Funeral

This album was okay. To me it sounded a bit too average and plain. But there were some great songs with good hooks ore riffs. This would be a great album to listen to in the background of a non-intensive activity.

This one on paper should have been a banger for me. An alternative indie album? Perfect. But it was just okay. I did like the strings in many of the songs, that is always fun to listen to. My favorite song on the album was Crown of Love but it's probably not something I'm going to add to any playlists anytime soon. 3/5.

These guys certainly go to a lot of neighborhoods. Would have hoped one of them they visited might have made them sound better. I do appreciate their uniqueness. They certainly tried something different. And I'm sure it has an audience for others. Just not me. "Rebellion" and "N2 - Laika" were fairly good.

now, this certainly did influence a lot of the mediocre indie rock of its time, and the follow ups aren't really good, and Win Butler has allegations, but this is also way better than i remember it being to me 7 years ago in high school. i guess hearing the dull shit that followed primed me to appreciate the intricacies and emotional pull of these songs. there's something really special about the lyrics in Tunnels. music that defined millennials, for better and for worse. deserves to be one of the 1001? even if i hated it, it certainly does

2/13/26 - Listened during work. I have heard this album a few times before and never really understood the hype. I may have liked it more today than previous listened but I still can't give it more than a 3. I just find some of it annoying, and I used to really like this kind of music. Oh well. Top song - Wide Awake (I do love this song)

I had already outgrown Arcade Fire a bit before the allegations came out, and now it is hard to listen to them. I also think that The Suburbs is better.

I think I finally hear what my mom heard when I listened to indie (3.7 but rounded down)

I liiiike but I do not looove

This is at least the 10th mid-aughts indie/alt rock album I've listened to on this list. I find most of it dreadfully boring. Meh

It’s OK

Meh. Arcade Fire isn't my thing, I guess.

pretty cohesive album! it evokes a certain emotion i'm not sure what to call. i wish i could appreciate it more but i cannot get over the voice. don't know what it is. it had some good songs but none made a huge impression on me, i think. a lot of songs were kind of repetitive. i think it was lacking that sort of punch that i like in my music. nothing wrong with that! i just think it would be better appreciated in the ears of another listener.

The early 2000s. A little more my speed, but not a mind scrambler. Good tunes including the “hit” Rebellion (Lies). I’d listen again

Like Neon Bible, there are high highs, but I don't think it’s the masterpiece some make it out to be. That would be The Suburbs.

I understand why this album is on this list. I was not excited to listen to it, but couldn’t turn it off. I was, however, happy when it was over. I kept trying to find a phrase to describe it besides “unnecessarily dramatic”, but that just stuck in my head.

I know it's a well-respected and highly influential album in terms of its themes and overall production... but it's not really my cup of tea. Faves: Crowd of Love, Wake Up

Almost a four star for the moment we were in listening to the album - it just fit so well. Not quite though. A little slow to be going on the regular rotation. I did enjoy it though and will be exploring more of Arcade Fire’s music.

I have never understood the hype behind Arcade Fire, but to be fair, never took a deep dive either. Maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised. T1- I could listen to this. T2- This makes perfect sense for 2004. Maybe I only heard them once they blew up in the early 2010s. T3- I really enjoy this song. Sonic shift from the first two tracks. So far this album feels like a mix of Flaming Lips & Modest Mouse/Cold War Kids. I've lost track of individual songs at this point. T7- Oh, this is the record with "Wake Up" on it. I think I like this song a lot. News to me. I expected to hate this album and was pleasantly surprised.

A good indie album. With it's own distinct feel and sound. I enjoyed it when it was released and enjoyed listening again now, though I haven't listened to it a lot in between. Several times when listening this time around it brought to mind David Byrne, which certainly isn't a bad thing, not sure why but there we go... It's another one which I can't quite see why it is on this list. Decent enough but not amazing.

a fun indie album type vibe; 7/10

Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels): 6/10 Neighborhood #2 (Laika): 7/10 MBPW Une Annee Sans Lumiere: 5.7/10 Neighborhood #3 (Power Out): 5.6/10 MBPW Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles): 5.2/10 Crown Of Love: 5.1/10 Wake Up: 5/10 (2min left is peak) Haiti: 4.8/10 Rebellion (Lies): 4/10 In the Backseat: 4/10

I like the energy on this album. Really gets you pumped at times. Favorite track: Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)

Melachonic, easy listen, variated Great production

I enjoyed a few songs

Ok

6* Niet helemaal mijn ding, vond het niet bijzonder.

