The Suburbs

6/17/25. About time I listened to this album in full, I missed out for sure. Great album and each song flowed into each other nicely. Will need a couple listens to grasp the overall theme and story, although I have a shallow idea after one listen.

wunderbar verlorene melodien aus einer vorstadt unserer kindheit .. mir gefällt es als konzept und album. highlight: The Suburbs.

Alternativ Rock vom Feinsten

I feel their sound developed as the album went on - I feel it wasn't engaging enough to pull me out of work till the back half of the album. But grew fonder as it went on.

*Arcade Fire fan, so I know all of the good songs on this one, but I’ve never listened to the whole album. *Could easily get rid of 4+ songs in the middle and make it a fantastic 45-55 min album instead of 65 mins. *Feels like a cohesive album as opposed to just a series of standalone songs. *Love when their songs build and alternate between quiet and loud. *Fave track - Sprawl II RATING - 8/10

I've never given Arcade Fire a fair shake and have always wondered what the hype was. This album definitely made me a fan. This type of music has definitely infiltrated my daily vibes in the last 9 months so I'm glad I'm hearing this now instead of 2010 when this came out. 13 year old Jake would have hated this. 27 year old Jake can really appreciate this. It still feels very modern and ages well. It reminds me of The Killers, Young The Giant, MGMT, and The Revivalists. I really enjoyed it and will probably listen to this album multiple times in the future along with their other albums.

Interesting

I enjoyed that - it's been a while since I listened to Arcade Fire, need to listen to some more!

Music of my generation! I enjoyed this

Great album, many good songs.

I remember being disappointed with this one when it first came out. There are a couple of highlights, but as an album it does not hold a candle to Funeral.

I didn’t really get into this one when it came out, I think because I had turned 30, and was no longer fun or cool, but I appreciated it a lot more hearing it at this distance (because I’m cool again now, or because this album is no longer cool?)

Missed this at the time - quite good!

consistent

This album always takes me back to college. Peak indie rock days. Who doesn't love a husband and wife band. I remember people freaking out because they didn't know who Arcade Fire was when they won a Grammy. It is hard for me to pick my favorite album between Suburbs, Funeral, and Reflektor, but I've enjoyed everything Arcade Fire has released.

Very sharp, atmospheric album.

Pretty engrossing from start to end, all of their albums on this site are a pleasure to receive Great experience, just a couple steps below the magical spark of Funeral 4/5

This is a really good album that would be great if it were a little shorter. 4/5

A great time capsule - this record created, or at least crystallized, the trends of indie music in 2008-2014. Nostalgia that also holds up thematically

The financial crisis really hit millenials hard, huh?

Solid album, title track is great, album has a couple spots where is loses steam

Melancholy and sad 2010s indie, the title track is the stand out, it's a lengthy album, it's all fairly one note, but that one note is pretty great, a real beautiful sadness. That being said, the motifs border on repetitive.

4 stars

I felt scared when this album landed on Friday. I love this record. This was a huge record for me in my 20s. I'm a massive fan of Arcade Fire's first 3 and a half albums (I really wish they had cut Reflektor down to a single album). I've seen them live multiple times. Watching this band perform Rebellion (lies) on TV at the Much Music Video Awards changed my life, shook me out of my very close minded view of rock music. Funeral is still a 5 star album for me (at least I want to believe it is). I vividly recall sitting in the common room of my university dorm, surrounded by new friends, watching this album win Album of the Year at the Grammy's and just feeling amazed that a little band from Montreal could do something like that. It was surreal and special. It made me want to make music. So ya… this was a big album for me… but that’s not exactly why I’m scared to review it. A few years ago there were some allegations of sexual misconduct against the lead singer, Win Butler. Ever since, I’ve been avoiding their music, and I stopped going to their shows. I have no clue if he’s guilty of a crime but the stories these women told about their interactions with him left a very bad taste in my mouth. For me, the shiny, positive, morally sound image that Win and the band had built over 20 years came crashing down. I felt disillusioned and walked away from the band.
 So ya... I’m went back into this record with complicated feelings. On the one hand, I wanted it to live up to the happy memories I have of it. On the other hand, I wanted to realize that it actually sucks and tear it down to hurt Win for ruining one of my favourite bands. Without further adieu… my thoughts on the record:

As much as I hate to say it (but I’m also a little relieved), I still love this record. I listened to it twice over the weekend. On the first listen, I felt like I was hunting for issues. I wanted to dislike it. I had mixed feelings when it ended. On the second listen, I let it wash over me and stopped overthinking it…. Let myself enjoy it. The big songs, the singles, they still hit. The Suburbs, Ready to Start, We Used to Wait and Sprawl 2… they’re all pretty amazing. There’s so much variety in those 4 tracks. The slow nostalgia of suburbs, the driving hype of ready to start, the moody, sadness of we used to wait, and the electronic, synth bliss of Sprawl. Each one is special in a very different way. Deep cuts like Month of May, Modern Man, Empty Room, Suburban War, Wasted Hours and Deep Blue are also pretty amazing. The punk edge of May, the existential dread of modern man, the aggressive strings of empty room, the latin guitar on suburban war, the warm vibes of wasted hours and the Funeral energy of Deep blue. These songs still really work for me. There isn’t really a bad song on this album. It’s incredibly consistent. The closest might be Rococo… but even that one gets me singing along by the end. Every time my attention wandered from the record, some refrain or bridge or instrumental bit would hit and bring me back and have me singing along. My main criticism of the album is that sometimes it sorta blurs together and overall it's a bit long. Maybe it’s a sequencing issue? Maybe they coulda cut a couple mid-paced songs from the middle stretch of the record, kept them as b-sides? I dunno. There’s something holding it back from being a 10/10, no notes kind of album. Right now, for me… it’s probably a 9/10? But in this 5 star rating scheme… do I give it a 5 stars for 20 year old me who loved the shit out of this thing. Or do I give it 4 stars out of spite for Win Butler. Tough call. Tough call.

top songs: suburbs, ready to start, sprawl II, rococo, modern man, empty room, deep blue songs get a bit samey after a while

Haven’t listened to a lot of arcade fire. I was pleasantly surprised.

Surprisingly good, I thought I tried this band before and wasn’t impressed but I liked this one

Herrefred, det her e kjedelig. Og en time langt, på toppen av det hele. Det høres ut som noen har lagt et lag av bråk oppå et album som i og for sæ kunne være interessant. Andre halvdel tok sæ noenlunde opp, det blei ryddigere og mer likanes etter min smak. Men generelt ikke så interessant med et album som tvinge dæ gjennom en halvtime med bråk før du får nokka ut av det?

A great album and a great live show.

Its a genius idea to create a concept album reflecting on life in the suburbs. I've always been drawn to music which explores the mundane reality of people's lives. I find "exceptional circumstances" are explored far more in art than the actual life that most people are living. I prefer the vinyl tracklisting with Suburban War moved to the backend and the infinite loop after We Used To Wait. The record splits itself neatly into 4 EPs which all have their own energy and flavour, progressively getting less urgent and more introspective.

This album is pretty good. Especially the first two tracks

The Woodlands

This one hit me with a giant wave of nostalgia and an overwhelming sense of longing for the 2010s.

