike this song this is a proper rocker. The album closes with in the backseat ( another song sung by the female vocalist), a track that really works when the electric guitars crash over her voice making a song that would’ve been just dull and slow into something incredible. Well, I guess I was a bit wrong ( I still think the band are overrated) but this was better than I remembered can’t not give this a 5 ( even if it’s quite a low one).

Fire

Solid hipster garbage

Please do not take my review into account, as I am just not a huge fan of Arcade Fire. I know that they are popular, but they are not my cup of tea.

it’s giving contemporary dance??? not sure if in a good or bad way yet. actually hey this is pretty good!!! loving the buildup but it’s definitely going on my contemporary dance playlist liking #2 more but also the strings remind me of shrek okay i don’t think i would actively listen to it in its entirety again, but overall it wasn’t bad! 6/10 probably 🤔😘

Приятный для прослушивания альбом. Есть запоминающиеся композиции.

This was a fun listen. I've never been super into arcade fire but this was a fine introduction into them

Not a fan.

3.5/5 nice, i'll have to relisten though

What a debut

Started somewhat slow but then really came on towards the end. The hit was Wake Up and it's a great song. Rebellion is great. Definitely an Arcade Fire album. Deep song meanings and such a wonderfully distinct sound. I think it will need to be listened to again to appreciate it fully.

Really good album. 3.5 / 5 I never heard this one prior to this list. I AM loving it. I need more time with this one, I know it will only get stronger as time goes by. From start to finish this one is great. I listened to the extra material as well and as a fan of 40's music, I was thrilled to find the relation to Alvino Rey! And My Buddy is such a great song! More people should know and have the chance to love it! Alvino Rey has others that are classic as well!

Listened before and really enjoy it, but it's one of those albums where - besides a couple of songs, the sounds really blend together. Good in that it's a good sound and cohesive, but hard to pinpoint those songs for relistens.

The muffled, whiny vocals are so irritating. Instrumentals are kinda ambitious with the accordions and and violins spliced in, but it feels like they're just there for the sake of some novelty, rather than being a solid part of the ensemble. I'm probably not hip enough for this hipster orgy.

Pretty middle of the road. Not bad, but not really gripping either. Some decent melodies at times.

It was OK but nothing really clicked for me

Enjoyed it. Hadn’t listened to it in quite a few years.

This is definitely one of those indie albums that makes alt kids feel soul-searchy or appreciate life more or something. I enjoyed it well enough, but it doesn’t really affect me in that way. The always-wavering vulnerable vocals that are omnipresent in indie music aren’t my favorite thing ever. But there were good moments. I think I liked the last two songs the most.

I love this album, I love their voices, the sadness, the joy, the sound. I'm gonna go play it again.

Modern Classic. Wake Up is such a great song

I just want to buy everyone involved in making this album a pint. Its bloody beautiful.

It wasn't until Neon Bible took me by surprise when it was released a few years later that I finally got around to listening to this. I'm not sure what caused my resistance to Arcade Fire, I think it was that I thought that they would be another lame Radioheadesque mess of a band. I was very wrong. The music on here is so rich and deep. It has filmic quality where my mind images scenes from some unmade movie that this is the soundtrack of. I also love how it is so melancholic yet joyous at the same time

This finished way stronger than it started. Barely holding my interest at first with some weird high frequency feedback thing going on. Settled into good rolling rhythms and finally some Sarah Neufeld fiddle, which I was searching for the whole time.

There were some really beautiful moments on this. I will definitely be giving Arcade Fire a deeper investigation. Thanks, 1001albumsgenerator!

not my cup of tea

good story but a bit boring

So layered. And much like Prince, once you get used to the melody, they offer you a second melody in the same song.

Overall it's ok it does get a bit whiny, pompous and boring.

I love this band and I love this album.

Pretty good 2000s era indie rock. I don’t love it but I’ll gladly listen to it again

Arcade Fire are so overwrought that I feel just getting up in the morning and making breakfast involves a major production number for them. Fortunately for them the songs are generally good enough to live up to the treatment, at least on this album; I first heard this when it came out and did not expect much from it (wasn't a fan of the self-titled EP that preceded it), but it actually proved to be really solid. Still is.

To me, this seems to be where all the 21st-century artsy indie suburban teenage angst started. You know what, Will? Wherever you go, there you are. And that’s all I really have to say about this one. Good tunes, though.

The perfect debut. Words barely do it justice

Great stuff.

Pretty much the same as all other alternative rock, but with a violin here and there.

Great indie rock. I love this type of music. So nice to listen to, very relaxing. 8/10

There's something very warm and fuzzy about the production, generally pretty great performances and some pretty good songs

This really holds up after 18 years. Euphoric at times, and the Neil Young like urgent fragility of Win's voice has never been deployed better since. Always a good medicine to thaw many a heart that's grown old and cynical.

Very solid. First time hearing the album. 3/5

ehh its ok i guess

I understand that this is good, and I mean half of indie rock that came after this sounds like it, but i didn't enjoy listening to it really. It's bringing me down. Not a fault of the album, it's me lol

Has some really nice moments, high recommend.

