The Suburbs

Enjoyed this and will definitely listen again. I never got on the AF bandwagon so it's nice to be able to come at this with fresh ears.

Beautiful album. Just a bit too long. I’ve been listening a lot to Sprawl II the last couple of years. Arcade Fire has always been a singles band for me. But this time it clicked in album form. Listened through it three times. The three first tracks are really great. New favourite: Ready to start

After what I consider one of the all time great debut albums - Funeral, they came out with the truly awful (flat, boring, insipid) second effort Neon Bible. Apparently the band agreed with me as in the four times I've seen them they've never played a song from Neon Bible. The Suburbs was a return to form. Although not as strong as Funeral (which they've never equaled in my opinion), it is a strong album throughout.

It’s a great album. It’s not my fave of theirs and I don’t pick it up often but I’d find it incredibly difficult to listen without thinking of sweaty summer nights dancing in crowds watching this racket play. It’s an even better album for conjuring those memories.

This was good - a varied set of sounds. But I don't think I'd rush to listen again.

Another classic, although I don't know that it's actually that high up on my list of AF albums I usually listen to. Definitely has some hits. City with No Children -- really feels like one long song so far. Really enjoying it. Modern Man had some fun time signature bending which was neat. Didn't get it finished, but will listen to the rest today

Better than the previous Arcade Fire album that I was given but still didn't really excite me. Had some parts that stood out though. If I could go back I'd give that a 3 and this maybe a 3.5 but a 4 will have to do.

Loved the beginning and end. It gave me nostalgic feelings from a time gone by as a kid who grew up in a suburb. Some of the songs in the middle felt a bit flat but overall great album.

Already heard it- 8/10

I only discovered Arcade Fire the other year with Funeral. Enjoyed it but didn't venture elsewhere in their discography. Likewise, I really enjoyed this album. Similar veins to Funeral, but the longer runtime resulted in a few more songs that I think could have been cut. Some great tracks though

First 8 or so songs are bangers, gets a little long after that otherwise would have been a 5

8/10 while I can’t call myself an arcade fire fan, this is still an undeniably good album

Enjoyed

I’ve had Arcade Fire on my list to listen to for a little while now as I’ve seen their debut album float around quite a lot, which I’m sure is on this list as well, but I ended up with this album first instead which is very enjoyable nonetheless. Despite the band’s sound being primarily indie rock there are a multitude of sounds on this record that really keep you listening, from the upbeat title track opener that has this steady beat reminiscent of an old speakeasy with a band playing in the corner, the piano really helps with that, to the to the build up instrumental of ‘Rococo’ that starts with an acoustic guitar riff and builds up to this grand finale of an electric guitar lead by some steady drums. Further examples include ‘Half Light II’ that has the pace of an electronic track consistently beating through, and ‘We Used To Wait’ that prioritises the piano into a build up of the drums really letting the instrumental speak. My other 2 stand out tracks are ‘Empty Room’ which is very fast paced accompanied by some dreary almost shoegaze instrumentation in the back ground, both vocalists do incredibly well too being very in sync with each other and keeping the energy. The other track being ‘Sprawl II’ which is definitely a bit more electronic inspired with keyboards taking over accompanied by what sounds like the maracas. I think what makes these 2 stand out the most is the inclusion of the female vocalist, she fits the style so well and really adds to the tracks. What’s stopping me from giving this album a top rating is the length of the album. Although some tracks are very memorable I had to go back and really re-listen to some others as they just flew past me. Another part is sometimes I find the lyrics a little bland, for the most part they’re great but on songs like ‘Rococo’ and ‘Month of May’ the over repetitive nature of the tracks titles does slightly ruin it for me, I want to hear more verses because the verses are great! Overall, I did like this album quite a bit, some things not so much as others but the sound that was created on this record was fantastic and I look forward to going back to a good handful of these songs. 4/5

Beautiful music

Enjoyable

Þetta er drullugóð plata!

I liked this album quite a bit. I liked how the songs merged into each other, it made it feel more like a concept album, even though it really isn't. I liked the instrumentation, I liked the feel and nature of the songs (being from the suburbs myself). I related to the lyrics a lot. I remember hearing Arcade Fire on SNL and they really did not impress me. But this album did. I don't know if I would run out to get their latest, but this was something I appreciated.

I like their debut album better, but I do like this one too. I feel like I had a copy of it at one time - maybe it was a roommate's. The first 4 songs are great, though I like Modern Man even more than the two singles (title track and Ready to Start). I can't believe they released 7 singles (since Month of May - not their best - was packaged with the Suburbs) but yeah, I do recall all of them on the radio at sometime. They have some songs that are a bit meh, but every time the album dips it picks right back up. Like Half Light I or Sprawl I - both meh - but Half Light II and Sprawl II are both awesome. I'd almost say the album is too long, but the back half has a bunch of real gems with Deep Blue and We Used to Wait (the best single in my opinion). Yeah, real solid effort but not quite a 5.

This is a grower. My first impression was "I didn't need to hear this before I die" and I wasn't surprised to see it was removed from the book. By the third listen, I was really enjoying it and by the fourth listen I was liking every track. I definitely want to keep listening. Tracks I really liked (usually by the third listen): Ready Start, Modern Man, Rococo, City with No Children, Half Light (I and II), Suburban War, We Used to Wait, and Sprawl II (sounds like Daft Punk meets 70s disco - I like).

ekasta biisistä tietää.. jo osaa aavistaa.. Konsepti albumi... ja on hieno.... Väliaine jolla tunne tuodaan kuitenkin.. HÄVETTÄÄ KUUNNELLA.. harmittaa koska todella hyvä toistaan tukeva kokonaisuus.. mutta noi rummut on vaan niin MYÖTÄHÄPEÄ EI HELVETTI! Kitaran laiskan lörpökkä römpötys... pistää vihaksi.. hankala kuunnella jos ei anna kaikkea albumin syntejä anteeksi.. SYNTEJÄ ON USEITA...

Interesting, 7/10

Already have heard it 8/10

This was an acceptable album. It didn’t overly tickle my fancy, but I liked some it and didn’t hate any of it.

This album won a Grammy. Without knowing what it was up against, that fact alone should land it on the list. After listening to it, I can add my opinion and say the voters didn't get it wrong.

Great album sprawl II is a great song, 4.4

classic alt rock - great vibes all around

Knew a couple tracks ahead of time and they're great. This goes from folky to some harder tracks. It's a little too long perhaps and I'm not sure I love the singers voice. Otherwise pretty good.

