The Suburbs

great album. Was on repeat for me in 2010. Half Light I and Sprawl standout.

Overall: 9/10 This is one of the first albums I ever bought on CD, so it has a special place in my heart. I used to listen to it constantly and it was years before I even heard another Arcade Fire album. As a Canadian, they hold a special place in my heart. It's a shame what happened with the band (personal problems and lame music), but this album will always be important to me. Fav Song: Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)

Great stuff. I'm very pro-concept-album, so it earns extra points from me for that.

Coming after Neon Bible, which was a pretty heavy album (see Intervention), I was pretty afraid of an Arcade Fire album called The Suburbs. I was figuring a joyless screed about late stage capitalism and gloom everywhere. To me this album is way more about nostalgia, coming of age, and a personal experience of growing up in the suburbs than a political one, even if there is some of that. And the songs are great. I think it's their best album.

5/5 - I love the whole sweep and theme of this album. Sprawl II is likely my favorite Arcade Fire song among many. Happy to put this album on repeat for the entire morning.

Album incrível, cheio de memórias de um passado inexistente ou que nao vemos mais. Sentimentos puros e expectativa de uma junventude sonhadora

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Like Achtung Baby and Blood Sugar Sex Magik, this is the album you love even if you don't love the band.

This was a great album. I enjoyed it from front to back

No puedo ser objetivo. Mi álbum favorito (probablemente) con una de mis canciones favoritas de la vida de una de mis bandas favoritas. Perfección. No puedo decir más.

חבל שהם חארות

such an amazing album, one you can listen to for years and years.

Excellent. Vocals have a little Rhett Miller to it which sort of makes it a more alt rock version of the Old 97s. Really enjoyed this.

I love this album. One of their top 3, that are hard to put in order. Such a mood they carry while still being lively. Their upset grammy win was such a big moment to watch. "who even is Arcade Fire?!"

Another record that I absolutely love. I have listened to this so many times.

The way that the first three Arcade Fire albums instantly transport me back to my early twenties. I love them all, but of those first three The Suburbs probably has slightly less of a hold on me than Funeral or Neon Bible. 4.5 stars

Awesome album throughout.

I've loved this album for a very long time, and whilst the reasons I've loved it have changed over the years, as have my opinions of Arcade Fire as a whole, The Suburbs still holds a very special place in my heart

As good as little boxes in subdivisions

Even though I wish more songs sounded like 'Month of May' and 'Ready to Start', this is a pretty cool concept album with some nostalgic and emotional moments throughout.

nostalgia

мне оч понравился альбом, под конспекты или занятия самое то

Aww, this is an old favourite. The music somehow matches the theme and the whole thing flows together nicely. It feels understated at first but if you listen closely there is a lot going on. Maybe a tad too long but I’ll forgive them that in the circumstances

Not as good as Funeral but pretty close.

Awesome indie

They take their symphonic/orchestral-esque sound from Funeral and seem to have perfected it here. Though I don't think they have any tracks on The Suburbs that are quite as iconic as the best tracks from Funeral. Really enjoy the soundscapes they create here, lots of layers. It's not quite as raw emotionally as Funeral, but it's still very melancholic and introspective (which is 100% my shit, goddamn do I love me some sadboi indie bullshit).

A perhaps underrated LP in the face of their two previous works, this one has a solid theme that enhances the work without being overbearing. There are some real deep cut gems in addition to fan favourites. This is probably where AF peaked.

how did I never listen to this before? It's really everything Indie Rock should be. fantastic

One of Arcade Fire’s best. Big, Springsteen-style rock anthems with sweeping emotions and memorable melodies. The lyrics can get a little cheesy, but when you deliver cheesiness on a scale this cinematic and dramatic, it doesn’t matter. I’m sold. I love the opening title track. Lots of good songs here but that’s a great one. It’s got an easygoing shuffle but a melancholy air. “Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)” is a favorite too. That used to be one I would play again and again just to get my fix of the energy and style of it. Listening to this for the first time in a while, there are few too many tracks in the middle. But this is still a classic in my book, and one I’ve poured a lot of emotion into over the years.

Bummed that I restarted my browser and didn't save my review here so I'm going to quickly try to remember everything. This is a really great album. I was a late listener to this band and I wish I would have gotten into them sooner but I'm happy to be into them at any point in my life. This album particularly is my favorite of theirs. I love how these tracks can teleport me while I'm listening. "Ready to Start" to me feels like driving your car on a rainy road in the middle of fall while leaves drop off the trees around you. "The Suburbs" feels like an introspective conversation you have while staring in a mirror. "Wasted Hours" is sitting in Adirondack chairs around a pool on a perfect summer day. "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)" is standing in your girlfriend's college dorm, pregaming before going out to parties, and wondering if you should have another drink and gauging it off of how loose your dancing is starting to get. I've gone back and forth a lot with the lyrics on "The Suburbs" and if there are other deeper meanings there that I just don't catch. To me, it's kind of on the nose, and I don't know if maybe that's the case because the lyrics really do describe a lot of vivid memories of growing up in a suburban setting. I remember learning to drive in those kinds of streets, I remember getting in fights with kids (and them feeling like wars), and returning home bruised and muddied and realizing that I'm not mom's sweet boy anymore. Now, as I recently have become a suburban homeowner, I also can look around at the idyllic setting of my residential street and see the beautiful trees and flowers blooming and seeing that this is a really serene setting. Like the song, I also realize that suburbs aren't all flowers and white picket fences. For example, I know some of my neighbors now, but I don't really "know" them.. you know? Kids screaming down the street is a welcome sound (for me atleast), and it reminds me of being a kid and hollering and having the time of my life. But kids also scream when they are scared or when something isn't right. Suburbs are interesting places. Great album.

RIGHT up my alley. I love a good 2010s(ish) indiepop record.

So I wait my turn, I'm a modern man And the people behind me, they can't understand.

Whiles it’s hard to think of a band that’s fallen harder than Arcade Fire in terms of quality and respect, man those first three albums are something else. Funeral is a masterpiece in its own right, but I think there’s a compelling argument that The Suburbs is the band’s finest work. It’s the last Arcade Fire album in which they don’t succumb to their own importance. Sure, there are hints of self-righteousness here, but the social critiques in the lyrics still feel genuine and, yes, important here. I think some music publication called them the most important band in the world at the time, and perhaps that was the beginning of the end for them, as Reflektor was a big step back in quality and Everything Now was an embarrassment. Sexual misconduct allegations against Win Butler have also derailed the band. That said, when you look back at The Suburbs it’s best to think about how the band was in this time period. I saw them at Bonnaroo the year this came out, and they were incredible live. This record, while threatening to be too long, doesn’t have a bad song. Even the multiple Half Light and Sprawl songs work. The opening title track is a perfect kickoff. Modern Man is beautiful. City With No Children is a lyrical masterwork (Bowie once pointed out the honest brilliance of the line “I used to think I was not like them but I’m beginning to have my doubts, my doubts about it.”). Suburban War is epic. Month of May slaps, I don’t care what anyone says about this. We Used to Wait is another brilliant song. Sprawl II is the albums crown jewel, an absolute sublime musical work of art. It actually occurred to me in revisiting this that one reason this album (and Funeral) are so good is that it’s one of the best examples of having male and female vocalists taking lead on songs. Sprawl II is the best song here on a rather long album with no bad songs. I think it can at least be argued that In The Backseat is the best song on Funeral as well. History won’t favor the band as much as it once looked like it would, but they gave us quite the gift with this one.

god... the perfect distillation of nostalgia for/desperation to escape the suburbs. hits much harder in my 30s than my teens. so many beautiful lines that still knock me breathless with their simplicity: - In my dreams we're still screaming and running through the yard - So move your feet from hot pavement and into the grass - Maybe when you're older / You will understand / Why you don't feel right / Why you can't sleep at night - The summer that I broke my arm / I waited for your letter - Dreamed I drove home to Houston / On a highway that was underground (hits so hard as someone born in Houston that it still gives me goosebumps sometimes) - Our heads are just houses / without enough windows - Oh, this city's changed so much / Since I was a little child / Pray to God I won't live to see / The death of everything that's wild - Now the cities we live in / Could be distant stars / And I search for you / In every passing car - I know it's heavy / I know it ain't light / But how you gonna lift it with your arms folded tight? - We're still kids in buses / longing to be free god, and the echoing themes of half light, the summer, learning to drive, the town and the road... all the interpolations of the same lyrics and themes are done so well that you feel a jolt of recognition when you hear them, not a sense of repetition. it's just a masterwork. shame about win butler : |

great album, i listened to it like 5 times. shame about win butler though. favorites: the suburbs, ready to start, modern man, rococo, city with no children, suburban war, month of may, sprawl 1 & 2, suburbs continued

Many would probably say this is their best album, and whilst it is a great collection of songs, it is also greater than the sum of its parts, yet I always think if I was to pick my top 5, maybe even top 10 Arcade Fire songs, I’m not sure any from The Suburbs would make the cut and it’s often that reason that Funeral or Neon Bible are my favourites. The Suburbs is somewhat of a concept album exploring modern youth, suburban life, coming of age and a loss of innocence, the themes are evident in every song and even has a pair of couplets all supporting the idea that this is an album to be listened to in its entirety rather than picked out for individual songs.

