Reviews (page 10 of 13)
fave track: track 5, empty room final thoughts: take a shot every time this man says suburbs
Was not as captivating at the start, however I really liked how the songs became more connected towards the end of the album, and how it had an ending related to the start song. 5/10
Tämä on ihan mukiinmenevä poprockbändi! Solid 3/5
This album was better than the previous one I got from them, still not my type of rock though
This is not as good as "Funeral," which showed me that I should pay attention to Arcade Fire again, but it's a lovely album, sadly a bit longer than necessary. Nevertheless, I don't think Arcade Fire deserves 2 (or more?) spots on the 1001 list, especially given the amount of different stuff that was released around the globe until 2010 (Yes, the list is VERY English-centric, but we can always dream of seeing this excellent Arcade Fire album replaced by something interesting from Latin America for example)
Langweilig nach den ersten paar Songs, gegen Ende wieder besser. 3,5
This album plays jumprope with the line between Indie music feels I love and Indie music feels I hate. I guess it's only appropriate to put this review right down the middle then. Favorite track: City with No Children
Not really a fan, a bit boring
some of the transitions were just phenomenal. i didn’t really vibe with some of the songs though, but there were a few i liked quite a bit.
Bland middle of the road rock...its fine
Much more accessible throughout than the previous albums including Funeral. Doesn't seem to be any weak filler. Although the handful of hit songs are good, there aren't as many completely gold cup tunes as Funeral. Just generally listenable. Very good. I'm going to give it 3 rather than 4, but it is good
Bisschen Fleetwood Mac mäßig, ansonsten angenehm aber jetzt nichts bahnbrechendes finde ich.
A solid album.
Not the best Arcade Fire album. That said, The Suburbs, Ready To Start and Month of May are excellent songs. But the album as a whole doesn't have enough bangers to make it great. Decent outing but they've done better. Win Butler remains punchable.
It was ok - some songs alright but not my thing. Was inoffensive tho.
This was OK, 3 stars
Started off quite strong, really liked the title track, but not enough hooks or variety imo and it all blended into one.
I thought Arcade Fire was okay back then and think about the same of them now...so they've got staying power, if you consider staying at fair-to-middlin' as "power." Definitely not a super power...more like a meh power.
Nice sounding poppy rock. Enjoyed it .
3.25
Album 242 of 1001 Arcade Fire - The Suburbs Good album. As I listened, I kept thinking of other bands who each song reminded me of. That could be good or bad.
Production is pretty disjointed but likely a reflection of the overall message and genre typicalities. Not my favorite style of this type of album but has some highlights. Closing 2 tracks seem to tie it together well. 3.5/5
Had to look this band up. Found out they were Canadian which is pretty cool. But they are from Montreal which may be the reason why I didn’t connect with this album as much as others online did. Still a solid indie-rock album not sure anything off it would make it into my normal rotation though.
Bah jsp trop c'est bizarre à décrire les sons sont ecoutables, pas nul, pas bien, the suburbs est cool 2.5
No es un estilo que me encanta, pero hay varias canciones que si me gustaron,pero no sé si lo volvería a escuchar
This might be one of the most deserving of a 6/10 of any album I’ve listened to so far. I don’t have much experience with this genre, but what I have heard from other artists I enjoy much more. It just feels like it meanders on a little bit, and is slightly self indulgent in its own sound. There are certain parts of songs I like, but not entire songs. Like they are giving glimpses of something more interesting. Rococo has a cool build up in intensity with the strings and distorted guitar. Empty Room takes off at break neck speed, and is the first song on the album to have Régine on lead vocals. It’s short lived but powerful. That song and Month of May lead me to believe they had more of a rock focus for this, but there are still elements of chamber pop sprinkled throughout. I like the melody of the closing track, and how it keeps the same lyrical themes as the opener, which wraps the album up smoothly. Although I saw it coming while listening to it, this peaks in its first two songs, and doesn’t impress me with anything after that. Rating: 6/10
Не впечатлило.
Some bangers, some Meh. Liked this when it came out - an underwhelming Glastonbury performance put me off. Don’t leave it 13 years next time!
I like Arcade Fire. Is this their finest hour? Probably not.
Ready listening album, catchy songs
I always want to like Arcade Fire. I really love Sarah Neufeld and her solo stuff. Aren't they meant to be better than this? Guess I will keep trying.
a bit meh, prefer the later stuff.
it's alright
Nooit helemaal mijn band geweest, maar toch best aardig.
3.75
Melancholisch angehauchter seichter Indie-Rock; Guter Blend von Stimme und Instrumente; Soundtrackesque
Known Before: Band/One song Standouts: 1. The Suburbs 15. Sprawl II 6.5
Another decent entry by Arcade Fire. 3.5 stars.
I must be the only person to have never listened to an Arcade Fire Album
Not the best, not the worst. This gets a middle of the road rating for how uninspired I feel after over an hour of meh.
Sounds good. But overall kind of a snoozefest. A pleasant snoozefest.
There were a few decent songs. If you like oasis you will love it.