Vibey

Great album

Would listen again; insidiously good; too bad Winn butler is such a PoS; low four. Faves: sprawl II, but i like this as a whole

unexpected mellow rhythms

The subrubs : Amazing opener Having a 4/5 time

Album is really good, love some of the tracks! Going on my to listen list a lot more

If Peter Gabriel-era Genesis got mashed up with Bright Eyes, you'd arrive somewhere in the neighborhood of Arcade Fire. And you know, somehow this works pretty well. I've heard a fair number of the singles. I liked the first things they did pretty well ("Wake Up" from their previous album was pretty solid.) This album works as a concept and does a nice job being the indie rock version of Rush's "Subdivisions." There's enough musical flexibility here to be interesting -- and it actually sounds heartfelt. It stands up on its own. Just try to forget that the next thing they made was "Reflektor." Unexpected bangers: City with No Children, Half Light I/II, Wasted Hours

The first half of the album is nearly perfect. It's simultaneously the ultimate example of the music of it's era but it also expands upon it while connecting it to pop and rock in the 80s. The second half lost me a bit until the final three songs.

Entry level white hipster people anthems.

Absolutely love the opening track The Suburbs - gave me a lot of nostalgia. First saw Arcade Fire in a tiny Reading Tent in 2005.

Back to the 6th grade in school

This one hits for my adolescence. Impressive how much this album has permeated into my brain over time, because I've only rarely listened it from tip to tail.

I was a bit obsessed with this when it first came out, less enamored of it since we’ve learned more about the creepy folks in the band. Still, the songs hold up mostly.

Great album, I have heard it before!

Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 4/5

Arcade Fire - The Suburbs Loved this when i was 15/16, strange hearing it again for the first time since the allegations against Win a couple of years ago. The music is great, grand, and anthemic. Not close to Funeral imo, not quite Reflektor, but slightly surpasses Neon Bible (don’t make me think about their last two albums) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Four stars. (Yes, I'm a little biased cuz I've heard this before, and i loved it.)

nice i like

Bon, on ne va pas se mentir, quand Arcade Fire a raflé le Grammy de l'album de l'année en 2011, sous le nez d'Eminem et de Lady Gaga, j'ai eu un rictus. Le genre de rictus méprisant du vieux con qui a passé sa vie à défendre des groupes qui vendaient 500 copies de leurs vinyles et qui voyait là le triomphe ultime de l'indie-rock devenu mainstream, aseptisé, bon pour les publicitaires et les festivals sponsorisés par des marques de voitures. Arcade Fire, c'était devenu le groupe parfait pour ceux qui voulaient se donner un air cool sans jamais avoir mis les pieds dans une salle de concert poisseuse. Le U2 de la génération hipster. C'est donc avec un enthousiasme proche de celui d'un condamné à mort montant à l'échafaud que j'ai sorti "The Suburbs" de sa pochette pour l'écouter dans le cadre de ce projet. Dès les premières notes de piano du morceau-titre, une mélancolie étrangement familière s'installe. Ce n'est pas une tristesse feinte, pas une posture. C'est le son de l'ennui, le son de l'attente, le son de ces après-midis infinis passés à traîner dans des zones pavillonnaires où la seule perspective d'évasion était la route qui menait à la ville. "The Suburbs", c'est un putain de concept album, mais pas sur un voyage spatial ou une dystopie cyberpunk. Non, le concept, c'est la banlieue, la banlieue et la nostalgie, la banlieue comme purgatoire de l'adolescence. Et là, forcément, pour un mec comme moi, né en 1970 et qui a grandi dans un de ces lotissements sans âme où l'herbe était trop verte pour être honnête, c'est une putain de claque dans la gueule. Win Butler et sa bande ne chantent pas sur la banlieue de Houston ou de Montréal, ils chantent sur LA banlieue, cette entité universelle, ce non-lieu qui a façonné des générations entières. Ils parlent de la guerre des gosses entre quartiers ("Rococo"), des lettres qu'on attendait et qui n'arrivaient jamais ("We Used To Wait"), de cette sensation d'être coincé entre deux mondes, plus un enfant mais pas encore un adulte ("Wasted Hours"). Musicalement, c'est un monstre. Un disque-monde qui refuse de choisir son camp. On passe d'un rock tendu et nerveux qui rappelle Bowie période berlinoise à des envolées pop quasi euphoriques, de ballades au piano déchirantes à des morceaux portés par des synthés froids qui ne dépareilleraient pas sur un album de New Order. C'est long, c'est ambitieux, parfois jusqu'à l'excès. Et c'est peut-être là que le bât blesse légèrement, justifiant mon 4/5 et pas le sans-faute. C'est long, bordel. Par moment, on a l'impression que le groupe, enivré par sa propre fresque, a un peu de mal à conclure. Quelques titres auraient pu être resserrés, voire coupés, pour donner à l'ensemble une force de frappe encore plus dévastatrice. On sent le poids de l'oeuvre, la volonté de créer LE grand disque générationnel, et cette ambition, si elle est admirable, se paie parfois par une petite baisse de tension au milieu du second acte. On frôle la branlette intellectuelle, mais on n'y tombe jamais tout à fait, sauvé in extremis par une mélodie imparable ou un refrain qui vous prend aux tripes. Mais ne nous y trompons pas, c'est une critique de nanti. Car même dans ses moments les plus faibles, "The Suburbs" reste à des années-lumière de la production courante. C'est un album qui a une âme, une profondeur et une sincérité désarmantes. Il parle de la mémoire, de la façon dont les lieux nous façonnent et nous hantent, de ce sentiment doux-amer de regarder en arrière et de ne plus reconnaître ni l'endroit, ni le gamin qu'on était. C'est un disque sur le temps qui passe, écrit par des gens qui ont atteint la trentaine et qui jettent un regard perplexe sur leur propre jeunesse. Alors oui, Arcade Fire a gagné un Grammy, oui, ils remplissent des stades. Mais avec "The Suburbs", ils ont prouvé qu'on pouvait toucher le grand public sans renier l'intelligence, la complexité et, surtout, l'émotion. C'est un album adulte, réfléchi, et paradoxalement, un des disques les plus justes jamais écrits sur l'adolescence. J'ai commencé l'écoute avec un rictus, je l'ai terminée avec un pincement au cœur. Pas mal pour de l'indie-rock pour publicitaires. Un classique moderne, sans l'ombre d'un doute.

The were good once

Dead shopping malls rise like mountains beyond mountains and there’s no end in sight I need the darkness someone please hit the lights

SOME TIMES I CAN'T BELIEVE IT

Oh wow I can't believe I've never listened to Arcade Fire. I'm a fan! Definitely something I'd put on again and really listen to the lyrics next time.

Wasn't expecting it to be good lol. Gotta love the vibes tho

I like the overall flow of the album. Pretty "vibey".

Singles are great. Lots of filler

1. Sprawl II 2. The Suburbs 3. Modern man/city with no children Digger at vi fikk et album fra 2010! Syntes neon bible er et perfekt album og the suburbs var en god oppfølger. Eneste jeg ikke digger med Arcade Fire er at lydmixen kan være litt for 'grøtete' til tider. Og med Win Butler så krysser vi vel av perv nr 30?