To be honest, I'd barely listened to the band's music; I only knew about three songs. But this album is fabulous. It made me feel many emotions, it left me thinking, and I was fascinated by the story told through the songs and the beautiful transitions from one song to another.

Brilliant album. Familiar with a few songs already but first time I think I've listened to it from start to finish. I can see why this was so critically acclaimed at the time.

Joining the rotation!

This is an interesting one for me. I remember first discovering Arcade Fire during the 2011 Grammy Awards. I was a Sophomore in college, watching from my bedroom with my girlfriend at the time. I had just gotten heavy into jam band music and thought indie music was boring. She was watching for Lady Gaga. I remember they performed with BMX bikers that had cameras on their helmets. The song was fun but didn't really do anything for me. Then they ended up winning AOTY and since the show was running short, AF performed again, sparking controversy that the whole thing was scripted. Anyways, this album kept popping up for me and I would keep skipping by it, even as I got into Indie properly. I'm not sure when or why, but this album has aged immaculately for me. That first half of the album brings up very specific memories in my life, and the rest of the songs are really good. Better than "Funeral"? Maybe, maybe not. We'll see.

The third of the trifecta of (spoiler) pretty much perfect Arcade Fire albums. But maybe I was growing out of my indie rock phase when this came out, because I didn't listen to it much. The mistake was mine. What strikes me with this is the incredible restraint shown - for something with such a maximalist production, they let tension build and release with a deft touch. When the climaxes hit, they are that much more impactful. It really feels like an album designed to elicit an emotional response, and it does. We cover a lot of different genres, and yet it doesn't sound like a collection of songs. This is really a trip you just have to take with them, a 64-minute drive. That being said, there are individual songs, moments, that are worth the price of admission on their own. Too many to mention. Anyway, this is a 5. It always was.

Deeping Feelings, my ears matches with a lot of sounds.

Some may say that Arcade Fire was just a moment in time, but I still love their core albums. It's not even nostalgia driven because I'd never listened to an album other than Reflektor until after 2018, so my love is pure.

Banger. Perfect start to finish. Don't know what I could add here.

5/5 https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/arcade-fire/the-suburbs/ Was my favorite album by my favorite band for a good while, until they fell off both musically and personally. Upon relistening in full for the first time in quite a while, it still fucking slaps. Some of their best songs and lyrics on this thing. Can’t believe this is the same guy writing the shit on Everything Now and Pink Elephant. What a let down, fuck you, Win.

Really like this

Vilken jäkla banger-platta. Inte helt kalas (vissa låtar kunde man nog klarat sig utan), men jäklar, det finns många bra låtar här: Suburban War, titelspåret, Modern Man, Wasted Hours, Deep Blue... Kommer lyssna igen!

THANK GOD this is such a fantastic album....lyrically, musically, tonally.......beautifully cohesive i had forgotten how much i love this one, absolute no skip

One of my fave AF albums. Saw them headline Glastonbury back in 2014 i think it was and it was mega, got me into them. Shame what came out about Win

Fav

Incredible album. Great energy, lyrics and compositions blending together

I really like this album, but a bit bias. Only complaint is that there are some fillers in here. Otherwise some great songs that I could listen to on repeat

This one makes me more nostalgic than probably any other album. The title track and sprawl II are some of my all-time favorite songs. It’s not as good as Funeral but few albums are. Rating: 4.8

Yes!! What an album! A bit sad that I've now had all of Arcade Fire's entries on this list. I loved this one so much. I remember hearing The Suburbs when it came out - I just wish I'd listened to this album back then! I love how all the songs faded into eachother. Brilliant 5 ⭐️

Nice, lange nicht gehört. Ich glaube, ich finde es jetzt besser als damals. Man verändert sich doch irgendwie

The conclusion of an incredible three album run. There was a time when Arcade Fire could do no wrong. It's a shame their output has been increasingly dire through time because this is a reminder of how great this band used to be.

Debated whether this is 4 or 5 stars, probably somewhere in the middle so I rounded up. There is a great variety of songs and styles with a consistent theme throughout. Since I am a product of suburbia, the songs about isolation while surrounded by people, rampant materialism, and sprawl really resonate. The band really hit its stride with this one: the playing, vocals, and production are first rate. It's probably a tad too long but shifts in tempo and style keep the momentum going. Love the bonus tracks too. They really combined the best of Bowie, Talking Heads, and U2 into their own thing and made their masterpiece. Too bad it's been a long drop-off since.

An important record for me personally, so much nostalgia and emotion tied up in this. Came out when I was 12 so I spent formative years listening to it, and the themes speak more to me now as an adult. An album about nostalgia itself, impermanence, fleeting innocence, and the spiritual/moral bankruptcy of 21st century USA. Arcade Fire's magnum opus I think. It has all their best impulses without the melodrama, blending roots rock and punk and folk and even a little synth pop on Sprawl II. Always will be a special record for me. The bonus tracks are really good too, especially Speaking in Tongues with David Byrne. No skips here

Very different listen at 30 compared to 15. Wasted hours really hits me. Fantastic

It's 2010. Obama is President. A sweeping healthcare law has just been passed. You're at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland on a sweltering August night. The best band in the world at the time is taking the stage. It doesn't get much better than this. The Suburbs is Arcade Fire's 3rd album, a genre-spanning epic concept album about loneliness, growing up, and finding meaning in a vapid world. After Funeral and Neon Bible, expectations were high for this one and they hit it out of park. The album includes some "Wake Up" style anthems (Ready to Start, City With No Children), some punk rock (Month of May), more contemplative ballads (Deep Blue, Half Light I), and a disco-style banger to end things (Sprawl II). I thought Arcade Fire was in position to dominate music for the next 10-15 years after this album and that epic concert. But they went into a weird dance-rock phase, Win Butler had some unsettling allegations, and their music just stopped mattering. But we'll always have those first 3 albums.

Amazeeee, Bouche a levres on steroids

Always really liked this. First couple are superb and the rest cling on for the fiver. Simpsons: No

Great

It's embarrassing to admit, but I've never listened to this album in its entirety. After just coming off the ending of Stranger Things, this album scratched the nostalgic itch I have been craving throughout my newfound existential crisis of middle-age-hood. God damn if this story isn't the most perfect representation of suburb life, and had it been made in between 1991-1995, it would have been my teen anthem. I can't believe I slept on this before, perhaps it wasn't the right time for me, but I'm obsessed. The only thing I can see being a problem, because it is my first album, it sets the bar really high.

really loved this, this felt most similar to what i would listen to prior to starting this challenge. and canadian! unreal!

