Funeral

idk, man, it's * less interesting than the emo stuff that came before and clearly inspired it * less interesting than the rock that was happening at the same time as it * less interesting than all the indie pop rock stuff that was popular afterwards

I really tried to like this! It has so many influences that I do like and I know a lot of people love Arcade Fire, but I couldn't get into it. This is the epitome of soundtrack music, consistent, droning, not too interesting to pull attention away from the visuals. There is some nice piano and violins but they're hard to appreciate because everything is mixed at exactly the same level creating a flat, monotonous drone. It's a mix of styles I like but they've all been mixed into a grey goo. Disappointing. The cover is really nice though! The composition is interesting and pleasant, it gets a 4/5.

Still as gorgeous as it ever was, tainted only by the circumstances of its lead singer. But make no mistake, of all the indie bands to circle around the mid-2000’s this was the one that stuck, and for good reason. It’s hard to give it a perfect score both because of its flaws and what we know now, but it’s still a gorgeous stunning album.

I used to think this was one of the best albums of all time, now I don’t really care to listen to it any more. Tried selling my record from 2008 or so but the dude wouldn’t take it from me. Naive melody: the album. Is that Owen Pallette on violin? Cuz he’s the only instrument doing anything but too much at the same time.

Torn between a 3 and 4, not my favorite arcade fire record but very cohesive, high 3 low 4 I think

One of the most formative albums in my development as a listener of music. It felt revolutionary when I first heard it, and it still holds up. One of my all-time favorites.

Masterpiece

When the weekly music papers died around the turn of the century, we turned to Pitchfork for our opinions on the day's music scene. They were often far up themselves with misguided promotion of new-prog nonsense like Animal Collective, but they got it right with Arcade Fire. This album is just beautiful. There are great tunes to leaven some of the Pitchfork-friendly pretentiousness, which sets them far apart from most of their contemporaries. A stunning debut album which they will never better because it's impossible to do so.

There are some beautiful and orchestral songs on here, but I find it extremely annoying when there's one instrument really high in the mix keeping time by playing the same chord continuously for the entire song. And unfortunately that's almost every song on this album.

Still good.

My kinda vibe enjoyable listen

Although much of the album revolves around themes of death and mortality, make no mistake - this album is largely upbeat and energetic. Bold and experimental, the album has an indie-rock vibe, featuring choral vocals and lively guitar riffs, but also the strings, horns and xylophones of Baroque-pop. Such a mix of instruments results in a continuous sound - there is a lot going on, all the time. Yet, while loud, it still manages to be reflective. It has been said that the band experienced much personal loss during the making of the track. But rare among rock records, particularly during the garage rock era of the early 2000s, the album subtly captures the band's more melancholic emotions.

Man, this is some hipster bullshit. Also, I'll say Win Butler can suck my dick, since giving consent ruins it for him.

Derivative

I really love this album. The "shuffle" kind of style they had on this album is tremendous.

Nostalgi

This is a beautiful album. I assume this completes my trilogy of arcade fire albums and that they do only have three on the list. 4 and 5 for those. This was always my favourite and was a 5 before I enjoyed having an extra listen today.

I know this record very well, and it is one I go back to. Absolutely perfect in my eyes, S-tier all the way.

Pretty boring, not my thing. Couple decent moments but they’re lost within the rest of the album which is nothing special

Can't really be objective on this. All I hear is magic.

Well this is more highly rated on here that I expected. I accept that I just don’t get much of the critical acclaim rock music from the period very much, have little infinity towards it, a disconnect with what was perceived as the cutting edge of rock at the time hearing a dull bland drone. Old man shouting at sky time ( insert Grampa Simpson meme). I didn't find this bad per say, but struggled to touch what makes it relevant? Sees like It was on, but it didn't seem to do anything in particular, go anywhere. I just don’t hear a masterpiece that others are describing or anything close, just a fairly bland conglomerate of a series of rock tropes since the 70s, under that sheen of 21 century production. If this is someone's greatest album ever good for them, as it likely has meaning and context in time for you, personally I had little interest found it dull, 2nd listen didn't get any better, that dull guitar sound and wall of rhythm that is so prevalent in Millennial rock, whinny vocals again a stable. Not for me 2 Stars And as side note last artist I had on here all the top reviews were all linked bar none to allegations of misconduct, pillarising the artist, though not substantiated in that case but everyone had issue myself included - art vs artist, etc etc though similar situation here it seems when googled - but not much mentioned?? Be it unsubstantiated it is an issue/or isn't, but people seem to pick and choose their moral stand ( if they like the artist/ he isn't such a prick?).

Excellent

Add it to the list of fine records that now come with some troublesome baggage but damn if it isn’t still a fine listen. Tune after tune delivered with a distinctive, rich signature sound, it still sounds fresh 20 years on.

It’s good and well-made and complex and all that, but not really my thing. I did like the random French though. Benefit of Montreal bands.

It was fine

Actually up there as one of my favorite albums. A classic from a band that makes classics. Too bad Win is an a-hole.

Older I get the more this album grows on me. Some songs I really like other songs I slog through. Net net, a banger. I also have some treasured memories being in a live room belting out “Wake Up” that are eternal.

This was a solid 2 until I hit Wake Up, then I thought "well this would be a 2 but this song elevates it to a 3." Then I heard the last few tracks, which I never did before and it's a solid 3. A lot of skips and a lot of it is too artsy fartsy for my taste. But Wake Up is a banger and there's a couple others I'd revisit.

Grittypretty growlin' howlin' Arcade Fire have mastered the _drop_ ✅✅✅ Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) ✅✅✅ Neighborhood #3 (Power Out) ✅✅✅✅ Rebellion (Lies)

So good I had to listen it to it over and over. Takes me back to a time and place - yet still feels like it could come out today and be a banger of an album.

I was subjected to this album a lot in 2005. My reaction again is annoyance.

🥁🪇🥁🥁🪇 WOAHHH OHHHH WOAHHH OHHHH WOAHHH OHHHH WOAHHH OHHHH 🥴 😭 😫 🥁🥁 WOAHHH OHHHH WOAHHH OHHHH WOAHHH OHHHH WOAHHH OHHHH

later

According to 1001 albums you should listen to, this album single handedly showed up emo music for the “emotionally illiterate, self indulgent, angst ridden garbage” it is. Strong words about an entire genre of music. The blurb also mentions that Arcade Fire dabbled in Krautrock before landing on indie rock and boy am I glad they didn’t stick with their original plan.

A weak 4 out 5 fire...Too much unnecessery fillings.

Some good tracks, but never quite matched the hype.

Mulle lihtsalt tundub see album kohutavalt igav. Võibolla kui ma kuulaksin seda plaati mitu korda läbi, siis jääks midagi meelde, aga esmasel kuulamisel on tõesti raske ühtegi lugu siit meenutada. Ei aita ka fakt, et mulle see vokaal ei sümpatiseeri üldse. Võibolla mulle lihtsalt ei meeldi indie rock või see vaib.

Transcendental. A religious experience for millennials (that's me). Contender for most tears shed on an album. Win Butler you will pay for your crimes.