Light. Shade. Tenderness. Drama

Arty glory

A near-perfect indie rock album, and my favourite release from Arcade Fire. Everything hits on this record, and it feels like the band has way more experience than they currently do at this point in their careers. I really enjoy the moments throughout the album where strings and piano dominate. Great flow to the tracks throughout. Régine Chassagne's vocals on the final track are one of my favourite moments on this listen. Can't think of much to criticize on this one. Fave tracks: Neighbourhood #1 (Tunnels), Rebellion (Lies), In The Backseat

A truly beautiful album. The incorporation of instruments beyond the typical rock 4-piece brings a lot of emotional depth and the lyrics cut just right all throughout. Also a very minor thing, but I just love it so much when songs mix into each other, shows that extra foresight was put into the planning of the whole thing. Definitely massively influential, this is a sound that every indie band since have been trying to achieve, with very few matching it's power. I personally prefer The Suburbs to this one, but I would still never turn down a listen. Fav Tracks: Neighbourhood #1, Crown of Love, Rebellion and In The Backseat

great

Funeral is a watershed indie rock album that shaped the genre for the next two decades. It incorporates elements of baroque and symphonic pop into contemporary indie rock to yield an uncommonly lush and melodic album. Lyrically, the album is ultimately hopeful at a very polarizing time in the wake of the invasion of Iraq

solid catchy indie rock that has cast a long shadow over the rest of the genre. feels a little designed-for-radioplay but that is fine by me!

Ingrained in me. I can’t even tell if I like it any more. It just exists as part of my sonic landscape. Yes, he’s whiny. I just don’t seem to care.

Overblown

Hermoso álbum. Gran recomendación.

classic

With the benefit of the passage of time - this album stands the test of time - an excellent end to end album with no fat and great songs.

Dit is potjandorie goeie muziek. Leuke melodietjes, beetje poppie rock muziek van de 21e eeuw. ****

Really cool album

pff, de stem zeurt nogal

Niks negatiefs over te zeggen; Geweldig album en een geweldige band!

Best leuk

Yes! Dit is echt een fantastisch album. Dit debuut en de paar platen daarna zijn allemaal echt geweldig. Jammer dat ze tegenwoordig een soort ABBA-achtige crap maken.

Uitstekende plaat!

More of that mid 2000s overproduced, whining, emo, why is there a fiddle in everything?, proto-hipster, I wear a funny hat but I can pull it off because I'm a musician type stuff.

I like it, but it's not outstanding to me.

I would have liked this so much more had just about anyone else been lead singer. Music was really good. Dudes voice was rough for me.

It was good. Not a whole lot of opinions on this one.

When this album first came out I was way too deep in the throes of pop-punk to get much out of it. Revisiting it 15 years later really let's me appreciate what a well-crafted indie/alt record this is

Fantastic album, always gets me

A top album when I was in middle school but most of the songs don't hold up for me

Already one of my favorite albums! They just released new music that sounded like it harkened back to this era, so revisiting their early stuff might help prime their new album.

10/10/10

I get more Neon Bible but it's good

Bless this album.

I love the hell out of this album. Really quintessential indie music.

Listened

honestly skipped arcade fire. Funeral was like. really fucking good though.

Love this album. Alternative rock classic

Great. I quite enjoy one of their later albums, Everything Now, so it wasn't a huge surprise that I enjoyed this one. They seem to hew relatively close to the sound of the time, but I like their take on it.

Just okay. Some of the tracks were good, Rebellion for example I found pretty interesting with some of the key modulations, but overall there wasn't much on here that I really liked. Maybe more listens are necessary, but this kind of just made me want to put on the Pixies or Modest Mouse instead.

There's some good stuff on here, but I had heard how great this album is and I wasn't so impressed. It at times reminded me of Modest Mouse or Pixies, but not as good. The singles are solid, and some of the others were pretty good as well. I just don't see myself coming back to it. It wasn't offensive, it just didn't hold my attention. 3/5

Folksy indie rock with some great sense of scale and powerful melodramatic vocals. Thought the opener "Tunnels" was fantastic but not so much the follow-up. It picks up again from there on though, "7 Kettles" is beautiful, the disco-infused outro to "Crown of Love" is cool and the anthemic "Wake Up" is also very effective but I must admit that I don't exactly get the masterpiece status this album has. It's great but nothing more than that.

Meh. Folksy, chambery indie rock has always been one of my least favorite genres. There was a period where I was a little more suspectible to it, but at that point Arcade Fire were too mainstreamy yet not Classic enough to hit my radar. So yeah, I didn’t have fun with this one. Credit where credit is due to a couple of decent ideas scattered in, but I can go the rest of my life without spinning this. D-

Meh, this is the kind of indie rock that holds no interest for me.

I like Arcade Fire. They’re perfectly fine. But, this album has always been crazy overrated to me. Don’t get me wrong, it’s very good; I find their followup is less “artsy Modest Mouse” or “Talking Heads through the lens of 00s indie rock” and more of its own thing. Still, tracks like “Power Out,” “Rebellion,” and (ugh, I begrudgingly LOVE it) “Wake Up” are catalogue standouts. Nice to come back to this every once in a while. 3.5

Love this album another one of my all time favourites. Rebellion (lies) is one of my all time favourite songs.

I really dig it

Was leaning towards 4... but then 'Wake Up' started.

This was acc fire

So much nostalgia

Oo this album is so fragile and honest, it is beautiful, focusing on the things near us, in the neighbourhood, in the suburbs, telling stories of loss-of-innocence and coming to terms with the world. It is beautiful indie rock with symphonic influences, but also draws from various Latin traditions. I am in love with WIn Butler's vocal, and am on all fours over 'Wake Up' which manifests a beautiful anger and pain that ultimately dissolves into a cathartic sensation through dance. Maybe that sounds bizzare, but that really is how it feels! Brilliant album and thankfully not the only one by Arcade Fire at that!