Day 199 Stunning album, one of my favourites, loved it since I first heard it. Not a skippable track here. Easy 5 Highlights Suburban War Month of May We used to Wait

Great album for millennial childhood nostalgia.

nunca había escuchado algo así pero me pareció interesante

"The Suburbs" is the third studio album by Canadian indie rock band Arcade Fire. Indie rock, art rock and baroque pop are the Wiki-listed genres. The album lyrics were inspired by bandmembers' Win and Will Butler's upbringing in Houston suburb, The Woodlands. The core bandmembers included Win Butler (vocals, guitar, piano), Will Butler (synthesizers, guitar, bass, percussion), Régine Chassagne (vocals, accordion, drums, percussion, keyboards), Richard Reed Parry (guitar, percussion, celeste, accordion, double bass, backing vocals), Tim Kingsbury (bass, guitar), Sarah Neufeld (violin, string arrangements) and Jeremy Gara (drums, percussion). Commercially, the album debut at #1 in both the UK and US. It had wide-spread critical acclaim and won the 2011 Grammy for album of the year. The album opens with the self-titled "The Suburbs." A bouncy beat and piano. Win with anxious and nervous vocals as he describes the the mundane nature of the suburbs and the lost innocence of American suburban life. Foreboding guitar strikes carries the melody throughout "Ready to Start." He's ready to go into adulthood although ominous. The band really cranks it up pace wise in "Empty Room." A guitar drone, fast beat and an underlying synth. Dual lead singers with Régine and Win. A song that builds. It's urgent and one of the album's best songs. Isolation and loneliness. There's no let down in the next song "City with No Children." A handclap beat and a melodic electric guitar riff. Dual lead vocals again with a very "hooky" chorus. More loss of innocence and transition into adulthood. Speaking of transitions, "Month of May" is about the weather transition in Montreal from spring to winter. And rightfully so, there's an urgent beat and hard driving guitars. An eerie synth. Win with shotgun vocals in a blur of a song. The second song released as a single was "We Used to Wait." Piano tapping, drum ticks and guitar accents. The music and vocals build. A bit of a change in the lyrics as Win describes pre-internet when we used to wait for physical mail. The music on this album can be grand, urgent and even anxious. The songs do build throughout and are mostly very melodic. The songs bounce between dreamy pop, rock, baroque and even punk-like. About half the songs feature strings; I find it interesting that I did not pick one as one the album's top songs. Win said he was going for songs that sounded like his youth, mimicking Depeche Mode and Neil Young. I'm not sure I heard that but admire the attempt. The lyrics are also mostly compelling if sometimes overwrought dealing loss of innocence and entering adulthood. This album is sprawling and long but there are just too many good songs for that to bother me. This was when Arcade Fire was on top of the rock and festival world. This album is right up there as their best with "Funeral" for me. I do like their next album "Reflektor" somewhat and then, and then, well, things have not gone well for the band. So, just enjoy this one which is a very good one.

Ett bra album som påminner mig om Artic Monkeys. Jag tycker det är konstigt att jag inte har lyssnat på Arcade Fire innan, då det är en musikstil som jag egentligen tycker om. Känslan jag får av albumet är också väldigt härlig. Favoritlåtar: Rococo, City with No Children

Mid 5 These guys are underrated these days. Personal favs, city with no children, suburban war, month of May, deep blue, sprawl 1, sprawl 2

Old time favorite, easy yo listen, but powerful in emotions. Love it.

Solid albums with a few bangers especially at the onset of the album.

era-definining stuff.

love

When this first came out, I was about 25 and loved it. While it does have some (minor) faults, nonetheless I found it very compelling when relistening. There's hope, dread, and nostalgia all portrayed with Arcade Fire's typically lush and compelling arrangements. While it isn't as mind-blowing to me today at 40, nonetheless this a great album that I'm happy to hear again. Favorite tracks: Ready to Start, City with No Children, Suburban War, Month of May, We Used to Wait, and (especially) Sprawl II.

A sprawling album - appropriate for the subject matter. Please people, stop building so much stuff. This is Arcade Fire's magnum opus really, an epic featuring some of their best songs including The Suburbs, Ready to Start, Modern Man, Month of May, Sprawl II, all great tunes. Lyrics which comment on modern capitalism, culture, suburban life, and all sorts. Indie classic

I know this one is going to grow on me over time so im giving it a 5. The suburbs tops Neon Bible musically (imo), being a lot more subtle and less over the top. Plus I can relate to the meaning behind it lot more. That of growing up in the suburbs in western society, and trying to escape that pre-packaged lifestyle it can bring to those who are nurtured by it. Kept growing on me with each listen through, finding something to appreciate within each song whether it be one of the instruments, a melody, the lyrics, or all of the above. Favorites were Rococo, Empty Room, and Sprawl 2. 9/10

like a faded memory, a feeling too intense that i cannot hold and slips through the crevices of my brain. a lot of pain, and sadness, and it's hard not to listen to this and not feel something. but even then, i can't grasp it

Oh how the mighty have fallen. This isn't my favorite Arcade Fire album - I prefer Funeral, Neon Bible, and Reflektor. But this inarguably the peak of their career. But it's such a shame Win turned out to be a creep, so I can't fully enjoy their music as much as I used to. But this album is still so good, if maybe a little bloated and poorly paced. Sprawl II is one of my favorite songs ever written, and should rightfully be an indie classic.

Equal to funeral in many ways, the last of the truly great arcade fire albums and a real modern classic. Especially the title track and sprawl 2

To put it simply: This album means a lot to me, and has really helped me process a lot of feelings over the years. To have it come out in 2010, between my freshman and sophomore years of college really makes it feel like it belongs to our generation, and I was already a big Arcade Fire fan. I am always impressed at their ability to mix big, U2 anthemic type songs with lo-fi aesthetic and themes, and end up sounding totally like themselves. To take on a topic so emotionally raw and make a double album could have been a bloated pretentious mess, but for my money, they made a generational classic. I admit it is hard for me to separate from being 20 years old and pretend I am dispassionately hearing the music for the first time, but aren't the memories and attachments what make us music fans in the first place?

Oui, je connaissais quelques sons par ci par là mais je n’avais jamais pris le temps d’écouter un album en entier ! Il faut reconnaître que c’est « calme » mais c’est intense ! En concert, ça doit être vraiment chouette

Gonna let nostalgia carry this to 5 stars

Super Dope

хз

I do like the liveliness of the album but not my cup of tea

It's nice to have a couple of Indie rock albums in a row. Indie rock was so much of what I listened to in college. So it has a strong nostalgia value for me, but it's also great. This album is musically complex, lyrically invocative, and easy to listen to. I've also come to realize that starting strong is huge for my opinion of an album. Kicking this off with The Suburbs and Ready to Start really sets the bar high.

One of my most favorite albums of all time

Holds up, indie rock all timer

Yeeeeehaw. Big emotional album, big good. Such a strong memory of when this came out and watching the music video for suburbs on the palladium channel like 27 times a day. That song is just so perfect. The emotion that I feel from that song is indescribable, so nostalgic and sad and happy and just everything all at once. It’s absolutely in my top ten favorite songs ever written. The rest of this album is good, great even, but it is so tinged in the millennialism of it all. I don’t think it’s necessarily bad to sound like a time period but it sure is stuck there. Also suffers from two phenomenal songs as openers that are just never topped again, though I’d be remised to not mentioned that Sprawl II comes very close. That said, who can hate on an album about malls and surburbia ruining America. The spiritual descendant of Lonesome Crowded West. I’m sitting on a high four with this but since I already own it I’ll push it to the 5. Definitely will never be upset to listen to this album.

I love this album. I don't love the Win Butler though, so I spent a good time away from listening to Arcade Fire. This album is a complete album, with songs that pull you in all throughout. From the opening title track, through to Sprawl II, its a journey in the banality of suburban life. Lots of tracks I identify with as my younger self, and other ones I appreciate and acknowledge the sentiments but still will find myself living that suburban life they describe, without much an issue. Biggest Hit - Deep Blue Biggest Miss (if I had to choose) - City With No Children Hidden Gem - Wasted Hours

me ha gustado muxooooo

One of the defining albums of my 20s. Masterpiece. Hard to name a favorite track but top 3 - Sprawl II, We Used to Wait, Modern Man

Easy 5/5. My favorite Arcade Fire album

This album is superb. I like Arcade Fire, but this has to be my favourite by them. Thy have such a unique sound and blend of instruments and songwriting. Neon Bible and Reflektor are good albums, but this one is their best.

This was such a huge album in my house throughout the 2010s and if I had to guess probably one of the most played too (Half Light II especially). The Suburbs epitomised my music taste arouns this time and I can remember the day I went to buy the CD while doing photography for a VA project in the city, and I think I subsequently incorporated lyrics or images from it into various art projects. The album as a whole maybe does not hold up quite as well as it once did and I found a few songs in the middle that dragged a bit, but hearing Sprawl II, Suburban War, City With No Children, Ready To Start again really unlocked something in me so I’m still going 5 stars. The suburban dystopia themes really spoke to me and I watched the interactive music video for We Used To Wait (it pulls in all these Google Streetview images of your childhood home ans shows them all overgrown and inhabited by humans) so much because it made such an impression on me. Not from this album but Afterlife was my all time fave Arcade Fire song

J’ai adoré !