Really really good, every song on here was likeable, some clearly better than others in my opinion but the majority of these I really liked, highlights being the first three songs and from half light 2 to deep blue. Month of May was awesome, my personal favourite. The only thing that brings it down for me personally was it sometimes felt a bit too generically feel good but that’s not necessarily a bad thing it was just a bit too much on some songs. The theme of the album was cool with the whole suburban sprawl thing and the cover I like as well. Overall 8/10

Very good indie rock album! Sometimes I feel like the tracks on this album go on a little longer than they should. I think if some of the tracks were only half as long, it would be a 5 star album. Half Light II is worth the trip!

Now some songs, however some not.

This album has basically one tempo. One that you can bob your head to as you move from song to song. The Suburbs is the track that carries it and it doesn’t look back. It’s not a bad album at all. Sort of in the lines of The Dandy Warhols. If you don’t know who they are, well, you should. Choice cut: The Suburbs

Nice album from a very good band.

Cool unique sound but a lot of the tracks feel like they don’t go anywhere

I think it was a pretty good in-the-background type of album, I'll forgive the fake ending of the album. There's only one problem with it, I didn't really vibe with it. Not my type, I think.

For me this feels like a return to form to funeral, an album I like a lot, after the neon bible somehow lacked for memorable songs, the hooks are back. I miss the more choral and his wife singing a lot though. I am pretty familiar with the Houston suburbs this was written about, and like their debut this really captures the feel, the ennui and possibilities that come with escape.

Really caught my attention with 'The Suburbs' and 'Ready to Start'. Lost some steam after that but still a blast.

Upbeat, easy to listen to, would listen again

Great album, no doubt. Some songs have just been a little overplayed and feel a bit dad indie rock but i can deal. my favorites are Suburban War and Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)

Góð plata. 2 geggjuð lög restin solid og uppbygging góð

Ok be of my favorite albums. It’s terrific.

I was all prepared to shrug my shoulders at this album - pretty standard, middle of the road indie stuff from Canadian rockers Arcade fire, with a loose sort of concept theme of life in the suburbs, but one track made me sit up and listen. Month of May is a certified banger - a solid Krautrock beat and even a nod to the Ramones with a ‘1, 2, 3, 4’ lead in, and some great lines about ‘kids all standing with their arms folded tight’. I started listening a bit more closely to the lyrics, and there’s some nice stuff in here about run down shopping malls and soulless housing estates patrolled by police chasing kids on bikes, where you can’t even recognise the house you grew up in without looking at the numbers on the door. The last but one track is Sprawl II, which is a great 80s style vaporwave pastiche leading into the final section about the Suburbs. Malltastic!

That was surprisingly good. I loved Funeral back in the day, and didn't really give a lot of attention to their other records. Neon Bible was a bit painful to listen to. This is another story; the album is somewhat more coherent than Funeral, the songs tighter, the atmosphere nice, enough tension throughout the whole album to keep my attention up. The downside is that it sounds less "indie" and more "pop" and clean, but that's pretty OK due to the overall quality.

cancon gotta love it

First album where I actually knew a song! Pretty good, I like some songs better than others. Probably my favorite of the three albums I’ve listened to so far

It's a solid album from top to bottom. Some highlights include: -Mountains Beyond Mountains -The Suburbs -Suburban War -Rococo -Modern Man This album does drag on for a little too long though.

I'm not the biggest fan of them as a band, but this is a pretty damn great album.

The Suburbs is so good. Album as a whole was also good but that song hits.

Up to and including City With No Children, I’m thinking “this is a five-star album, why is it so long since I last listened to it?” Then it starts to sag… They claw it back to four stars with Sprawl II though.

The Suburbs // Ready To Start // Modern Man // Half Light II // 3.5/5

Arcade Fire had some good songs

Great album! Would listen again.

An album about looking back on suburban childhood from a disillusioned adult vantage point. I like Arcade Fire quite a bit, but out of the albums of theirs that I know The Suburbs is the one I've listened to the least. It's nearly 15 years old but I only listened to it for the first time only about 6 months ago. It has a few songs I really like and nothing I really dislike. The opening track "The Suburbs" is superlative Arcade Fire, the band operating at its very best. If the whole album ran at this level it'd be an all-timer. This one evokes a strong emotional response for me but it's difficult to pin down. There's a kind of brokenness here... looking back at the expectations you used to have about the future, recognizing how off you were. It lands especially well this year as the wheels feel like they're beginning to come off American society. My favorite bit: "And all of the walls that they built in the seventies finally fall / And all of the houses they built in the seventies finally fall / Meant nothing at all / Meant nothing at all, it meant nothing." After that "Ready to Start" returns to a kind of baseline quality; it's fine. "Modern Man" is a pretty good one though; mostly kind of slower and more relaxed, but with some nice small builds. I can't decide how I feel about "Rococo" - is it too silly to fit tonally in the album, and does the seriousness of the delivery only make that worse? My favorite bit of it is... uh... "Rococo, rococo, rococo, rococo / Rococo, rococo, rococo, rococo." "City with No Children" is pretty strong. "You never trust a millionaire / Quoting the sermon on the mount / I used to think I was not like them / But I'm beginning to have my doubts." Then some tracks I like in the back half are "Month of May," Deep Blue," "We Used to Wait," and "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)." It wraps with "The Suburbs (Continued)," which sounds a bit like surveying the aftermath of a war. Right now I feel like the overall album here comes just shy of hitting 5 stars for me (I don't give out a ton of those) but it's definitely on the higher end of the 4s. It may just need a little nostalgic aging to nudge it up.

The highs are high and the lows are.... eh. I really loved the first four songs, then the rest of the album has some bright spots but nothing compared to the front quarter.

You can hear the care and time they took to craft this album if you cared to listen for it. A longing for a recreation of the past while realizing that any attempt at resurrection would feel inauthentic. The songs are fun to listen to while still being unique to the band. They’re experimental enough to be original and have something to say. Vocals, instrumentation, and production are all fine. Nothing bad there, but nothing stands out to me. Songwriting is very good at some parts, but flatter in others. I imagine it would be difficult to keep the momentum up for an album that’s over an hour, yet I don’t doubt that the subject matter warranted the time they yielded it. I enjoy this more with each listen, but it always gets to feeling repetitive with some songs. It’s great, I like it, go Arcade Fire. 4/5

This album has a strong start and finish but gets a bit drab and samey in the middle. It doesn't hit as hard as Funeral or Neon Bible, or arguably even Reflector. But it's still got a lot of great quality within it.

Arcade Fire is a group I knew by name only. I had some assumptions about the band in general. The name and the people who are typically fans are the token Coachella hipster; you know, skinny jeans, brown shoes, plaid or checkered shirt, also skinny, and that weird thing they do with their hands, you know, the behind the back hipster arm clasp thing. I imagined Arcade Fire was mumble-pop, white people who can't mumble rap, but they play instruments. The other issue for Arcade Fire is how pretentious reviews of their music are typically. Just read the Pitchfork review; Christ, are you serious..." I found the recording to be less politically pedantic than previous work."...dude, stop. The Suburbs is a great listen and an album that will hold up to the test of time. Arcade Fire put out a record that is a great cover to cover. Sure, a couple of tracks are not as good as the others, but in this case, the others are great tracks compared to similar music. People often compare this album to their direct experience with it, but I am unsure. The record is a collection of tracks that reflect where the members are from, what it was then, and how it changes when you return, which is the beauty of this album. Everything changes when you return, as the only constant is change, and change is the only constant. The album delivers, and it should be included in any collection.