It's just OK, don't believe the hype

felt like game ost, nice

I recognize it's great, I'm not a fan nonetheless

I'm not a big fan of theirs but i do like this record.

You know, there's some good songs in there. But that's it

This debut is when AF first caught my attention. It's still their best.

Production is absolutely beautiful and is what caught my ear the most. Lyrics are very poetic and make me think a lot of what they could mean, which was a bit difficult to catch. Vocals have that indie sound that not a lot of people like or think it is the best but I did not think they were the main focus of the songs. My favorite song was Crown of Love, honorable mention is Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles).

Pretty good album for background, listened to it three times. No song fully caught my attention but good vibes. Indie ish?

Standouts Wake Up

A very nostalgic album for me. I first listened to it in 2014. I was surprised to realize that it’s been two decades since it came out. You can really hear the indie blueprint in it; I ended up adding 7 out of the 10 tracks to my liked songs.

It's...fine, I guess? Nice production, good arrangements, solid performances, but it all kinda sounds the same to me, and doesn't particularly grab me. Favorite track: "Rebellion (Lies)"

This is much more in line with what I typically listen to, but I haven’t gotten to this album yet so I’m thriller to be listening

It was okay, nothing crazy. I like their other albums better, but this was their beginnings so I can appreciate it.

bop

It was different I knew 1 song

i think i went into this wanting to give it a 5 as i know im supposed to grant god like status to Funeral by Arcade Fire buuuut i’ve always been a The Suburbs girlie and a lot of this album fades into the background for me. with the exception of course of Wake Up, which is one of the best songs ever made

nice album. a bit of a change for them

I just began listening to this and I like it already

Can recognize that this is well-written and well-produced, just simply not my cup of tea :/ wish I liked it more!

Favorite Songs - Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels), Une Annee Sans Lumiere, Crown Of Love, Wake Up, Rebellion (Lies), In The Backseat

I've already reviewed Neon Bible (3 stars) and The Suburbs (4 stars), and I have 7 of the 10 tracks from Funeral already on an existing playlist or two or three... haven't I paid my 2000s indie-pop dues yet? This review should be about an experience we all might have one day: exhaustion with a sound that once wore the crown. When I saw who I'd be reviewing today, I sighed — and it wasn't out of relief, and it wasn't out of joy. I was deflated and let down by Funeral showing up today. Mind you, it's not because this album is bad at all. While I don't think it's the perfect Arcade Fire record or the ultimate expression of what the band has to offer, it is a solid debut and sounded pretty good in 2004, even if I only heard bits and pieces back then. Maybe this should be part of the review, too: at the time, I was into the harder stuff, so I didn't form a bond with this record when it arrived. Just a weak attachment later in life after coming around to The Suburbs. So here we are with Funeral over 20 years later. It's fine but outside of Rebellion (Lies), it's ultimately kind of lifeless now.

Tracks have similar tempo and vibe. Stand outs were Wake Up and Tunnels. Overall, I liked it, but I'm not sure how much I would listen to it.

Didn't like much

Solid album.

One of the early-aughts bands I wrote off at the time because they weren’t punk. Though I am actively trying to expand my horizons, I feel mildly justified in my initial prognosis. I’m certain I’ve heard some songs by them before, but I wouldn’t have been able to tell you if it was Arcade Fire or The Arctic Monkeys, or Kings of Leon or any other number of bands I conflated in my own head. I don’t even know if any of those bands sound like the others. All that said, there were some moments in this album I truly enjoyed. The last minute of Crown of Love. Then”oh THAT song, moment I recognized Wake Up from some dusty corner memory of who knows when. I still wouldn’t say this is my type of music, but Arcade Fire left the door of possibility open.

Sounds like the soundtrack of a night filled with cheap whiskey and cigarettes spent trying to hold pseudo-intellectual conversation but you’re just talking over each other and when it’s all said and done nothing has changed but you remember nodding your head a lot and it was kind of a good time but now you have a headache and you shaved your beard into a mustache… and there’s a dick on the side of your face.

Fun listen with smooth moments, nothing ground-breaking musically or lyrically

I knew of Arcade Fire simply because they're from my hometown. However the album didn't leave a strong impression on me. It's very typical mid-2000s indie.

Crown of love Neighborhood 1 Rebellion

I liked some songs. Will definitely add them to my playlist.