Или я просто не могу представить как это воспринималось десять лет назад, либо это и вправду слишком ординарно. хотя deep blue помасштабнее, 4 из 16. посредственный результат, тут скорее неплохо, продумано но без искры
The Suburbs - 3/5 Feels like musically it doesn't really *go* anywhere. Sounds like music I'd hear in an indoor mall when I'm not really paying attention. A bit longer than it should be. Ready to Start - 3.5/5 This one has some much needed energy behind it, drums kinda carry. A solid groove. Loses a bit of it towards the end. Modern Man - 2/5 The instrumentation does something weird when "modern man" is said that I don't totally vibe with. Again lacking energy and longer than I'd care for. Rococo - 1/5 What is this intro-- whatever instrument they string in the background across the entirety of the song is not it. Lyrics are annoying. Empty Room - 4/5 THE ENERGY IS BACK! The multiple singers did not harmonize very well sometimes, other times it worked really well and added to the vibe. Jerry is tweaking. City With No Children - 3/5 This is the most "its fine" so far. The main groove is fine, doesn't build to anything, the multiple vocals is done again but much more sparsely and to a lesser effect. Lyrics are indeed based. Half Light 1 - 1.5/5 The lyric structure is completely all over the place. Instrumentation is monotonous. I don't see myself ever wanting to listen to this again. Half Light 2 - 3.5/5 The transition to Half Light 1 to 2 is expected but nonetheless appreciated. This one is a much better song than its counterpart. The song actually isn't the same thing for its entirety. Almost late-night nostalgia vibes? Suburban War - 3/5 Similar to the last song vibe-wise. I really like the melody from the guitar, but as a whole composition its kinda just eh. Lyric structure is strange again. Month of May - 3.5/5 Once again proving that if they use their drums right their songs can have energy. Verse structure I fuck with. I surprisingly liked "and around and around and around..." Wasted Hours - 2/5 The guitar sounds like its peaking throughout the song. It's a decent melody but a tad repetitive. When its essentially all vocal it's not bad. Deep Blue - 2/5 I don't imagine I'll remember this song in a day's time. Kinda just more generic stuff not dissimilar to everything else. We Used To Wait - 2/5 Intro sounded like "Money Money Money" by Abba for a split-second lmfao. Sounds like its going to build to a chorus with energy, does not. Sprawl 1 - 1/5 Lyric structure yet again is not fitting. Very slow and musically uninteresting. Doesn't even have the chill background vibes the other songs have. Doesn't even transition to Sprawl 2. Sprawl 2 3/5 - Certainly more interesting than the previous with female singer taking the lead. Actually pretty distinct too with some synth instrumentation and a recognizable chorus. A bit too long for my taste, cut the last minute (its literally just a slow fade out), pretty burnt at this point. The Suburbs (Continued) 1/5 - Very brief finale yet still not very good. Don't know why or when I'd listen to this again. Overall Thoughts: Decidedly not my cup of tea. Some of the songs are a decent groove or provide a very niche but enjoyable vibe-- others don't. When the songs have life and energy behind it, it's actually pretty enjoyable to listen along to. They don't really have a unique identity I feel? They don't really follow typical song structure of verse chorus verse chorus etc which can be fine but it also just kinda makes them all feel monotonous. Lyric structure is all over the place. They do not really know how to end a song other than instrumentation fade-out which is a pet peeve of mine. It's fine.
Not bad but not my jam.
Not a bad album. Probably wouldn’t listen to again because it’s not my kind of rock. Weird time for instrumental music.
The suburbs - It's a vibe, wouldn't put it on intentionally but wouldn't skip 3/5 Ready to start - Sounds damn near identical to other song 3/5 Modern man - Still decent vibe, love chill guitar riff at the end 3/5 Rococo - Kinda cringy, feels like they were out of ideas but needed another song 2/5 Empty room - Forgettable 1/5 City with no children - Anti rich propaganda 100/5, song 3/5 Half light I - Sounds kinda orchestral, 3/5 Half light II (no celebration) - More upbeat, 4/5 Suburban war - Good vibes, continued upbeat feel 4/5 Month of may - Starts high, turned volume up 4.5/5 Wasted hours - Good vibes, enjoyed it 3/5 Deep blue - 3/5 We used to wait - 3/5 Sprawl I (flatland) - 3/5 Sprawl II (mountains beyond mountains) - 2/5 The suburbs (continued) - 1/5 Overall - Overall pretty chill vibe, wouldn't really seek out this album, but for a laid back hangout not a bad album
還是挺好聽的弦樂融進去的方式很有趣但是不知道為什麼是沒辦法提起太多興趣的一張,沒聽完
Added two songs to my playlist. Songs were either extremely generic or very experimental and it worked for a few songs to leave an impression but nothing major to freak out about. Likely a between a 5/10 and 7/10
Forgettable
Better than nothing
Nostalgic coming of age album. Transition from youth to adulthood amidst devastating housing crisis in 2008 and neighbourhood decline. The lyrics are mainly about growing up in the suburbs, reminiscing childhood and adolescence, remembering old friends and realisation that everything’s changed now. All in all, generic indie-rock of 2010s vibes.
Listened to 3/4 of it. A few songs I liked. Most of it too British for me.
Not bad but kinda boring, some good tracks but nothing that I'd really good back to
Beautiful. Feels complete, yet have to be in a special mood to listen to it fully. Favorite track: Suburban War
Summary: The album title and cover art really describes the album better than words could. Semi-urban, semi-rock/country feel with solid playing and pretty good vocals. The lyrics are really strong. Transitions between songs are sometimes good and sometimes not. The atmospheres in each song are inoffensive and unadventurous for the most part, but because of that it's difficult to find genuine fault in the album other than the songs just being plain and uninteresting. The mixing and overall sound quality could be stronger and much more engaging at times, especially given the lush textures throughout. The melodies are consistently below average. The Suburbs: Weird chord progression! I love it! Fun vocal, especially during the chorus. The rhythm section (particularly the drums) have a slightly muffled sound - interesting. At around 2 minutes you start hearing high string alternating with high backing vocals - this leads to a thick, ethereal texture. Only problem I have is that the melody isn't very catchy or singable, which (for the album's lead single) can't be a good thing. Ready To Start: Transition! Gotta love it. Immediately, an energetic and slightly foreboding rhythm section. There's a strange, subtle vocal effect throughout that is either a really convincing double-track, an echo with incredibly short delay, or me imagining things. Winding-down of texture following the climax at 3:00 is effective. Again, the melody is pretty unremarkable. Nice ending. Modern Man: Strange time signature, but only sometimes. Same vocal effect as the previous song (I wasn't imagining it). Otherwise, not much to say here. Solid, inoffensive track. Rococo: The vocals should be put even more at the front of the mix. The lyrics, enunciation, and emotion are great, but they're held back by the loud, repetitive backing. Another good ending, but the next track shatters this too quickly. Empty Room: The female vocal here is a great change of pace. Not much else to say. City With No Children: This isn't a new vocalist, but it still sounds very different. Percussion (apart from hand claps) is put back in the mix, and the result is very effective, especially when the second singer starts harmonising. Some of the lines are a little clumsy ("cityy withh NO CHIL-dreninit") but it does make for a more memorable chorus. Chord progression is uninteresting. Half Light I: Atmosphere-wise, the same pros as the previous track. Half Light II (No Celebration): Good transition, very similar to the transition between tracks 1 and 2. Sounds suspiciously like a celebration for a track titled "No Celebration". Nice percussion that's especially noticeable around 2:30. Vocals sound really good here. Woo! Suburban War: Not interesting until around 3:30 when the tempo and percussion change completely, reflecting the track's title. Month Of May: Grungy. Velvet Underground-ish, but with more harmonies. Alien-like drone synths at around 2:50 are nifty. Wasted Hours: Brought down substantially by an awkward (yet boring?) melody. Not a fan. Deep Blue: Atmospheric! The low, distorted guitars work excellently throughout. We Used To Wait: The backings in this track are great, if quite repetitive. The bass drum backs the synth, piano, and vocal at 1:00, which creates a nifty little texture. Sprawl I (Flatland): Strong vocals here. Strings are very pretty, but are begging for more layering. Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains): Whoa. Completely different sound here. Powerful, pulsating bass synth notes contribute greatly to the texture. Actual emotion in the vocal (though it's hard to tell what emotion it is). ABBA-esque. The melody's the catchiest it's been so far. Repeating synth melody at 1:30 is prominent in the mix and makes it very radio-friendly. The Suburbs (Continued): Short reprise-y track tacked onto the end. Probably not necessary. The fade-out certainly wasn't.