Never heard it before. Enjoyed it a lot

Great indie-style vibe album, reminiscent of Cage The Elephant (perhaps they were influenced a lot by them?). I will listen to the album regularly from now on.

I really enjoyed this album, more than I expected to. Great catchy, energetic songs, soaring arrangements. Fave Songs: Crown of Love, In the Backseat, Wake Up, Rebellion (Lies), Une année sans lumière,Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles)

I want to like these guys- the tracks are everything I normally like: quirky and oddball lyrics and tunes and such. They're ok but there's no spark. Maybe one day i'll get them......

Great

Liked this more than I thought I would, saved two songs.

Muito bom.

Boring, mellow alt-folk rock.

Part of it is treadmill music. Part of it is montage music. And I don't mean that in an Eddie Haskell sort of way.

epic!

Better than i thought, but not a fan of the singer´s voice and sometimes there´s a little too much going on.

Had not listened to it for 15 years or so and liked it more at the time - but still good of course and one of those immediately recognizable albums, like The Bends or Siamese Dream. So will give it 5 star.

Love the sound of it. From the first bars of the piano in what sounds like a parish hall.

Cuando salió este disco no me voló los sesos y en esta ocasión tampoco. Sin embargo, sí cambió mi perspectiva sobre el grupo y el álbum, pedo entender ahora la fascinación de mucha gente por la banda. Musica y letras muy cuidadas, sonido pulcro y complejo. 3.5 que sube a 4.

Me cuesta mucho trabajo esta banda porque me gusta como suenan sus armonías, instrumentaciones y estructuras, pero me súper zurra su voz y me hace querer dejar de escuchar en cuanto empieza a cantar. Tratando de dejar de lado los gemidos que hace pasar por canto, la verdad es que es un disco bonito, nostálgico pero sin llegar a extremos y que sube y baja de tono y de intención muy bien. No más por eso llega a la 4 estrella.

An album to die for

big up for Wake Up giving me a moment one time

An absolute classic and what a debut. After dozens of listens I think The Suburbs might even be the better album, but this is superb.

4.5

I liked this a lot more than Suburbs, and the release year was pretty interesting (if I’d had to guess, I would’ve placed this sound around 2008 at the earliest). This wasn’t *quite* to my taste, but it was frustratingly close, and I’m still trying to figure out what’s making the difference.

EEEEEEEEE ANOTHER ONE I ADORE!!! Personal highlights include: - Tunnels (gorgeous opening track, makes me feel like I'm in a snowy cabin) - Power Out (particularly the bridge building to "IS IT A DREAM? IS IT A LIE?" and everything after that) - Crown of Love is maybe (maybe?) my favourite song on here, it's just so lovely and again the buildup is so good! - Wake Up (obviously) - In The Backseat (makes me Big Emotional and reminds me of being a little kid, well, in the backseat) I think I gravitate more towards the songs with big dramatic swelling instrumentals and vocals rather than the quieter and slower songs (though these are still ridiculously beautiful and I love them too)

What an album- some cracking songs and always hits me in the feels. Sooooo gooood!

Absolutely thoroughly enjoyed. No criticism.

I love this one more every time I hear it. A modern classic for sure, and one of the best debuts of all time. So impressive and beautiful and still the best thing Arcade Fire have done imo

I’ve listened to this album before but once it came up here I tried again. I listened to it 3 times mainly because it’s so easy to get lost in the songs. They are very enjoyable and feel like an indie orchestra. It follows the pattern I find great of music that sounds uplifting but the lyrics are the opposite. This album is an indie staple. 7.9/10

Bom.

very yas

Ah yes a classic from my early post college days.

No conocía esta banda. No tenía claro si era de los 70 o los 2000.. muchos elementos. Buen descubrimiento.

Was interesting….

Not a huge fan of this album, I was never a fan of arcade fire. I think I've only seen them perform on SNL. Either way, I won't be going back to this one.

These guys are in that hipster band category (along with Radiohead, Vampire Weekend, The National, etc.) that you're supposed to "get," and I have rarely understood the appeal. They've got less that I know and enjoy than the others I listed, and this album breezed by me without making much of an impression. Enjoyable, calming music, I don't know, I'm just not digging much here. So many albums in this "no man's land" of decency for me: fine music, but I'm unmoved and uninterested. Favorite tracks: Neighborhood #3, Une annee sans lumiere. Album art: I've seen this countless times, it's not bad. Definitely a relic of its time. Nothing crazy though, I prefer a few others from them. 3/5

Excellent debut album

Great

Nope

Recognized *that* song from commercials. Otherwise not much stood out. Feels like a 3 is generous.

So many good songs - very unique (or at least it was unique at the time).

This is an all time favourite and one of the most important albums in my teens. I haven't given this a listen in a long time but it still holds up. It doesn't give me the same emotional listen like in the past but all the songs hold up and are super fun. Good songwriting on here and nice arrangements, with a good lyrical theme that goes through the album. Still love it.