Did not finish all the way through. I will finish listening to it, as I was pleasantly surprised!

I think this has aged quite poorly compared to other records in this era and in this orbit. It's quite melodramatic and overblown in parts, but still has parts that are interesting and straightforwardly entertaining pop songs. It uses its maximalist ideas just to deliver straightforward musical tropes rather than do anything particularly interesting

No annoying which was a positive surprise.

very solid record, but not amazing

some good songs but your average 2010s indie/folk record

Didn't particularly capture my attention.e

As a whole, this album is good. Arcade Fire has a very distinctive sound that they carry throughout the album. Wake Up deserves to be turned up and holds a special place in this album. It immediately reminds me of Where the Wild Things Are but it also just elicits this feeling of wonder that is so nostalgically beautiful. After finishing the album, I'd say it is a 7/10. Not many songs stood out to me other than Wake Up, but overall, it has a nice sound.

I liked this album! Especially the last song In the Backseat, the vocals were raw and the tone was different than the rest of the album. Probably not something I would listen to again, but worth at least one listen through!

A lot of these albums are by artists that I have never listened to so it is interesting because I usually don't know what to expect. This album was different but it was good and some of the songs were almost ethereal.

Prva polovina je najiritantniji zamislivi indie, srećom kasnije se dosta popravi utisak. Ni blizu Suburbsa i tako njihovih kasnijih stvari, ali ispao je ok album.

I had never listened to Arcade Fire before. They were hyped up pretty big at the Grammy's and it made me less interested. So, I was quite hopeful listening to this album that I would be blown away and regret having not listened to them for all of these years. The first song was pretty good. I was intrigued. Unfortunately, the rest of the album meandered. I was not blown away and I had no interest in having a 2nd listen. Nothing really stood out after the first song. Is their best album or just one of their albums that I should listen to out of 1001 other suggestions? I'm beginning to question this 1001 list.

Heard of band but not sure I know any music. Cool start on neighborhood #1. Really good production for the most part, wish the vocal were a little louder. Love the piano. Fun song. #2 is a fun/well produced song as well, is there a connection to number 1? Unclear. Less of a fan of une année. Good guitar, don’t like the drums. Feel choppy. Just a little too slow overall. That’s until the last 45 seconds. Great solo. This is what I wanted tempo wise. Xylophone is uneccasary on #3, but rest of it I like. I also love the cohesion of the album so far with the different neighborhoods. #3 is so good, keeps getting better as it goes. Love the guitar. Great songwriting. #4 is pretty good not the best or worst. Good songwriting, music is kind of simple compared to the rest of the album. Crown of love is fine. Good songwriting but just doesn’t hit me. Really cool last 55 seconds. I’ve definitely heard wake up before, sounds like a radio song. Guitar is awesome. This song is so good. Haiti is fine, saved by the transition into rebellion. Rebellion is awesome. One of the best on the album. In the backseat is a great ender, captures the theme of the whole album. Constantly build up. Really fun album. Would listen again. 3.4 stars

Overall it’s pretty good but i feel weird enjoying it after the allegations.

It was good to get another opportunity to listen to this record. I don't know exactly why I've been unable to connect with it in the past. The music is solidly arranged indie rock, and it was recorded well, though I did find myself wishing for more depth. I listened several times and found Funeral to be a decent background record. I listened very closely one time and realized that this music deserves more attention than what I was giving it. A close listen revealed more layers than I had initially anticipated, and I appreciated that. In fact, I'd now say that Arcade Fire's Funeral is kind of a bridge between other, more noise-oriented and droning Montreal bands like Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra. That was a cool surprise. But that same close listen brought up another glaring issue. I can't understand most of what the lead vocalist (Win Butler?) is singing, and when I can, I'm not impressed by the writing. And it's weird, too. I actually find that the singing and the phrasing lend appropriate texture to the music. But it's straining to try to understand the lyrics, and I'm frustrated most of the time. I'll be excited to listen to any future Arcade Fire offerings on the 1089, but this one isn't going on my go-to list any time soon. Three stars.

Sigh. First The National, now this. I mean, it's ok but I could do with less whiny indie.

Good

good vibe but not my pick of choice

Rentoo taustamusaa

Hmmm I think I do like this more than The Suburbs on account of length, but it's still just kinda ok!