Wow what a great record!

Ok

Very good album, they do earnestly sleazy French country rock better than most. 4 stars.

I think this album belongs on the list of albums you must hear before you die, because it is unique in the sound and the scope of what Arcade Fire was attempting to accomplish. Saying that, it is not my favorite Arcade Fire album because it is less concise than "Neon Bible" and "Funeral." For me, what makes this album deserve to be on this list also makes it not my favorite AF album.

I'd never heard of this band before, but I was pleasantly surprised and I enjoyed this album. I really liked "Sprawl II"

Not the biggest fan of the modern additions to the “1001 list” but this one proves to be one of the more enjoyable.

I avoided Arcade Fire at first and while this album is not their debut it provides excellent evidence as to why they blew up to begin with on the one hand and polishes it up with the other. It is maybe a little overlong to be a five star record but it is quite good.

I have fond memories of the title track. We were spending a few weeks in Austin Texas, we got a rental upgrade to a Jeep SUV and the indie radio stations played The Suburbs over and over, as did the malls, grocery stores and gyms. I felt very patriotic when I discovered it was a “Canadian” band hotting up the fabled Austin music scene, though in fact the Butler brothers grew up not far from Austin. “Ready to Start” is another great track and up-tempo enough for me to use in my spinning classes so I have to give the LP at least a 4. Many of songs have a bleak, hopeless feel to them, a combination of the lyrics and Winn Butler’s vocals. The multi-instrumental approach gives them a big sound and they keep things as fresh as they can, mixing up the song intros pace and letting Chassagne sing a bit, yet the hopelessness still comes out. If they condensed this down to a 40-minute effort it would be awesome.

god s

Listened to this while hungover and tired but i think i liked it, if maybe a bit long

I'm now wondering why I haven't played this album much since I bought it when it was released. It's great!

When this came out I was all about Arcade Fire, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and all that. The biggest most recent wave of sad boy indie guitar, it was everywhere. Now I've moved on obviously, but still have to pop back to Funeral from time to time, which remains superb. I haven't felt drawn to this in the same way over the years, although it definitely has some of their best songs on it. Honestly if this album was around 48 minutes long it would probably be getting 5 stars. As it is, it's just too long and as others have said, in hindsight drags in the middle. Songs that make it too long while not really adding anything: City with no Children, Half Light II, Month of May. That said, it does an expert job of creating a consistent mood, you can really visualise the subject matter and imagine yourself wondering around somewhat soulless, humdrum and empty cookie-cutter neighbourhoods as you listen to it. Favourites: Ready To Start, Sprawl II, Suburban War

The album is melodic, full of heart and just an enjoyable experience. Admittedly, knowledge about the band is limited, the music being allowed to speak for them. "City With No Children" as ominous as that may sound, is a beautifully played song. While not exactly a rock opera, "Half Light I" and "Half Light II" play as a show within themselves with strong melodies and driving rhythms. In a great way, the album takes us somewhere else for a few minutes to enjoy an EP within an album. Overall, the album is seemingly sincere and that carries a lot of weight here.

Solid 4

The final good Arcade Fire album is, in retrospect, not quite as good as I remembered. A few too many dirges. You could cut it back to just the songs that seem to tell a story and probably have a better album. When it’s at its best it’s easily the equal of Funeral and Neon Bible, but it doesn’t happen as often as it should. I do like it a lot though. Disclaimer Win is a shit head.

At first listen I was underwhelmed and felt the album lacked distinctiveness. Wanting to be fair and open minded, however, I persisted and The Suburbs really started to grow on me - anthemic, rich and absorbing. My current assessment is that the album will reward repeat listens as it pulls you into the experience of growing up in The Suburbs - a frequent topic for song writing, usually sneering, but here rather more affectionate and moving.

I enjoyed this. I though this was good.

This is a really good album. There aren't really standout songs in the same way there are on Funeral, but it all flows together beautifully and shows you a world in a way that very few bands can do (particularly more modern ones). The bonus tracks (not on the link that the site gives us) are also really good, the one with David Byrne in particular. 4/5.

Not so much a release as a cultural touchstone in the way that only certain brands of indie bands seem to be able to achieve. The Suburbs does something that I think its quite remarkable, its a long album but it never really strays from sounding on brand. I'm not going to analyse what makes an Arcade Fire song sound like an Arcade Fire song, but they are an instantly recognisable band and every song on The Suburbs is of a very consistent tone and quality. Personally I love The Suburbs, the song writing as I have already mentioned is great, the vocals are never not totally on point, its got so many hits on it that most bands would take 3 albums to build up that many singles. But more than anything its interesting. There's always stuff going on to hold your attention and has been very finely crafted as such, its as much an achievement as a good record. If I had one complaint its probably that its bookended with the best song on the record which is maybe on purpose, start and end with your best melody but I feel like it could have been a really good mid album high point to keep the momentum up. 4/5

Probably their best album all told. Some absolute bangers here, this is a 4.5 rounded down.

4.5

It's a four. The first quarter of the album is a five, taking up where The Neon Bible left off. But 16 full tracks is a bit too much and the second half of the album has a couple of samey tracks on. 12 tracks, 48 mins guys.

I love how fiercely ambitious this group are, just forging ahead with their own brand of quirky, melodic, and often profound, music.

Pretty great! I missed this one in 2010

Not my favorite Arcade Fire album, but still solid, captures a certain emotion

The Suburbs is the second album recommendation from Arcade Fire in this list. I'm still not to the point where I feel like there is an Arcade Fire sized hole that needs filling, but I enjoyed this album. I liked every track, which is impressive for a 16 track album. My favorites were "City with No Children", "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)", "Suburban War", and "The Suburbs". I could easily come back to this album to see what else I might discover on a second listen.

I thoroughly enjoyed that! Way more than I expected.

First three AF albums are all recommendable. Funeral: 5. Neon Bible: 4.5. Suburbs: 4. Last album does have a fair share of 5-star songs as well, but it is just hard to take in one go. While the music is excellent, something that does not help are the rather silly lyrics - this holds for all their albums though..

Up there with Funeral. Solid album.

Not as strong as their previous works, but the band is really growing on me. Some great songs captured in the interesting lyrical theme, with a great sound.