Staple indie from my formative years. Cue Schmidt's finger snaps: "Let's start an Arcade Fire"

Possibly my favourite album. It's hard to describe how it makes me feel without sounding pretentious, so I might as well lean into it... For me, it's like an escape into some time and place that probably never existed (between the click of the light and the start of the dream, you might say). Rustic and intimate yet also epic and ethereal. There's an earnestness to the the lyrics that lends extra power and purpose to the oh-whoa-whoa singalong bits. They come across a bit like they're preaching the views of some cult, but one whose cause I can really get behind. Laika and Power Out bring a chaotic energy, like punk if punk was invented 200 years ago in Central Europe. Tunnels might be the most romantic song I've ever heard, in some strange way. And Rebellion is the best of the lot - that string/vocal melody in the outro is one of my all-time favourite bits of music. Also, I reckon In The Backseat is their underrated masterpiece. Love that portentous guitar chord at 2:25, and the way the track diminishes to just a whisper at the end sounds like being left alone with your thoughts after everyone leaves the party, or life continuing after someone has died. Which is what I believe the song, (and most of the album), is about: life, death, and the struggle to hold onto childhood innocence as you get older. Saw it performed live once but loads of people talked over it. Ah well, it's only music innit.

Brilliant album Not sure how to criticise this beyond saying I prefer Neon Bible, which doesn't seem fair. So 5 stars it is (to keep Jack happy)

Jamás habría imaginado que al volver a escuchar este disco después de tantos años, lloraría. Es como volver a casa. Desprende inocencia, unas veces dulce, otras rabiosa, pero siempre bella. Descubrí a Arcade Fire con “Power Out” y en ese momento supe que estaba ante algo nuevo, original e icónico, como el “Breathe” de The Prodigy. El disco, inesperadamente, resultó no ser tan eléctrico como el single. Sin embargo, después de varias escuchas no importó porque lo que este disco tenía era algo más y ese algo te desgarraba por dentro. Era imposible parar de escucharlo. Hoy he vuelto a esa época en la que mis oídos estaban cogiendo forma y he sentido un gozo incontenible al hacerlo. Hay funerales que llenan a uno de felicidad.

This was one of the most surprising albums to listen to, despite being a good album, i never expected to hit the feels like this. In a crisp 48 min run time which is much shorter than most other albums I have listened to, they (Arcade Fire) have discussed many ideas from the present such as childhood loss, wanting to run away and other feelings that would be commonplace now in 2021. Companied with strong instrumentation that changes from down and slow to rebellious and upbeat to even using the French language this album stuck out in all the right ways

Okay, kind of just generic background rock music. Nothing really standout.

Decent music, very irritating singing style

Love this album. A bit late to the party but better late than never

Heard it before but not for a few years. One of my favourites from when I was a teenager, very catchy and much prefer it to their later albums. Very youthful sounding album

Algunos buenos temas

4.5

Rating: 9/10 Best songs: Tunnels, Laika, Power out, Crown of love, Wake up, Haiti, Rebellion

3.5/5

I had heard them way back on SNL when they were on, and I do remember them because the last song led into a concert they did afterwards. The first time I listened to this, I was a bit turned off. Didn't like the vocalist, a little warbly. He reminded me a bit of Mark Coyne from The Flaming Lips. The drums were too simple, which bothered me. I did give it a second listen, and warmed up to it more. I found myself enjoying it, but I am still not a fan of the vocalist. And the drums do need work.

I feel like I always think these guys are better than they really are. Like, when I saw this album I thought \"oh yeah, it's really good\" and then I listened to it and thought \"is it?\" And I know I've done that on this album and other Arcade Fire albums on previous listens. So, I tried to put the music critics' constant fawning out of my mind and evaluate for myself. Tunnels holds up - simple baseline instruments (piano, xylophone?) that mix well with the guitars and drums, thoughtful lyrics, and Win Butler's desperation-style vocals. And it's that combination that works well on multiple tracks (Une Annee sans Lumiere, Kettles - really beautiful). It also sometimes fails (Laika - Butler and strings too whiny, In the Backseat - Regine Chassagne's vocals are hit or miss). But there are also a series of songs that take those previous good things and then go further by adding in an edgy, high energy, more rock feel. Power Out and Wake Up are good examples. The best example is Rebellion - it will probably always stay in my top 20 alternative rock songs (the opening bass line, then the piano, then the rest of the instruments - love it). I don't know where to put Arcade Fire in terms of influencing the indie rock revival/explosion of the 2000's (that is still going strong today) but this album is certainly in the middle of all of it. And so after some focused listens, yeah it's really, really good.

I tried to listen to this album many times, because it felt like I should like it more. It never really clicked for some reason. I notice a lot of songs tend to focus on a particular riff and never really change. Maybe that's the problem - the album just doesn't seem dynamic enough. It's not bad, I just don't know that I would seek it out again. Favorite tracks - Wake Up - anthemic and it's probably one of the more dynamic songs on the album. Une annee sans lumieri pulled me in but has the same issue of being essentially one riff all the way through, until the very last minute. Neighborhood #3 (Power Out) - another one that's basically one riff with subtle changes throughout, but it's a very cool riff. In the Backseat was a good closer.

At least they tried. The epitome of what someone who grew up in the shadow of uninspiring britpop comes up with to prove that music doesn't have to be... Well, britpop. This has chord changes for the sake of it. Tempo changes because of course they do. And of course, the orchestra is there because Oasis did it for "whatever" and it kinda worked on that. It isn't a horrible album. But it does not live up to its own pomp and bombast. If they'd toned it down a bit, it could have nestled in alongside every other mid-2000s post-britpop album, but for some reason, reviews and listeners have bought into the sales pitch and here we are on a list of 1,001 albums to listen to.