I already knew how I would review this album before re-listening (spoiler: 4.5). Upon reading the reviews, it feels like listeners fall into one of three camps: 1) those who weren't exposed to the indie rock zeitgeist of the 2000s 2) those who were 3) those who were and hated it This album is so deeply ingrained in that indie rock fervor of the aughts. And, in a way, it helped kick start the movement. At least in the sense of transitioning truly indie music into the mainstream. Listening to Funeral restrospectively, it's hard to believe it wasn't released on a major label. Yes, it's the very definition of indie rock from that era, but so much of what happened after bands like Arcade Fire blew up was that indie rock became more associated with a distinct sound than with the record labels releasing the music. Hell, I remember Arcade Fire playing at some awards show (Grammy's maybe?) with David f'ing Bowie. Anyway all this to say, Funeral is definitely getting points in my book for being culturally and historically relevant, like it or not. But, is it a good album? Truth be told, it's not a perfect album by my definition but it's damn close. And the three songs that don't exactly do it for me are probably someone else's favorite. Each track is a work of art: the lyrics, the composition, the way they tie thematically into the album's overall concept. Arcade Fire won't blow you away with their instrumentals, but neither did Bowie. It is more how those instrumentals are arranged to create a portrait of something greater than itself; a prominent showpiece on the mural of 21st century music if you will. And in some ways that's a good metaphor for Arcade Fire themselves. They kind of became the poster child for indie rock, something far bigger than this album or even any of theirs, could claim. Funeral, upon reflection, is a masterpiece...a personal 4.5 star rating easily becomes a 5 when I account for all this album represents. And sorry to the haters but you don't have to like the music to recognize its brilliance and ultimate worthiness for being on this list.

Enjoyed it! Not much else to say

Þetta er sko alveg tónlist sem ég fíla og Arcade Fire kunna að semja slíka tónlist. Fagmannlega gert án þess að ná einhverjum ofurhæðum en bara virkilega gott stöff

This is one of my favorite albums. A lot of nostalgia for this one. 5 stars.

Good album, especially for a debut. Not as polished as some of their other work, but I guess that’s to be expected. Definitely worth another listen.

I have heard of this band plenty, but never listened to them before, pretty sure of that. I'm halfway through now, and it's not that bad, but it's kind of boring to me as well, can't see this going for more than 3 stars, maybe less, will see after I finish listening to this fully.

How do I rate this? On the one hand, this is a fantastic album - deeply nostalgic, great songwriting, and truly one of the standouts of the indie music I grew up with. On the other hand, the allegations against Win Butler have soured my previous love for Arcade Fire. On the music alone, in a vacuum, it’s an easy five for me but I can’t unlink the nuance around Arcade Fire and the legacy of the band now from the work.

I like Arcade Fire but have never loved them This is the closest I’ve come Wake up is an all timer

I love this album. Before Butler became a terd.

Good but not particularly memorable

6/10… chamber pop / indie rock / *2004

Kut muziek

This is my fave album and I wish I had more stars! Fire Joe Morgan/Newman track by track review 1. "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)" - Fantastic start, the driving notes set the tone of the album. And like a lot of these songs, has a great time change towards the end. 2. "Neighborhood #2 (Laïka)" - Ah, this album is going to have songs that connect to each other. This rousing chant song elevates the energy. 3. "Une année sans lumière" - Now time for a slower number with my second fave track on the album. This somber, haunting Régine tune has a great refrain. 4. "Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)" - This was the song CD101 played the most from the album and it might be my least favorite on the album (which is to point out how amazeballs this album is, because this song still slaps). This hard rocker though lacks the nuance of other tracks ... 5. "Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles)" - ... Like this one, another soft ballad. When I first got this album--bootlegged, btw--this track cut off. This is a simple nice palate cleanser. 6. "Crown of Love" - My fave song on the record. This song builds to an incredible crescendo and really shows off the symphonic beauty of the band, especially the strings. 7. "Wake Up" - The huge single from the album that got overplayed. It is fun to sing along. 8. "Haiti" - This slow song has really grown on me. It sounds like a beach and is a great bridge to ... 9. "Rebellion (Lies)" - The most raucous song on the record and my bronze medal winner. I jump up and down to this song a lot. 10. "In the Backseat" - What starts as a very slow coda grows into defiance later. Huh, I'm realizing that this album does a great job of rise and fall throughout (and the slow songs generally have a fast and furious end). Although this album is ostensibly about death, I find it more their operatic album. 'Neon Bible' is their dark album, 'Suburbs' melancholy, 'Reflektor' dance party, 'Everything Now' the anti-corporate U2 'Pop' album, 'WE' the paranoid one, 'Pink Elephant' brooding. But 'Funeral' remains their first and their best.

this is good and stuff. hipster as fuck to be honest. Wake Up is a fucking BANGER. Win Butler is a dork and a sex pest, but so are a ton of folks on this list. This is not a justification. Rebellion Lies is also good. Whatever, it's a 2.

Wack.

It was ok, would listen to Arcade Fire again, given the right mood.

8.5/10

One of my favourite albums. Full sound with excellent composition.

it's alright. it didn't feel very compelling or interesting, so i'm not sure what the hype is about from reading other reviews. this reminds me of something that would be playing in a spot that sells $25 burgers and has a logo of a silhouetted man with a handlebar mustache. standout track: neighborhood #3

A classic album full of top quality songs.

Nice discovery! So creative!

A lot of different styles/ instruments. Very pleasing for the ear!

Really suprised by this album! I really liked it!

The proto indie rock album that influenced how indie rock would sound from 2007 and onward.

Kevät

Interesting. A lot going on. Would need another 2-3 listens to start unpacking it. And I’m pretty sure I’m willing to do that (once I get through the current backlog).

Meh.

Worthy

Caps the best week we've had. What a run. Strong memories of being in Fopp in Edinburgh and listening to this on the instore headphones after it received a glowing review on Teletext. What a time.

Pretty good album. First album of what now has become a slightly annoying stadium rock band

This is the first time I have listened to an entire Arcade Fire album at one sitting, and I can say I enjoyed every track. For not really knowing them, this was an eye-opener. Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles) very haunting piece but my fav. Putting this one on my add to vinyl collection list.

An exciting interesting album without any particular standout songs/singles. An example of being interesting but accessible

Decent not really my jam though

Great first album If David Bowie and Talking Heads gave birth to a band

Did this come out as an answer to the horrible emo scene that was dominating the suburbs at the time? Possibly. It felt like a direct message to me, even if the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. It was an easy answer to, "Oh if you don't like My Chemical Romance then what do you like?" Though Sufjan was and always will be better.

great music, horrible vocals

This wanted to be great but did nothing expansiveness enough to truly achieve that.

SO SO GOOD! Reminds me a bit of the Beatles, in terms of voice and experimentation.

I've never actually listened to Arcade Fire until today, but I have three quick stories that should help illustrate what my impression of them was before going into Funeral. 1. My first serious girlfriend (who I had a pretty traumatic breakup with) was one of those annoying "hipster" girls who was really into amateur photography and indie rock. Arcade Fire was one of her favorite bands. 2. I once saw a new Arcade Fire CD (can't recall which one – probably The Suburbs or Reflektor based on the timing) on sale for like $1.50 at a Brookstone in Maine and considered grabbing it, but ultimately decided against it – I just had a gut feeling it wasn't going to be my thing. 3. That whole "Paft Dunk" stunt at Coachella back in 2014 (along with Win Bulter dedicating a song to "all the bands at this festival playing real instruments") left a bad taste in my mouth for a long time. I'm sure it was in good fun, but anyone clowning on the kings of French touch presumably weren't putting out music I was going to enjoy. With all that out of the way... I tried to go into Funeral with an open mind, but it was hard not to hear the album as a bunch of pretentious indie rock. The vocals were so unintelligible that I had no idea what I was even hearing half the time. I can't say I genuinely hated it the whole way through, but there also wasn't much I really enjoyed. This is one I'd be okay not coming back to – hopefully one of Arcade Fire's other Book Albums will do more for me. Highlights: Crown of Love, Rebellion (Lies), In the Backseat

Canadians this whiny must be Toronto Maple Leafs fans. Didn’t like Arcade Fire as a kid (the radio played them constantly for CanCon), still don’t like them. The album concept and structure is interesting though.