As an album I appreciated this more than The Suburbs, which we got not too long ago in this challenge - the instrumentation was rich and varied and the songs kept me engaged throughout. However, as far as truly getting into Arcade Fire goes, I think I missed the last train.

If Win Butler didn’t have such a whiny voice for half the album then this would probably be better. Alas.

Just ok

I bobbed my head to this off and on while writing this morning and it was fine. Can't say it grabbed me but was enjoyrable.

Reminds me of Vivaldi: perfectly pleasant background music

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

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.

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.

Some good tracks, but never quite matched the hype.

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.

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.

Good but not particularly memorable

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

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

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

Meh.

Worthy

Decent not really my jam though

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

OK..

Yeah it's ok

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

perto dos outros dois esse foi bem fraco

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)'

Not their best but still a good listen

Great album & songs More like a 3.7

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

Okej men inte mer

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

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.

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.

verrassend. best leuk

Pleasant and empty

Just can't get into it

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

Mid

Sympatoche

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’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.

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.

okay

Some nice stuff here but ultimately not very memorable.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

A little too whiny at times, but has some bangers

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

Grew on me as I lisy

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

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.

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

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.

6 ❤️❤️❤️ : Crown of Love ☺️☺️☺️ : Neighborhood #3 Haiti In the Backseat Rebellion (Lies)

I mean I see the appeal, if i was an angsty teen when this was released, I would probably be all over this. There are a lot of solid songs in this album. The vocals are a little whiney at times, which is the point i guess 🤷 In the Backseat is probably my favorite song on the record.

Pretty good. The good songs are really good. A bit meandering over all

I thought I would enjoy this more than I did. It really has the feel of something I'll like a lot more after my 3rd run-through. Room to grow: 3.5

Arcade Fire to me is the early-2000s equivalent of Radiohead. I enjoy some of their stuff, but feel like I should like them more and can’t understand exactly why I don’t.

Still not doing it for me. Hoping this is the last Arcade Fire album. Lead singer's quavering voice grates on me.

Strange; angst mixed with dr suess lyrics

Would not buy.

It’s alright I guess. It’s not like it’s bad or anything it just didn’t pull me in as much as I thought it would.

It was alright. I never realized how many of these songs were radio hits, as it was playing I noticed that I had heard almost all the songs even though I was never a big fan. I found all the songs kind of sounded the same, and I didn't really like the style of the recording.

3.5

I like it … not a lot … but I like it

I like the idea of this album. The first half is connected and tells a story. I don't know what that story is, but it exists. The second half strongly resembles the first, but it was allowed to be it's own thing. I definitely enjoyed the second half better. "Wake Up" got me to.. well, wake up after a fairly peaceful first half. "In the Backseat" is a great closer and very emotional. The best song for me was "Rebellion (Lies)." The second half saves this album for me, but I can't put it any higher than a 3. I could absolutely see this going up after listening to some of the songs again.

They probably have better albums

So strange to have an album of my younger years pop up so early. Remember seeing them in Arlene’s Grocery just before this released. Still not a huge fan of the whole album but do really enjoy a few of the tracks.

Peak Arcade Fire, but unfortunately it's still Arcade Fire. There's only so much you can do when you're a part of Arcade Fire. They never stood a chance smh

it's ok i guess

I'd heard a couple of songs from this album before. Decent chill vibes.

Might be a bit too much Arcade Fire in the list. It's pretty good, but not as noteworthy as the other albums I've rated so far.

Already listened before but okay cool let’s do it

Feels like quite a throwback,

A great story about how we should not let the events of the past or present dictate how we live our future. The first half of the album is extremely dark touching on heartbreak, tragedy, and family trauma. The second half of the album is more uplifting, focused on changing our futures and seeing through the troubles of the past. Some of the stronger songs are at the second half of the album like Wake Up and In the Backseat with the catchier hooks, although very dramatic too. My favorite song is Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles) which really connected with me. Its concept is that life takes time to get better just like water boiling in a kettle. You can't see it after closing yours eyes, but it will eventually boil. This album isn't perfect. Many of the songs, particularly Neighborhood #3 (Power Out) and In the Backseat drag out dramatically for too long and some are hard to connect to like Haiti, although beautifully written. I really loved the symbolize in this album like the meanings of light or the alchemic references like turning lead to gold. My top 3 from this album would be Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels), Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles), and Wake Up.