A great album from a band I really like. Happy to have discovered them through this list.

Genuinely up there as a modern masterpiece for. Absolutely incredible album

Life changing

This has been a favorite for a long time. It transports me back to high school photography class when I listen to it. I haven’t heard the whole thing in full recently so some songs that would have dragged were nice to hear again. A classic and getting a higher rating for the nostalgia factor.

This album makes me feel nostalgic and sad, even though I did not grow up in suburban sprawl. Of the trilogy, this one is my favorite. I love this album. City with No Children, Half Light II (No Celebration) and the title track are easily my favorites.

the suburbs ready to start 2010 canada indie rock

really good

Great album!

I discovered this album after listening to my first Arcade Fire album as part of this challenge. I immediately loved it and it gets better with each successive listen. The fact that the lyrics are recycled between songs that sound very different is amazing and demonstrates high creativity, thoughtfulness, and craftsmanship. Several great tunes here, but how it comes together as an album is the most impressive part. Very happy to have found this 5 this year.

I love this album. Always have, always will. It is very evocative of the feeling of living in the suburbs. It came out when I was in late high school and it brings me right back listening again as an adult. Sprawl II is my favorite Arcade Fire song

I largely skipped over Arcade Fire early on. It took me two listens to The Suburbs to come to the conclusion that their big production pop synth with simple, but driving guitar, bass, and drums, hits the right notes for me. Reminds a little bit of ELO with Yo La Tengo mixed in.

Hypothetically, you are on your way to a Ayahuasca ceremony. Interested in what you will learn about yourself, but also a little terrified. You want to put yourself in a positive space. This is a good album for this purpose, hypothetically. Early Arcade Fire is fucking great indie rock and I'm a sucker for these vibes. This is music that puts a smile on my face because it is both interesting and fun. Love it!

L’album d’Arcarde fire que j’ai le plus consommé. Belle nostalgie de ma vie universitaire, la fin de mon premier bac. Rock plus « convenu » que les albums précédents mais incroyablement bien maitrisés. Peut-être souffre-t-il des attendtes démesurées des albums précédents, justement?

Great album i like so much abaut the transition between the musics

5 ferda vibes. 0 complaints

It’s one of the best Arcade Fire albums and it still really holds up. This may be where they really proved they weren’t just a stomp clap band.

If possible, my normal routine is to start listening to the album of the day while walking back from dropping my sons off at school. Sometimes that backfires, but not today. I remember this album fondly, and even then I was surprised at how great it was to have this sweeping soundtrack for my walk through a suburban neighborhood. It felt like a movie moment, and jumped off a great start to the day.

Superb album!

love love love

Great album .My favourite album by Arcade Fire .

I am an absolute sucker for indie music from this era, and this is such a great concept album from that period. This has some of the best songs from Arcade Fire imo. I absolutely loved this.

# **Arcade Fire – *The Suburbs*** ### *In-Depth Album Review: Lyrics, Music, Production, Themes, Influence, Pros & Cons* --- > *“Sometimes I can’t believe it / I’m moving past the feeling.”* > — *The Suburbs* --- ## **Overview** Released in **August 2010**, *The Suburbs* is the **third studio album** by Canadian indie rock band **Arcade Fire**. It won the **Grammy for Album of the Year** in 2011, cementing the band’s place in mainstream and critical circles. A **conceptual album**, it explores **nostalgia, suburban ennui, memory, and modern alienation**, blending **orchestral rock, synth-pop, and Americana** into a **63-minute narrative**. --- ## **1. Lyrics: Memory, Loss, and Suburban Malaise** Win Butler’s lyrics are **literary, cyclical, and emotionally resonant**, often **blurring childhood memory with adult anxiety**. The album is **obsessively thematic**, with **recurring motifs** like “the suburbs,” “kids,” “wasted time,” and “modern life.” - **“The Suburbs”** opens with a **mundane memory** of learning to drive, then spirals into **existential dread** about time, fatherhood, and societal collapse . - **“Suburban War”** is a **devastating meditation** on how **music, politics, and identity** divide friends over time: > “Now the cities we live in could be distant stars / And I search for you in every passing car” . - **“We Used to Wait”** critiques **digital alienation** and the **loss of patience**, using **piano and percussion** to mimic the **rhythm of nostalgia and anxiety** . The lyrics are **broad yet emotionally specific**, allowing listeners to **project their own suburban ghosts** onto the songs . --- ## **2. Music: A Sonic Sprawl of Nostalgia and Tension** Musically, *The Suburbs* is **eclectic but cohesive**, shifting between **jangly indie rock**, **synth-driven new wave**, and **chamber-pop grandeur**. - **“Ready to Start”** and **“Month of May”** deliver **driving guitar riffs** and **post-punk energy**. - **“Half Light I & II”** and **“Sprawl II”** introduce **synths, strings, and disco beats**, evoking **80s suburban melancholy** . - **“Deep Blue”** and **“Wasted Hours”** use **gentle melodies** and **ambient textures** to evoke **lazy summers and lost innocence**. The **dynamic contrast**—from **quiet ballads** to **anthemic crescendos**—mirrors the **emotional arc** of the album: **from innocence to disillusionment** . --- ## **3. Production: Cinematic and Lush** Produced by **Markus Dravs** (who also worked on *Neon Bible*), the production is **warm, spacious, and cinematic**. - **Mid-tempo pacing** dominates, reinforcing the **suburban haze**—a **deliberate choice** to avoid the **bombast** of *Funeral* or *Neon Bible* . - **Layered instrumentation** includes **strings, saxophones, French horns, harpsichords**, and **field recordings**, creating a **rich, orchestral texture** . - **Electronic elements** are subtly woven in, giving tracks like **“Sprawl II”** a **Depeche Mode-meets-Neil Young** vibe . The **sound design** is **intentionally nostalgic**, evoking **analog warmth** and **VHS-era suburbia**. --- ## **4. Themes: The Suburban Condition** At its core, *The Suburbs* is a **concept album** about **growing up in the sprawl**, and the **psychological toll** of **modernity, memory, and class**. - **Nostalgia vs. Reality**: The album **doesn’t romanticize** the suburbs—it **questions** whether the **past was ever real**, or just **a projection** . - **Time and Wasted Youth**: The **cyclical structure** (opening and closing with “The Suburbs”) suggests **time is not linear**, but **haunted and repetitive** . - **Isolation in Community**: The suburbs are portrayed as **places of quiet alienation**, where **proximity doesn’t equal connection** . - **Class and Culture**: Tracks like **“Rococo”** and **“City With No Children”** critique **consumerism**, **conformity**, and the **hollowing out of culture**. --- ## **5. Influence and Legacy** - **Grammy Win**: Its **Album of the Year** win was a **watershed moment** for indie rock, proving **alternative bands** could **break into the mainstream** without compromise. - **Cultural Impact**: The album **soundtracked a generation** of **millennial disillusionment**, influencing **films, literature**, and **urbanist discourse**. - **Artistic Blueprint**: It **redefined the concept album** for the **digital age**, blending **narrative cohesion** with **genre diversity**. - **Live Legacy**: The **Suburbs Tour** was a **spectacle**, with **fake suburbs**, **bicycle rides on stage**, and **interactive videos**, turning concerts into **immersive experiences**. --- ## **6. Pros and Cons** | **Pros** | **Cons** | |----------|----------| | ✅ **Lyrically rich** and emotionally resonant | ❌ **Overlong**—16 tracks may feel **sprawling** to some | | ✅ **Musically diverse** yet cohesive | ❌ **Mid-tempo pacing** can feel **monotonous** on first listen | | ✅ **Conceptually tight**—a true **album-as-novel** | ❌ **Lacks immediacy** compared to *Funeral*’s anthems | | ✅ **Production is lush, cinematic, and timeless** | ❌ **Thematic repetition** may feel **heavy-handed** | | ✅ **Influential and culturally significant** | ❌ **Not as emotionally raw** as *Funeral* or *Neon Bible* | --- ## **Final Verdict** > *The Suburbs* is **Arcade Fire’s most mature and ambitious album**—a **haunting, beautiful, and cerebral** exploration of **memory, place, and identity**. It’s **not perfect**, but its **flaws are human**, like the **suburbs themselves**. It’s **a mirror**, not a map—and **a masterpiece** for those willing to **waste time inside it**. --- > *“If I could have it back / All the time that we wasted / I’d only waste it again.”* > — *The Suburbs (Continued)*

This is an album I love and have loved for a long time. A true love letter to the cyclical love hate relationship that the United States seems to be unable to get away from. This album contains what might have been the peak of Arcade Fire's artistic vision and sound that started with Funeral. It encapsulates the band at its best: before their music mutated into hit or miss dabbling with other genres and a too exposed narcissism that was always lurking but was kept in check for the sake of artistry. The album is a bit uneven in tone and pace, but is clearly made for the two vinyl format. That being said, as a whole, it is completely beautiful to experience from one end to the other, and contains some of Arcade Fire's most memorable songs.