I don't feel as connected to the 2000s indie rock bands

Behold, an Arcade Fire album I didn't just hate.

RIP

It's chill, I like it.

OK..

This sounds so timeless

Beautiful as hell with a stellar final 3 song leg

Truly the 500th best album out of Rolling Stone's 500 Best Albums of All Time.

Love my alternative whites

beautiful wonderful free

Yeah it's ok

LET’S GOOOOOO I actually used to not like this album and tell people. I cringe about that sometimes. It’s perfect. (Win Butler is still a creep tho).

I enjoyed some of the songs but mostly wasn’t for me

Immediately and unintentionally swam deep into the ol’ nostalgia well starting at Tunnels and it carried through all the way to the end. I struggled if I should even rate this one if I was so compromised. OTOH why else does anyone engage with art in the first place? This album is strong enough lyrically and to grab someone in 2025, or at least that’s how I can explain being bowled over emotionally. It does lack some depth and isn’t as expansive musically as their later material. That being said, no real skippers IMO. Set the standard for a lot of indie music that followed.

A classic. Reminds me of freshman year of college. Kind of forgot about a couple of the songs but it’s got some bangers. I think Suburbs is probably a more cohesive album lyrically? ‘Neighborhood #2’ always kinda makes me laugh for some reason, like who the hell is Alexander.

This is a solid album throughout, but man, "Rebellion (Lies)" DOES SOMETHING TO ME. Indie fugue state. Millennial madness. Every time I hear it, I'm like, "Is this my favorite song of all time???" I'm thumping and hooting and hollering. EVERY TIME YOU CLOSE YOUR EYEEEEEES!

I went back and gave this one a new listen earlier this year or maybe last year, there's good stuff on it and it was definitely influencial for better or for worse. I think they're a slightly overated band, even tho I love some of their songs, this is probably a 3 1/2 for me if I had to give it a rating, which I do. I'll round it up to a 3 star because I'm a bitch Best tracks: Neighborhood #1 & 3, Wake Up I'll try not to use "overated" for the next ones haha

288/1089 - Boring, too long and bad voices. Only thing it has going for it is instrument competency.

There is pretty stuff here and it has some great use of instruments that are not traditional to the alt-rock genre. But I just don't know...I don't dislike them, they just aren't this end all be all of rock bands that everyone makes them out to be. There is little here that seems THAT unique or THAT different. Its emo alt-rock.

I like Arcade Fire. They have a really good creative energy. Sometimes kind of messy and chaotic but in a good way with interesting instrumentation. They rock out some pretty powerful jams with a unique sound. They are a band I can listen to over and over and discover new things in their songs.

Funeral is a good album but it never really spoke too deeply to me. This was exciting for 2004, but now it sounds earnest and overwrought. 3.5 stars.

Today I learned the first half of this album was based around a terrible ice storm in 1998 in Canada. That makes the album even more interesting. And the fact a lot of them had recently lost family members was another layer I wasn’t aware of. I listened a few times today, and this got better each time I listened. They cultivated a really unique early aughts indie sound. It’s emotional and rockin’ and the songwriting is quite beautiful. Awesome debut for them!

Liked this better than I thought I would. Couple repeat tunes: Crown of Love & Wake Up. Sounds even better with my newly acquired headphonezZzZzzz

Beetje dramatisch

Funeral — дебютный студийный альбом канадской инди-рок-группы Arcade Fire, выпущенный 14 сентября 2004 года на лейбле Merge Records. Предварительные записи для Funeral были сделаны в течение недели в августе 2003 года в Hotel2Tango в Монреале, Квебек, а сама запись была завершена в том же году в аналоговом формате. Тексты песен альбома основаны на темах смерти, перемен и потери детской невинности, навеянных недавней кончиной членов семей нескольких участников группы во время его создания. Первая половина альбома, получившая название the 'Neighborhood' suite, повествует о городе, борющемся с отключением электроэнергии посреди зимы, и основана на личном опыте во время ледяного шторма в Северной Америке 1998 года. С альбома было выпущено пять синглов, самым успешным из которых стала песня "Rebellion (Lies)", занявшая 19-е место в британском чарте синглов. Альбом был номинирован на премию «Грэмми» в 2005 году в категории «Лучший альтернативный музыкальный альбом». Он получил широкое признание критиков и возглавил многие списки лучших альбомов года и десятилетия. Сейчас его часто называют одним из величайших альбомов всех времен. Как сообщается на сайте сайте Metacritic, альбом был вторым самым выступлений на конец десятилетия ТОП-10 списков, только за Radiohead Это определённо не ужасный альбом, он есть и имеет право на существование. Интересно послушать, местами хорош. Но и такая высокая оценка критиков мне не очень понятна. Веет от этого альбома какой-то претенциозностью, что ли. А может все жанры с приставкой "барокко" имеют такое настроение, не знаю. Экспериментальщиной и резкой сменой инструментала в треке уже никого не удивишь, но может в 2005 это было ещё в новинку. Ну и я люблю, когда в альбоме есть общая тема или в ней рассказывается история, это интересно как произведение искусства само по себе. Говорю этому альбому "окей".

Normal, hi ha cançons originals.

Reminds me of high school. Less moody than I remember.

One of my all time favorites! Incredible album from start to finish. This was my introduction to Arcade Fire, and I still remember the first time I heard it. Such an original, full sound, really love this album. Highlights: "Wake Up" and "Rebellion", but the whole album is great.

It still hits but not like it did when I was in my early 20s. But isnt that in line with the theme of the album? Still fantastic and I can listen to it multiple times in a row.

never asked

Crown of love and Wake up are great songs. Another band let down by annoying af vocals

I remember this from when I was a teen. Perhaps overplayed, but love Wake Up for instance.

Arcade fire beschde

No thanks

У Фаєрів видатний був стрік з перших чотирьох альбомів. Хоч навколо цього є загальний консенсус, що він кращий, мені він подобається найменше з чотирьох. Але це безаперечно дуже сильний дебют і важливий альбом для нульових

Шикарний альбом, який гарно постарішав. Suburbs люблю більше, але тут впевнені 4 зірочки від мене.

За кілька місяців одне від одного, у подружжя музикантів Regine Chassagne та Win Butler померли бабуся та дідусь. Вони спільно проживали це відчуття особистого горя, яке зрештою й стало фундаментом, на якому виріс дебютний альбом їх гурту Arcade Fire, з красномовною назвою Funeral. Замість того аби йти звичним шляхом, Arcade Fire перетворили особисту трагедію на майже казкову історію про молодих людей, що намагаються вирватися з полону сімейних спогадів, страхів та втрат. У відкриваючій пісні Tunnels, вони розповідають про закоханих, що прокопують тунелі зі своїх будинків, аби зустрітися одне з одним та втекти від скорботи, яка зависла над їхніми родинами, аби помріяти про доросле майбутнє. Так, це трохи наївно, але саме ця непідробна наївність й робить альбом таким «особливо-живим». Навколо цієї історії втрати та любові, гурт вибудовує унікальний музичний світ де залитий струнними, еклектичний звуковий ландшафт прикрашають емоційні, величні немов хорові приспіви. Кожна пісня тут побудована наче скульптура з прискіпливою увагу до деталей, де звичний інді-рок з брудною гітарою набуває масштабів симфонічної сюїти. Усе працює на створення атмосфери великої пригоди справжнього життя, де сум та надія постійно йдуть поруч. І тому Funeral досі звучить настільки особливо, бо насправді це альбом не про смерть - він про те, як жити далі після неї. Неймовірно щирий та натуральний шедевр, що яскраво вирізняється серед купи вимушених альбомів, які намагаються продати нам награний сум.