Really nice listen whilst working, not sure it will make it into rotation for me but I'm glad I experienced it

Felt like something I would like but something was just a bit off and it didn’t really do much for me. Still 3 stars though

I listened to this a while back and thought it was just okay. Upon revisiting, I’d put it a hair above that, but just isn’t something I could see myself revisiting

Semmone. Ei puhuttele suuremmin

Ihan jees.

This is my mums favourite album Favourite song: Crown of Love

Old times, instrumental only

It's strange for a band to have their first album be their best, but here we are. It's a really solid record. 7/10

Probably deserves a 3.5

Day 18 First listen- A solid record, was obsessed with three of the tracks back in 2020. It was nice to revisit them. (3/5)

great music but the vocalist pulls me out of the experience

A very enjoyable listen. Not my favourite band, or sub-genre (or whatever you want to call it) but there's some good stuff on here. High 3 into low 4.

Yeah it was alright

I had never taken the time to listen to some of their work, even though it had been recommended to me for a while. I actually like the vocal work, just the arrangements are a bit too bland for my taste. 6/10 fav songs : Wake Up & Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)

Some songs were pretty. Some were pretty dull. I prefer their later work, but this list tends to favor the inclusion of debut albums. Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels), Wake Up and Rebellion (Lies) made the most impression.

Not horrible, but never understood all of the hype around these guys.

very waily, a lot of overdoneness. Idk not really my thang

Funeral reminds me of The O.C. — and I like The O.C. a lot. I actually rewatched it recently and had a great time with it. Oh yeah, the album. It was… fine. It’s indie. That’s pretty much it.

3.5

I thought the first half of this album had some really silly names, then I saw it was written about the Ice Storm of 1998 which got me reading about it. Turns out that there was a study done on pregnant women who endured the storm and that the impacts of a severe natural disaster can lead to lower cognitive and language abilities among their kids. There is no joke here, I just thought this was interesting. Listening to the actual Neighborhood/Ice Storm suite was, unfortunately, marginally less interesting than it was to read about the event that inspired it. I did enjoy this album more than the other Arcade Fire album (Suburbs). This is a very impressive effort considering it's a debut. My appreciation grew on a second listen, but I really couldn't push this beyond a light seven. There are a couple of standout tracks here in the second half, the first half is well-made but frankly I don't see myself going out of my way to listen to this again other than curiosity for the Ice Storm suite. Highlights: Crown of Love, Rebellion (Lies), In the Backseat

2004 Never got into Arcade Fire. A band that completely passed me by at the time. There's some really good anthemic moments, which I can imagine being awesome in a live setting. Some weak points in the album though probably means I don't go back. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ Decent but not amazing ★★★☆☆

Some decent songs here. Only one really sticks out above the rest.

its alright. it fits a certain vibe.

= The Beatles

Facil de escuchar, ameno

2.5

There was a time when this album was chronically overrated in online music spaces, and while I never really dug into it, a part of me is kind of resistant to wanting to listen to Arcade Fire, in part because of this. The whole situation with Win Butler a couple of years ago also doesn't particularly make me want to listen to Arcade Fire. Now that this album has a couple mental shrouds for me, I'm curious if I can enjoy it. It turns out that I can, I still hold that at its critical peak this album was pretty overrated, but this is still a standout indie project. I've seen Side A called the neighborhood suite, and I think it's where this project is at its strongest. These songs have a strong conceptual throughline, some neat baroque instrumentation, and strong, varied songwriting. Tunnels builds in a really dynamic way that kicks things off very well. Laika has great melodies, and really neat jangly textures with the xylophone and the accordion. I'd also like to highlight Power Out, which has a stand out electronic pulse, and kind of makes me think of a mid-late era Modest Mouse song, which in this instance, is a good thing. Side B feels a bit more disjointed, but it still has really strong songs. The run from Wake Up to Rebellion (Lies) in particular stands out to me. Wake Up in particular is ultra catchy. This is an album that incorporates a lot of the early 2000s indie-isms really well while maintaining a super accessible sound, and I think it paid off, Arcade Fire is huge now. I think pretty much every song on here pulls its own weight, and I can see myself returning to some of these songs in the future, even if the whole album may not make it into my regular rotation.

Anthemic concept album, would share

Sure.

I’ve never given this band a listen before. Glad I did. Not necessarily something I’d listen to regularly, but I can certainly see the appeal.

Favorite: In the backseat

"Crown of Love" was good

I’ve tried several times to get into Arcade Fire, but have never really succeeded and I’m not sure why because this is a perfectly enjoyable indie rock record; it just doesn’t really do anything for me personally.