Good album, not bad. Not really my style of music.
meh
Something different on here, more to my original flavours I like it
Good vibes, nice to walk to 6/10
Art rock
Another 7/10 bit of a swagger walk. Easy to listen to.
Not really my jam.
Meio chatinho, mas tem umas músicas legais
arcade Fire has some amazing songs, but this is not my favorite album of theirs
didn't like the first half, kinda grew on me, not gonna listen again
Not bad but didn't grab me.
Decent album. Starts strong. Probably a bit overrated. Not too much to say about. Probably didn’t give it the most thorough listen through.
Eh, it was alright.
инди пост панк местами что-то более фанковое и что-то такое из панка 80-х под конец первой половины я уже заскучала, а во второй началось что-то другое вторая половина - спокойное инди с налетом Keane, Beatles и похожим музыка для вечера
Nice chill album overall. Great easy listen but a couple songs, to me, were underwhelming.
Good beat. Dancy.
Already have listened to this. It’s good.
About the first half of this keeps my attention. It tapers off a bit after that but there are still a few bright spots. I saw them in concert around this time and I didn't really go willingly but then the show ended up being an actual show so I have soft spot for them. Not sure if the lead singer is a piece of shit, though, so minus one star.
Yeah, I don't mind this. I don't particularly rate it either, but it choogles along inoffensively in the background. The occasional track breaks through, but otherwise this feels almost like functional music. Albeit this is a notch above most of its peers, this roundly falls into that category of slightly fey guttar indie that relies on hummable melodies underscored by the most crushingly basic rhythmic patterns. That's my biggest beef here really - the rhythms are barely more sophisticated than a toddler banging on a saucepan. Without any particular knowledge of the genre, if you were to ask me when this came out I would've said around 2010. It absolutely reeks of 2010.
You know what? I was prepared to pan this. I moved on to other things after Neon Bible and had yet to really check back in to all things Arcade Fire until this list thrust it upon me. It's too long. But it's not bad. Of all the bands out there attempting to write indie rock anthems, I'm not sure many do it in a way that's as interesting or genuine (?) as Arcade Fire on these first few records they put out. But there's just no way that continued, right? I feel like I would've heard some of their music sneak onto the radio or into movies since 2010, but I don't recall that happening. Maybe I'm just unawares.
Very British sounding, with barely a hint of canada, to my ears at least. Fairly bland, but decent background music. Not a band I can see myself exploring much further - they just don't grab my attention like some of the others I have encountered through this list.
Giving me this and Funeral just a couple days apart is pretty messed up. Maybe not Kanye back-to-back messed up, but close. As for the album itself, I'm conflicted, because I find some of the songs here to be the best of the band's whole discography (of what I heard) but other songs here are just as boring and soul sucking as Neon Bible, which I gave a one. Generally my system has it so it at least gets a three if I enjoy a few songs to add to my musical rotation (rounds up from a 2.5) but my disdain for not only this band as a whole, but the rest of this album still makes me feel like this is a two. You're probably thinking "then give this a two," but I hate to break tradition, it would bother me. So, if you're reading this, this three is the lighest three I've ever given, and I think as an album, Funeral is far and away the best of their albums here, I just seem to like parts of this one the most, and that helps it in my system. It's flawed, but I'm in too deep. One thing I can say no matter what is Arcade Fire is not a good band by any means.
Arcade Fire is the type of band that I don't mind if their music comes up in a playlist but I won't go out of my way to listen to them.
decent and interesting pop. Varied songs. A mix of U2 and others pseudo punk
This was a great one to see on this list. Always happy for a 2010 or later album. While I'm not a big Arcade Fire guy, I'm glad this one is on here and I kept a song to remember it by, Sprawl II.
Not my favorite; not bad, might need another listen.
Strong start, felt like second half was weaker. 3.5
Prototype of this genre, but feels dated now.
Really dislike this band…. I mean, I hate them. Pretentious “art” drivel. That said: this album has maybe 3 or 4 songs that are listenable.
The album is very non-imposing. okay to have on in the background but didn’t hold my attention.
Some days I'm just not in the mood for that day's album. Today was one of those days. I'm sure it's good, but I just couldn't connect with it. I really like Funeral, but this one isn't nearly as inventive. That's all I got. Three Arcade albums on this list is two too many. And I know that's not Arcade Fire's fault, but c'est la guerre. That's French for "My god, this singer is boring me to death."
Hørte en del på Arcade Fire på ungdomsskolen/vgs så litt nostalgisk:) noe litt bra, noe kjedelig. Likte Sprawl 1 & 2 best tror jeg. 2.5
Another hour plus long album. Call me old. Call me short attention span. I find 40 minutes give or take usually leaves me wanting more. An hour plus leaves me wondering when it's going to end. About half of this album is strong.
Quite interesting. Makes me want to explore them further.
6 years separate this and the last Arcade Fire album we reviewed. Kind of had this in the background through the first 3 songs. Enjoyed it fine, but didn't get perked up until Rocco. Instrumental on Empty Room almost has a post-rock quality about it, except with vocals. It reminds me a lot of an Explosions in the Sky song that I can't quite place. In any case, I really enjoyed it and the seamless transition into City with No Children. I listened to this twice through, and, just like their last album on this list, I didn't find myself too terribly moved. I think that the songs on their own are fine and in some cases really strong, but for whatever reason this doesn't push beyond the background noise. I'm a 3 / 5. Really liked Empty Room and Suburban War.