I didn’t mind it, but I don’t quite get the hype or why this is considered such a groundbreaking album. I guess you just had to be there.

A cynical person's idea of sincerity. I don't buy it.

Up until Wake Up I was unimpressed. Not exactly bored, nor was anything particularly bad, but there was little about this album that grabbed my attention. However, Wake Up was fantastic. It was larger than the entirety of the rest of the album together. The word that popped into my head for it was anthemic, with that uncomplicated but driving riff and the background chorus. Then the orchestration came in. Just a great song. It made me think I needed to start the album over since I had to have missed something. Them the rest of the album made me realize that no, it was one really, really good song in the middle of a mediocre album.

mid

This was heading for a 2 at the start of the album but once you get into it gets better. Some good tunes and I like the orchestral vibe of a lot of it. Might get higher with further listens but I've over 600 albums left to listen to so I can't

It's fine, I can see why people like it.

I’ll take another godawful Neil Young album after this

I KNOW this band is terrible as people (specifically Win and a little weirdly Regine). But I'm too nostalgic for how great this album was for it's time. How epic every concert was with this band that I saw (minus the end towards the allegations coming out). It really is the orchestral, semi-twee/goth indie rock epic.

This is pretty good. It drags a bit, but the instrumentation is good.

perto dos outros dois esse foi bem fraco

Gear: ZiiGaat x Hangout.Audio: Odyssey 2 Artwork: ✒️🪶🍂 Production: 😱🔪👂 Music: 👀❓🤷 Rating: ✒️✒️/5

Splendid

Loved it

Crazy good debut with poetic lyrics and a wall of sound that just sounds gorgeously epic. Wake Me and Rebellious are all time greats.

This is a debut album from one of the few post-2000 era groups I’ve heard of (because they have been on SNL a few times). The album started unremarkable but gained steam as it progressed. It is good for a debut effort but not quite to the four-star level.

A second Arcade Fire album, eh? I "have" this album digitally, but I never bought it because it didn't live up to the single that interested me - 'Rebellion (Lies)'. Still pleasant indie stuff, nice instrumentation (dare I say, orchestration), but the vocals are too muddly. And there are better songs about Laika, like Ireland's 2025 Eurovision entry! Highlight: 'Rebellion (Lies)'

I put this on my ear phones while I did my morning workout and was Hal way through before I even noticed it was playing! The whole album just washed over me without leaving a single sonic imprint.

All Time Classic. Iconic 00s Rock-Hymns and the sweet smell of youth.

Fantastic album, even after all these years. Such a great introduction to Arcade Fire

Vibes: 3/5 Instruments: 2/5 Production: 4/5 Emotional Value: 4/5 Storytelling/Lyrics: 4/5 Stand Outs: Neighborhood #3, Rebellion (lies) Overall Rating: 3.8

Not their best but still a good listen

Love it!

Simply great.. the emotions it evokes. Would love to see this album performed live by them. Wake up was a standout upon this listen

Great album & songs More like a 3.7

Generally solid throughout.

The one star is for Wake Up. The rest was white noise to me.

Won’t pretend it doesn’t get a nostalgia boost, but it’s better than the other album we listened to.

Probably a 2.5. Much better than the last Arcade Fire album.

Okej men inte mer

It's ok, not really my thing.

Oh shell yeah! :) This is one of the albums that I love, lots of good. I'm clearly tired writing this and need to finish my coffee.

Noisy and demanding. The art value is low while begging for relevancy is high.

Theatrical, bombastic, but astonishingly cohesive and accomplished for a debit.

5/1001 Some interesting sounds and creative oddball stuff on here. I can see how some would not like this. For me, this is one of the good ones.

I can’t get into this band, my mind and my body are indifferent.

This is the only Arcade Fire album I have in my collection

Not for me. 1/5

I'm not really a big indie rock type. But this wasn't bad. It was a good listen through and through, good vibes and enticing.

Much more my alternative style. This is fun, but not a jam. Crown of Love has a good jam at the end of it.

Arcade Fire have a big sound and big emotions! The melodies soar on this album! The arrangements are beautifully orchestrated, but it still feels like a rock record. There’s a touch of Springsteen in the mix here. There are so many great songs on this album that feel like anthems. Really powerful, beautiful music that holds a special place in my heart.

Even though I'm a huge indie rock fan, I was really late to Arcade Fire and didn't start listening to them until my mid to late 20's.. not entirely sure when but definitely after college years when my friends were spinning their records daily. It's kind of a double edged sword because I would have loved to have these tunes pushing me along those confusing times, but also I feel blessed to get to listen to the band and it's still really fresh for me. This is maybe my favorite album of theirs. Its size is filed under "Bruce Springsteen", it's quirk and uniqueness is listed as "Neutral Milk Hotel", and it's instrumentation is analogous to "Sufjan Stevens". All huge complements. "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)" is fantastic. I love this epic opener and it's set a perfect tone for the rest of the album. "Wake Up" is tough yet tender and is packed full of emotion. When the backing singers sing, you can tell they feel every single note. "Rebellion (Lies)" is the first Arcade Fire song I ever heard and while it wasn't love at first listen, it's really come around on me. It's got that Springsteen charm but colored in this funkier indie rock set of crayolas, where there's burnt sienna's instead of oranges, and blood ruby's instead of reds. I don't know if that makes sense but it does to me. I'm giving this a 5, and I think it's my favorite Arcade Fire album. My favorite song of theirs isn't on it, "The Suburbs", and if it was it would be one of my favorite records, but that's OK that it's not. There's so much good stuff here.

I’m biased towards this as I’ve heard it so many times and love it, but it still slaps

Rating: 9/10 Amazing indie rock album with plenty of catchy riffs, melodies, and choruses.

Este disco estaba en todos los blogs de aquellos años. Siempre lo consideré sobrevalorado y mi opinión no ha cambiado desde aquellos años. Malo no es, en todo caso, pero no llega a esas 5 estrellas que veo tan fácilmente entregadas en los comentarios.

Had some highlight songs but a lot of it sounded the same.

Ganske bra.

A pure shimmering turd of a record

verrassend. best leuk

Amazing album about death and growing up. So much feeling here and ridiculous highs like wake up. Very high 4, just has always had a couple of skips for me.

Where the wild beasts are

Pleasant and empty

I think it was pretty cool uhhhh........ I don't really have anything to say so uh... Yeah.

Oh, Canada. I often find mid-aughts records don’t age that well. This one stills feels very good. The music on this album fills a room in a way that is cozy and epic at the same time.

Thrashed this when it came out. Holds up well listening again over 20 years later

Skip

Still sounds great! Lots of nostalgia here. Easy 4

Well, this takes me back to my first marriage. This album got overplayed when we began dating. It wasn't what I was into, but I endured because she liked it. Eventually, it grew on me. Didn't think I would listen to this again. There's something different about this band. They aren't like a corporate cutout, but they aren't super "indie" either. Just good ole mature music for adults who don't like to blow their ears out ti heavy music. Kind of folky, but not folk music. Neighborhood 3 and Wake Up were always favorites. This album is a good 4 for me.