A triumphant moment for music. Music fans may have decided that such a sound is dated and that every era has a sound and that you can't relate to things from out of your time. But really I reject that. Funeral is one of the most emotional and relatable stories of adolescent uncertainty ever crafted, with all of life's pure unrestrained rebellion, despair, and the in between. They are a band with fucking violinists and horn players but at the end of the day it's music recorded with a fidelity that frankly anyone could acquire with simple homely writing. Regine and Winn Butler's voice breaking the limits of the mix on tracks such as Neighborhood #1 and In the Backseat is not something to be frowned upon. They're astounding moments of incredibly talented individuals screaming into the void at the loss of the light of their parent's and community's guidance. Yet through this expression of pain, Funeral becomes an almost communal event which is what I think truly makes Funeral the epitome of what everyone loves or hates about the genre. The album has a few weaker spots that I can easily note but that would take away from the sentiment I want to express. Funeral is one of the most loveable albums I have and ever will meet and I love returning to it every time.

It was actively putting me to sleep, but in a boring way rather than a relaxing way. The beginning of the album starts off incredibly slow, and I much preferred the latter half. Each song in this section flows better and doesn't feel like the equivalent of quicksand to get through. It elevated the experience, but maybe that's just because the first half was so much worse compared to the second. Favorite track: Haiti

I think I am not the target demographic of this. I wouldn't really care if someone had a song or two on their playlist on a long car ride, but I'm just not really a fan.

lyrics are beautiful, but very muted when it starts. Ultimately, it's a bit up and down.

When i first heard this, i loved it an wasn't sure why... definitely not a conventional alt rock album, but it's creativity and energy were easy to enjoy. Album still holds up... pretty incredible from start to finish.

Loved it. Could only listen to one track, though. What happened? Wanted to listen to more. Sad.

Real fun, one of my favourites actually. A mix of slightly left field music and lyrics

Think it got better as it went on. Only know one other song of theirs so was good to hear this.

Not in the right headspace to enjoy it...was not terrible

different than what I was expecting, not every memorable however

Mostly good songs that just roll through. When they work they're great. When they don't it just a bit indie meh

I always forget how much I like this band and how great their first 3 albums are (Reflektor is really good, but the first 3 are perfect). This album definitely deserves to be on a list of best debut albums of all time.

Best song: Wake Up. I still can’t get into this band

Quintessential "indie" rock right here, and there is a particular honest charm here that I really dig throughout most of it.

This is a vein of indie rock from the 2000s that I find quite enjoyable. Now normally I enjoy a raw and rough sound, but this is one place where I think their mellower sounds later in their discography really shine, and the rawness seems detrimental to the overall feel of the album.

Good album but I have heard it several times before when it was first released.

2004 - indie rock

Helt ok indiepop

Pretty cool atmospheric indie rock. Reminds me of Bright Eyes but less emo

Not sure if music from this period is bad or if I just didn't like it. But I did not enjoy this one bit; bland, pretentious, and needy. The early-00s equivalent of easy listening.

Pretty good! Have it on vinyl!

Arcade Fire is supposed to work for me on paper and people really love and almost revere it but I just don't.

First time listening in anger to those Arcade Fire fellas. There's a grandeur and a sweep to their sound, that's for sure. I get the feeling I'll have to listen several more times to get beyond that grandeur and that sweep, but it's not something I'm opposed to. I'd always put them in a box marked "Kings of Leon et al", and left well enough alone. There is some interesting stuff going on (aforementioned grandeur and sweep aside) - the intermingling of lady-voice in there was a welcome surprise, for instance. Plus that grandeur. It feels like "visual music" in the a similar way to Eli, I suppose - the visual here being people driving across a sun-blasted desert, for me. Still not sure they don't belong in that box marked "Kings of Leon, The Killers etc", but I'll certainly give em a few more tries to find out.

Who or what is the funeral for? The youth? They do seem a mite hung-up about the world children are being born into. Or is it the death of the 'neighbourhood'--the slightly irritating conceit for four song titles? If it was me, I'd be lamenting the last three tracks, which are all 'slow builds'--the standard indie Polyfilla when a song isn't working. Despite the band's best efforts, thoe songs expire lamely anyway. Let's assume they never figured out what their concept was and remember that, until 'Haiti' comes around, it doesn't matter. Win's vocals are absurd, falling somewhere between Bono, David Thomas and Gerard Way (did you know such a place existed?) I guess that makes him part universalist, part edge-of-nervous breakdown, and part actual breakdown. The band walks its own tightrope between lavish orchestration and thin, scratchy guitars. Those components shouldn't work but mostly do because this gazillion-piece (who clearly had stadium aspirations from the start, so "indie" my butt) knows how to rinse every last drop from a key change. The one in the Kettle chorus epitomises their whole sound. And they can write in a way that's general enough to seem relevant to everyone but specific enough to stay weird ("They say a watched pot won't ever boil / You can't raise a baby on motor oil" is a favourite). They're best when they work themselves up into a tizz. The strings at the end of Crown of Love are so hyper they could have been made specially for a football highlights package. But when these guys are peaking not even a seven-goal thriller would match the melodrama. Shame they got scared of their shadow after The Suburbs.

Ovo ono, nisam im posvetio puno paznje prije. Svida mi se mix i izricaj za prvi put, ali mi nije odma sjelo

Iako je Neon Bible meni najbolji njihov album, ovaj album definitivno ide iza njega. Nedugačak, al po svemu su koliko znamo na ovom albumu neizostavni klasici indie rocka. Favoritne pjesme: Neighborhood #1, #2, #3, #4, Wake Up, Haiti i Rebellion (Lies).