I've loved it since hearing "Deep Blue" in the movie Boyhood.

Gas

Epic. Suburban War is so powerful.

Still good after many years

Always a fan of many songs on this album, but not having given a full listening to in a few years, I went in expecting 4 stars. But it's held up even better than I remember. Ready to Start, Half-Light, Deep Blue, Sprawl - all great songs. No skips, except Modern Man - which has a weird off-beat that I can't not hear.

Honestly this album didn't really kick into gear for me until the second half. Just like being in the suburbs I was lulled into a strange calm until something strange kicked me awake.

5 star album for me. Takes me to a particular mood everytime. Favorite track: Suburbs other picks: rococo, empty room, sprawl ii, half light

Weird band. Incredible album.

Great album

Fantastisches Album, kannte ich vorher nicht, daher super Neuentdeckung

Beautiful, anthemic indie that listens just as well now as it did when it was released. The Suburbs & Ready To Start hit you with a perfect 1-2 to set the tone of the album, followed by a collection of superb indie anthems. Suburban War & Wasted Hours are highlights towards the back end of the album, that sum up a fantastic album.

Arcade Fire is a band i love already so i will only try to rate my favourites out of this emotional album-if not all-. We Used To Wait,the intro,the lyrics,contagious refrain,the vocals,the guitars,absolutely fantastic, Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains), abba vibes,the synths are out of this world,magic, The Suburbs,obviously but make sure you hear the symphonic (continued,extended) one as well, Ready To Start,the synth kills me, Month Of May is so powerful-non stop, Modern Man,genius rhythm so interesting,Police vibes, Empty Room,i mean the intro..so good!Epic and emotional, Suburban war,the twists in this,wow, Speaking In Tongues ft.David Byrne is one of the bonus and absolutely fantastic,very hypnotic. I don't usually rate deluxe versions but this one was so damn good i just couldn't resist so i highly recommend to do so as well. 5/5.Remember this one won a Grammy and a Brit award that year for a reason.

I was already a big fan of this album. I'm a fan of Arcade Fire, well the older albums at least. The Suburbs and Ready to Start are a great 1-2 album opener.

This album came out during the worst few months of my life, going through a divorce and life on my own and extremely stressful work situation - and this album and Neon Bible were there for me in a very very deep way. Even then I skipped through a lot of the sloggier songs, but Sprawl II, We Used to Wait, Ready to Start, Modern Man (and Intervention in particular from Neon Bible) were handrails in the dark.

Been a fan of this album for YEARS. The Funeral is by far my favorite of these albums, but this one is also incredible. Easy to listen to, with Win's unique voice and very interesting instrumentation. It just makes me feel some kinda way. From the first note on, I love this album.

I’m pretty sure this album would be in my personal top 20. It was probably my favourite album in 2010 when it came out (the year I finished high school in Canada where Arcade Fire were obviously massive) and since then it’s been a companion on almost every road trip I’ve taken, it’s just perfect driving music, right from that rollicking opening. It makes me feel so nostalgic and warm, and I love its sprawling nature that matches its meaningful messages. I must admit my once massive love for Arcade Fire has sadly been tainted in recent years due to the allegations against Win Butler, although I never looked into them much and I’m not going to now either because as I’ve explained before I’m taking this list at purely sonic face value (there are too many artists I couldn’t stand to listen to at all otherwise). Anyway, a big five stars from teenage/early-twenties me and a bit of a cry and a bit of a boogie. Montreal forever.

Great from start to finish, no bad song in there really and super iconic of that time, spending hot summers reading comic books and dreaming about "the sprawl"

Their best album. The Dublin gig on this tour solidly in my top 20, a band at their peak. Modern Man and Month Of May two personal favourites, but it's a near perfect album.

Perfection

This album really captures the inherent angst and unease of the modern Western city. "Sprawl II" is the song that introduced me to Arcade Fire and is probably still my favorite track on the album - but listening through the whole album in order for the first time, "The Suburbs" and "Ready to Start" strike me as equally strong examples of the album's thesis in addition to fitting into the structure just a bit more organically. And I don't idly invoke an element of a college writing assignment here, this album is structured like a typical essay with an introduction, a body containing the bulk of its arguments, and an engaging conclusion. The main difference, of course, is that this album is a much more enjoyable listen than anything I wrote in ENG 201.

Woah this slaps actually nice

Not a single bad song on this album, big fan of 2 part songs that build up the 2nd part to be a better song, and songs that transition from the end of one to the beginning of the next because it makes it feel more like an album.

I have listened to this whole album a thousand times. I love it. Every song is fire. Fave: Sprawl II Honorable mentions: The Suburbs, Deep Blue, Suburban War

This was so good, I can't wait to listen to it again! I know it'll become even better to me with more listens.

Amazing well crafted diverse group of songs. The strings, piano, and keys really add to how big everything sounds. Having a male and female vocalist that take turns on lead vocals really adds to the diversity of the sounds that the band can get. This album has a well deserved spot on this list for sure.

Classic.

I know this was HUGE so I really thought I would have heard at least one track before--but no! And I LOVED it. Some rock-ish tunes, Ready to Start and Month of May among them. (And Ready to Start opens with "Businessmen drink my blood." METAL.) Rococo is delightfully staccato and weird sounding. Mostly it's a dreamy lush feel, kind of a cousin of The National but more jangly. I wanna listen to it again lying on the couch with my eyes closed. Maybe a little stoned.

My favourite of their albums. A very easy listen with some great songs Shame the lead singer is a wrong un

Best album yet great for car drives

Þetta er frábær plata hvað sem öllu metoo líður. Besta lag Sprawl II.

Very good, but not quite as good as Neon Bible in my opinion. 1/5

This is my favourite album of all time, but mostly because of my personal connection with it, I can sort of understand people not liking, I've just had these songs so engrained into my brain that I can't see them any other way. But the songs are INCREDIBLE, and never really get boring (within reason as I don't listen to this that much). I think the instrumentation is really interesting, very simple generally, but there are some bolder elements, like strange string sounds, like in Rococo, or empty room, and also the synth bits, which are often done quite subtly as basslines or lead lines which sometimes sound like they could be guitars. Also the male/female singer harmonies/vocal sharing is incredible, some of the best songs on here are predominantly sung by the lady (empty room/sprawl II). I also think there is somewhat of a concept to this, but relatively loosely, seems like the singer(s) are talking partially biographically, or at least making it seem that way, like they are talking about their childhoods and coming of age. Also quite a lot of them seem to be biographical about like growing distant from old childhood friends, which kinda links to that. Overall I guess its quite rooted to me personally, so its hard to disattach these songs from my life (cringe). Favourite songs: all, but overall its always been Month of May - quite weird as its kind of the odd one out song on here. Overall around 10/10

I don’t know how but I had never heard of this album or band… it was so good though and now I’m a big fan

This album is very near and dear to me. Not only was I super obsessed with it six years ago and fascinated with its Grammy triumph, but this album's theme quite literally hits close to home. Win and Will Butler both grew up in The Woodlands, a suburb of Houston, TX. I also grew up near Houston, not really in the suburbs, but you get what I mean. This album is a collection of tunes that yearn for nostalgia and a time where days felt pure rather than washed with fear. They're honestly crafted numbers that shout proudly again and again. They're anthems for the youth; fireworks that strike a chord in my heart. There's life in these songs and I like to think that they gave me hope as a young and socially challenged Texas boy. Oh, how have the times passed since then (9/10, 5/5 on this scale)

Quintessential 2010s indie, a bit darker at times than their earlier albums but still very much emblematic of their style. Gets an extra point for nostalgia.

la hostia

This is entirely based on nostalgia.