Entertaining album without a real highlight but an overall good and enjoyable quality of songs

weak 4/5

This is probably my favorite arcade fire album even though they have others that are more popular. This one was a great blend of their orchestra and unique instrumentals mixed with good lyrics and enjoyable Melodies. I could listen to this album several times through as it has many layers and packs so much in it. Definitely one of the better contemporary albums on this list. 8.4/10

Excellent stuff again. They’re magic I’ll always say it. I struggled with this one because I wanted to give it more than a 4 but I only gave Funeral a 4 and I’m not sure if it’s better than that, so they both get 4.9s.

4.5/5. Controversies aside with their lead singer, this record is one of the most important indie rock albums of all time.

Never really paid much attention to Arcade Fire but have always liked what I've heard. Ready to Start is a fave on this album and Rococo kept catching my attention and might need a few more listens to fully understand. But Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) is my absolute favourite.

A solid listen, yeah. Archetypal indie rock of a certain flavor. Actually, this has made me realize there's no Decemberists in the list, which seems like a pretty whopping oversight. Not that the Decemberists are particularly like Arcade Fire - I guess I encountered them at a similar time so they're mentally filed close together in my brain? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Fave track - hmmm, could be "Modern Man" or "Month of May" for being upbeat. "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains" with the female vocals is also absolutely lovely, and serves well as an album closer....

I like this album there are a lot of really good songs. Starts off really well with the title track and only loses momentum after about 5 or 6 songs and only for a couple or three songs then ends really well. It's not Funeral it doesn't have the combination of the grandiose with the innocence of youth that made that album so exciting and fresh. Still a very good album 4 stars

Nostalgiatron

If you can separate the artist from the group and this album, the album is phenomenal.

4.5

Arcade Fire did a music video for “We Used to Wait” that had your neighbourhood (aka Google Maps imagery of your neighbourhood) getting overtaken by a forest. My brother and I listened to that song so many times putting different scenes from our shared childhood into the video. Listening to the album in its entirety for the 1st time, the songs didn’t resonate with my own suburban memories quite as strongly, but I’m also really bad at listening to lyrics. Very strategic of Arcade Fire to release this when I was still a kid, since it still takes me back there anyway. October 18, 2022

It took me a moment to get into this album, but once I did, it really started to come alive. The music is grandiose if a bit simple, but it is extremely effective. My favorite moments are when the 80s inspired electronic elements and simple driving drumbeat take over turning what could easily be categorized as bland 21st century alternative rock into something a bit more baroque and intriguing. There are some interesting melodies here but the real strength of this album is its cohesiveness and thematic unity. The last third of the album is absolutely stunning. I will need to listen to it again and hopefully the rest will click as well.

Really liked it, would listen to more Arcade Fire but I expect they’ll show up again on here at some point. Shame it’s too long. Why do they keep doing this.

Very good indie album

Nice album great feeling Varied enough to not get boring, but still a little to long

4.4 + A beautifully composed and performed suite of songs themed around growing up in suburbia, complete with AF's flare for channeling nostalgia through a lens of emotional immediacy. Standouts: "Sprawl I" and "Sprawl II", "We Used to Wait", "City with No Children."

I actually think I underrated this album initially given my high expectations after their first two albums that I liked so much. Pretty good upon revisiting, actually. Standouts: The Suburbs, Ready to Start, Modern Man, Sprawl II

This is an excellent album. The different sounds keep it from being stale, but it still feels connected as a whole. Pretty good

Okey....

I thought that this album would be boring, but I was pleasantly surprised. It wouldn't shock me if this greatly influenced the modern indie rock scene. There's even a shoegazey section on this album.

Loved this one when it came out. Not as big on it now, but Sprawl II still rules.

I really like this album. Nice arrangements and performances that are “indie pop” sounding in the positive sense of the term. When they add the strings and extra voices, it creates layers and a depth that are quite compelling. Solid, solid album by a great band. I missed them completely when they were churning out these records but I’m glad this project brought them to my attention.

Bello. Por algún motivo si me hizo muy largo de escuchar

My favorite Arcade Fire album. Oddly, I think that Arcade Fire is an acquired taste. I clearly remember not caring for them when I first heard them but I cannot remotely find that feeling anymore. Now, this is damn good. Favorite songs: The Suburbs and We Used to Wait

Love it. I really underestimated this band in the beginning.

I prefer the first two records, but We Used to Wait and Suburban War are fabulous.

Si 'Funeral' i 'Neon Bible' van sorprendre i els van posar en boca de tothom, amb 'The Suburbs' es van reivindicar com una de les millors bandes de rock alternatiu del nou mil.leni. Un disc doble, en el sentit clàssic del terme, ple de grans cançons, melodies intel.ligents, lletres colpidores i una execució immillorable de tot plegat. Va ser el seu cènit creatiu com a banda (a setembre de 2022 com a mínim)

Their passion and commitment are clear and convincing. The playing and arrangements are generally effective and intermittently compelling. The hooks are decent and there are some immersive atmospheres. Varied textures and tempos add to the ride as well. Certainly, the drama builds but one questions whether it builds to any crescendo worth reaching – that is, someplace one would find relatable or sufficiently resonant to merit the effort of the journey. Lyrics remain mostly pedestrian, though with quite a few less howlers than on Funeral, which had many of the same strengths (and weaknesses). Much preferring the National, one just can’t go all the way with AF. It feels like an objective 4, but in terms of personal engagement a 3.

The list keeps getting better and better.

win butler hijo de putaaa album guay tho

It has 3 really good songs

I remember buying this album of the back of We Used to Wait which is a quality tune. The album is pretty decent as well, taking a journey through suburbia and the 'thrills' of city life. I listened to it loads at the time and it's still worth a spin now and then, but can't quite warrant the full five stars as it loses a bit of energy towards the end.

een heel pak beter dan gevreesd eigenlijk. Dat laatste lied kan ik me nog 'ns luisteren

Indie rock, 2010. One of the best inde records of the 21st Century and one of the peaks of this band. The album is really solid from the start until the end and the tracklist is just perfect with also a great mood mostly quiet and calm. Both voices during the project fit really well the vibe of the LP, the lyrics are pretty clever and the music is always interesting.