Pretty standard sounding album until it got to Suburban War then it started picking up a bit. Sprawl II was probably my favorite song, it was cool that it sounded like a new singer. Pretty underwhelming compared to the Funeral album from a couple weeks ago
Liked Funeral more than this tbh. It's good just nothing spectacular. Definitely find myself really liking some moments of certain songs but overall I just don't really see the HUGE appeal of Arcade Fire. Idk I'm going to listen again but this is a solid 3.
Vraiment moins aimé que Funeral, je mettrais pas mal les mêmes commentaires que pour Neon Bible. Je pense que c'est un bon album, mais c'est un tantinet overrated. L'album est un peu long et beaucoup de pièces sont trop du pareil au même. Mais j'ai clairement un biais négatif avec ce genre de indie rock. 6/10
Some good songs. A lot of forgettable songs. Nowhere near as good as Funeral or Neon Bible.
Good background music while working
There are some good tracks on here, but it's also long and forgettable
unoffensive
Glad I listened to it. Generally liked it but many of the songs felt too similar. Probably wont be putting it into rotation.
Non riesce a conquistarmi del tutto ma vi sono alcune chicche indimenticabili
Touches on innovative but slips into boring sometimes for me. Overall good.
FAR too many songs. makes it a slog most of time. thank god there are some absolute gems hidden in the slog. fav songs: rococo, city with no children, half light I, we used to wait.
Never listened to this band before, and didn't hate it.
Very good album. Standouts: The Suburbs, Ready to Start, City with No Children, Month of May, We Used to Wait, Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) Others: Wasted Hours, Speaking in Tongues 3.5/5
Busy instrumentation, don't do anything interesting with their multiple instruments. OK as background. No actual bad songs, but it's just not my thing. 3/5
Definitely a bunch of quality tracks on here and thematically on point. For me there is just a lot of, not necessarily filler, but tracks that didn't grab my attention and left the album feeling a bit bloated. Fav track: Half Light 1 Strong 3
My first fartcake mire record all the way through. Enjoyable, but I never felt like the songs earnt their anthemic presentation. To be fair I'd need to give it another go to dig into the lyrics and everything a bit more, but I'm not necessarily compelled to. You'll have to wait until next time fartcake! *was 3.5 but Al slighted me and honestly I don't remember this album really anymore Fave track: Ready to Start
This one grew on me quite a bit. Always found this group a little overrated or out of my taste but this honestly was pretty good. Great flow and solid songwriting. Was nearly giving this a four but for now will mark down. Maybe will change my mind on more listens. Three and a half. Fave track: Modern Man
Pretty hooky easy listening stuff, sounds a bit older than it is - well played stuff
Win Butler being a creep aside, this is an impressive indie effort that unknowingly heralded the genre’s shift into the smoother, radio-friendly anthems of the teens. What the band lacks in dynamism, they make up for in composition and verve – a few lyrics here are cringe to the fullest, but they’re chanted over fun synths/guitars so many times that it’s easy to let it slide. This weakness does poke through a few times, however, when the melody just doesn’t hit right and the tracks drag on beating a dead horse of a chorus. Still, there are some ideas and lines here that show the band getting ahead of (or even defining) the synth-fueled aughts-teens transition. The hypnotic drone of “Sprawl II” (check out the Soulwax remix), pounding urgency of “Ready to Start”, and melancholic paranoia of “We Used to Wait” are only a few of the highs of this album, and they’re lofty enough to wash out the bad and keep me coming back to this LP year after year. I’m doing my best to put nostalgia aside here and be fair even though I was like, what, 12? when this came out– does anyone else remember the interactive music video webpage for We Used to Wait? Loaded that thing on my Grandma’s computer and crashed it. Good times!
They have a couple of songs that I really like quite a bit. But they also have a lot of songs that are a meandering, muddy mess. They need to sharpen their production values and figure hone their songwriting. They get the third star because it is listenable.....in small chunks.
The production for this project is beautifully dense and clean. The musicianship is also well-presented. The songwriting is great but needs more idiosyncratic moments at times. The cohesiveness of this project is a double-edged sword because it produces a body of work rather than a collection of tracks, but sadly they end up blending into one another too much overall. Score: 72/100
I've listened to the top songs from Arcade Fire before (The Suburbs, Wake Up etc.) but doesn't evoke any special emotions in me. Kind of the same in this album, but I did enjoy Half Light I and Suburban War quite a lot actually. Feels like a proper 3, definitely not higher.
I think this albums features one of the better songs of the decade, namely Sprawl II. It was a great hit when it came out and it still holds up over a decade later (maybe being 20 when it came out gives it an extra point or two). There are a few other very good songs on the album such as "Ready to start". None of the other songs really stuck out and as a whole album I would rather cherry pick my favourites. I think as a whole, the next album "Reflektor" is better although it doesn't have the same number of large hits.
Meh
Fine indie rock album. A bit of variety, but still fairly generic, IMO.
A bit too rowdy for me
Arcade Fire is a good band. This album defined the sound and style of all the band's other albums. All very similar!
Listened to this on Friday afternoon, reviewing on a Monday morning. I've mostly forgotten about it except I remember enjoying the female lead vocal songs more than the others. Didn't love or hate it, so just giving it an average 3/5.
1/6/23 i think i heard this so much as a kid that i physically can’t anymore Fave Track; the suburbs :)
Genres: Indie rock, art rock, baroque pop Formed: Montréal, Quebec, Canada in 2001 Run time: 16 songs, 1 hour, 3 min This is their third album. Track 11, “Wasted Hours” is the least played track but it still has over 7M plays on Spotify. Track 1, “The Suburbs” has over 146M plays. Track 10, “Month of May” had a punk feel to it. The big sound of the album reminds me of the fact they’re from Canada. I just can’t make my mind up about this album. As a whole I enjoyed it, and I liked a couple of tracks, but nothing really grabbed me. Perhaps after a couple more listens it will grow on me, so for now, it will remain on my playlist and we’ll see. My Rating: ***
6/10. Decent indie album. I probably liked their album Funeral more, but it's been a while.