This is a real pageant of an album. Lush orchestration, cohesive theme throughout, songs blending in to and referencing back to each other beautifully, and a soulful, reflective premise that inspired in me, by turns, nostalgia, an inchoate ache, sadness and joy. I would need to be captured more deeply on repeat listens for it to rise to 5 - on a first full listen, it’s a 4.

A lot of music in this genre can make me cringe. Maybe I was just in the right mood, but this one did have a bit of nostalgic sentimental magic for me. Made me miss growing up “Suburban War” was the best one

To be honest i’m shocked i’ve never listened to this one previously with the title track being particularly nostalgic to me as it was one of the few songs on my playlist (of which i overplayed to the point of being unable to listen to those tracks for years) when i went on my trip to Poland just before Covid-19 hit. Anyways, this album starts off incredibly strong. The aforementioned track ‘The Suburbs’ is catchy and nostalgic which then bridges nicely into the next track ‘Ready To Start’ with some lingering strings, following on from that is ‘Modern Man’ with its clever syncopation. AF have an interestingly spacial sound with the drums and vocals sounding almost as if they’re in a different room. Arcade Fire are unlikely to be my favourite band any time soon but their chord progression is undeniably incredible, not a single track whether I liked it or not had a song which fell flat due to each song always reaching a point of climax. 8/10 Nostalgic. Top Tracks -> The Suburbs -> Ready To Start -> Modern Man -> Half Light II (No Celebration) -> Suburban War

This is probably my favorite arcade fire album. An excellent indie rock experience.

I like his voice a lot

Yeah nice!

Some great songs in here... some other are just ok

So very 2010s vibes but thoroughly enjoyable, so I'm not mad. 3.5/5

I remember vividly those Grammy awards in which an "unknown band" won the most important awards of the night. This is a great album indeed, I do think it has aged just fine.

I love so many songs on this album and it definitely takes me to a specific post-graduate malaise I experienced when it came out. That said, I don't feel like it quite hits today like it did then. Maybe that sound now feels overdone by all the other musicians that have come after. I'd give this a 3.5, but rounding up because I plan on revisiting.

The first time I heard Sprawl 2 I was high on blow at a house party in Bellingham and there were pretty girls dancing all around the living room.

I really dug [most of] this. Completely not on my radar when it came out, but then again, my mainstay was reggaeton in those days. Despite my lack of emotional connection to it, it’s so reminiscent of what my 20s sounded like.

I didn't get into Arcade Fire until like the mid 2010's and this was the first album I listened to by them. Very underrated band IMO.

First two songs I was familiar with before and enjoyed. Both “Half lights” are really good, the other songs can be hit and miss for me, singer is uninteresting for me but he does the job well. Excellent flow from track to track, really smooth. Month of May is a standout for me

Second third of the album has a filler vibe. But still a solid concept album with really good songs.

Not quite as good as the first 2 records, but not quite as far off as I remembered. Half Life I & II and Sprawl I & II were quite good.

The only thing I really knew about Arcade fire coming in was they had a large band. I've probably seen them on a late night show or two, and the album cover is familiar. Listening to this at first I was getting a Killers vibe. Not sure if that is genre accurate to compare the two, but then it turned more into a Meatloaf feel which is probably more of a stretch. Both arcade fire and meatloaf have a vibe that works well with me getting chores done. Just good background music that isn't too distracting. A few good tracks had me check in on the track names and apparently the two (four?) I liked the best were two-part tracks Half Light and Sprawl. Sprawl II sounded completely different from the rest of the album and was probably my favorite track, so that is what keeps me from going 5/5 even if it hit the track threshold I usually go by. Favorite track "Sprawl II" 4/5

Even though I'm not as into indie rock as I once was, I still think this is a great album. The first four songs on this album are fantastic. After that it kinda slows down but its still consistently good. The perfect coming-of-age album imo. Second best Arcade Fire album after "Funeral". Favorite track: Modern Man

First listen. Pretty good.

Surprisingly good. I have a soft spot for Arcade Fire though...

Honestly I remember it being better but I still think its amazing.

3.87⭐️

Definitely needs to go into the rotation.

This is my second Arcade Fire in the past 3 days on this list. "Neon Bible" I thought I was not going to be familiar with at all, but I was mistaking that for "The Suburbs." This is the album of theirs where I was uninterested when it came out and never really listened to it. It's certainly big and ambitious and compelling, and it likely their height as a band. I wish I would have paid more attention to it when it came out, because I probably would have appreciated it a lot more. It's great but as it is, it's a bit much and not really for me at this point.

The best way I can describe this is - it's their The River. Double album, connected storytelling, not many incredible standout tracks, but all together it's incredibly strong and lets them experiment and weave. Fantastic album.

Tolles Album mit jederzeit hörbarer Musik.

I do recall hearing many of these songs on that SiriusXM Spectrum station when I worked at the agency. Or at least I think it was these songs. Nothing wrong with this album. I just listened to it today at work. Seems to blend in pretty good when I'm at work. Maybe if I listened more closely and paid attention to the lyrics I'd like it better?

my god. its the exact feeling of growing up in the loathsome pit of suburbia

Not as emotionally devasting as Funeral is, and not quite as concise either. This one does drag a little bit towards the middle, but the highlights make up for it. And the excellent ending with the Sprawls.

not fair cuz I listened to this album a lot already

Cute. :)

Cinemaattista indietä mutta sillä tavalla, että bändi ei uhraa koukkumelodioita äänimaailmoille. Toisin sanoen pieni ihme. Tämä viihdyttää, jopa yllättää melkein koko tunnin ajan.

I like this one a lot. Really good indie alt rock

Good album, very solid. Not sure if should rate 3 or 4. Feels like a 4.

This album was a pleasant indie album outlining the joys and woes of growing up in a small town, and lots I could resonate with. I enjoyed their sound and even gave a few songs a like.

"The Suburbs" to album pełen refleksji nad nostalgią i dorastaniem. Bólu marnowania dorosłego życia potęgowanego przez romatyzowanie młodości. Muzyka, która sprawia, że czujesz się jak studentka fotografii, która wraca do swojego rodzinnego miasta. 4/5

Perfect Sunday morning album

Conceptual, non-trivial indie rock, which is rare in my opinion. Enjoyed it very much

Emperors new clothes or an excellent third album, never quite sure and not as good as Funeral, but enjoy revisiting it…

I really enjoyed this one, good vibes. Favs: The Suburbs, Ready to Start

8/10

Except for The Suburbs, the album is bland. 4-

Good one

Nu har det varit tre skivor med AF. Den första var för mycket, den andra typ perfekt. Detta är väl nåt mellanting. Tillräckligt bra för att nå över medel. Kan definitivt ha denna skiva på där hemma!

Inleder riktigt starkt, tappar lite i mitten och avslutar starkt. Inte riktigt lika jämn som Funeral, men tycker produktion och mixning är cleanare och bättre här. På totalen en riktigt bra skiva som växte med flera lyssningar.