Enjoyed this album a lot when it first came out. It is not quite the calibre of the first 2 albums, but it is very close. Suburbs into Ready to Start is still fantastic. I cannot understand the comments that this album is boring, it is anything but that. The structure and the subject is complex and carefully arranged, and one of those albums that listens like reading a book. This is few and far between these days. the album is filled with notable songs and that pop up regularly throughout the album. In many cases one after each other. I would still like to own a copy. 5 stars. side Note: Win Butler is still a creep, and i stopped supporting them after all that came out. The fact that the albums after everything Now were pretty dull made the decision easier though.

I own the vinyl of this one. Almost a perfect album, 3/4 sides are A+.

Listened to this many times without a very critical ear but on examination it’s a super prescient depiction of societal decay and alienation. Also super interesting sonically

Stone cold classic

The last great Arcade Fire album? Sprawl II is great.

This album is easily in my top 10 albums of all time. Such an incredible work of art.

Дуже прикро що АФ мало того що осоромились з кенселінгом, так ще й відверто втратили хист до музики, бо слухати їхні останні альбоми неможливо. А от Suburbs я обожнюю. Наживо це теж було прекрасно, майже до сліз.

Это ну ООООООООООООООЧЕНЬ хороший и крутой инди альбом!!! Это просто вау!

I have loved everything they put put. Learned that Peter Gabriel was a fan. Learned that Bowie was a fan. How can you go wrong. Eclectic and beautiful.

Not into them but fine album from beginning to end

I loved this album in the early '10s, and I still love it

Was gonna give this a 4 but reconsidered

Great album. The first four songs are real bangers. The whole album is a good listen and has plenty to offer at 16 tracks. The Suburbs, Ready to Start, Modern Man, Rococo, City With No Children, Suburban War, Month of May, Wasted Hours, We Used to Wait are my favorites.

First off - I don't think this album is going to age well. Second - I don't think Arcade Fire as a band aged well. That being said, I think they made this album at the top of their game. All of the elements just come together. Thematically, this hit me hard when it came out, and listening to it again today, it still does. This is probably going to appeal most to Gen X and Millennials as we've watched the decay of tangible things in our life. A few standouts: Regine Chassagne in "Sprawl II" is fantastic. Also, the title track has stuck with me unprompted over the years, and continues to be the soundtrack in my head whenever I'm driving the kids to school or running errands.

Maybe not the best Arcade Fire album "objectively" speaking (if that's even possible with music), but my favourite of theirs. I was listening to this a lot when it came out, and was going through a very rough time in my life, so a lot of the songs have taken on very personal meanings for me. There's a slight lull in the middle of it, and its maybe a bit too long, but other than that I think it's close to perfect. I think the themes of lost childhood and coming of age in a dangerous world are probably even more relevant today as well.

Loved it

Amo Arcade Fire, uno de mis discos favoritos

One of my favorite albums of all time

Rock índie hermoso, ame cada canción y con temas importantes de los cuales hablar.

One of my favorite albums of all time. So great!

Perfect representation of the 2000’s

Great album all the way through.

Loved this album when it came out, it really evokes a nostalgia for a pre-internet adolesence, although I grew up in a village not in the suburbs. Still holds up well, and now one feels nostalgia for an Arcade Fire before they dropped off and we learnt more about the proclivities of the band.

Banger

Wunderschön melancholisch, seit langem eines meiner Lieblingsalben. Insbesondere The Suburbs, Ready to start, und Rococo sehr starker Start. Suburban War mein Lieblingslied vom Album. Höre es mir immer gerne wieder an.

This is the 142nd album I’m rating. I have a feeling this is going to be another shitty indie rock album. Adding to my Playlist - The Suburbs, City with no Children, Half Light I, Half Light II (No Celebration), Wasted Hours, and Sprawl II (Mountains beyond Mountains). Not Adding to my Playlist - Ready to Start, Modern Man, Rococo, Empty Room, Suburban War, Month of May, Deep Blue, We Used to Wait, Sprawl I (Flatland), and the Suburbs (Continued). All in all I liked 6/16 songs. Not as shitty as I thought it would be. Actually a pretty decent indie rock album.

Welp, this album from 15 years ago feels pretty astute. The suburbs were an accessible version of the American dream, affordable because they were shoddy and mass-produced, brand new but already falling apart. And as the album anticipates, we're being sold an even cheaper fake dream online as the physical suburbs become unsustainable. The music perfectly captures the feeling of summer in the Midwest. The layers of instruments feel humid and stultifying. A bit cloying even (e.g. the title track or 'Rococo') but with something dissonant lurking underneath. I think the beauty is in how it tackles its subject matter as incisively as any punk band might, but there's still a gentleness and compassion for the people who grew up here. Children, basically, who can't escape. Anyways yeah, it resonates me a lot. I can confirm that 'Sprawl II' has occasionally caused me to cry.

This is the kind of vibe I've been looking for. Some fast-paced, fun rock.

SUper

This is S-Tier for me. I love Arcade Fire, and Suburbs is as good as it gets. 5-stars!!

Discazo. Tenía un poco de dudas porque luego los discos de esta época resulta que unos años después no se sienten tan geniales como en su momento, pero no fue el caso. The Suburbs es un discazo super disfrutable, rockea duro y deja con ganas de escucharlo una y otra vez.

“We used to wait / Sometimes it never came.” Twenty years later, I still think this album captured something about how life was changing in the twenty-first century. It’s so coherent and listenable. Torn between a 4 and 5 but going with my heart.

Superb. Still superb.

<3

This album... UNREAL. First album that got me into Arcade Fire - saw them live getting asked last second to take a ticket to their show on this tour. Such a great album!

A classic and timeless

This was my gateway album into the Arcade Fire and largely the indie genre as a whole. Excellent album with recurring motifs and melodies and excellent songwriting all around. Every piece of music comes together here. Separating the art from the artist on this review. Not sure that Win Butler is a great guy.

Fantastic

Senior year, 2010. Bunch of friends were excited this album won AOY for the GRAMMYS. Didn't understand at the time, finally heard the album the day after. It's been on rotation since, S tier.

имба. один из любимых альбомов. есть небольшая история) впервые услышал и увидел клип на the suburbs по тв каналу A-One, в тот момент (мои 10-12 лет) очень запомнился, но канал закрыли, а название песни и группы я не запомнил, к сожалению, и только лет через 10 я их нашел, оказывается клип это кадры из фильма Scenes from the Suburbs (2011), всем советую. в целом - очень цепляющая и ностальгическая музыка.

[The following contains a pretentious review] For me this is Arcade Fires best album. Even better than Funeral. The Suburbs is a great title for this album … an uneasy sense of settling for comfort. A brooding need for something better. “When all of the houses they built in the 70s finally fall”. Modern man typifies the feeling - . “In line for a number you don’t understand, like a modern man.” The lack of absolute anger in this album seems deliberate. A take on the apathy that takes when dreams hit reality. Is a low 5 even a thing? Low 5. Excellent album

I've been a fan of these guys since early days, so it's an easy 5 for me. I get that it's not for everyone. I think it does best on repeated listens to grasp the album-ness, rather than just as a bunch of songs, and to get some of it's hooks in. Try again. Five stars.

Decent. Very 2010 sound. Good times. Some bangers.

Detta är nog mitt mest lyssnade på album någonsin. Det finns alltid nedladdat på min Spotify. Jag har lyssnat på det varje gång jag åkte flygplan sedan jag var 16 (minst). Detta albumet har varit med mig genom fler saker än någon människa jag känner. Att tajma Sprawl II till när flygplanet bryter nedanför molnen för första gången sedan man lyfte och man ser åker, byggnader och parkeringsplatser breda ut sig nedanför är obeskrivligt. Detta fick mig också att inse att de släppte ett album förra veckan, så jag ska testa det med!

Love this album. Listened a lot to it when it came out and still do occasionally.

Hermoso álbum para escuchar de principio a fin. Si bien como canciones individuales algunas decaen bastante, como producto en su totalidad es una pieza hermosa para deleitarse. Ideal para ir en un viaje largo y escuchar hasta terminar.

What a great record! Every song is a hit.

Powerful, introspective lyrics. Dreamy yet strong vocals. The instrumentals are so catchy too. I can imagine most of these songs being in a coming-of-age movie. Felt quite uplifting, like worship music lol. Really like this album.