Tiene un sonido similar a lo largo de todo el proyecto, pero la realidad es que no casna, las letras por momentos son profundas y los ritmos sumergen en una especie de historia de soles y calidez, en la que se plantea un punto de vista intimo y personal. Como digo, no cansó pero al ser similares pasan desapercibidads es un buen disco, pero con falta de un monton de cosas 6/10.
Yeah man not sure whether i like this or not, some songs are compelling, however the whole thing feels stunted somehow.
Liked the first two albums more
I was really impressed by the credentials and accolades when I read about this album. I didn't get the same by listening to the album, which was fine. Just fine. I know a few Arcade Fire tracks to hum along to, and I'm not sure why this album was picked instead of one of their other albums.
Yet another ex-1001 album!™ http://1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie.wikidot.com/album-artists-a-z-ex I do like Arcade Fire; Funeral and Neon Bible were on regular repeat, but then their subsequent albums somehow passed me by. The Suburbs is good, though quite long, defo worth a few listens, but their earlier albums still hold closer for me.
Arcade Fire is from Canada. This is their third album. They have three albums on the 1001 list. Singles from The Suburbs ------------------------------------- The Suburbs"/"Month of May (#94 CAN) We Used to Wait (#75 UK) Ready to Start (#67 UK) City with No Children Speaking in Tongues Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) Standouts: Rating: 3/5
This never ends
Meh
Salut Chatgpt, peux-tu me créer une critique musicale qui soit à la fois valable pour The World is a Ghetto de War et The Suburbs de Arcade Fire parce que ça fait deux semaines que je dois écrire une critique des deux et je les confonds. Bien sûr, voici une critique courte qui convient aux deux albums : The World is a Ghetto de War et The Suburbs de Arcade Fire sont deux albums qui abordent la question de l'aliénation sociale de manière émouvante. Alors que The World is a Ghetto explore les tensions raciales dans les quartiers défavorisés, The Suburbs se concentre sur la solitude et l'isolement dans les banlieues. Les deux albums offrent des réflexions sur les difficultés de vivre dans un monde où la communauté est en train de se défaire, tout en proposant une musique captivante et rythmée. Si vous cherchez des albums qui parlent de la condition humaine avec une grande sincérité, The World is a Ghetto et The Suburbs sont des choix incontournables.
C'était sympathique, mais loin de leur apogée musicale, à savoir leur association avec une Miley Cyrus couverte de drogue de la tête au pied au milieu des années 2010.
it's alright. Never understood the appeal.
Average. Didn't grab my attention much and felt like casual background music. Not my thing.
Yep, this is fine and good, just not my personal favorite.
I love the structure and felt the journey of the album particularly with the reprise, but didn’t grab me as much as I’d hoped.
took me a while to listen to because the first song is so good i kept replaying it for several days modern man is also okay rest of the album is mid
Made for good background noise as I worked.
Ok. Not really my thing but they were talented for sure
I feel like I should have liked this more. It seemed good, but something about it just left me cold.
Invokes a nostalgic feel. A lot of the songs sound the same to me though….
Its dense and long and probably needs several listens (which i can't give it). I adored Funeral and thought Neon Bible was v good. This however feels a bit laboured. That's probably a bit harsh. 3.5
Not as good as funeral, but there is some good in it
not really my cup of tea but some tracks that were ok
Good but didn’t blow me away by any means. Maybe for the time it was
Hard not to compare this to funeral and I prefer funeral in almost every way. Not a bad album but doesn’t have the same charm, and my most common complaint nowadays applies: too long. Albums should have a hard cap at 45 minutes
I hadn't listened to any of Arcade Fire before this project and I found their album Funeral (our album #65) bold and theatrical. I felt an arc and an intention. I listened several times. Now it's a year and a half and 500 or so albums later and maybe I'm tired and maybe it isn't fair to compare this album to the previous one but that's what I found myself doing. I heard glimmers of what I liked about Funeral but overall found The Suburbs much less compelling. I don't particularly want to devote much attention to it again.
Ready To Start is good the rest was forgettable
I didn't particularly love Arcade Fire before the controversy and have even less of a reason to bother trying now. That said, this was the album of theirs I found myself most interested in. I've lived, worked, and travelled with many Arcade Fire fans through the years, so I've heard their music quite a bit for a band I could never get into. I never actively disliked them either at least. But something about the morning-after vibes of this one always felt more enjoyable for me than largely indifference toward the others.
No bad songs but no stand out.
Pretty good. Quite chilled.
Argh, it is difficult to separate the artist and their art nowadays...but I still quite like a lot of songs here and the debut album is one I still will perk up when I hear it...but I would have gone 4 stars but one bad apple brings them down to a 3...maybe even a 2...so let's say 2.5.
It started out strong enough with The Suburbs and Modern Man, but lost its way somewhere along the middle. There's a great indie sound here, but it feels like Arcade Fire couldn't quite find it. The record feels meandering and aimless by the seventh track, and as a whole it just lacks oomph. And for an album that's over an hour long you gotta have a lot of oomph.
Bit of a plod, with a occasional quasi transcendental moment
A few good ones and a lot of similar ones. Friendly nice Canadians. I know it’s 5 stars for many listeners but not me. I will give 3 for respect.
As far as the Indie genre goes, this wasn’t bad. The first song had a bit of a Neil Young ballad sound and the album also mixed in some much heavier stuff. They sound like they would be fun t see in concert.
I remember walking into my local record store back in 2004 and the music playing stopped me in my tracks. I had never heard such a glorious wall of sound. I asked who it was and the clerk showed me Arcade Fire's debut album Funeral. I immediately bought it and couldn't wait to get home to play it. Mind Blown. Their second album Neon Bible was pretty good too with the magnificent No cars go - it was anthemic rock at its best. It also has My body is a cage and Keep the car running which are quite good. Unfortunately they peaked early though because I find their third album The Suburbs to be just ok. The title track and Ready to start are good, but the rest of the album fizzles out a bit for me.
Da e jo bra på ein måte, bare ikkje nåke eg får lyst til å inkludera i listene mine
Middle shelf
I didn’t hate this album but it almost immediately just felt like white noise in the background. It had some good parts but as a whole nothing really came out of it. It wasn’t bad, just completely average.