This stuff just doesn't really grab me.

Just can't get into it

Qué disco tan increíble. Casi lo amo al 100%, pero curiosamente la única canción que no me encantó es la más famosa, Wake up. Me dio un tanto de hueva. Pero el resto del álbum me pareció espectacular, lo disfruté mucho y me dejó muchas ganas de volverlo a escuchar. De hecho creo que es el que más me gusta de Arcade Fire, así que tenga sus 5 estrellas.

Listened to this already! I'll give it a second listen. Decent, fun, everything sounded good if a little poppy. Enjoyed the album, solid 3 - 3.2, had a fun time listening to it. The vocals were very very solid.

Arcade Fire has always fallen flat for me and I'm not sure why. Their songs, while energetic, never feel exciting. This may be a testament to how influential they are, but almost every song sounds like it could easily be in the background of a commercial for Home Depot or some fabric softener. There were a couple of cool moments.

Perfectly pleasant listen but it really just needed a little more energy and power as many of the songs have a languid, almost flat tempo to them. I have to assume that this was the artists intention for it to be dreamy but in this case it's a little bit uninteresting. Top Tracks = Wake Up & In the Backseat

Another turd where my favorite song was the final track because the assault on my ears would soon be over. The strange noise coming from my refrigerator is equally as pleasurable to listen to

Mid

Sympatoche

Trop bien aussi

Immaculate album. Perfect from front to back.

Listened to this a lot as a teen, Haiti was on several mixes. Some dated sound choices, but the anthems are undeniable.

DIOS SANTO. NO PUEDES SIMPLEMENTE EMPEZAR TU DISCOGRAFÍA ASÍ ¡NO PUEDES!

I like this album, but I'll admit that to me it feels more "important" than enjoyable. There is a lot going on that I don't have the musical chops to be able to describe. Interesting instrumentation, rhythms and melodies. But I don't find myself wanting to listen over and over

I'll admit some bias here but this was a "love at first listen" album for me in college, and I hadn't revisited it in totality in a while. I think it's an almost perfect indie rock album that is bombastic and over the top in all the right ways, both vocally and instrumentally, but also gives you a break at the right times. Putting the monumental anthems of Wake Up and Rebellion (Lies) back to back would have been almost too much, so Haiti is in between as a bit of a break before diving right back in. I love the counterpoint of Win and Regine's vocals, I love the ornateness of the arrangements, the mid-song changes in direction, how it all flows, everything. I still think this is their best album of a pretty great opening three-album run (yes Suburbs is great too) and to have this be a debut is just stunning.

At their best with heavy hitters with the right amount of unexpected indie elements (power out, wake up). At their worst with whiny ballads that seem like playing indie band BINGO. they’re only missing a whiny pathetic trumpet player. Crown of Love is embarrassingly bad especially when it leads to a song as monumental as wake up. Still it’s arcade fire. When I think arena indie rock they are THE band.

I’ve always liked Funeral by Arcade Fire, but I’ve never been fully convinced it’s as groundbreaking or important as many make it out to be. So, I decided to give it another listen today to see if my view has changed. After today’s listen, I’d say Funeral is a good indie album with some excellent moments, though it’s not quite the masterpiece it’s often described as. Tracks like “Crown of Love,” “Wake Up,” and “Rebellion (Lies)” really stand out — Rebellion in particular has been a favourite of mine for years. However, the songs surrounding them feel fairly standard, even a little basic by comparison. Overall, it’s a solid album but not a game-changer — a steady 3/5 for me. Favourite track: “Rebellion (Lies)” – a fantastic song. Least favourite track: “In the Backseat” – not terrible, but the album ends with a bit of a whimper. Album artwork: A cool, distinctive cover that fits the tone of the record.

Kinda surprised how much it still hit. This is an institution of time and place for me and maybe that’s why I don’t find the dance rock as cheesy as I might otherwise.

This is the second Arcade Fire album that I've encountered so far on this list. I truly hated Neon Bible. I don't know why but even the artwork on this irritates me. It's less bad than Neon Bible but will never come back to this. It's of a time and I'll be leaving it there.

Mixed thoughts on Funeral.. I like about half of it, and it was a breath of fresh air at the time. I was prepared to go lower given the tone is a bit cringe but tunes like LIES are still huge.

Very good. No notes.

okay

Quality Canadian indie.

Some of the best indie rock songs of the early 2000's with a couple of songs I'm not crazy about. 8/10

I wish Win Butler wasn’t a creep.

So this is what Canadian rock music sounds like... I like it.

Loved it

This is such a fantastic album, not one skip track. I hadn't listened to it in a few years but loved every moment. It was on heavy rotation for me for several years.

Great Album

The textures and genre blending on this album are so refreshing and still sounds great 20 years later Rebellion (Lies) is incredible as a piece of song writing

*2004. Debut *Neighborhoods, Wake Up, Rebellion (Lies) *Great debut album. RATING - 8/10

Some nice stuff here but ultimately not very memorable.

Cool, chilled beautiful.

Perhaps through my ignorance I have not listened to Arcade Fire before. Listened to it twice and the second time it certainly started to grow on me. Interesting reading their wiki page. Colourful story. Noting David Bowie’s obvious liking of them it makes me think that perhaps their influence can be heard in his last album “Blackstar” which I thought was different from any Bowie album before.

Very fresh given its more than 20 yeas old

I know I'm supposed to love AF. I know they've won awards, I know they're very clever, and I know the critics love them. But. I. Just. Can't. Don't know if it's that irritating shuffle beat they love to use. Or a complete absence of emotion in the music. But there we go. Next.

Best debut album of all time. Front to back incredible

Not normally my cup of tea but I’m glad to have experienced this Album other than “Wake Up” which I’ve heard over the years. I enjoyed the album.

An all time fave of mine. Beautiful in places, raw in others, then a dance party breaks out in Crown of Love.

Here’s the song I know from the DP show “Wake Up”. Like the previous album of theirs, decent enough.

Riktigt bra!! Art-rock med både passion och nerv! Kommer att lyssna mer på, garanterat.

On this basis, I don’t get the hype for the band and don’t really get why this is on this list. Not bad, just average

Never forget what they did to Nardwuar

Arcade fire have had a varying run of quality for me, after now being given all the first 3 albums this is probably slightly better than neon bible as it has a lot of the same issues of repetition especially with some of the melodies, it’s not very varied either which is why I liked the suburbs so much in comparison. That being said it’s still a decent album with some strong moments, it starts quite strong with a powerful, almost orchestral without the orchestra sound which continues throughout with the obvious indie alt rock sound from the guitars and rather simple drum beats. There seemed to be a loose theme with the album as well evidenced by the 4 neighbourhood songs (some of the worst to be honest) but it was hard to concentrate on the lyrics as the vocals were just sometimes unintelligible (another issue I had with this, the vocals were kind of annoying sometimes) and some of the instrumentals weren’t really engaging enough in the first place, this is again where the suburbs takes the upper hand. Favourites: the french one, Haiti and Rebellion. Overall, 6/10.