This album is very important to me, so it’s impossible to rate below a 5. I do have critiques (it’s over-long, and slow at times) but the feelings it makes…all timer

I think I had more of a personal, psychic connection to this album at the time it came out - going through a divorce, exhausted by NYC and corporate life, and trying to get my ass to California - than I did a true appreciation of the work itself as a whole. There are a lot of songs here that don't do much of anything more, but the ones that do really do in a sublime and at times epic way. Haven't kept up with them as much as I thought I would.

Fucking loved it!! Easy 5/5. No idea how I’d never heard of these guys before. Fave tracks were Sprawl II, Ready to Start and Suburbs. Fuck the 2008 financial crisis!!!

Really great, I always had this pegged as a "lesser" AF album but this is barnstorming from start to finish

I remember discovering this album and feeling that it was immediately the most relatable record I'd ever heard. As a kid who grew up in the suburbs and always wished for an escape, although to where, I have no idea, the album really resonated with me. And while I can't say I'm still an Arcade Fire fan (yeah, Win Butler really dropped the ball), I have no choice to give this album 5 stars. It's beautiful, brilliant, reserved but sprawling, and easily a standout from one of the best years in music possibly of all time. Go look up the albums that came out in 2010 and tell me that wasn't an incredible year for releases.

The memories and feelings I have tied up in these songs (listen to the deluxe!) are nearly as boundless as the suburban sprawl that serves as their inspiration.

I haven't listened to this album all the way through since I was very young and it was very cathartic to do it. It evokes a completely different set of feelings in me than it did in 2011. Maybe it's because we're actually living in a suburban war now. The end of this album really made it for me. What a strong finish.

Absolute banger of an album. Been a fan of Arcade Fire for years and this album slaps.

Banger

Album was very very good. I love the variation in the songs.

I fucking love this album. I first heard it when I was in highschool when I lived in the suburbs and it is so nostalgic to me. It has a melancholy to it that I can't really describe and haven't heard in any other album. It gives a very specific mood which I think is why it sticks out to me. If I had one complaint it is that they could have trimmed out a few songs. It feels 10 minutes too long and drags a bit in the middle. But 9/10 album in my opinion.

I've loved this album since it came out. I'm almost embarrassed to give it a 5 because I tend to want to reserve that for masterpieces that will stand the test of time. I don't know that this will. But I don't know I listened to it on repeat for the last 24 hours because I love it.

Solid album

On paper, I should have always been a huge Arcade Fire fan. I think they were just 2-3 years too old from my Indie-Music fandom. I have never listened to them like this, nor taken them seriously, which is weird because this should be right up my alley for taste... and... it is. It's incredible. I'm kicking myself for never taking them seriously. I absolutely love this and am going to revisit their entire discography. This rips Best Song: The Suburbs Rating: 9.5/10 (Incredible) Stars: 5/5

An absolute classic

I would consider The Suburbs to be the last truly great Arcade Fire record, and the final entry in a 3 album run as good as any band has ever released. I've loved this since it came out, and even if it doesn't spend the time in my ears that it once did, but I can confirm that it's still an absolutely fantastic listen.

The album is pretty good, i get why the people who love arcade fire, also talk about the singer writer and his ego. This is album is one of the few that are required listening, its weird, there are rare albums no matter what genre, move people and this one of them. if you go through is this whole list listen to this album. if possible listen to it on hifi and by your self first.

# Album Name: The Suburbs # Artist: Arcade Fire # Rating: 5/5 # Comments: Honestly, this is a great album. Loads of bangers on this record if you give it a chance. Its a dark horse. The biggest detraction from the album is the number of songs. Personally i dont mind as i enjoy most of the tracks but you could easily cut 3-4 out. # Top Tunes: Suburbs / Read to start / Modern man / Rococo / Ready to start / City with no children / H. Light 1 & 2 / Suburban war / Deep blue # Would I listen to it again? Def

Love this album.

Another complete surprise. This album is excellent.

A classic

Like it don't love it.

Iconic for my youth

Awesome. Not a dud on here

Oh yes. Her er det planlagt og gjennomført, transitions mellom bangere og dritbra indie.

I haven't listened to this album since probably 2011, and I came in assuming it was going to feel dated and overblown in retrospect. But damnit, this album has aged really well. I didn't remember half the tracks on here, and it's basically perfect beginning to end.

A staple record from the 2000's earliest essential bands of indie rock.

perfect

I listened to this album very regularly. The last time was just this past weekend. Arcade Fire is my all-time favorite band, and it's hard to decide which of their albums is best. I think Neon Bible would win, but Funeral was the first. However, I saw the band touring again when they were promoting Suburbs. Anyway, this is a stellar album that I will continue to listen to for years to come.

One of my favourites in highschool Easy listening, overproduced, indie rock, and it holds up 9/10 Fav tracks - All of em

I love this album & recently revisited it. 5/5

A moody album with great songs that seem to flow together lyrically and musically. It feels like a rock opera. The two brothers in Arcade Fire are from The Woodlands in Texas, where I have a lot of family. It is a huge planned community- I can understand their melancholy.

this is just one of those albums that hit me at the exact right time and place. the suburbs came out the day that i moved into a new house in austin and i listened to it on repeat while i painted the walls. aside from being the right age at the time for the album's themes to hit me like a freight train, it just feels like a texas record. there's so much melancholy, nostalgia, big open space within. aimlessly driving around a hot, texan august - this represents my time there in my memories. as a coda, the movie that ended up representing my time in Austin to me, Boyhood, which i briefly worked on, ends with Deep Blue. "here are my place and time, and here in my own skin i can finally begin"

Really good

Fire like it says in the name.

Never listened before, surprisingly, was pleasantly surprised, will listen again so giving a high rating for this masterful blend of indie rock, baroque pop, and post-punk to create a sprawling, cinematic experience.

Listening to this driving around LA after the wildfires was a poem

Classic. Love. Ready to Start. City with no children. So many good ones.

One of the favorites.

This is a double album, so i'm not going to pretend that every track on here hit's the exact same, but the highs on this album are so unbelievably high. The Suburbs and Ready to Start is the perfect 1-2 combo to kick this album off, to then be followed by the brilliant Modern Man. City with No Children and Half Light 2? Wonderful. Suburban War and Month of May? Awesome. They can rock as well. We Used to Wait and Sprawl 2? Anthemic as hell. Sure this album is Millenial and pretentious as fuck, but it's so good who cares how seriously it's taking itself. 5 Stars. Good Album Cover as well.

Pretty good. Good enough to listen to twice

So many favorited songs on this one.

I remember that when *The Suburbs* came out, I was largely disappointed. Compared to the first two LPs by Arcade Fire, which said what they had to say without getting lost in unnecessary detours, it was like the Canadian band were getting a little crushed by the weight of their own concept-album this time. You could easily argue that said album would have been better without relatively underwhelming cuts such as "Half Lights" (I and II) or "Wasted Hours", for instance. *Funeral* was a far tighter affair, there's no beating about the bush here. And yet, just because the Grammies belatedly caught Arcade Fire's train and its joyful and/or melancholic coaches, we were supposed to believe *The Suburbs* were their magnum opus? Nope, the "hipsters" had gotten the greatness of the band before, and *The Suburbs* was not the *best* that the band had pulled off so far, even if it became their breakthrough success... Guess the Grammies boomers received the message that Butler and co. were leaning a little closer to Bruce Springsteen's shenanigans in 2010, and in their narrow-minded world, that suddenly made Arcade Fire "important" (whereas they already were before). That said, and without changing a word of my little rant up there, my "hipster days" are now long gone, and I can recognize that *The Suburbs* is a very good album today, in spite of its unnecessary length and patchy spots here and there. Its first half is particularly solid, thanks to songs such as the title-track, "Ready To Wait", "Modern Man" and "Empty Room". And beyond the cuts sung by Win Butler, it's got the best-ever composition with Régine Chassagne as a lead, the incredibly emotional AND catchy "Sprawl II", obviously winking at Blondie's "Heart Of Glass", and yet still its own thing. To put things in a nutshell, *The Suburbs* is Arcade Fire's last "essential" album. Everything after felt like a slow demise, both artistically and on a personal level -- due to Win Butler's persona and the (at least 'questionable') things he seems to have done in his private life, now revealed after years of hypocrisy. It's not even a story I will tell you in another time, kiddies, it's too sad for me to linger there. Maybe I reassure myself a little too much by thinking Butler had not become this caricature of a narcissistic rock star yet, using his status to get away with psychological abuse in his love life when *The Suburbs* came out. All I know is that I won't be too quick to judge the man on a personal level. Individuals lost in a "system" can become gravely flawed, and yet their past artistic achievements somehow stay with you. It all depends on where you draw the line, I guess (but the line *must* be drawn at some point!). In Arcade Fire's case, it's not so difficult to know where to draw the line, admittedly. Maybe because on an artistic level, no one in his right mind can say that anything after *The Suburbs* is better than what preceded it anyway. And it's not always like that. As a consequence, even if the band's past achievements are somewhat retrospectively tainted for me, they're not *fully* tainted. But I can respect a differing opinion here, of course. It would be very insensitive NOT to do so. I just hope that Butler has now learned from his serious mistakes, just as he said he did. But in any case, that's not for me or anyone to say. 4.5/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums, rounded up to 5 9.5/10 for more general purposes (5 + 4.5) Number of albums left to review: around forty, as I've gone over the 1000 line and this generator is including albums from all editions of the book Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens - *except if personal or somewhat ethical reasons prevent you to go there*: 455 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 271 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 328