Was nog niet echt bekend met Arcade Fire maar vond het wel chill om te luisteren. Ga zeker meer van ze luisteren
Always thought of arcade fire as being a festival band and this solidified that. Record didn't do too much for me, but I would absolutely go see them if they were playing at a festival I was at
My first intro was "Neon Bible", so I'd already become familiar with the sound. This album just clued me into some other songs that were similar in kind and stood out in some cases. I didn't get particularly engrossed in it, but I also found it listenable and made it through the album. Would probably listen again to get more depth and pay more attention to the lyrics.
Nice
Nice album easy to listen to
Pleasant background music. I liked it while it was playing and would give it 3.5 stars if I could. But I need to round that down because now, right after finishing the album, I don't really remember what it sounded like anymore.
Still not sure if I like it, but this listen through I enjoyed the lyrics and some of the songs
Every song reminded me of taking family trips in the 80s with the radio tuned to a station that plays nothing but generic but pleasant songs. The lyrics are a little melancholy but the music is very soothing. Ultimately though, it is mostly forgettable. 3.5 stars
Hooked me with the first, titular song. Nice transition from there to the second song. From there, things began to fall apart. The album started to feel bland and boring, like it didn't have anything new or novel to say or show. This is probably a personal problem, but I don't think I'll ever understand Arcade Fire. Repetitive instrumentals and mediocre, generic vocals; it just doesn't do it for me.
I think it would be a 4 if the front man didn’t have allegations against him .
Okay but not as great as people say.
Arcade Fire is a Canadian indie rock band from Montreal. Their sound reminds me somewhat of Radiohead or alt-J. There is quite a bit going on musically in this album. There are certain songs that lean harder to the rock side of the spectrum, then other songs that are more indie pop, like the song Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) which sounds like it could be a Depeche Mode song. I enjoy the harmonies reached by the male and female vocalists. I am not a fan of indie music as a knee jerk reaction, however, there were a few enjoyable songs on this record. I doubt I will ever listen again, as it took literally all day to listen to a 1hr album because I kept losing interest , but I can appreciate what they're doing here, and how they influenced so many other new artists who have came since. I just really don't like this new age indie rock artsy hipster garbage much. Favourite songs: Month of May, Ready to Start, Modern Man, Wasted Hours, Empty Room, City With No Children Least favourite songs: Rococo 3/5
Canadian indie rock darlings Arcade Fire have been praised for their early work, and for good reason. The level of compositional quality on display is more akin to an orchestra than a rock band, showcasing the songwriting chops of the band. By all accounts, Arcade Fire is a great band. And yet, there are little things that hold it back for me. Win Butler's voice, the overproduction, the goddamn length of the thing. Perhaps it is too ambitious, too grandiose for my own liking. It's an incredible piece of work that somehow doesn't fit too well in my mind. Maybe in another time, another place, another life, this would be my perfect album. Sadly, I cannot find that place right now.
Good fun little indie album. Limited depth but evokes the mid noughties hipster zeitgeist relatively well. Very Where the Wild Things Are. May have even been the soundtrack. I remember NME journos pissing themselves over this album but it's basically just better than fine
Pretty good album, I've heard Arcade Fire before, but nothing off of this album. I'd give it a relisten
Elevator pablum. All pleasant enough but nothing to slap you in the face to make you pay attention.
A slow journey from ‘It’s a bit rubbish’ to ‘I quite like this’ through a few ‘Oh, it’s that one’ on the way. I reckon multiple listens would wear into a favourite like an old comfortable pair of shoes.
a little too much sprawl
Liked some of the tracks.
Leuke popmuziek. Het voelt als veel van de modernere bands, maar ook een beetje als The Cure. ***
I applaud the creativity in the songwriting and the deep sparkle of the production. I somehow can’t escape the feeling that this band sounds like a great imitation of a rock band, as if for a stage or screen presentation, rather than a rock band itself. There is just some kind of barrier or distance that prevents me from completely engaging with this band and their music.
its ok, i like it. the beginning of the songs is good but I like heavier and more energetic songs. I like indie songs but this album isn't that energetic. this is a personal preference, I can see other people liking this. I'll listen to it, it's decent but I like my songs loud and energetic. :)
Didn't enjoy this as much as the other one, but I still saved a few. I like that it all merges together from track to track.
Ei huonoa indie rockia
I like the title track, a lot of the others are eh
Good ambient music. There were a few songs that I enjoyed but a lot was just background music.
meh very pajero
This was a nice album to listen to. Nothing terribly interesting to me musically, but solid al around. Favorite track: Empty Room
Heard it before?: Not in entirety but have heard a few from this Enjoy it?: yeah, it has something going for it at the start and it has a really nice theme that you feel attached too but that just fades for me after the track ‘city with no children’, still solid nonetheless Favourite track: Track 1 - The Suburbs
I really like Arcade Fire's earlier albums, and my interest fell off a bit beyond those. However there's some good songs in here. It does feel over-long though, with a bit of sag in the middle. I really love Sprawl II. Seeing that song in particular live at Glastonbury - there was actual magic and electricity in the air and it always takes me back to that moment.
Indie mais do que agradável.
Classic indie alternative album. Supposed to see them in a couple of weeks. Was originally with Beck and Feist but they both dropped after sexual abuse accusations agains win butler. Tough shit and was mainly going for Beck. Anyway, some classics in here but a bit heavy of an album. Could’ve been trimmed down.
Kinda mid
Very nice. Typical AF sounds. Would listen to it again.
Though absolutely my style of music... there just isn't enough that really grabs you. The layers are nice, but the melodies aren't catchy, the lyrics don't seem very compelling and doesn't really pull me in. I did really enjoy Sprawl II and Suburban War.
Okay
nice driving music couple of bangers
j'aime bien arcade fire
it's ok. 3 stars.
legal, mas não me cativou
Interesting but not my cup of tea
I was never a fan so I didn't have to be disappointed when it turned out Win Butler was a piece of shit.
I wanted to like this album as a whole more, but besides a few songs that were better than the others, it just doesn't match up to the rest of their earlier works, for me.
Album intro isn't my cup of tea. Deep Blue seemed okay. Sounds like it's from the 70s, not the 10s. Likely wouldn't listen again.
meh. Not bad, but meh
MGMT-esque Hollister background-type music. Sounds great but the mixing for the vocals vs. the heaviness of the production sounds too outdone for the time it came out in. Enjoyed it but is somewhat forgetful. 6/10
Solid album, encapsulates nicely the melancholy and sadness of growing up stuck in the suburbs . Maybe drags on a little in the end.