4/5 Reminds me of the Killers sound. Nice mix of clean guitar and complex synth sounds. Modern Man has interesting 4/4 + 5/4 switch up throughout.

noice lo

Feels slightly dated now but still a great album

I’m a weird Arcade Fire fan. I know and love the basic hits, and my favorite album is Reflektor. It’s time to finally listen to the Suburbs while living in one. The eponymous opener is a catchy yet slightly haunting tune about the tension between kids and their parents as well as the tension between a bubble-like suburban neighborhood and the real world. I listened to this record as I cleaned the house, so I didn’t do an extremely close listen. I did, however, hear many songs I enjoyed and I recognize that I should definitely listen again! The mix of Depeche Mode and Neil Young, as Win Butler himself characterizes this record, accomplishes this wistful atmosphere (again reflecting the experiences within the suburb). Humble melodies and evolving arrangements make for something that is pleasing easy listening as well as something to be musically and literarily analyzed. I’m going to give this album a four — I like it very much but it doesn’t have the effect that some of the other 5’s have! Excited to listen again!

deras musik är verkligen så bra?

Decent

Wonderful and unique. Terrific band. Good albums.

Something I would have listened to often when I was in high school.

I enjoyed this quite a bit. Very nice melodies, though I didn't pay close attention to the lyrics as much. Some of these songs really stick in your head for a while, and I'm here for it. Anyway, I'll come back again.

I have listened to this one many times. Good album.

Something about this album makes me so happy. I loved it the moment I first heard it, and every re-listening experience delights me. Everything feels right about this recording--every groove, every moment of passion, from "Modern Man" to the illimitable and unassailable "Sprawl II". Is the album over-dramatic? Yes, of course, in spots, but for me that's part of its charm. Searching for a place in the modern world, a world dominated by the lifelessness, the creative barrenness, of the suburbs. It's weird... this is kind of a coming-of-age album, but only kinda, as if it's being sung in retrospective, for the point of view is very much an adult one considering the futility of continued human generation. Ambition has rarely been more captivating than the magic caught on this album.

Celkem 🔥. 7,5/10

One of my fav albums from high school. I think it can be bloated at times, but some tracks are timeless. Ready to start, half life II, wasted hours, we used to wait, and sprawl II are the favorites. Usually come back to it at least once a year.

I've been unfair to Arcade Fire. Based on this album, they are not what I thought they were. They are outside of my wheelhouse these days, but in my other life, when I was listening to Morrissey, The Smiths, Beautiful South, etc this would've been one of my favorite albums.

This record continues to grow on me all these years later.

Indie rock que no está mal. Venga, un 4.

I like this album very much. I have been listening it for years. I was the way a learned to appreciate the Arkade Fire's work. For moments, I find it disturbing. But always I find it melancholic, with a touch of sadness.

Standout track: "Month of May"

Chulo, no me lo esperaba asi

In suburbs, in the bushes by a children's boating lake in a park I once saw SHACK clad only in a grimace and his mother's fishnet tights furiously reciting Othello in a menacing mumble. He's an actor now darling. I am reminded of this stark image when listening to this album and I think it speaks more to the music's essence than I ever could.

Great band. Not sure why this album made the list and not one of their previous two but whatever. Still enjoyed it.

Super nice album. I wish I had gotten into this thing when it was released but somehow it passed me by. Really quality songwriting throughout and very relatable lyrics about find your identity in a world that can quickly push people into a box growing up. 8/10

The Arcade Fire: growing up in the suburbs can be alienating at times. Aging Gen-Xers as they start to make up the majority of the Grammy voting body: holy shit yes

Rococo and We Used To Wait are the high points of a brilliant album. Definite vinyl purchase down the line.

🔥

Minneapolis Nostalgia (the current!). Sprawl II major highlight

Cool album

High school nostalgia. Love wasted hours

i can sort of remember listening to "Funeral" about a year ago. the style and sound of this album feels quite similar but i can tell "Funeral" is my favorite between the two. both albums are quite good, but Arcade Fire just doesn't get better than "Funeral". this album is still fantastic though

Probably their best album

03/22/2022 Such a great album. Soooo close to a 5-star rating.

Enfin un album écoutable! J'aime bien les arrangements de cordes de Owen Palet Les tones de drums et guits sont cool J'aime bien le beat croche de modern man Rococo me tombait sur les nerfs avant mais it grew on me et maintenant je l'aime bien Bonnes chansons bien construite, bien arrangée, progressions d'accords surprenantes. J'écoute quand même souvent cet album si on pouvait mettre des demi étoile j'aurais mis 4.5

J’ai une préférence pour Funeral, mais la progression Funeral, Néon Bible et Suburbs (et même Reflektor) est parfaite. Pièce préférée: Rococo

This and a few other albums started the multi-instrument folk rock band revolution. Good stuff.

Most of my listening experience swung between "hey, not bad" and "actually this is pretty good". Then Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) came on and completely blew me away. An absolutely phenomenal piece of music which really elevates the album as a whole.

Saved Prior: The Suburbs, Ready to Start, Rococo, Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) Off Rip: Half Life II (No Celebration), Sprawl I (Flatland) Cutting Edge: None Overall Notes: Takes the vibes of Funeral and the cohesion of Neon Bible to make what might be the best 'album' of the three, I just wish it was 15 or so minutes shorter

Indie rock que no está mal. Venga, un 4.

Good

solid album

Grew on me through multiple listens. Some lovely tracks in there.

This is definitely an improvement on the debut which was on the list not very long ago. I wondered why I would get multiple albums from them but this seems like a breakthrough of sorts, certainly unique, at times catchy, with a lot of talent.

gostei sim :)

good, unexpected gem of an album.

When Funeral came out it was a revelation for me. A band from my home town the darlings of Indie rock. And man was that album good! Up there with The Aeroplane Over The Sea and suddenly Montreal was the epicenter of Indie rock, mentioned in the same breath as Austin and Atgens and dare I say...Seattle. fast forward a few years and The Suburbs cones and say what...a Grammy award? Really? But is The Suburbs as good as Funeral? No, but it's fucking close. The titles track that opens up the album is everything good about Arcade Fire ... soaring melodies, toe tapping beat and beautiful, personal, poignant lyrics. There's really very little let up throughout the album. Modern Man, Rococo, Half Light, Speaking in Tongues all fantastic songs. 4.5 🌟

Listened to on 2/7/22 4.5/5 Favorite songs: The Suburbs and Wasted Time We finally got something that wasn’t from the 60s and wow was it so much better. This album was so good and accurately depicts what growing up in the suburbs is like. I would highly recommend and enjoyed listening to it!

A really solid album overall that feels weirdly nostalgic. A few favorites were Sprawl II, City with No Children, and Half Light II. Would listen again.