Heard better Arcade Fire and heard bettter indie rock. Just middle of the road for me. Forgettable songs - so much so I can’t even come up with a standout.

meh, not good not terrible.

Not really my thing

6-7

I know that a lot of people love Arcade Fire and they have a great legacy... but I just don't get them. Maybe I'm not cerebral enough or whatever but it's just indie boys. Not bad but nothing special.

Seems ok, but not mybthing

Great sound, similar to a lot of stuff I'd listen to. Neighbourhood #3 was a favourite.

Not a particularly memorable album. Enjoyable to listen to, and maybe it was groundbreaking at the time, but I feel like nowadays it kind of just blends in? Fave songs: - Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) - Une Annee Sans Lumiere - Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles) - Wake Up - In The Backseat

It's alright, not very exciting. I like a couple of the songs

Typical arcade fire album. Pretty cool to listen to but nothing special.

I liked but think The Suburbs is better.

Yeah I know this album. It's always just fine.

First listen I enjoyed it then lost interest with the second

I never liked Arcade Fire all that much because I was very anti-Pitchfork-core during the hipster era of the mid-to-late 2000s/early-2010s, yet I still always remember Funeral being the one album I felt some admiration toward. Not that it was a favorite or anything, or that I frequently found myself wanting to revisit it, but in my memory, I recalled it being a very good album. I just wasn’t much of a fan of the style, personally. Well, clearly I haven’t listened to it much since the early 2010s, because yeah…this really hasn’t aged all that well. The muddy production, the proto-stomp-clap aesthetic that now feels dated, the jug band instrumentation that feels simultaneously forced and wayyyy too up its own ass. Funeral feels full of itself. Now, there is the occasional undeniable song here and there– I’m no idiot, “Crown of Love” is gorgeous and “Rebellion” is anthemic– but beyond those moments, I’m surprised that this has held up so much. It is significantly weaker than its peers, not only from a production standpoint, but in its deep cuts’ songwriting, in the playing, and in the general emotional depth explored here. Sure, it has its moments, but comparatively, it’s worse than its influences like The Magnetic Fields, or contemporaries like Bloc Party, Broken Social Scene, or even the weakest Death Cab record. The most important thing Funeral has going for it is nostalgia at this point, and even that feels thin given Arcade Fire’s standing in the indie scene in 2025. I, however, have no nostalgia for this scene, this style, this band, or this album. This is easily their best record and I will stand by a handful of these songs, but that still leaves me lukewarm, especially since I did not need to hear 3 Arcade Fire albums just to realize even their best effort is a 6/10.

‘Wake up’ is such a exceptional track that the rest fade into the background; I feel it’s an indie artsy album which I appreciate but other than that one epic, it doesn’t do it for me.

About the fourth time I've tried to listen to this. It's good music but really not for me. I don't know what it is but I can't get into it. I can appreciate it for the impact it had though

Arcade Fire certainly plays a homage to mediocre music, and this album is no exception. Ironically, it's not a good album to play during a funeral, but it is perfect for teenagers driving for the first time in middle-class suburban neighborhoods. Hardly anything on here is good, or bad. Favorite Track: "Neighborhood #3(Power Out)".

ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh who cares

Arcade Fire was such a great band in the 00’s, A lot of creativity showing new directions in Indie land. And this is just the beginning

Not weird enough to be interesting, not melodic enough to be pop The single (Wake Up) is undeniable though, it is better than the rest None of it quite felt finished Made me want to hear Bowie, sometimes The Strokes Meh

Doesn’t really grab me

Interesting and creative, but I didn't really like the singers. Wake Up was really good.

Kjeeeeedelig. Det va ferdigspilt for ti minutter siden og æ har bare en vag idé om kordan sangan va, og absolutt null ønske om å høre dem igjen.

I never got into Arcade Fire, and this didn't change that for me. I think the songs are fine, but none of them grabbed me or particularly stuck out. The music is good, the vocals are okay. There are far better bands and albums in the world than this one.

If you like Arcade Fire, this is going to work for you. If not, you'll be put off a bit by the whining. It's just OK to me.

Another one I expected more from but this probably requires multiple spins. Rebellion is an awesome song and the vibe of the song certainly fits the title. Ultimately this is indi, hipster, I like it cause no one else does type music.