Exceptional album. Both lyrics and music are phenomenal.

Wow, this was a bit of surprise how much I loved this album! My bad, I have to admit Arcade Fire has never been on my musical radar despite their success, but after hearing this I think I’m going to dive deeper into their full discography. It’s a five star album; I pretty much liked every song except a couple. My favorite on first listen is probably “Empty Room”. I’ll be revisiting this album a lot.

I was really happy to see this album come up, I've loved this album for a long time now. Standout Tracks: - The Suburbs (never gets old) - Half Light II (No Celebration) - We Used to Wait

This album came out right when it needed to for me to love it. Leaving the suburbs and finding a new life. So I’m not looking at this objectively. I’m looking at it as a piece of work that played on repeat. It’s too bad Win Butler didn’t stop himself from being a scumbag.

Brilliant

very much my style indie rock is my jam I listen to James Marriott to feel emotions but it's a little quiet sometimes and this is very similar but a bit more chill and definitely will relisten!!

I absolutely love this album!!!

I like Arcade Fire. I know they can be a controversial band, and recent allegations against Win Butler are disgusting but the music is good. "Wake Up" is one of my favorite songs of all time and this album is excellent in a similar sense. AF is able to create a feeling of melancholic nostalgia that is quite unique in its sound and puts you in such a specific time and setting. For this album, it's the highs, lows, and mundane of living and growing up in the suburbs and reflecting back on that time period, and telling you that story. Arcade Fire is not always a hit but they are here. 9/10

Already love this one

Improves on their past work in every way. Easily their best album with almost no skips.

A good album

Lyrics: 5/5 Music: 5/5 Production: 4/5 Cohesiveness: 5/5 Overall: 5/5 Stand out songs: The suburbs Modern man Half light I Half light II Suburban war Sprawl II One of the only double albums ever made that is consistently good throughout The perfect coming of age album

This album was huge for me, as for a lot of people, when it came out. I haven’t revisited it in a while and it still holds up so well. Ready to Start and Sprawl II were on constant replay for me back in 2010 and my favorite tracks from this indie classic. Overall Arcade Fire had a solid 10 year run of incredible albums from Funeral (2004) all the way up to Reflektor (2014). I wasn’t as into the releases after that but this listen made me want to give those albums another chance.

My new fav band! Each songs are unique..

My gateway to the incredible world of AF - somehow gets better with every listen

Nostalgic for this kind of alienation. I wonder if this music would have felt underwhelming if we knew what was coming after 2010. Still, wove itself into my soul in 2010 and will always be there.

My favorite of their records. This was on repeat my first year of grad school.

I like it, but to go with the concept, it does feel like it sprawls a little itself and could have used a couple of cuts

Yeahhhh. A favorite album of my lifetime. Their sound is so masterfully dialed-in. Each song feels refined to its purest form. And there's an eeriness to the songs. Just shy of nostalgia or optimism. Their depiction of the groaning chasm that is the suburban sprawl is so heavy. I feel the emptiness. And just themes of waiting, going nowhere, lack of a sense of place. The void is real. But idk it doesn't feel like it's just trying to be depressing. It's like real reflection and processing. Also when they won the Grammy I love that their speech was basically "thanks.. now we're going to play some music" 😂

Pretentious as hell but I cried all the same.

Auf Arcade Fire ist Verlaß. Alle Titel sind in jeder Hinsicht anders, anspruchsvoll aufgenommen, selbst der Gesang überrascht mit Überraschungen. Mainstream ist Out, hoch lebe der Indie Mainstream.

Not necessarily my favorite thing, but credit where credit is due... this is a great album. 5

I love Modern Man and by Half Light I, I'd decided this is a masterpiece

i think maybe i should listen to more arcade fire bc all their stuff is stuff i like

Love this as a full listen more than picking and choosing singles. Really tells a story of what the suburbs used to be like before they really become cookie cutter houses and neighborhoods. The feeling of boredom, isolation and abandonment really come though on this. This is for a generation of kids that were sent out into the world to fend for themselves, at least until the streetlights came on!

A nice lilting breeze of classic bossa nova. Great sophisticated cosmopolitan 70s dinner party vibes

FFIIIIIIVE I LOV THIS BANGOR

this may be the best arcade fire album. fully matured, well rounded, dark, and twisting. it feels like a perfectly built album. and, for as long as it is, it doesnt have any bloat. i likey this one. explore it. listen to it again. the gentleness and ferocity are top tier.

Gave Neon Bible a 4, in hindsight should have been a 5. Not making that mistake again.

best of its genre

5 out of 5. This one has been in my collection for years now and it's solid.

This album came out just as I graduated college and moved into the suburbs. It defined that part of my life.

The Suburbs is the third album from Arcade Fire, which met with near-universal critical acclaim, and world-wide commercial success. Among many other accolades, the album won the Grammy for album of the year. The Suburbs is a "letter from the suburbs," as Win Butler said, comprised of a number of stories from his childhood. The band makes up-beat, guitar and synthesizer based, alt-rock, with an earnestness that Win Butler's vocals match. These songs about Butler's childhood have a feeling of a nostalgic longing, told through beautiful, melodic songs.

One of the top 20 albums ever.

A great and anthemic sounding indie album with great orchestrations.

yeah arcade fire is just really good

Is it as good as Funeral? No. Is it still a five? Yes.

I think this is AF at their best. I still have my tour tee. This set the bar for indie music in the 2010s.

4.7

Very melancholic but upbeat. Shame about the singer.

Really flows as an album and some stand out songs had albums half the length feel longer than this one.

Having already listened to some of their songs including the opening track to this album, I had high hopes. Pleased to say I wasn’t disappointed. Some personal highlights: Modern Man Wasted hours Deep blue Each song was enjoyable but as a whole, it was an experience. The transitions and story told made it even more worth it listening to the entire album.

Phenomenal. Loved the transitions

i love the over-arching urban apocalyptic theme and the subtle anti-car centrism. this is what i thought montenegro would look like before i got there. rococo is one of my favourites, i also really like sprawl I, yippee

I always liked their hits but never gave the albums a chance. This album is super good, no bad songs

Vamos cerrando agosto y hoy toca otro de Arcade Fire. Con éste disco entré a ésta banda, puntualmente con "Rococo", y me enamoré perdidamente en la época en que uno se enamora de todo: la adolescencia y la juventud. Álbum lleno de temazos, es imposible elegir uno y cometer la imprudencia de dejar el resto de lado. Inevitable conectar también con mi primera novia, nuestro disfrute de su música y luego verlos en vivo. Todo muy bien.

own

Very nice album!

Already a fan of this album. It admittedly lulls a little in the middle, but has a strong start and finish. Sprawl II is an immaculate song.

For some reason, this has a cozier vibe than their pervious albums, which makes sense given the concept. Still, Arcade Fire continue their perfect streak, although I do admit there is a fair amout of nostalgia at play here for me. Key tracks: The Suburbs Ready to Start We Used to Wait Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)

Nostalgic; beautiful; lyrically wit. Just an escapism album from one of the best bands of the 2000s.