Ugodna šetnja po Volovčici uz ugodan albumčić!

Fantastic album. Top 10 all time for me. Such a great introduction for folks to indie. 5/5

Masterpiece. Among the top 5 albums of the last 20 years. Some of the songs on here are in the all-time pantheon. I might argue Tunnels is my favorite opening track on any album, ever.

Indie rock band Arcade Fire's debut album. The album only has 10 tracks, but it is highly acclaimed - having been called a 'modern classic' and being certified gold. The theme of the album is mortality, so the songs are somber but still have that upbeat rock feel. I enjoyed this album and will look out for more of this band's music, even though none of the songs really stuck out to me as amazing.

Asså det är väldigt bra men vid det här laget är jag så trött på det här soundet att jag nästan inte tycker om det längre... Gillar deras neon bible mer.

Jävla roligt album, otroligt många bra låtar dock ohyggligt pissig kvalitet dessvärre, ljudet spenderar typ en fjärdedel av albumlängden i taket. Väldigt synd, funkar rätt bra när de inte är så många inslag samtidigt. Blir så JÄVLA grötigt annars. Astronomiskt dålig separation. Det är verkligen natt och dag mellan Funeral och Neon Bible som låter jättebra i jämförelse?? Skulle va kul om de kunde släppa en remaster eller likande. Får lite ont i huvudet av detta(?) Bra låtar, kul band. Dålig slutprodukt.

Jättebra! Men jag blir så ledsen! Men det är så bra!

Mjao älskar arcade fire så mycket!! även om jag tycker att de kunde höjd ljudet på vocals (ärligt talat det är på antlers-nivå). Wake up är!!!!

It's arcade fire

This is probably my fifth time listening over the years. I think I finally get what this band has achieved here- good song structures and instrumentation. Still will never care for the main vocalist. This album isn’t for me, but I finally get it.

Ok album, had some cool moments but nothing that exaordinary. Listening conditions weren't the best however.

Another album that took a while to grow on me, having not been familiar with it before. I didn’t grow fond of the lead vocal, though. It's a pet peeve when lyrics are unintelligible (said the crabby old person), and there's a quality of his voice that I struggle with. That said, it's because I started to like the rest of the music so much that his voice stood out so much to me. Maybe I'll get that, too, at some point. I enjoy this album more each time I listen. I like the very different musical sounds of each of the songs, and I can't really pick my favorites without listing most of them. I did have a special fondness for "In the Backseat" and the lyric "My family tree's losin' all its leaves" stabbed me a bit. It really did conjure up vivid emotion and imagery that goes with the album title.

I am sure that I have heard of Arcade Fire, but I cannot quite place what work I know of the band. This album was all new for me. It was musically interesting. I don't know how often I will actually seek it out for a listen in the future, but it was nice to spend the day with it today.

This one. This one I want to hear performed live. I want the bass to tickle the soles of my feet and rattle my ribcage. I want to dance and sweat and mouth all the words. More than many, this album feels like one piece of work, rather than a collection of songs. I've never seen Arcade Fire. I'm making all of this up. Here is my daydream: This works best in my mind if I imagine a smallish venue --- max. capac. at most 500 people, an old theater with red velvet curtains and a proscenium stage. We've got reserved seats (we are too old for general admission) in the 6th row and a warm whiskey buzz going. The first three tracks bring us in gently, but each of these rises and falls in tempo and intensity, building to a boppy finish at the end of Une année sans lumière. And THEN, Neighborhood #3 hits like a ton of bricks and we are overwhelmed with sound and light and maybe we can't breathe. Good thing Neighborhood #4 is next so we can take a minute to recover, continuing into the beginning of Crown of Love which builds some more, shifting to a crooning ballad and again to a disco finish that leads into the steady groove of the anthemic Wake Up which itself shifts to a dance party reminiscent of The Jam or Iggy Pop. Rebellion really feels like a finale. We're all on our feet, jumping to the beat in unison. It's hot. We all need water. Almost done. We know. We are elated, high on the show. Applause, clapping, stomping. We want an encore! We hear In the Backseat start before lights come up. We close our eyes, all breathing the same air. Music builds for the last time. It is too much but we don't want it to end. Instruments gradually drop out one by one. No applause at the end of this one. We exit quietly, our ears ringing, a tear in our eyes, a gentle smile on our lips.

I haven't listened to this album in quite a while - so it was good to have this opportunity to revisit it. On this listen the similarities to the Electric Light Orchestra stood out. The way that many of their songs have distinct, contrasting "movements" and their use or orchestral instruments and the string arrangements at times had me thinking Arcade Fire is a sort of alternative music evolution of ELO. I love the song "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)." The music and vocal performance transports me to the snow covered landscape of the song. "Neighborhood #2 (Laika)" with its shouty delivery and accordion tackles dysfunctional family dynamics and sacrificial lambs by referencing Laika, the first creature sent on a one-way trip into space. "So the neighbors can dance in the police disco lights." Incredible imagery and a great song. "Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)" is one of my favorite songs on the album. The xylophone is a fantastic addition to this song that starts with a power failure and goes to so many places from there… Crown of Love's" heartbreaking exploration of love and its impermanence shows the softer side of Arcade Fire, until it builds to a frenetic ending. So good. "Wake Up" is a masterpiece. 'We're just a million little gods causing rain storms turning every good thing to rust.' Wow. "Rebellion (Lies)" is a close contender for favorite song on the album. The key changes on "Every time you close your eyes" are so great. "In The Backseat" gives the lead vocals to Régine Chassagne and is a cool change to end the album on. I love the feelings evoked of just riding in the backseat... and at times her voice is very reminiscent of Björk to me - so compelling. I love this album. FUNERAL's strong underlying themes of family and community are explored with a desperation that is palpable. A fantastic debut from Arcade Fire that has more than earned its place on this list!