Ca va, la plupart des chansons sont basiques mais quelques unes sont mieux
Honnêtement c'était chill. Les chansons se ressemblaient beaucoup dans le style, grosse guitare de fond tu connais, la seule qui s'est différentiée c'est Sprawl II avec ses bons gros synthés. Ça passe en musique de fond mais rien de mémorable. Il faudrait soigner un peu plus ces mélodies malades... 3/5
Plutot cool album indie, chill oklm, pas transcendnat mais sympa
Very chill melodies and vocals are cool sometimes. Start is very good and catchy, the end is quite slow but not in a good way... 3/5
Nothing special was still good
Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) is far and away the highlight of this album. It’s dark and synthy, my kind of jam. It reminds me of The Dø, who are definitely worth checking out…Shake, Shook, Shaken is a great place to start. The key to this song being elevated, other than the dark synthiness, is that Régine Chassagne sings lead. Her voice is great. Win’s voice is fine but not on Régine’s level. I’ve had Funeral for a while and listened to it many times. It stayed on later editions of the 1001 list while this album got cut. Right call, amongst the Arcade Fire albums at least. Anyway, I brought up Funeral because I like the vocals a lot. Sampling Funeral again for this review, I noticed that they used more effects than this album, which worked better with that musical style.
the first song is pretty decent the rest are eh 3.5
It was ok, I guess. Nothing stand out. Pleasant enough but not something I would go back to.
This is the third album by Canadian indie rock band Arcade Fire. It debuted at number 1 on the US Billboard 200 charts as well as the Irish Albums chart, the UK Albums chart, & the Canadian Albums chart. Then in 2011 The Suburbs won the Grammy for Album of Year. This Arcade Fire album is considered to be their masterpiece. The indie rock music was spiced with a sense of nostalgia, but also future dread. Listening to it was like pain and pleasure, loss and hope. The album had mass appeal, and was also an ambitious reach for fame and fortune. I liked this album, but perhaps not as much as the average indie rock listener.
I think I’ve already covered this band twice: I just don’t get the hype, it’s unremarkable alternative rock to my ears, about a decade late to claim any innovation in sound. This similarly didn’t do anything much for me. I didn’t hate it at all but nothing stood out.
Nice
we used to wait - reminds me of running up that hill. 6/10 the suburbs - steady beat. sad. 7/10 modern man - indie rock. relatable. 7.5/10 rococo - probably my fav. strong. 8/10 empty room - car ride rock. 7/10 city with no children - 7.5/10 month of may - a lot of drumming. 6.5/10 wasted hours - nice rhythm. 7.5/10 deep blue - piano. nice dynamics. 7.5/10 sprawl i - kinda sad. giving end of the world movie. 6/10 sprawl ii - livelier. female singer. 7.5/10 half light i - guitar. nice rhythm. 7.5/10 half light ii - 6/10 suburban war - 6.5/10
Pretty okay
je ne suis pas anglophone mais il me semble que ces gars ont un certain intérêt pour les banlieues
A faded photobook of memories.
Good songs, having some readings about https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indie_rock https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_rock https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baroque_pop
Not too loud, not too soft. Good background. Seemed to go on longer than needed.
I used to really like this album but save for 2 songs it has aged pretty badly. Bland indie rock of early 2010s
A very generous 3 based on the beginning and end of the album being excellent. The less said about the middle portion the better. A real shit sandwich
Yea it's OK, I liked that other album of theirs more
Fine, fairly generic indie rock. But they do it well.
Hmm... Not too bad but not for my taste...
all a bit dull. i don't understand what it's doing on this list. i get their debut album as it was very different when it was released and stuck out, but this is like the first album with the corners knocked off, like restarting a computer in safe mode. pretty boring.
Great band
decent scran
Moderni indieklassikko, mihin en muutamaa hittiä lukuun ottamatta ole oikein koskaan päässyt kunnolla sisälle. Sama fiilis tästä tulee edelleenkin. Esim. levyn avaava The Suburbs menee varmaan top 100 lempparibiiseihini, mutta muuten levy on aika epätasaista jurnuttelua. Toki kohokohtia levyllä löytyy, mutta kokonaisuus ei ihan itselleni toimi.
Pretty good. Enjoyable listen.
Ok. Overrated.
Starts off strong then gets dull pretty quickly.
Arcade Fire is FINE
Pretty lovely and a good trip down memory lane - but it’s a bit overlong - I’ve started to a appreciate a compact album - although this one is actually quite engaging throughout. It would be a 4 star were it a quarter shorter
Didn't hate it but didn't love it either.
Cet album est excellent. C’est un peu long par contre. J’étais prêt à passer à autre chose avant que ce ne soit terminé. Le band a un son caractéristique et Will Butler a une façon propre à lui d’écrire des tounes. Ce n’est pas mon AF favoris.
Okay, this may be an unpopular opinion, but I didn’t love today’s album. I guess I’ve never listened to an Arcade Fire album all the way through, and while I’ve considered myself a casual fan in the past (have some of their songs on playlists, etc.) and am impressed by their multi-instrumentality…I thought this album was pretty boring to listen to. After the first few songs it just all sounded pretty much the same to me. So, there you have it. A person who didn’t like the 2011 Grammy-winning Album of the Year
I've never given Arcade Fire a shot despite them being all the rage back when I was in highschool...and this is dope, great album to have on.
Definitely a good piece of art with a cohesive sound and some great songs. Month of May is my favorite for sure, and not just for nostalgic reasons. I didn't love or get lost in the album, and part of it felt very dreary.
The songs that were overplayed on every indie radio station a decade ago. The music is pretty good but gahh have I heard it too much.
Best Song: Rococo. I really like the way he plays with the stresses on the syllables of the word "rococo" to generate rhythm in the chorus. Worst Song: Wasted Hours. Sleepy song that sounds like old blues standard instrumentals. Not a terrible song, but doesn't fit with the rest of the album. Overall: Well-produced, thoughtful, stylish indie rock-pop? It's definitely very well done, but still ends up feeling somewhat heartless to me.
Varios discos de Arcade Fire me gustan en su conjunto y brillan en temas concretos. Este disco es también así: Ready to start o City with no children. La cuestión es que tenía muy buen recuerdo de este album pero ahora me ha parecido bien pero no notable. Hay que escucharlo y es imprescindible pero no algo increíble.