2/7/22 I liked most songs. I think this is an album that would really grow on me if I kept listening to it! I appreciate the indie vibes. The album gets better with each song. The few I didn’t really care for was mainly because their rhyme structure Favorite song: Sprawl 2

More of a rock leaning to this album than their usual orchestral swells; though these are still there - like walking into a cathedral in a pair of crocs. I lived in the suburbs. It didn't sound anything like this. Best Tracks: The Suburbs; Ready To Start; Modern Man

Killer Start, wird mittendrin etwas schwächer, daher nur eine 4.

while Ready to start is my favorite arcade fire song, I can't give this a 5 if I gave Funeral one. It is a really good album though.

Have always liked these guys’ works, and this is no exception. Not quite as on fire as some of their others, but enough heat to barbecue a turd fisher’s catch

JANUARY 19TH "kids wanna be so hard but in my dreams we're stil screamin' and runnin' through the yard and all of the walls that they built in the 70s finally fall and all of the houses they build in the 70s finally fall meant nothing at all." track 1 gave me the feeling this album would be very "I'd come back if I was bored." and track 2 confirmed it. "I wish that I could have loved you then before our age was through." "our heads are just houses without enough windows they say you hear human voices but they only echo." "month of may, it's a violent thing." for sure. it's taurus/gemini season. "you started a war that we can't win." is prob my favourite lyric. I have the feeling I'm gonna come back to this album every time I have a life crisis and reminisce about the old days. it gives me the smiths and the killers vibes. 8,5/10

Some great tracks, could have been a shorter 5 star album though.

REALLY enjoyed listening to this. I love Arcade Fire and this album makes a real statement IMO. They make some crazy sounds, keep it interesting and exciting throughout Sprawl II towards the end is a great vibe for example. I felt a big mixture of things from this album and I liked it. Perfect length too.

I absolutely loved listening to this, not even a particularly huge fan of arcade fire but this brought be so much joy

A grand, layered, and spiraling next step in the band's sound. It is epic for sure, and an excellent album, but it does make me miss a bit of the fire and homegrown feel I heard in their debut.

Great stuff

Decent indie rock album with varied styles and influences.

Indie

Arcade Fire are not afraid to try new things with their sound and I love them for that, but it's not always what I want from them. The suburbs really just expanded and matured their vibe from The Funeral (which is an album I will always hold special to me). The Suburbs really blew them into the stratosphere and allowed them to grow into the indie powerhouse they were becoming, but they'll always be the goofs rollicking around in football helmets in the small 2-300 cap club I first saw them in...

I really enjoyed this so I think it ought to get a 4*

A great album that truly acts as a single work, rather than a bunch of singles.

Nikad nisam slušala arcade fire ali ovaj album je probudio moj interes

Arkadna vatra. Odličan album, ujedno su se s tim albumom pomirili da više neće raditi općenito kvalitetne albume ko što su do tad.

<3

I already know and love this album too, but hey, we're gonna listen to it again. Wasn't this the album that Arcade Fire won over some pop stars and people were up in arms? "Who is this Arcade Fire and how did they beat my waifu????"

Superb.

it was very good I like it a lot. I was very impressed. it was just a little bit long so I got a little bored.

Never quite seen what all the fuss is about with Arcade Fire. It’s a good band, but it isn’t a great one for me. 3

Just fine

Why is this album ten years long and how many members does this band need to make such soporific rock? There's seven of the fuckers and they got six singles out of this? Eh, it's whatever. It's pleasant and interminable. I have no noughties nostalgia for Arcade Fire and never really got the hype, and then Win Butler turned out to be a greasy loser – who'd have thunk it – so I'm liberated from trying to like them.

3.5 I like it less than neon bible. I've rated each album lower than the one before. I wonder if that will change.

although i find it a bit on the vanilla side if alternative pop/rock, i can't fully escape its magnetic influence. for me, certainly not a life changing album.

Not as good as Neon Bible, but seems like it will grow on me with further listens (and pretty sure I will be listening to it again). There were no songs here that had the raw power of My Body is a Cage, but maybe Sprawl stands out from the rest on a first listen.

The strokes, u2, smiths, blondie- there’s a lot of influence in here this time, compared to 2008’s Funeral, which felt like it informed later music more. This honestly feels most like a U2 album. If you were 15-20 when this came out you’d probably have had the same reaction as someone who was 15-20 when U2’s The Joshua Tree came out in 1987. It’s light, airy, a little synthy, and A lot of ringing, chiming type of guitar work that’s endemic to this specific era of indie pop rock, which arcade fire is definitely partially responsible for. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

They must be good live

this would've gone off if i heard it 15 years ago

Eh…it was good for the daily melancholy I was going through

I don't think I could say that I like this any more or less than Funeral. I'll be honest, I kind of zoned out after the first 3 songs (which I'd already heard & like). What I tuned in for sounded kind of Springsteen-esque at times, which was sort of interesting, but then whatever interest I had was countered by whatever "Rococo" was. This is pretty middling to me, but I think in the future the only songs I'll return to are the ones that I've already been listening to on a semi-regular basis. Thus, I don't necessarily think this fits the list for me; my comments from Funeral about drinking AF Kool-Aid haven't really changed (I am not enough of a Millenial for this band). Favorite tracks: Ready to Start, Month of May, We Used to Wait

I think if I had heard this band as a teenager or in my 20s I would have liked them. Hearing them for the first time in my 50s isn't striking the same chord. Not for me, but good for what it was, I suppose. Not super interesting in 2026.

It was fine and enjoyable but not like mindblowing or anything.

Road movie disco, aunque creo que por El coche de la portada

Pretty fire 5/10

Mid but had it's moments. Felt very bland and like a torture when it went on for too long.

Sometimes reminds of older bands/songs. But it doesn't add any value. This album won the 2011 Grammy for Best Album. That seemed ridiculous, so I looked up the nominees expecting to see that someone had been robbed. Nope, just a super weak field.

it hit the spot this morning, didnt know I wanted to hear it until it was on. I enjoyed it for what it was. Wasnt brilliant or anything but a pleasant listen. A bit long.

Very listenable, if a bit generic. Enjoyed for what it was, in bed, before starting the day.