Standard fare from Arcade Fire, a decent listen.

Liked it a lot, beautiful, might have to Listen to it a few more Times tho

Love this album. Always have, always will.

Surprised by this one. Not a huge arcade fire fan, but I hadn't listened to this one. While not exactly my cup of tea, I can see the hype.

Did this one cause the Indie hype? Further listening required

8/10

Pretty decent. Doesn't quite do it for me though. I do like Wake Up, probably because of the trailer for Where the Wild Things Are

Mad album

I feel as if, no matter how I approach this album, I'll always be biased against it. Everyone was so quick to absolutely tongue-bathe this record that, now that I check it out? It's fine. Just fine. "Wake Up" sounds like the literal definition of the commercialization of indie rock, or some sixteen-year-old trying acid for the first time. This is my second Arcade Fire record that I've received and my patience grows thin. Favorite tracks: "Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)", "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)"

Not my thing. But the melody is alright. Just not into that sort of voice and that way of singing.

Neighbourhood #3 (lieb das Xylophon) Haiti

Indie - Kinda poppish - would totally listen to again

Songs merge into each other. Tonally bland and uninspiring. In the Backseat was the standout track as it didnt have the lead singer on it.

Not keen

Wake up is a great song 👍👍

Like it

Indie rock. No está mal.

this is my first album so i'm not sure what to say hear but i really enjoyed it and want to give it more listens

I like the range of sound and the lyrics felt personal and sad.

The album is pretty much unremarkable.

Perhaps a 2.5, just not my thing - found it a bit dull

I'm hard-pressed to think of this as anything other than my third-favorite Arcade Fire release. Realistically, it's probably their second-best. From both subjective and objective stances, it's an absolute icon of heart-on-sleeve indie. The quality jump from the EP is massive, and the rest of the oeuvre is built of many of the same ingredients. I find devastation, which as far as I can tell is the point, mostly at the beginning and end.

I thought the album was very well produced and was very well written. It was not my cup of tea though.

Indie pop perfection.

Not bad

Rebellion (Lies) is an absolute tune. This was peak teenage fun times so my rating is mostly based on nostalgia.

8/10. really good and emotive. almost gave this a 9 but i think it needed more contrast- there was too much loud, layered, choral vocals stuff so that things just kind of ended up blurring together in a way.

7/10. Sounds like 2000's Indie Music, for better and for worse.

I feel like they pulled a lot of punches despite having some compelling ideas. 7/10

Arcade Fire's first album, 2004. The album was given its title because several band members had recently lost members of their families. Despite indie rock is not my favourite genre of music I liked the sound and atmosphere of this album a lot!

It was okay. Didn't really grab me, but didn't grate either, so that's a bonus !

Sometimes I love this

Honestly, this was very close to being a sonic masterpiece for me, but there were moments that took me out of the listening experience here and there. I think I will definitely re-visit this one and can easily see it becoming one of my favorites. From the instruments to the lyricism to the overall atmosphere, I'm pretty much sold.

The highlight of the album is the magisterial Wake Up. All the tracks before it feel like one long introduction and build up to this particular highlight. I find this album quite hard to pin down - I enjoy the music but I don’t know what the band are trying to say. Maybe this doesn’t matter.

Arcade 🔥

кайовый инди рок, где то лёгкий, где то потяжелее

It doesn't fully hold my attention the whole way through, but really the only thing I can say negatively about this. Soundscapes are insane #whenyouwatchingthemovieandwakeupplays Already Saved: Wake Up; Rebellion (Lies) Saved After Listening: Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)*, Neighborhood #2 (Laika)

Saved Prior: Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels), Neighborhood #2 (Laika), Neighborhood #3 (Power Out), Wake Up, Rebellion (Lies) Not Saved: 10. Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles) Saved: 9. Une Annee Sans Lumiere 8. Crown of Love 7. In the Backseat 6. Neighborhood #2 (Laika) 5. Neighborhood #3 (Power Out) 4. Haiti 3. Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) 2. Wake Up 1. Rebellion (Lies) Overall Notes: A very very difficult album to rank 1-10. I saw these guys in concert (would highly recommend) so I'm pretty familiar with their stuff, and each song on this album brings strong musical elements to the table. Album is super nostalgic yet at the same time forward looking. Great stuff. One thing I'll say is that it's crazy that Wake Up doesn't open up the album, and the tracklist flows a little weird to me. But what do I know? 4.75 rounded up because math.

Rock indie. Cosas interesantes.

Reminds me of the trio to Florida. Bold & anthem. The great tracks are a triumph but doesn’t hold up all the way through. Too immediate. No intimacy for me.

Already liked it before, so pretty biased. Power Out, Wake Up – BANGERS.

A debut album that made the band huge straight away. Whiny emoish vocals, huge noise - orchestral rock? Best Tracks: Neighborhood #3 (Power Out); Wake Up; Rebellion (Lies)

Really familiar

Picks me up when i'm feeling low

Nice and chill. Overall enjoyable.