4.03/5 Me gusto bastante

So, I listened to Arcade Fire's first album many times when it came out. It is deeply ingrained in my memory, along with emotions of a past relationship. I feel like it will be strange to listen to this guy's and girl's voice again, as I think it may bring some memories up. Oh well, here we go. This certainly has better production than their first album, but it sounds like the same band. I like them. Solid album. It's was weird hearing this band again. I give it a 4.

This album really has a specific nostalgic mood to it, and I enjoyed getting immersed in it, probably because I have long disliked the suburbs, and I can really identify with the feeling of being a teenager in such a boring dystopia. Sprawl II is my favorite song on this album, and my favorite by the band in general, I guess. Probably because I also had the experience of having the cops shoo me away while I was in a park trying to kiss Joel in the dark ("Campus is cloooosed, folks."). Yeah, the suburbs blow. In the city, cops would have bigger problems to deal with, and in the country, you could more easily find solitude. I got some Springsteen vibes from this album. I liked a lot of the songs, but I probably the first half and then the ending tracks the most. I've never listened to this band much, but I've seen them perform on SNL several times, and all 27 members seem like they are always having a lot of fun. I like to see Régine play the hurdy-gurdy in her fingerless lace gloves.

Really enjoyed, 3 songs saved

Actually enjoyed this few songs saved for my playlists

Quite enjoyed that

I'd give it 3.5 if I could. It's too noodly, tbh.

New to me, i really enjoyed it !

Buen álbum, no es mucho mi estilo pero suena bien y es relajante

Really enjoyed this album. personally really easy listened indie rock.

Really liking it so far. It feels very early 2000s Good shit

I’m more of a funerals guy from Arcade Fire. However, I’ve listened to this a few times and it’s growing on me.

Some songs I like a lot in a very 2010s way.

This is kind of a fun album. I liked the vibe!

Fine album.

Enjoyed this

Skøn plade som jeg har hørt *rigtig* meget, og som ikke helt sniger sig op på 5 fordi midten af pladen er lidt for lang og slet ikke holder nivoet fra starten og slutningen.

One of the first albums that got me into indie!

Such a solid album. Really enjoyed this.

8/10 I guess they never heard the phrase less is more. The album is simply too long with too many songs being nice but non essential. Some great tracks near the beginning and end though. Highlights: We Used to Wait Sprawl II The Suburbs Ready to Start Modern Man Deep Blue Half Life I

I enjoyed this

it was nice to listen to, maybe an easy choice as upbeat ambience

“We used to wait” is more profound than I was ready for driving home from Walmart.

Brought back lots of college memories. Fun juxtaposition of heavy lyrics and breezy, upbeat music on lots of songs. Some songs come across as a little too smug and self-important. 4/5.

Not somebody I was familiar with, but it was enjoyable. I'd listen again.

É um bom álbum, bem nostalgico. Eu já escutava antes de sair aqui no 1001 álbuns, mas foi bom revisitar. Favs: We Used to Wait, Deep Blue, Suburban War e Sprawl II

A lovely eclectic mix of instruments bringing out some lyrically beautiful songs. Love the transitions between the songs, they are seamless and make this album a game to listen to in one sitting.

Strong songwriting aboutt he millenial struggle against capitalist urbanism. The soundscape gets a little too drawn out in the middle, could have done with a trim. But the standout songs are good.

Arcade Fire never lit my fire. Nevertheless, they are an excellent band and this is an excellent album. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-the-suburbs-by-arcade?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Not a bad album, pretty well made just not for me.

Unique sound, with a hint of the Smiths but more modern sounding - great lyrics, mellow, fun to listen to

I’m rating this like a week after listening but I remember loving it. Like it wasn’t brilliant but I remember getting so in to it that I thought it was my own playlist.

Wanted to listen to it for the 2nd time, so good. 4.5*

Still good.

This took me back to The Suburbs. Though it’s not the Month of May, these were not Wasted Hours.

I’m not a huge fan of arcade fire but I didn’t hate this album But it was a bit boring. Four stars I guess

I didn't like this album quite as much I remember. Let me give half stars please

Pre-listening thoughts: oh boy let me act excited for another arcade fire album! Not like we just had one last week or something. Random generator, you couldn’t have shaken it up a bit more?! Post/during listening thoughts: wait ok hold on. Wait. This is good. This is leagues better than their other album we got. I listened to this album twice because once again I am conflicted on my score. On one hand, it’s long, it’s very white millennial, and towards the middle, some of the songs bleed together. On the other hand, there are some really strong tracks in here, I like the way it loops back in on itself (hence why I listened twice), and the lyricism is something to applaud. I think it’ll grow on me so you know what, it gets 4 stars. 7.5/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: nah Fav tracks: The Suburbs, Ready to Start, Empty Room, Half Light II, Month of May, Sprawl II Least fav tracks: Half Light I, Sprawl I (didn’t hate them but I think the second halves stand well on their own and these are weaker halves imo)

The Suburbs by Arcade Fire turned out to be a very pleasant surprise. I didn’t know exactly what to expect going in, but it certainly wasn’t this. The album mixes catchy hooks with introspective lyrics, creating a reflective atmosphere that balances melancholy without ever feeling morbid or overly dark. Win Butler’s vocals work well with the tone of the album, and while I prefer his singing over Régine Chassagne’s, her contributions are limited enough that it doesn’t disrupt the overall flow. Standout Song: City With No Children Score: 4/5

Not my thing but seems pretty good for the genre.

I think I tend to think of this as the third part of a trilogy of great albums. But, it's definitely the weakest of the batch, and there's a bit of a "been there, done that" feel to the whole thing.

Fantastic modern rock album that takes a lot of cues from indie music of the time.

Their other albums on the list were just OK to me. I don't like the unsteady singing on this album very much either and it's about twice as long as it should have been, but otherwise it's good. Favorite song: month of may

Are you a Millenial in your 30s who grew up in the city? Then this album is for YOU! I completely missed this one when it came out but it was an enjoyable listen! I get while it was so popular

I love the title song, good to hear the rest of the album.

What an absolute pleasant surprise. This album did an excellent job of conveying suburbia nostalgia and melancholy in a way that was relatable but not cringeworthy. Lots of fun an interesting songs throughout, but I do feel like it could have been better with fewer songs since the middle does drag a bit. Overall a very enjoyable and engaging listen. Top tracks: The Suburbs, Ready to Start, Wasted Hours, We Used to Wait

Give me driving bass, soaring harmonies, and dispairingly depressing lyics any day plz

Good album. Didn't expect that this would be such a good record! Total Banger.

Nowhere near the level of Funeral, but better than Neon Bible.

Dreamy, poppy

Really good vibes all around - really enjoyed!

I've never listened to Arcade Fire before; I really liked this album. The songs all sounded very similar, but that built up on the theme of alienation and dislocation from living in the Sprawl. Having the mix of make and female voices helped too.

This is a really good album that I used to think was better but I haven't like Arcade Fire as much recently. Anyway, this album still stands up as being worthwhile.

Not as good as the other Arcade Fire Album from three albums ago, it started strong and ended strong, but I lost one star in the middle of the album and didn't ever find it again.

I didn't recognize as many of these songs as I did off Neon Bible which we had last week. But it was still very enjoyable all the way through.

Looks like I had categorized Arcade Fire as a whole other band forever ago. I was extremely surprised to hear them, and really enjoyed him voice and certain lyrics I was able to catch. Will be giving Arcade Fire more listens now!