Этот альбом однозначно лучше Neon bible, который попался мне в первые дни, но все равно, музыка Arcade fire меня не цепляет, за исключением пары треков

millennial burger joint national anthems

As boring as living in The Suburbs

695/1001 2026.09.04 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑

Heard most before; 3.5; I got a couple of 2000-2010 albums in a bunch here, and I think it's actually a pretty helpful way to listen and think about them. I would say all of them are albums that I was well aware of, knew that they were supposed to be albums that were critically respected and in the indie vein, but had never given them a full listen. In part, I think that's because I never really felt that drawn in to them boring or difficult to appreciate. Out of the others (Yoshimi battles..., Halcyon Digest), this was one that I always thought I should enjoy, given all the praise it got, and probably am most familiar with the songs. It's hard for me to pin down how I feel about this album. It's got a lot of catchy riffs, has great atmosphere, sounds great with the production, and has a pretty good variation of upbeat, driving songs and slower tracks. At the same time, it all feels a little bit too dramatic and sounds so big/epic by the time you get to the end of the album, it ends up seeming a little cliche. This is an album that'd benefit from being a little shorter. Still, a lot of very solid tracks that I don't get too tired of listening to. Favorite Track: Ready to Start

Cool

album longo da mulesta legalzinho, nenhuma música específica chamou atenção parece até que alguém juntou todas as bandas indies e pediu pra ia criar um álbum mas talvez nem seja culpa deles tendo em vista que o álbum é de 2010 e pra mim soa como algo de ~2016

Good background music

My least favorite from the good era of Arcade Fire. Don’t really think you must hear it before dying even though I do still like it.

They succeeded in capturing the banality of suburbia, maybe a bit too much. Some good songs but none stuck out much.

I really loved Neon Bible and I had to keep checking that this was the same band as I found this, while nicely done, mostly just generic indie rock. Also, 16 songs gosh.

Suburbs is a hauntingly beautiful song and I like how some songs seamlessly blend into the next. Somehow everything feels subdued in this record, maybe by design. It just seems like some of these songs should ooze intensity but somehow don’t. A good example is “Empty Room”, whose tempo is downright manic but instead of making me get up and move it moves me to gaze into my belly button. Overall it’s a good album but it leaves me wanting.

I never listened to anything by these guys after Funeral. I have mixed feelings on this one. It doesn’t consistently hold my attention - perhaps I aged out of this sound. Stand outs were Ready to Start and City with No Children. But totally mid for me

mbappe special

Je suis au début de l'album pour l'instant je passe un bon moment j'aime beaucoup l'ambiance générale ce n'est pas ce que j'écoute habituellement. j'ai terminé je sais pas si je vais le reecouter mais c'est un bon projet homogene mais pas forcement mon style mais la musique a été plus forte

Already a tad better than the two other Arcade Fire albums I've listened to on here. Granted, I generated those over two years ago at this point and I honestly don't remember much about them. This certainly can be placed into the era of early 2010s indie rock; as it's artsy, sprawling, and reflective. Starts off with the iconic single, a strong follow-up, then peters out from there, though. Perhaps it requires multiple listens, as I wasn't particularly moved.

Over an hour is unconscionable for an album length, the music is all right besides. I guess somebody had to represent when the pop punk guys took their Nyquil and got sadder.

Hard to believe it needs to be on this list. Competent. Inoffensive.

Most of the songs are out of interest. Some songs reminded me of Cocteau Twins and that's how it got a 3 instead of a 2 2.5

It is good and I enjoyed listening to it but no real big highlight songs.

was okay. seemed a bit repetetive from the melodic point of view, nothing too interesting except for "Modern Man". Though I gotta admit that I did not listen through the whole album. Didn't have the patience yesterday

Enjoyed it overall, preferred some songs to others, but the album is very long

The Suburbs I think I enjoyed this the most of the AF albums we’ve had, but I’m still not sold on them. Although this seemed to have a bit of verve, pep and pizazz compared to the other two albums it still all feels quite samey to me, and that it’s ultimately they are just repeating a rather pedestrian synthesis of a lot of music I do actually like, for each song. Having said that there were a few songs that did stand out. Suburban War’s Springsteenian feel followed by the urgent Month of May is a great combination and I really like We Used to Wait, I love the synth part and the backing vocals. For a band I find rather repetitive and hard to connect with, it does feel very long at an hour, especially as We Used to Wait feels like a natural endpoint, making the Sprawl suite, despite the great synthy perkiness of Sprawl II, and the Suburbs reprieve feel a bit redundant. It’s an odd one, there are plenty of bands I like who amalgamate musical styles in the same way that I like, but with AF I just struggle, I think it might partially be the lack of character in his voice and a slight fussiness to it. Still though I did like it much more than Funeral and more than Neon Bible, and I genuinely liked a few of the songs so I’ll go for a solid 3. 🏠🏠🏠 Playlist submission: We Used to Wait

3/5

I like this release better than other Arcade Fire albums. The music is better, groovier, evoking a happier, more positive feeling in this listener. Lol @ deprecating kids today.

Heard one of their songs before and I like that one. This album is also quite enjoyable, very alternative pop. You can feel that early 2010s vibe from it and I’m probably nostalgic because of it. Also nothing too revolutionary, but just nice to listen to.

gar nicht schlecht, aber auch nichts was mich umhaut. Vllt in einer entspannteren Gesamtsituation besser ankommend (bin aus Brüssel zurück & scheitere ein weiteres mal an Etechnik II gerade)

will will butler finally have a win with win butler? please let this be the last two arcade fire albums. … ok it is better. serviceable. more catchy and memorable tunes - even in some cases if it is for annoyance (ro-co-co anyone?!). i stand by the claim that other less notable bands were doing this better.

not as good as Joni Mitchell’s Blue

Wanted to love this album, unfortunately dragged in the middle with several songs that blended together into a slog. The bookends are great, highlight is Sprawl II

good. I liked 'sprawl ii'

Good

aburrido, no auto

boring AF

Some of these songs are cool, some are trying their best, others are fucking boring and horrid. These lyrics are pretty cool, they paint an idea that a lot of people can relate to. But the writer comes off as someone who has not had too much struggle in their life, and the music reflects that. So many times I was hoping for a stylistic change to the production but it never came. Every song sounded the same. If your album is gonna have 13 songs and be an hour long I need some contrast to keep me interested. I was hoping that I could enjoy Arcade Fire because I hear only good things about this band, but I was bored the whole time.

It was all pretty samey. Nothing really stood out until Sprawl II.

This is, at a minimum, a fine album. It might be very good; the production is excellent, and the lyrics sound good. It feels rather repetitive, and synth-pop was never my thing, but I think this minimally deserves a second listen.

Always thought it was a kind of re-hash of Funeral (Neighborhood vs The Suburbs) and after listening to it, I kinda feel proven right.