Didn't really like the production. But 3rd song is quite good

Solid 4 Stars - great album that I've listened to several times before. There's something about it that may not completely click with me, which is why I haven't given it 5 stars.

Prefer the later albums, rougher round the edges than I remember. But a sign of good things to come.

Another album that I wasn't sure that I'd like. Honestly I was mostly right, but there were a few songs that I did like and I liked them a lot. Like Neighbourhood 1 (Tunnels) and Une Annee Sans Lumiere. Wake Up was OK too, but otherwise it was pretty average. 3/5 stars.

Loved it since I first heard it.

Tres bon. On voit ou il s’en vont, un apercu de ce qui s’en vient. Ca vaut le detour franchement . 4.5

good enough to listen twice

Sympa, 5 chansons likées donc bon ratio mais pas de gros gros coup de coeur (pour le moment)

I think I had too much hype going into this album and my unfairly high expectations weren't meant. Still, a great album and Wake Up deserves all the plays it gets.

The more I hear from Arcade Fire, the more I love them. I was only 8 when this album came out, so I never got to hear it fully. But WOW, this record is packed with so much emotion and catharsis. Touching the subjects of death and mortality are something that artists either do very plainly because they are too general, or very deeply because they've actually experienced or thought about it in a personal moment. This album is the latter, by almost all members of the band, and they really put their heart into being expressionists. The sounds can be overwhelming and anxiety ridden - but in a beautiful way that makes sense and reflects the stages of grief we all must someday face. Favorite Song: Une Annee Sans Lumiere Least Favorite Song: Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles)

I do actually like multiple songs on this album. I enjoy it and admit my normalcore tastes sometimes

Might have hit differently if I had grown up to this album. The worst first 20 seconds of any song called Wake Up.

This album is like an alien trying to replicate human emotions.

I actually really dug the first song, but the rest of the album was kind of an inoffensive snooze.

This album was important to me when it came out and and I still really like it today, it's part "I like it" and part "i'm a homer" but otherwise it's hard to explain it other than by saying I love pretty much everything about it. It's a shame that the legacy of this album is a bunch of shitty bands trying to recreate this sound for a decade and an original band I just don't care about whatsoever outside of this lp

The kind of music your friend listens to because a girl he likes told him she liked it.

Music for people that can almost land a kickflip to listen to while they think about their crush on the cute cashier at the Zumiez by the mall. Not outright offensive, so it's spared the single star.

My Arcade Fire story is that I saw them open for Unicorns back a few months before this album came out and absolutely nobody was paying attention to them and hanging out at the bar areas and I think that's hilarious. and really those are more or less my feelings now. I am completely ambivalent to this and have no strong feelings in any direction. I didn't get it then and I don't get it now. The only thing I can say after revisiting it again is it sounds way more like Broken Social Scene than I remembered it sounding. But even they were pretty boring live.

Good listen, but did not impress me

really good comic book reading album. Will probably look it up later to read to Might create a jurassic park to this album

Arcade Fire is amazing. 4 stars.

Ci sta, un po cosi, un po' lame, non mi dice niente. Mosica rock lenta, un po brit.

Lo trovo un album ben fatto e scorrevole. Loro hanno cavalcato l'onda indie degli anni 2000 e hanno fatto il botto (per questo ad esempio loro li trovo più mainstream dei Coldplay e per questo li penalizzerò). Sono anche stati i pupilli di David Bowie (Daniele ne sarà entusiasta). Comunque l'album non è male, ci sono alcuni pezzi che mi piacciono come Neighborhood #4, Wake Up, Haiti e In The Backseat. Voto: 3.75 ..per un pelo! Comunque sono bravi dai.

Oggi non sono in vena di essere comprensivo. Conosco un sacco di persone che stanno in fissa con gli Arcade Fire ma onestamente non sono mai riuscito a capire dov'è il fascino, per questo li aspettavo un po' al varco. Purtroppo questo disco non mi ha aiutato a capirne il senso, se possibile ha peggiorato la mia percezione. Questo album mi ha parecchio annoiato, mi sembra come il tentativo di un gruppo brit pop di fare un po' gli alternativi senza veramente cogliere il senso dei gruppi da cui sembrano trarre ispirazione (alcuni nominabili: The Decemberists, Stars). C'è qualche pezzo che svetta sugli altri, come magari "In The Backseat" ma non è abbastanza per non farmi arrivare questo album come una sola canzone spalmata per 48 minuti. Mi dispiace amici, per me è un 2.5 scarso.

Conoscevo il gruppo solo di nome e questo disco mi ha sorpreso in positivo. Il sound ha una sua originalità nonostante le similitudini con alcuni gruppi degli anni 2000, molto saturo però senza essere eccessivo. Lo risentirò.

Had heard one of the tracks before. Sits well within the album which is strong and consistent.

I liked that

I surprisingly really enjoyed it. It has a unique sound and production, the songs don’t particularly stand out from one another but as a whole the album is a good indie album.

Not bad but would have preferred them to be a bit "heavier"

liked the instruments, hated the vocals. wavy and weak.

good Indie band. just not really sure this album needs to be on this list.

4.7 + One of several great AF albums but arguably their masterpiece. Set around themes of suburban life, isolation and rebirth. A satisfying arc of songs that grabs you from the beginning and leads you on a journey. So many standout tracks.

On of my favorite albums of all time.

Interesting album, definitely not my taste. Can see why it rates highly.

Made me watch their Glastonbury appearance from 2007 again, better live.