Very good, very long album! Can't believe this was 2010, not a band I was familiar with going back that far! 9 tracks added to the 1001 Experience Playlist

4+ Stars (12/15)

The best AF album in my opinion. Feels like they got the formula right after the previous 2 concept albums. The narrative, both lyrically and sonically, holds together pretty well. I found my mind drifting in and out in the middle of the album but there’s definitely more good than boring.

Some really great songs- Suburbs and Ready to Start. Probably closer to 3.5 stars for me.

This is good shit

Hard time deciding where to rate this.. I enjoyed it quite a bit but no tracks really jumped out at me as being amazing, but liked some aspects in each song. 3.5/5 but since u have other Arcade Fire songs in my rotation I’ll give them the benefit and round up

They’re talented

Impressive start, Suburbs has been one of my favorites for a while. Ready to Start is also really good. Also strangely really liked Month of May on first listen. Nice ending as well.

J'le trouve bien sympa ce band. En plus de venir de chez nous, ils transpose bien la mélancolie en musique sans tomber dans le chignage et le nihilisme si bien présent dans bien des albums downbeat de ce générateur

Like very much

This is a solid album. I love the sound, I love the vibe, I love the songwriting, this is my definition of a solid album. Its not life-changing but I really liked it. It reminds me of stuff by The War on Drugs and Tame Impala's earlier work like Innerspeaker or Lonerism. I will be checking out more of Arcade Fire because I thoroughly enjoyed this album.

Solid album, maybe a bit too long.

Arcade Fire er hljómsveit sem ég hef oft og mörgum sinnum hlustað á í útvarpi og hugsað með mér að ég þurfi að hlusta á plötu frá þeim en svo alltaf gleymt. Þetta var þess vegna kærkomin plata og hún mun vera spiluð aftur. Núna gleymi ég þeim ekki. Framúrskarandi

This has some fire on it for sure. Kind of weird concept for an album but Arcade Fire does their thing and squeezes as much content from the concept as possible, while teetering on the edge between fantastic and pretentious

Thought this one was very listenable. Nothing sticks out at me—it’s the weekend and I listened on Friday—but it was one I enjoyed all the way through.

Ambient, a good cruising album. Would definitely recommend in road trips when you’re driving, it’s not shocking or unusual but it is different in the form of ambience.

Their 2nd best album and 2nd best album of 2010

Hey, their sound is actually pretty catchy. "Suburban War" has a nice teenage-angst epic quality.

really liked this vibe. ill definitely listen to this again, especially "sprawl ii." the energy level was exactly where i like it. also, the suburbs are a particular interest of mine lol

Definitely heard "The Suburbs" before, I like it I like this "Ready to Start", wanna pay more attention to the lyrics (desert duo/life series vibes perhaps?) I like Modern Man too, definitely feels like a 4/5 album so far. I've been liking all the songs but not quite enough for that 5/5 Rococo is a fun word "When I'm by myself I can be myself and my life is coming but I don't know when" - Empty Room. Ouch. City With No Children - I've arbitrarily decided this is about Edward Elric Half Life I - you could make an animatic about werewolves outta this Half Life II - yeah this one too halfway mark Month of May - if i was more familiar with homestuck i think this would be soooo homestuck. love the beat. maybe I'm just tired (it is currently 10:02) but this back half is not interesting me quite as much, even tho it is still good I know this album is literally called "The Suburbs" but man are so many of these about "the city" and stuff aaaand that's it! good night folks

Definitely takes me back. Used to be one of my favourite albums - too bad the singer turned out to be a dirtbag.

Montreal's best rock, despite the protestations of the Quebec government. ;-)

I really love Arcade Fire. I have such a soft spot for their genre and style. The powerful, overlapping instrumentals with incredible vocal work and amazing lyrics is something to be admired. But for some reason this album didn’t hit as hard as their debut, Funeral. Maybe it’s the length. Maybe it’s the lack of anything really new. It just doesn’t really work as an album. I love a bunch of the songs on here and cherish them deeply, but it just does not fulfill the same album astonishment as other projects have, and for that it gets a 4.

Inte så pjåkigt faktiskt.

Notable tracks: Ready to Start, Empty Room, Suburban War, We Used To Wait, Sprawl I (Flatland), The Suburbs

Liked it a little more than I thought I would. One track reminded me a little of Radiohead (though I like Radiohead way more), and then YouTube automatically went to Radiohead after this album.

Nothing stuck in my mind after a day but I remember enjoying it enough while in the U-Bahn. It’s all very similar but comforting in a way, not everything has to be groundbreaking. That’s what this album is to me, neat and some serious vibe with some good songs, nothing groundbreaking though. Kind of background music to your life. I can see myself listening again.

Really solid album. Some really great tracks and a cohesiveness that gains it points. Not sure it is quite on the 5 side of a 4.5 but it is close.

Never gave Arcade Fire a chance before this listen. Brilliant stuff - a nice mix of light rock, electronic elements and interesting subject matters, as a man of the suburbs too. Favourite songs: The Suburbs Ready to Start Half Light I Half Light II (No Celebration) Suburban War Wasted Hours We Used to Wait Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) Think I'll definitely be returing to this. 4.3 stars

I was pleasantly surprised by this album. I had written off Arcade Fire a long time ago. I started hearing about them when Neon Bible came out. I think they were on SNL and at one point I got the Neon Bible cd from the library and listened to it. At the time I did not care for it. So I figured this band was just not for me. Cut to today and The Suburbs is my album of the day. I wasn’t all that excited to be honest, but I’m glad I gave it a fair shake. This album is really good, way better than I expected. I will definitely be returning to this one in the future.

I missed out on Arcade Fire when they were big and yet the music still takes me back to early 2010s, which I find confusing but in a positive way. Really enjoyed this one, great concept and execution. I'm a very sentimental person and just love to reminisce about the past, times and the places you can't really go back to because there's no one there anymore.

I'm pleasantly surprised - it's an interesting sound and the concept is not bad, although it doesn't feel like something that you need to pay extreme attention to it. Makes good running music

Even though the title track is the only standout song of the album, I was enjoyed by the album. Nice surprise. Haven't heard much Arcade Fire before now. 4/5

Light 4/5, lots of great moments

Woah another Arcade Fire!! Oh first song in and I already fuck with it. This is kind of a long album but I do like it. “City With No Children” has a good sound to it, too.

It was ok, felt dragged out in a few places. It was still good.

I think Arcade Fire's reputation has suffered in recent years, but their first two albums are still classics and seeing them play Intervention live is still a strong memory for me. I don't think this album belongs on this list, but I still like it.

This was pretty good. I find the blend of rock and electronic to be good and captivating to me. Pleasantly suprised

Yeah, this is pretty good. Every song is pretty solid but I still kind of feel like I want more from them. Other commenters are correct that it is just kind of boring after a while. Sprawl II is one of the greats though. 7/10 (3.5/5)

Pretty indie rock

Fine

I started out not caring about this but I felt like it fell into a great groove starting with “Month of May.” I ended up liking this a lot and would give it another listen.

first listened to this song because it was my tattoo artist’s favorite album. and it’s a great album. doesn’t bridge the gap to amazing imo but still very good

I remember buying this album as soon as it was released. And while a bit lengthy, it is a really good record. I think for me it’s the sonic implications and production of why I like it. There are a lot of similar sounds and techniques that even other bands at that time were utilizing (like Of Monsters And Men). Which seemed to be the feel of many indie artists then. But this one has more, and it’s the subtle ideas here and there that elevate it (the extra beat added to the front half of the verses on “Modern Man” is just great). Overall just a more “soft”, blended, round feel to it. An easy 4+ for me.