NOSTALGIA Inspired by their upbringing in a suburb of Houston, Texas. Nostalgia. Did it worked on me? Yes, because I also have my own experiences of living in a suburban area. Some elements of '80s synthpop and '90s alt-rock all mixed with the notably soft and indie rock sound. Nostalgia. I think this IS what nostalgia sounds like. Bittersweet, but it's just a sugar coating that covers the fact that it was just a mundane experience in a freaking suburb. This album nailed that character of nostalgia. It's boring, but the sounds and the instrumental build-ups create this sweet nostalgia flavor. Album cover of a generic photo of a suburban scene. Edited so it looks like faded and unreal, yet familiar at the same time. Nostalgia. Perfect album cover, it tells us that nostalgia lies. And perhaps that's why it sounds and feels so sweet. Overall, it's basically a nostalgia album. It worked on me most of the time, because again, I have my own suburban experiences. But I think other people who never lived in a suburban area, or even anyone who observed the sound closely, will see this album's sound naked: a boring indie rock sound.
Excellent album. I was dubious about Arcade Fire when I read some of the music press reports and reviews. But I found that the album was just 'different' to other releases around that time. Well worth listening to.
3.5
Very cool.
Oh AF. The debut blew my mind, hit me emotionally hard. The second a little less so but a majestic release. By The Surburbs I feel little of the vibe that carried the first two albums. The opener is solid, but as the rest it feels like a pastiche of themselves. It's solid and perfectly listenable but really goes nowhere.
booo, boooo!
Interesting but I'm not sure how memorable it will really be
Ausser dass es weder 2 noch 4 Sterne sind, sondern 3, gäbe es noch zu sagen, dass viele Songs zu lang sind (ausgerechnet der erste Song ist bereits zu lang, was ich vom Standpunkt der Vermarktung für nicht nachvollziehbar halte) und auch das Album ist insgesamt überflüssig lang.
I'm not a fan of Arcade Fire. I realize that is a massive album for a lot of people, but I just couldn't get into it. With that said, it's a really well done and well paced album.
The suburbs doesn’t need to sound this adventurous
Fairly bog standard stuff. Modern Man stood out everytime it came around though.
For some reason I never got into these mid-2000's "indie rock" bands. They're a bit too pretty for me - maybe there isn't enough puck rock influence musically, even if some of the ethos is there otherwise (hence the "indie" label). They never seem to actually rock to me. This is a bit of a chore for me to get through if I'm being honest. A little boring but not terrible. Just ok.
Välillä ihan lepposaa menoa ja ymmärrettävissä laaja menestys, mutta ei kyllä helli kummemmin omaa makua joten 2,5*
Theatrical. It's not bad and I like the unique instrumentation that pops up but holy hell is it long. I imagine it's telling a story but I zoned out here and there. At least I have a reason to be so lukewarm on Arcade Fire now. Favorite tracks: "The Suburbs", "Deep Blue"
closer to a 3.5
I like it, that's it, not very very nor so so
it didn’t rly stand out to me, but i enjoyed the female vocals
Two songs sounded like they were going somewhere, but the album’s very safe and forgettable.
With the exception of a few tracks, this record was really boring. Favourite Track(s): The Suburbs Least Favourite Track(s): Rococo, Half Light I, Suburban War
eh, alright
didnt care for it
This album thinks it's doing way more than it actually is. Title track is catchy and I really liked Sprawl II. Everything in the middle is a pretentious boring sandwich.
Mediocre. I did not enjoy this one at all.
The auditory equivalent of https://youtube.com/kjwlrvcKcfI?t=115
No lo terminé de escuchar. No me atrapó y me aburrió la verdad.
forgetable
The album started quite good but got pretty boring
The first time we got Arcade Fire I gave it a three because it was fine. There was nothing special about it but there wasn’t anything terrible about it either. After this second album with more mediocre music by them, I’m dropping it to a 2.
Every time I listen to Arcade Fire, I wish I was listening to The War on Drugs. Then, I put on The War on Drugs and the music gets much better. Arcade Fire is the bad boy from an after school special, a caricature of actual dissent or rebellion. It is safe, hipster bullshit. No me gusta.
#955. Arcade Fire is too cool of a name for a band that is so lame. This is third one now I've listened too, and the third one I have been completely underwhelmed with. 2/5: boring
Is a good album? Yeah it is. But it doesn't do much for me.
Hipsterit
Loved a lot of the songs. Not usually my kind of stuff but would listen again.
This was what everyone was hyped about 20 years ago?
This won album of the year at the grammy's in 2011, during a period when the mainstream seemed to be trying to embrace indie more and indie was largely and exercise in trying to find the "next radiohead" The songs are fine and the lyrics seem to connect with a certain kind of person. I am not one of those people and something about Arcade Fire has never connected with me. There are some nice hooks here, but in general is biases too much towards a wall of sound for my taste. I don't see my self revisiting this. Did i have to visit it in the first place? I'm not inclined to think so.
Significantly better than "Neon Bible" which was my first encounter with Arcade Fire. I still hate that they're involved with SA charges. Some of the songs tend to drone on and on and so do some of the lyrics. I'm still not a fan of Arcade Fire but this album is leagues better than "Neon Bible". Overall I'll give it a 5/10
Not very dynamic.
vcvcv
Man I just don’t think this band is for me. I tried!
Not for me.
Unremarkable. 2.5 stars
Pretentious twaddle
ehhh
05/01 Was okay
I didn't like it back in the day, and I like it even less now with everything surrounding Win Butler.
Would've been nice if I heard this when I was 16, it's nice enough indie I guess
Not my style
Svaki njihov album je loše ostario, ali ovaj nekako najviše
White boys in a garage band Favourite track: Rococo
The album is OK. I’ve never been a huge fan of Arcade Fire. They have a few good songs. 2.5 stars
I used to like this more now. It’s just kind of adult music. It’s just like pleasant. The first song is good. Probably a classic.
See previous Arcade Fire review(s). Good if you're in your 20's and trying to meet indie chicks I guess. Bad to be a woman around Wiz Butler.
annoys you by the end
Would listen again to around 2 songs on it but not really my cup of tea. It felt too slow, like every song was dragged.