Day 48 Love it - 3 very different yet equally great albums I’d never listened to before in a row. So glad I started doing this after being stuck in a bit of a music rut for a while 9/10 Highlights Laika Power Out Rebellion Lies

Indie band with strings. Favorite songs: Crown of Love, Rebellion (Lies), In the Backseat

I've listened to this one before but it's never really stuck in my mind. I don't hate it, but I don't love it either. What works; the instrumentation and composition is good, each song has a flow, a heartbeat, I can see why so many have nostalgia for the album. There is a certain whimsy that is balanced by a driving beat and moments of urgency. What I perhaps don't like, is the lead vocalists thin and weak sounding delivery that struggles to rise above the musical creativity. I also don't feel there are enough memorable hooks or musical landmarks to stick in the mind throughout the journey. Like I said, I think it's good, and subsequent listens confirm that, but it's not one of the greats for me.

Indie rock has, apparently, not moved on from 2004.

Early years secondary school aesthetic, good times.

Found it bit repetitive. Couldn't really find a way in to enjoy, just sounded bit uninteresting to me.

liked some of the synth sounds but found the signer a bit dreary

Probably my favourite album in first year. Arcade Fire's best I think. Neighbourhood #1 best song

Nice to get an easy one. I've owned Funeral on CD since probably 2007 or 2008 and it still sounds great to me in 2025. I think it's actually my favorite indie rock album of the 2000s (English-language one, at least). I think my two favorite tracks on it are the bookends. "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)" is an excellent album opener; this is an album where I can push play in my mental stereo and hear a perfect recreation of the opening bits. It builds from that slower string, piano, and vocal opening into the loud, crashing, cathartic sound that I associate with the album. I'm into the song's surreal imagery - digging snow tunnels window-to-window, regressing into some kind of unsocialized winter hermit, not remembering how to name babies. "Then we think of our parents / Well, what ever happened to them?" Great song. There's other good stuff in the middle. Then Funeral ends on the Chassagne-led "In the Backseat," which spins riding in the backseat of a car into a great metaphor for growing up and having to give up the freedom of youth and innocence. I lost a parent about a year ago to a kind of drawn out - but on the other hand also kind of sudden - illness and I thought of this song sometimes during those months. I'm at the stage of my life where "adult" no longer exists as a separate class of person above me. The wheel's been mine for a while now, and I drive around with my eleven-year-old getting his own time in the backseat. Anyway, I always like the Régine Chassagne tracks and "In the Backseat" is her best one. It's great, and it was already great even back in the 2000s when I was barely an adult and didn't have any meaningful emotions attached to it.

At times beautiful and europhic, it just lacks the consistency to make it a true classic.

It's okay but damn I hate the singer's voice; he sounds like if Brandon Flowers had a sore throat.

Gostei do álbum, algumas músicas me fizeram viajar e me levaram pra outro lugar, adicionando para minha lista de favoritos.

Can't give it any more than a 1

While I rate this a decent enough album that doesn't hurt one and can run in the background, there's something mildly annoying about it that's typical for indie rock.

I never was the biggest Funeral fan, but when I was reminded of this album through Fantano's most recent "Overrated and Underrated" video I knew I had to give this another chance to see just how poorly this album has aged in my mind as well. To my complete surprise I think Melon might have actually been onto something. It feels very dry in a lot of spots that I originally loved and thought were pretty exciting, now it feels like a memory I wish lived up to how it originally felt. All of the moments this album helped create and inspire afterwards have been washed down to pieces of what they used to be by 20 years of aging gone horribly for this album. Not even the once incredible Neighborhood #1 has survived the onslaught of aging as well as I want it to, it was once a go to winter staple for me and now it feels like a fading memory. Man I wish I liked this more, but I think this album will continue to fall for me as time goes on as it truly isn't as remarkable as many people make it out to be anymore. Instead of being a spectacle it once was, it now lives in the shadows of other albums it inspired.

A little too whiny at times, but has some bangers

Very anthemic and grand, i can see me revisiting this one

Listened to this a LOT in Karl's company. There are some good songs but none that I put into regular rotation.

Impressive debut indie rock record. Forgot how many additional instruments they utilize beyond just guitar, guitar, bass and drums. The orchestral instrumentation, especially fits in well. "Neighborhood #4 (Kettles)" one of the more heartfelt tracks. Standouts are "Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)" and the anthemic "Rebellion (Lies)".

This is one of the first albums I ever bought. I must have listened to this record a million times when I first got it, then a million times more when I got to college. Am I clouded by nostalgia? Maybe a bit. For me, however, this album will always represent a part of my life, filled with both unbridled optimism and cautious exploration, peeking over the precipice of the gaping maw of the chasm named the future. 5 stars.

I don't get why this was so highly praised. It's totally overrated. The production is mediocre at best (well, it cost just 10K), especially the vocal production. The female voice doesn't fit well with the male one. There were some disharmonies on several tracks that I doubt were intended. Not one track had me tapping my foot or bopping my head, like The Suburbs (which is no longer in the current version of the book), their third album.

I'm 55 and have always loved music, especially when artists take things in new and different directions. Arcade Fire and this album specifically gave me hope that I'd continue being interested in new bands and music at a time when I was getting a little worried that either myself or artists were losing the thread. There is not a bad track on this album. An amazing achievement from a bad breaking into the music scene. Beautiful music that I will continue to listen to until I die. Many that followed tried to emulate this sound, sometimes a little too closely.

Listens: 2 Standout tracks: In The Backseat I was on vacation for a few days, and so I paused my progress on List on this album. I listened to it three or four times over the course of as many days, and with the exception of the last song - In The Backseat - nothing really stuck out for me. It all felt pretty same-y and the tracks all seemed to blend together. That's not inherently a bad thing. The album is cohesive, but it just never really clicked for me, even the popular songs like Wake Up and Rebellion (Lies). I can't really see myself listening to this again, but I didn't dislike it. It's solid 3 for me.

Instrumentals are pretty nice, but vocals grate. Sounds like the singers are always straining or give variable amounts of air such that the tambre is very uncomfortable to listen to

Arcade Fire's debut album, "Funeral", is a big sounding record. It’s well produced, with rich layers of instrumentation that build to a series of powerful crescendos. The album is filled with dramatic shifts in tone, from quiet melancholy to explosive, anthemic rock. It’s consistently catchy, with interesting melodies. The album’s influences are, for me, clearly rooted in Indie Rock and Post-Punk. The opening track, "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)," shares a similar sense of sweeping, romantic drama with the early work of The Killers. Meanwhile, the second track, "Neighborhood #2 (Laïka)," with its jittery rhythms, guitars, and slightly off-kilter energy, evokes the quirky Post-Punk of The Talking Heads. I found "Funeral" to be a very consistently high quality and enjoyable album. It just floated right over me in a very nice way. With a few more listens I could really get into it. Four stars. 1 "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)" (4/5) 2 "Neighborhood #2 (Laïka)" (4/5) 3 "Une année sans lumière" (4/5) 4 "Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)" (4/5) 5 "Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles)" (4/5) 6 "Crown of Love" (4/5) 7 "Wake Up" (4/5) 8 "Haiti" (4/5) 9 "Rebellion (Lies)" (4/5) 10 "In the Backseat" (4/5) Total - 40 Average - 4 109/1001

I feel like this album got a bit lost in the shadows after The Suburbs success. Listening to this again, I think it's actually a more consistent, successful album. There's not a track I would skip.

Some songs are fine but the album is quite boring in its globality

An album with a big reputation in the 2000's. Didn't listen to it at the time but actually really enjoyed it now.