I think this is another band I take for granted. I think this is their best work, even though I’m super fond of the first two albums as well. I kind of forgot how solid this was throughout, too. This one feels like they’re tried to recapture the magic of Funerals, after taking a small step back on Neon Bible, but upped the production. I think it pays off

Such a great album and very much in my rotation. We need more modern bands like this!

Been awhile since I've revisited this album. Forgot how much I like it and think it's my favorite, even over Funeral. I waffled between strong 4* and 5* but for some reason having trouble going full 5*. Very strong 4*. 4.25/5

I've heard a lot of Arcade Fire but never listened to a full album. I'm also not familiar with their whole discography, so I don't have an opinion on where this one ranks among them. Still, I like it. They have a unique sound but there are hints of like Travis, and Coldplay, and Radiohead. Pretty cool.

My 50th album is a modern classic. I am very close to giving this a 5 star rating, but it doesn't get better than the two opening tracks and their fenomenous blending.

Ah, the second greatest Arcade Fire album. Amazing songs, great album. A solid 3.8*

This album was a lot better than I expected. It's song quality is very consistent. Liked songs added: - The Suburbs - Rococo

Meget overraskede godt. Der er noget spændende ved hver sang. Jeg skal hører den igen God til afslapning

Great album that tells a story throughout. Absolutely love this one, although the middle is a bit weaker.

This was a slow burn. On the first listen through it really didn't do much for me. On subsequent listens it really came into its own. I'm rounding up my score because I'm fairly confident this will become a favourite album in the future.

solid album, had few pretty good songs but nothing really exciting for me. *Edit* i love the self titled Song and the album grew on me too but damn is it a banger!!!

I liked this album better than I thought I would. I wish I had given it a chance sooner.

Someday this could be a 5 and is a 4.5. Fantastic work and I'm sad I've never heard it b4!

Fantastic album! I don't even know if it is my favorite AF album as I really enjoyed The Funeral but I cannot find too many faults here. I suppose Month of May is a tempting skip a decent amount of the time.

I like Arcade Fire. This album is good but not 5/5 in my mind.

Playing catch up, I had this album and Neon Bible. I like this album better overall but not enough to bump up my rating.

Incredible for a third LP. Probably the most cohesive AF album. Sprawl 2 is top tier track, perhaps AF’s finest.

Having loved Funeral and liked Black Mirror I lost track of Arcade Fire for a few years. Partly because I lost my Black Mirror CD! Also the first couple of singles from this didn't grab me. So the first full listen. For me it starts slowly but from 'City With No Children' onwards it's pretty much faultless. One great track follows another. I love that they produce coherent albums where the tracks flow from one to the next so well. Hard to pick favourites but 'Suburban War' and 'We Used to Wait' are fantastic. Will certainly listen again x

A ‘sprawl’ of an album that manages to have relatively consistent high notes throughout. The Suburbs is one of my favourite songs ever! It’s so patient and subtle, slowly morphing in instrumentation as it progresses. I feel like it resembles the steady yet inevitable trudge away from childhood into adulthood. The imagery buried within the lyrics of this song are spectacular, too. Loads of other great moments throughout (Ready To Start, Empty Room, Month of May, Wasted Hours, Sprawl II). Similarly to The Wall, The Suburbs creates an atmosphere and sticks to it expertly. Also similarly to The Wall, it is a tad drawn out and is just off of the peak of this band. Still a great listen though. Favourite track: The Suburbs

I am sure dozens of bands were influenced by this album. Great overall. 4*

I've listened to it several times

It’s very 2000s-early 2010s indie. The hooks always suck. The good songs are really magical, the bad songs are just kind of forgettable. Most of the songs have really dynamic chord changes. It feels very creative because the chord changes I’m hearing seem rare. The tracks that really stuck out were Modern Man, Half Light I, We Used to Wait, and Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains). Overall: 8/10

Recht langes Indie Album, das aber nicht langweilig wird. Es sind gute etwas an REM erinnernde Stücke, die gut arrangiert und aufeinander abgestimmt sind. Gelingen sind die Combies „Half Light“ und „Sprawl“ aber auch „We use to wait“. Gerne mal wieder reinhören.

Love this album....

Con este disco Arcade Fire, el grupo más importante de la primera década del siglo XXI, tocaron la gloria (o al menos fue lo más cerca de ella que llegaron a estar). Grammy, Brit, reconocimiento de crítica y público, giras y conciertos excelentes, panorama soleado... hasta que llegó Reflektor (con la titular como una de las mejores canciones en lo que va de siglo). Funeral (2004), Neon Bible (2007) y The Suburbs (2010) forman una triada de discos inigualables (uno cada 3 años). Luego ya es otra historia, porque el nivel era muy difícil de mantener y el contexto había variado. Este disco comienza de forma admirable con ese piano trotón, The suburbs es toda una declaración de intenciones. Father John Misty hizo una versión estupenda años después. Sube el nivel con Ready to start, la mejor del álbum con permiso de Empty room. Modern man y Rococo cada una en su estilo, presentan preciosos arreglos que dan lustre a las canciones, ya de por sí buenas. Mucho se ha dicho sobre la influencia de Springsteen (la de Neil Young ha sido reconocida por ellos mismos) en City with no children pero yo me imagino este tema cantado por The Magnetic Fields y la ve acomo anillo al dedo. Es un gran tema. Half light I es un maravilla, con esos sintetizadores tan bien integrados (otra de las influencias en The Suburbs fueron Depeche Mode). Ese 2010 Beach House publicaron una de sus mejores obras Teen Dream, que podría incluir esta canción. La segunda parte sigue esa línea pero se acerca mucho más a los de Basildon (en el buen sentido). Suburban war y Wasted hours, demuestran el porqué este disco es tan bueno. Entre ellas Month of may, un estampido de los más directos en su discografía. Deep blue les lleva a volar alto otra vez (imposible separarla de la película Boyhood estrenada 4 años después). We used to wait es para mí la menos buena del lote, algo repetitiva aunque no deja de ser interesante (sobre todo a partir de la mitad y al final). Sprawl I y II, son completamente diferentes. La primera es desnuda e íntima mientras la segunda anticipa Reflektor (aquí se nota la influencia de los Blondie o Depeche mode más juguetones y ochenteros) El final es la canción inicial, la titular The Suburbs, pero en tono más oscuro (y breve). En total 16 canciones, poco más de una hora de pleno goce. En directo la experiencia era aún más especial. La edición incluyó, entre otras, Speaking in Tongues con el mismísimo David Byrne otros discos de 2010: The National- High Violet, Beah house- Teen dream, Kanye west- My beautiful dark twisted fantasy, Vampire weekend- Contra, Deerhunter- Halcyon digest, Caribou- Swim, Joanna Newson- Have one on me, Janelle Monáe - The ArchAndroid, Belle and Sebastian- write about love, The Drums - The Drums, LCD Soundsystem -This Is Happening, John Grant- Queen Of Denmark, Best Coast - Crazy For You, Wild Nothing -Gemini, The Black Keys- Brothers, Crystal Castles- Crystal castles, Delorean- subiza, lana del rey- Lana del rey, Sade- Soldier of love, MGMT - Congratulations, band of horses- Infinite arms, Superchunk- Majesty Shredding, Elton John and Leon Russell- The union...