It's a good record, a very artsy variation of indie rock, they're not afraid to mix different instruments and they build very beautiful musical pieces, specially with the strings sections they include. It also encapsulates a sort of nostalgia with the music and lyrics. The whole concept from the first part is interesting enough. That being said, while I appreciate the album, I didn't really connect with it that much. The best song for me was the very well known "Wake Up". "Neighborhood #3 Power Out" was also pretty good, with a higher intensity than the other tracks.

Not as good as I remember, apart from Wake Up

Great indie rock album. I like a different one from this band better, but this captures the sound and feel well enough

A rich and well-made album, though not one that made a strong connection with me. I appreciated the big and heartfelt sound, though. Best song: Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)

I still don’t really like Arcade Fire but I got a lot of nostalgia associated with this, my brother used to play a lot of these tracks when I was growing up! I think Neighborhood #1-3 are the strongest and actually kinda remind me of Modest Mouse in places, which is unexpected! Fuck Win Butler for sure tho

Nothing special, very much the sound of the time, but I didn't mind that today.

Fun, and I like the sound, but too similar throughout to be an all-timer.

Ahh, Arcade Fire. I had a real phase in 2010 of listening to Ready to Start incessantly (with msn's "listening to" feature very casually turned on) because I wanted to be seen liking it, but not, as it actually turns out, because I liked it. Fast forward to 2025 and I have never listened to this album before but found myself walking a familiar path. Whilst professing to be pleased and allowing anyone within a two metre radius to get a peek over my shoulder at the subtly displayed album cover all day, I secretly yearned for the simple pleasure of a singalong banger. No more. This is my truth. This is precisely the kind of indie rock miscellany that I think I should think is cool but truthfully found formulaic, forgettable and... boring 😭 By the end of the day I was self-medicating with Louis Prima. I am going to be brave and admit this is a 3 for me - and my teenage self should thank me for the growth.

Seems like any other indie alr rock group at the time. Definitely inspired by neutral milk hotel. I can see why people like this but I like In the Aeroplane over the Sea a bit more than this.

Listenable.

Fav: In The Backseat Least Fav: Neighbourhood #4: (7 Kettles) Those last couple songs were so much better than the rest of the album

Ok, low-key rock

6/10

Don't really have much to say about this one

Feels like they're always building to something but it never comes.

Acceptable. They are good but not my thing really. But I can't really say anything bad about them.

Incredible live band. But never really been sold on this album despite the wonderful singles

Admittedly above average for noughties North American indie-rock fare but this album tries so hard to be grandiose I think it should be diagnosed with BPD.

I forgot I was even listening to anything because this album faded into the background so much.

Considering I don't like indie rock this is pretty good.

A few good songs. Never got super into them though. Crown of love is my favourite song on this album

Correcto

Not too bad. Not really my style

Solid album.

A very solid 3 for me

OK. I just gave Bob Dylan 'Blonde on Blonde' a 4, which arguably should have been a 5. But now I'm hearing this album and wanting to give it a 4, but feeling a bit sheepish that if this is a 4, then is this really in the same bucket as Dylan Blonde on Blonde? So for that reason alone, this falls to a 3. Sorry Arcade Fire. You just aren't Dylan.

Album sounds good, but to me it feels 2004 unlike some other 2004 albums. Draggin for me. First listen all the way though, familiar with the hits. Time's been unfair I feel like, very millennial boom stomp to my 2025 ears. Maybe it'll sound like a banger in a few years.

Ok.

Nice.

Really good music. Didn't grab me as emotionally as Neon Bible. Good new band for me though.

Good one, in my memory it was even better than 3 stars...