Over the years, I've had many different reactions to this album, and Arcade Fire in general. Some of this more recently has been colored by their post-Suburbs output (not all of which I've heard, but what I have I have universally disliked) and learning that Win Butler may well be a sex pest. I'll ignore those last two things for these purposes. I *HATED* this album when it first blew up, largely because I was over it regarding bloated, pretentious indie stuff. A few years passed and I gave it another shot and went 100% in the other direction on this (as well as the next two albums, both of which are superior, IMO). I'm now largely positive on it, but not blown away by it as a whole. Their music remains excruciatingly melodramatic, sometimes to great effect ("In The Backseat") and sometimes cringingly so ("Crown of Love"). But they really were innovative and sounded different from everything else, in a way I now can't help but admire. That said, all three of their first albums are capital-G Great, but uneven. The "Neighborhood" suite is sometimes quite good, sometimes boring and overwrought. The dirge-y stuff can drag. But "Wake Up" and "Rebellion (Lies)" are both, for my money, among the very best rock songs of this century. That alone merits many plaudits.

I have tried to get into their sound in the past, people adore them, they just do NOTHING for me. I can't explain the draw, I don't find anything about them compelling and I don't want to listen to their music if I don't have to. Could be his voice pleading at me for an hour, might be the boring ass songs, perhaps it's the repetition I liked "Power Out", pretty cool track but a touch too long, again with the repetition, know when a song is fully baked. Impressive listening counts across the entire album. The opening track has 55M listens, the "hit" songs "Rebellion" (which I didn't know) & "Wake Up" (didn't know it either) have 133M & 167M respectively, while the rest range from 10M to 24M. It's popular, I just don't understand why. I could never just chill and listen to him yelling at me like that and the repetition is just too much for me to overlook. Not my thing. Decent music but not my vibe! 3 stars since I didn't hate it.

Not mine

I bought Funeral back in 2004, shortly after its release, probably after a Pitchfork review. Revisiting the album nearly twenty years later brought back a flood of memories tied to people, places, and time. Back then, I was navigating life as a father, teacher, and friend, full of hope and discovery. Listening to Funeral helped me make sense of the world. It framed an artistry of sound that mirrored my own attempts to understand the rhythm of this life. A strong album that still holds up. Way to go, Arcade Fire.

Frábær plata good feeling.

Flott plata.

I think this album is difficult to rank and revisit. On the one hand, it's wonderful, an instant classic that is great and soaring to new heights especially for a first outing. I have always loved this, I remember what it was like as a kid to listen to this for the first time, the jolt of creativity I felt. Some tracks there are absolutely great, and still sound fresh and very much like their own sound. But I can't ignore that the allegations against the singer have taken their toll on the band's legacy. It shouldn't be ignored, and I do fall on the side that I like Arcade Fire a lot less than I used to. If you look at the allegations, it's probably less awful than other atrocious stories of show business, and the band as done charitable things for years especially for Haiti. That doesn't excuse anything, but I did think it deserved to be listen to again, if only once for this. In the end, I would understand a 1 star, and I would get a 5 star rating, it's a complex situation. Even though the singer as a person is an alleged demon, the band's music is not, so I landed in the middle.

Этот альбом напомнил мне как я любил инди рок, пару лет назад. В целом инди для меня был и остаётся довольно важным жанром и это альбом прекрасный представитель этого жанра

Never heard from this group before, and I sorta kinda wish it had stayed that way. Funeral is an ending and this didn't end soon enough. Listened before? N Saved tracks? N Favorite tracks? (the entry only of) Neighrbood #2, Laika; In The Backseat (though I don't really know why) ⭐️⭐️ Neither here nor there but didn't appreciate it today

Dani and David give them a thumbs down. the guy is a creep or something? The music was good but I'm with them!

Are you familiar with Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On?" "Crown of Love" is like the opposite of that -- no one involved in making that song should be allowed to have sex again.

I really enjoyed listening through this album. I think I liked every song. I’ll say that it sounded like things I’ve heard before, but maybe it’s just ahead of its time? Also, the female vocalist reminded me a bit of Yoko Ono, which I swear is not an insult. Solid arrangements and great songs.

I've never been that into Arcade Fire but this is GOLD. Easily their best record. Favorite track: Wake Up 4.5/5

Some arena ready indie rock with some pretty orchestral instrumentation, some serviceable singing with no doubt some life affirming lyrics had I bothered to listen closely to what was being sang but for better or worse the voices just became another instrument pretty quickly into Funeral. Talent abounds of that you can be certain and if you like this sort of thing no doubt you'll fall in love with funeral. I'm just not a big fan of indie rock and probably only like around a dozen bands (Pavement, Guided By Voices, Yo La Tengo, Dinosaur Jr, etc.) if that. So, there you have it. Funeral is not the kind of album that many people are likely to hate, and I don't even dislike it much less hate it, but I know I will likely never hear Funeral again but give it a chance it might be a defining moment of your fast fading youth.

If you want to listen to the talking heads, this is a good album for you.

I forgot Arcade Fire existed. That probably says it all. In the Backseat is particularly awful and I couldn't finish it. Listened before? Y Saved to library? N Favorite track(s): Wake Up, Rebellion ⭐⭐: Didn't like it, didn't hate it. Saved no tracks.

I’ve been aware of Arcade Fire for some time—my daughters are big fans and have seen them live a few times—but I hadn’t really sat down with their music until now. Listening to Funeral was a bit of a revelation. There’s a raw emotional energy running through the album that’s hard to ignore, and it’s matched by a kind of orchestral grandeur that never feels overblown. Neighbourhood #3 (Power Out) stood out immediately—urgent, driving, and full of tension. It’s got that perfect balance of chaos and control. Wake Up is anthemic in the best way, with its soaring chorus and communal feel; I can see why it’s a live favourite. And Rebellion (Lies) was hypnotic, defiant, and strangely uplifting. What surprised me most was how much Funeral appealed to my prog rock sensibilities. While it’s not prog in the traditional sense, there’s a clear ambition in the song structures, thematic cohesion, and layered instrumentation that echoes the spirit of progressive music. The emotional intensity and dramatic builds reminded me of what I love about bands who aim for something bigger than just a catchy tune. It’s theatrical without being pretentious, and emotionally resonant without being overwrought. I can see why it made such an impact—and why my daughters are so passionate about them.

I remember not quite catching the excitement and fervour that a lot of my friends did at the time this came out. It has some fantastic numbers on it but somehow just didn't quite ignite for me. That said, listening to it now it has all the ingredients and is their best work in terms of raw emotion and authenticity. Great songs like Rebellion (Lies), The Crown Of Love or The Neighbourhood suite don't come along every day and it was both very accessible and replayable while also being pretty experimental at the time. I think perhaps some of my resistance at the time was due to their bandwagon trendy hipsterness. You can absolutely make cool music without dressing like the cast of Schrute Farms and it's also ok to crack a smile from time to time.

From 2004-2014 the Arcade Fire had a pretty argument for being the best band in the world. Their passionate take on Orchestral Indie Pop was exhilarating. This is their best album. Clever, catchy and exciting, a great record that defined an era.

If we were allowed half votes this would be 3.5, but I’ve rounded up to 4 as it’s certainly not an average 3. It’s a good solid album.

Musically, this album is wonderful. Not crazy about the vocals. Two great songs made it to my main playlist.

Ah, the 2000’s indie rock staple. Of course this is a really good album, but I think with fresher ears than the last time I heard it I think I can say I like The Suburbs better. The first half of this is so good, but I think after Wake Up the rest don’t stick with me as much. Sucks that Arcade Fire fell off so far after the first three albums. Favorites are Neighborhood #1, #2, #3, and Wake Up.