Not the sound I was expecting. I guess I might have confused them with a different band from around that era. I really enjoyed it though. I can see myself seeking this out again. During Rococo I turned the volume up and didn't bring it down for the rest of the album.

Epic tracks, sweeping soundscapes and well constructed tunes. Not a fan of the wailing vocalist so 4/5 for me

This band was made for making soundtracks. Very good at setting tone but can easily fade into the background.

1-Already more instrumentally upbeat than funeral but the lyrics are kinda gloomy and dark, love the chorus and bridge 2-Insane transition already. Key change?, not as great alone but so far great at creating an overall listening experience or identiy 3-Ending the last with being ready to start and now having to wait, great songwritting, repeating imagery, bleak as shit great so far in company of the other 2. The second half I would have to eventually relisten to the same care but overall it gave a feel of contemporary moral apocalypse.

I used to be a big Arcade Fireman. This was probably one of my favourite albums for my entire teens. I still enjoy this album and was glad to relisten to it today, but it’s not the same enjoyment 17 year old me had for this album. This fireman has extinguished the Arcade Fire.

I’ve always heard good things about this band, but only knew a couple of songs. I’ve been missing out. This was a pleasure to listen to - original without being hipster-level opaque, mature but fun. Like Radiohead on antidepressants.

Probably a 3+,but much better to my ears than Radiohead. The early tracks are the best.

A vaunted, cornerstone indie rock record. I've largely avoided listening to Arcade Fire. As always with albums with this kind of regard around them, I'm worried that I won't like it, that my expectations will be too high, or that I'll enjoy it only out of obligation. The album is also over an hour long, which adds to my trepidation. All of that aside, I know this is an album I'll be revisiting; partially because of the length and how dense it is, and partially because I did really enjoy what I could discern. It's anthemic almost constantly, which triggers some ear fatigue for me, especially on a first listen--and definitely Springsteen-indebted. I wonder what I would've thought about this album when it first came out; I was 13 and probably would've loved it. So 'The Suburbs' is good and I'm glad I was finally cornered into listening to it, but I'll have to revisit. Especially with the lyrics in front of me; I wonder if all of it is actually as bleak as it is on first impression. Highlights: Ready to Start, Modern Man, Empty Room, Half Light II (No Celebration), Month of May, We Used to Wait, Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)

I liked this album. Rock that was the right side of refreshing, until it took a detour into coldplay territory, and then mixed that with the culture club (Half Light I & II I believe). But it recovered itself again into a hazy, vibey album that is interesting if you want to listen closer as well. perfect for such a deadbeat monday

I love Arcade Fire. I return to certain songs again and again. This album nearly gets crushed by its own ambition but the wall of sound is beautiful and especially the first 6 songs are all bangers. The middle couple of songs bring the mood down a bit but it ends strong. It’s a fun album to experience from start to finish, although I think two or three of their other albums are tighter and stronger. 4.5/5

I’m not sure of this album hit as hard outside of Canada, but this was all over the radio for years. 6 fucking singles! Seems like the soundtrack to an era. I appreciate it for what it is/was, never been in my rotation, but can’t say it’s bad. Seems like the peak of Arcade Fire to me. Separating the music from the artist here, because fuck Win Butler! Piece of shit

A bit overlong but has great moments throughout

It feels like a landscape painting of the 90s and I love what they’re doing and where they’re trying to take us. Its a few lyrical repetitions too many for me to be a perfect score, but one I’d happily listen to again.

really good songs, good relisten, i enjoyed most of the songs, 8

Great sounds. Very energetic and fun.

One of the strongest indie albums. Mostly due to his vocals, ideal over riffs with that secret pursuing energy.

This is definitely a band that I was aware of before starting the 1001 but conversely sitting down and listening to entire albums from them has created a lot more interest. I like some of the tunes very much. I wonder if the other songs will grow on me, or not, as that'll be the mark of something truly excellent.

I've never heard of this band. I like the album. Very melodic. I'd like to listen to it again. 4/5

Beautiful and light music, feet bobbing to the beat. Melancholic, serious lyrics that combine quite well with the music.

One of my all time favorites.

Great vibes and talent, loved the overall style of this and it was a great break from all the electronic from earlier in the week. Standouts were Modern Man and Suburban War

This does a great job of capturing the feelings of loneliness and isolation as a result of suburban sprawl. The wanting for something more and desire for feeling among the identical houses and strip malls. The comparisons to Springsteen make sense especially on songs like Half Light II. My favorites were The Suburbs, Ready To Start, City With No Children, Half Light II, Month Of May, and Sprawl II.

I like it. A bit jangly and indie, but overall, pretty good, and enjoyable background music. Not an all-time favourite, but definitely a fun listen.

I got a Spotify subscription so I might discover some new bands to enjoy - Arcade Fire is one of a few new discoveries. Enjoy them, and most of the songs I've liked are on this album.

Weird

Great lyrics, pace and structure...a solid 4/5 album for me

I like the vibes of this one, though it is a little long

I'd hear it again: 3.5.

I liked their sound and thought they had some good things to say.

Many styles that produced greats songs throughout the album. Enough said

This album probably had a shot at getting a 5 from me if I hadn't listened to the second half after watching the Bruins lose tragically. It still gets a solid 4, I really liked the lyricism and the way they told the story of suburbia and nostalgia and looking back on where you came from. The instrumentation was also really solid and had some very nice variety. Liked that they switched up the lead vocalist every now and then, variety is the spice of life. Solid album.

Sounds like the soundtrack to a coming of age movie

A sad and nostalgic folk album with thickness and substance. It's beautiful and rough around the edges at the same time. Vibes of Beck's folkier areas of work. "The Suburbs" tracks are haunting.

Sadness wrapped in hope Reserved pent up energy Explodes with great noise

And old favorite.

Someone else said it reminded them of the Shins in a review. I agree, some do. Many great songs on there. It doesn't really have any weak songs on there, maybe middle-ish, but certainly not weak. Most songs are strong. Great album.

This was quite a lot better than I expected. So far this project is really showing that I like Arcade Fire, which I was pretty convinced was not the case. It felt a bit more melodic and less urgent than early AF, which is up my street.

Great sound, no skips, solid album. Month of may and deep blue go hard.

Been tapering off my listening since all that stuff came out, but this album is still pretty great.

I love this album, hate the man

I listened to a lot of Arcade Fire in the early 2000's but am not super familiar with their later albums. I remember when this one came out and recognized a couple songs right away (which is always fun on this list). The opening track combo is super strong and, although they can stand alone, this album is definitely better digested as a whole. Sprawl II is excellent (especially for fans of Blondie) and there's some other standout tracks too. This project is much tighter and more concise than their previous works. I almost missed the madness but really liked it overall. AF somehow manages to evoke a feeling of nostalgia but also distrust for the future. I'm a fan and I suspect there will be more AF on this list because they are pretty powerful.