I don't love this kind of whiny, tremulous vocal style - it's objectively quite similar to things like Bright Eyes that I loved when I was younger but nowadays I find it a bit overly fey and annoying. The music is good, very competently composed, but feels like it's designed in a lab to be uplifting and appear on tv adverts. It doesn't feel very organic or interesting. But I don't tend to like indie songs that have multiple guitar parts all strumming a single note over and over like that. Track 2 (Neighbourhood #2 (Laika)) is a bit more interesting and punky. But of course I don't generally like shouty punk either. The guitars just sound very thin. A lot of small lines of colour on a blank background. A general issue I have with this genre is there's no standout "bit" in the song that it builds to and you get a sense of intense joy and satisfaction from when it finally happens. Like the really brilliant guitar or vocal part or lyric towards the end of the song. It's just stuff happening all the way through and then it's over. So I just fundamentally prefer the structure of, for example, rock or blues songs. Track 3 (Une Annee Sans Lumiere) is very dull to me. I'm not sure why I would be interested in this bland vocal or guitar picking. Although having said that the fast bit at the end is more interesting. Track 4 (Neighbourhood #3 (Power Out)) is just nothing to me I'm afraid. Apparently it's one of their singles. I don't know how they choose a single as nothing stands out. Track 7 (Wake Up) is more interesting - like the aaah aaaah aaah chorus. Rhythm guitar is slightly more interesting, with some chords appearing. Still hate the guitar tone. According to A this was one of their big singles. This one did have my foot tapping a bit. And some almost cool lead guitar licks. Like the change of pace at the end of the song. Feels very white and very early 2000s. Which it is, so fair enough. I don't like the vocals, guitar sound, instrumental sound in general or the structure of the songs. I would never choose to listen to this again and don't think it will grow on me with repeated listens. Although having said that it does pick up towards the end of the album. Wake Up and Haiti are better (I like the switch to the female vocalist and the bass line in Haiti). Rebellion is decent too in that generic uplifting 2000s indie way. In the Backseat (the last song) was pretty good and vocal was a bit Bjorky, which is cool. Like the strings. The back half of the album bumps it up to a weak 3 stars overall. I assume everything on this list is going to be competently made so I will rate based on subjective enjoyment and likelihood I would ever listen again. I'm just not sure I like indie much.

It's okay. Good to listen to while one is doing other things

It's funny I never got into this band as they were huge in my college years and I listened to a many AF-adjacent bands, but there was always something missing for me. I can't put my finger on it. Listening through this album gave me nostalgia for the era, but really just made me want to listen to any other millennial alterative album. It's fine.

pretty fine record. Nothing that particularly blew my mind, it was less impressive expected, this being a pretty popular and well loved record. Favorite track: wake up. Overall score: 5.0/10

Recognized a few songs, but the album didn't make a strong impression on me.

Day 1. So far so good. Not really my taste, but I can def appreciate it. Neighborhood #3 is good. The guitar and drums are really good, the vocals are not for me but not too distracting. Neighborhood #4 is better actually. The girl voice in Haiti is good.

I thought this album was a fun listen. I enjoyed the lyricism and found that it was easy to follow. My favorite was Crown of Love. I don't think I would necessarily reach for this album time after time but it definitely had a few songs I could see myself listening to again! 3/5

Very close to a 4 for me, but somethings not hitting my ears right. Definitely parts of it is Win Butler's vocals I don't think are very good. Wake Up is a classic, and I generally enjoy most of the rest of the record, especially everything after Wake Up, but yeah, just not quite doing it for me.

I’d forgotten how heavily this albums leans on talking heads, it’s a very good album though, songs flow past worth repeated listens.

Was more interesting than I remembered...

operatic and turgid; exhilarating when it works, but twenty years on, the seams are showing. a lot of the bigger swings, the "our love is how we'll survive," the communal singalong shit, REALLY falls flat after having your frontman exposed as a cheating sex pest.

It’s not bad. But it’s not great either. The whole album is a lot. Arcade fire as a band is quite a lot I find. Rich in melodies, instruments and vocals. I think some songs would be more impactful for me if some of it would have been toned down.

Good and interesting album.

Not bad, just very over the top.

decent

Why does every rock album from the early 2000s sound exactly the same? You could have told me this was by Modest Mouse and I wouldn't have blinked. It's... fine, but pretty forgettable.

I liked this better than Neon Bible and I gave that one 3 stars, but don't think this one deserves 4. If the vocals were a little bit better/less whiney it may be a 4.

I feel extremely neutral toward this album. Sort of has that modern indie / alternative sound. Wake Up is obviously the standout track.

Better than I was expecting. At times it can get a little generically “indie” sounding, but the songwriting is good and the arrangements are especially well thought out.

Glad I finally got to see what all the fuss was about for Arcade Fire. It was pleasant for sure but not exactly my style. I saved a few songs and would be happy to revisit them. Respectable 3.

It wasn’t bad, but a lot of it was just washed out sound in my opinion. Not enough variety for me to give above a 3.

2.5 but I’ll round up to 3. Pleasant, but I didn’t feel blown away.

You can hear the self-importance oozing through the speakers.

There’s only a couple songs on here I liked.