Enjoyable but cold monkey > cold fire, also why does every song from 2009-2012 sound the same? (3.3/5)

Pretty average, nothing really to say here

для вайбика супер

There are a few good tracks on it, but no more than half. Three stars…

Loses me a little by the end, but the opening set of tracks remains a pinnacle of 2000s indie rock

I love a few songs on this but not the rest

Not my favourite Arcade Fire album but some good moments on this too.

This is a pretty good album that sounds pretty good when you're listening to it, and then kind of ceases to exist as soon as you aren't. Like, it's hard to point to any single track in retrospect that was a "wow" moment, but it all sounded fine. Weird.

Millennial music, or as I call it “Tom’s Music,” hits a very nostalgic feeling for me. It reminds me of the youth ski retreats we did at my church. All the youth leaders being the archetypical Millennial. This music blaring in their beat up Honda Accord. This is like my grandparents reminiscing about eating at some diner while Buddy Holly plays on the radio.

great company while unpacking a headphones musical is that a beach boys interpolation i hear

I don't usually mind this kind of pop rock, and some of songs were fairly catchy, but there were also many that didn't stand out. The vibe reminds me of Bombay Bicycle Club, a band I like, but I think their stuff is much more interesting than arcade fire. The album drags on too long, despite several uninteresting songs. I did appreciate how some of them flowed into each other though. I can always appreciate a smooth transition because it shows some intent of continuity throughout the album. The falsetto chorus on the title track is probably the highlight of the whole album (that song is probably the only reason the album is on this list). The 9/4? 9/8? In Modern Man is cool. I like the groove on wasted hours. I liked the narrative format of Sprawl I, and sprawl II is one of the more catchy tracks. There were enough things that I liked that I guess I'm willing to give it a light 3.

I'm struggling to think of what to say about this. Gonna give it 3 stars. When they first came on the scene (heard by me on WXRT, as I recall), they seemed somewhat interesting/promising. But never enough to buy any of their CDs, or become a fan. Definitely better than a lot of stuff out there, but, equally so, missing something, for me, to make them memorable, or special, or worth coming back to. If anything, I would say that I like them a bit less now than back then. Another band, maybe (like Coldplay?) that strives for the epic, but -- for me, anyway -- falls a bit flat (I'm tempted to add that going for the epic is generally a questionable/bad idea for musicians, unless, I don't know, you're at the level of The Beatles, or maybe ELO). The songs I'm most familiar with, from the radio, and probably the best 2 songs, are the 1st 2 songs on the album; everything after that seemed pretty forgettable, and didn't inspire me to want to listen to it for a 2nd time. So, yeah, I'd say (a rather low) 3 stars.

while not very interesting, musically, this album does evoke nostalgia for me, at times. I appreciate that there's a concept to the album. I don't think enough artists have addressed the ennui of the suburbs properly, and Arcade Fire do it well here. The middle of the album, a majority of its runtime, is quite forgettable. The title track and Sprawl II are the only standouts. And that's my main criticism; the music is not very memorable or interesting. But the message is, moreso, and there's potential for emotional impact.

This was a decent album. The first track is the strongest one though.

Eh. This flavor of alt rock just isn’t for me.

Nostalgic

This album marks the angsty end of the early 2000s flirtation with moody indie rock. A couple of good songs in isolation (the shared vocals on Empty Room were especially good) but on the whole too long and too average. Don't get the hype for AF. 3⭐️

I always really appreciate when there is a male and female singer in a band, so that was a plus. Otherwise, this isn't my cup of tea. I recognize the talent and there are good songs for sure. The musicianship is serviceable and they are good for their genre.

Glad I was exposed to. Hadn't heard of them. But I liked half of the teacks

Really nice mood

I think I used to enjoy this more than I do now. There are good tracks on it and it is coherent as an album but it goes on a bit long and is a bit one pace.

Nothing offensive but very leaden and dare I say boring at times. Each song seems to have a similar songwriting style to it and doesn’t do very much to break any moulds at any point. No numbers that jump out at me like at least Neon Bible had with ‘no cars go’. Easily forgettable and just do not see why others may rate it so highly. This is a generous 3.

A very interesting album. Much more interesting than I anticipated it would be.

Good album I see the potential and why it’s here. Would give it 3.5/5

Not bad. I need another couple of listens. Great lyrics.

Thought I liked it at first but as it trailed on I found myself profoundly uninterested. That being said, it's not bad Rating: 5.2/10

Честная тоска по пустому. Альбом попал в нарастающее апатичное безразличное настроение прекрасного дня. Музыка пусть и выпущена в 2010, звучание всё-таки отсылает нас в 90-е года. Простой выдержанный альбом, но он мне показался очень честным. Ни на одной песне невозможно заострить свое внимания, но в целом прослушивание дополняет и поддерживает мрачное, серое настроение. Оно не вгоняет окончательно в бездну но и не вытаскивает. Идеальный баланс, который достичь очень сложно, потому достигается он явно не специально. Этот альбом в начале показался мне чертовски скучным, кстати не просто так до песни empty room находится то чего не должно быть в этом альбоме. Моя оценка 6/10.

I remember being quite disappointed with this at the time, and listening to it again, I still am. It's good, it's just the songs don't seem as good as the first two albums...

First Aracde Fire listening experience and it was pretty enjoyable. I know I've said before that this style of music is hit or miss with me and while it didn't fully hit for me I do have to give the album credit that despite its length it didn't feel like it dragged too much (as some other hour long plus albums I've encountered have). There were times where I did find that the music did sort of disappear into the background and before I knew it I was halfway through a different track than the one I was listening to before. 3/5

Early Fire. Ok as long as you know their stuff

Veldig fint album, hadde 1 sang på lista fra før av. Får meg til å revurdere hvor mange stjerner jeg gir for album, har kanskje overvurdert tidligere album sammenlignet med denne.

si si cool

It’s kind of epic and wide. An expansive listen but one that hasn’t hugely left any songs with me. I have held onto some of the feeling. Not any of the specifics.

Another indie rock album. It was alright, not sure if it needed to be in the top 1001 albums though.

Plezierige indiepop, daar niet van. Af en toe een blikje violen en ijl geluid, dan weer raggen, dan weer wat synthpop met een dame erbij. Punt is, het is allemaal wel leuk gedaan, maar niks valt op. Zo'n album dat je vooral herluistert omdat je je afvraagt: hm ja, wat heb ik nu eigenlijk gehoord? Jongens, probeer nou af en toe eens een meesterwerk te maken of in ieder geval íéts interssants te doen in plaats van dat vrijblijvende gedoe.