I have a CD-R of this with one of my best friend's handwriting on it, and I can remember her handing it to me excitedly ... somehow I singled "Neighborhood #3 (Power's Out)" as a favorite song. I can't listen just once. I've played it at least 5 times since I listened to this album. I'm probably going to go listen again after I finish writing this. Still, I never spent much time with this as an album. I think of this type of music as engineered to deliver catharsis (derogatory) but sometimes that's what the 21 year old in me is seeking out. 3.5

This is the most 2005 ass album imaginable. It's no skips. It's weird and sometimes offputting. It soars and drags in complimentary ways and feels like one of maybe a handful of items on this list that actually seems to have thought put into the pacing and ordering such that it should be listened to *in order* as *An Album™*

Uhhhh I mean this is fine. I think it has some sins to answer for regarding being a precursor to the ho hey Obama era music that we're currently kind of hating on as a society (probably ensuring its resurgence around 2028) and just being like annoying Pitchfork darling fodder. I didn't particularly care for it.

Totally biased but who else do you rate the album you listened to when you first fell in love? There isn't a bad song on the album (well maybe the last track "in the backseat"). Seriously, so good. Evokes memories of Montreal. Lush instrumentation, growing up and finding oneself. Fave tracks: neighborhood #1, wake up, rebellion (lies), une annee sans lumieres. My favorite album my them, that also happens to be their first (major).

Superb from beginning to end. Great songs with social conscience. This one should make the top 100 list of all times.

I have a very small vinyl collection, and this is in it. Sorry, my elder millennial is showing. It’s impossible for me to be completely objective here, so I'll be brief instead. This is an album I listen to when I wake up in a good mood on a sunny Saturday morning, and on bad days when I need to shout-sing something until I’m no longer on the brink of ugly crying. Similar to how U2 made ethereal rock & roll, I describe this as 'transcendent' indie rock. It's a sound you'll hear a few years down the road when Mumford & Son throw a little more folk at it and become one of the biggest bands in the world.

Definition of 2000s indie. Beautiful strings and orchestration. More folksy than i thought it would be but still a good listen.

Album 895 of 1089 Arcade Fire - Funeral (2004) Rating : 3 / 5 They definitely have an interesting sound — often carrying a sad or somber tone that can suddenly flare up into something bigger, almost like a small spark turning into a roaring fire. Nothing on here jumped out as excellent for me, but it was still a fine album to listen to. Nothing offended the ear, but it’s also not a tone I could stick with for too long. A respectable effort, and I can see why others may connect with it more strongly than I did.

La douceur et le moelleux dans lequel on baignait en 2004. Connaître toutes les chansons comme un nuage.

I'd never heard anything by them, but I was surprised at how much I like this. Not a 5 yet, but maybe after more listening. Made me think of Biffy Clyro at times - variety and vibe

Grew on me as I lisy

So good, but not their best album. I really hope The Suburbs is on this list at some point.

Derivative Indie slop.

Indie shite. Bailed four songs in.

This is one of my favorite concept albums ever. I have spent many cold winter nights listening to this imagine getting snowed in and having to tunnel to my neighbors house and creating our own little town connected by tunnels.

Nothing too bad, but also nothing stands out except for neighborhood #3

I own this record and this is always going to be a 5. Arcade Fire's best album and full of great songs. This is one of the albums that are in my top 10 most influential albums in my life because of when it was released in the course of my life and the impact it had. Tunnels, Wake Up, crown of Love and Rebellion (Lies) are my standout tracks, but every song is a joy to listen to. its a drum driven album thats is collaborated beautifully with a myriad of other instruments, and is perfect.

Very much an album of its moment. Maybe the pinnacle of the alt rock of the time, but still felt revolutionary when it came out. Still good today.

Don’t like.

I’m biased on this one. A nostalgic album for me and one that I think is really awesome overall.

There are some great songs here, mainly Neighborhood #3 and Wake Up, but I also found Neighborhood #2 really nice as well. I expected to love the rest of this album because I like this era of alt rock and everything that comes after for the genre, but it never really happened. Still a great album, but not one that I loved.

interesting concept album

🤸

It sounded like exactly what I think of when I think of early 00’s indie rock.

This was my first time going back to this album since almost completely phasing out AF from my listening. Honestly, for me, there had been diminishing returns as far back as Reflektor (2013), which does still have some excellent material, but everything since has just continued to decline in quality. But I really did used to love this band for some years. Everyone goes nuts for this debut album, and while it was never my personal favorite AF release, I have a soft spot for some songs. Upon this relisten, I have to say I’ve gotten pretty bored with the singles (Neighborhood #1, Wake Up, Rebellion (Lies)) and In the Backseat, but I still have an affinity for basically the rest of the songs, particularly the other Neighborhoods. This album also enjoys the benefit of having massive influence over both the sound and the scene of indie rock, so that bumps the score up a little. I may not care for Arcade Fire anymore but this album is a gem. Must-listen #209.

Love this album, had it on vinyl for years. Been a while since I listened, still amazing.

I like Arcade Fire, but not as much as some people think I should.

I remember buying this album years ago and struggling to get into it. I did enjoy it more this time around but I still don’t find the songs stay with me

A truly great album that is somewhat tarnished because Win Butler is a sex pest. This was easy for me as Arcade Fire is my problematic fave but I haven’t listened to this album for a good 3 years… 5/5

Orchestral, emotional, and occasionally sounds like seven people trying to play different instruments while crying. “Wake Up” and “Rebellion (Lies)” are great anthems, but some tracks do wander off into art-student territory, but honestly? If it’s a mess, at least is (mostly) a beautiful one.

3.9 it's good. But it's pretty overrated. First time I heard it, after seeing it on so many beat of lists, I thought yep, this will grow and grow, I can see why it eventually reaches that status for people. Extremely interesting on the first 5-10 listens. Power out the obvious highlight, phenomenal song. But several other great moments, the chorus with backing vocals of Laika, the dreaminess of Haiti, the end of the album in general is very strong. But one of the top albums in recent history? Nah. Strays slightly on the wrong side of pretentious art rock too much for that imo.

- I first listened to this album at 19, when I felt a strong connection with someone but was too chicken and afraid to break up wth the person I was already dating for them. I couldn't listen to "Crown of Love" for a long time because of how much it reminded me of my decision (or lack thereof) - "I carved your name across my eyelids/you pray for rain, I pray for blindness" will always give me goosebumps at how much heartbreak and pain is expressed in so few words - at 19, I did not appreciate the overwhelming theme of childhood (both the ups and downs: how at the mercy of our parents' moods and whims we were; the innocent, yet deep platonic love we share with our friends before puberty distances us; how we deal with complex emotional situations between others that we aren't old enough to fully understand) that so much of this album rests upon, but 11 years later, listening again is much different and reflects a lot of what I've felt over the last few years -- that somehow, both over many years and almost overnight, I'm different than I was at 25, 22, 17, 14, 10. - the weakest track for me is "Wake Up" because it sounds like every other indie song from around that time, but apart from "Crown of Love," the lyrics to "Backseat" are powerful in a very subdued way that I admire. I remember the feeling of being sleepy on the way home and instantly knowing where we were based on the road sounds and pattern of turns and stops once we got close - this album is bittersweet because of what -- and who -- it will forever remind me of. I can't separate my review from its personal meaning to me, so I'll gladly give it 5 stars

It's fine, I guess? For me, it sounds like run-of-the-mill early 00's indie. And I remember the singer being a bastard?

Favourites: All of them!