I think the album cover sets the scene fantastically well for what you can expect from this – it sounds exactly like the sort of thing you'd chuck on to take a moment of reflection during a summer's evening along the coast after a long day at work. The tight, punchy mix serves to benefit the album, allowing its dense instrumentation of layered synths, driving strings, crisp snare hits, intricate bass lines and interlocking guitars to breathe and pop out at you. It's a loud sounding record, but one that is dynamic in its range and execution, where there is plentiful variety in how its tracks build towards towering conclusions beyond sheer volume and distortion. Although, slightly to its detriment, there are moments when the album tries to channel a more vigorous and visceral energy, which feel like a slight mismatch for the "kind" sonic template on offer. Lyrically, the album very much does what it says on the tin – detailing Win Butler's youthful urges to break free from his suburban surroundings, and his later realisations and regret of not embracing them and living in the moment. Although not quite comparable to my own experiences, it does feel somewhat relatable to my past grumbles over having lived in the relative arse end of nowhere for most of my life, but eventually coming to appreciate and even love my surroundings. The album's length holds it back a fair bit, where a bit of self-containment, particularly within its mid-section, could have served to strengthen its impact and make it more readily replayable. Nonetheless, by and large it is a triumph.

OK.

An up and down album for me; I enjoyed some songs and disliked others. This was my first listen through of any Arcade Fire album, although I think I recognized some of these songs from hearing them in passing during my time at IU. While indie bands are a blind spot for me (I usually don't enjoy them), this was better than I thought it would be, but wasn't spectacular. The music was VERY 2010, there was a lot of stuff around at that time that sounded similar in my ears. An album that had its moments but didn't move the needle past "OK" for me; it was solid garage rock. 3/5

Solid album, fun to listen to. Three stars

Too long, lots of the middle could have been cut. Each song overstayed its welcome a bit. But the highs are really fun.

Prefer the first 2 albums - bookends of this album are superb but the middle drifts too much for an album over an hour long

First two 👌 Rest just fillers

Solid

Big fan of the titular song. Rest of the album felt quite samey samey but I still enjoyed.

Feels like a worse version of MGMT. still, I enjoyed it.

whatever man

Hopefully the last Arcade Fire I'll listen to. There are a couple of decent songs but overall I'm not a fan of this band at all. Calling people 'kids' who are only slightly younger than you always weirds me out.

I dunno. This was fine. I'd call it a mid 3. I'll definitely never listen to it again, and it probably turned me off to Arcade Fire forever. Falsetto? Strings? Suburban fucking nostalgia. Nope. But there's also some passable song writing and catchy little bits here and there. This was, perhaps, the perfect album to follow the Doors. Mid, mid, mid.

3.2 2x

Meh - same sort of emo music, heard it before

Not as good as Funeral, but I remember when this came out feeling that it was a bit of a missed opportunity.

Another band that I had heard of without actually hearing. Now that I have heard them, I have to say I'm pretty impressed, it's very much indie music scene through the lens of maximalism with heavily orchestrated music that definitely achieves a somewhat impressive anthemic quality, especially on the tracks "Modern Man" and "City With No Children" If it wasn't for the credible accusations against Win Butler, I'd seek out their music outside of this project, but given those, I'd rather not.

First song is great but the rest is a not so for me!

I think this was pretty mid.

I enjoyed this, even added a few songs. I'd do 3.5 if we could do half ratings

legalzinho

A lot better than the other album. Voices are actually pretty great and the music is soothing and creative. Enjoyed this one!

Nice to listen to. Just didn't hear much 4 or 5 star material in there. Liked some of the atmospheric stuff in the second half.

This album reminded me of the Rufus Wainwright album I was generated not too long ago. I kinda liked that one, and the same is true of this one. The music feels fantastical and definitely arty. I wasn't thrilled by it, however. It all felt like one long song.

I'm not sure why I didn't like this more. It's got that moody MGMT vibe and great guitar, good lyrics, I just didn't really feel anything when I listened to it. Maybe it'll get better with repeated listening.

May 30th, 2026 Standouts: modern man, rococo, water hours, we used to wait, sprawl II

Not sure that 3 Arcade Fire albums are necessary additions to the list.

I was working out while listening to this album. Truth be told, I completely forgot I was evaluating the songs. The music just slipped into the background. Based on that I have to say nothing shocked me positively or negatively so this is simply middle of the road. Not a fan but not a critic.

Eh...bland and uninteresting, but not terrible. I was bored listening and read through some of the reviews, one really struck me. He wrote of the nostalgia he had for the album, this was released the year he graduated college, how it struck a chord with him and was the soundtrack of that period of his life. All great stuff, enjoyed the review, but then he then went on to say arcade fire is to millennials what Nirvana is to Gen X. That gave me pause and makes me very sad for millenials.

Pretty meh for an Arcade Fire album.

Pretty much exactly what I expected from French canadians

10’s Indie Rock ⭐️The Suburbs

Me da vibes de Djo, no es mi estilo de música pero esta guay.

You can't really go wrong with it.

Enjoyed, I just don’t think albums need to be this long

I really don't know! Arcade fire are so interesting to me. It rarely hits where I can listen to the record through and feel like it's lovable from start to finish. I think there's something about the delivery that (unfairly) tells me this is generic indie and it's worth switching off. I always finding me really enjoying parts on the second listen through though and it definitely feels like there's some good art there. I feel like if I listened to it 10 times I'd learn to really love it, but will I do that? This feels more electronic than I remember them being before and I think it fits (perhaps takes them further away from super twee indie)

plucked a few new tracks from it. overall, i liked it

Fine. Didn't get it

Expected more?

Rating:★★★

Had a couple of these late noughties indie albums now and they tend to provoke the same reaction from me and reading reviews from others. These albums work if you first heard them when you were a teenager, parked in a dimly lit place in your first car. In the passenger seat is a girl, perhaps your childhood sweetheart. Sweat beads on your brow, a product of your nerves and the late summer heat, streams of milky perspiration from the exorbitant amount of wax in your hair. The windows, rolled all the way up are opaque with steam. Conversation has subsided, you panic, it's awkward, the steam from the windows suffocates you. The radio is a lifeline. You hit play. It's The Suburbs by Arcade Fire. Fifteen years later you press play once more. You're not in that stuffy car anymore. You're at home with two children tearing around. Perhaps that childhood sweetheart is now your wife, or perhaps she's just a memory. Sweat doesn't drip from your nervous brow, and you no longer coat your hair with a slick of wax. Maybe there isn't even any hair left. But for 75 minutes you're back to being 16, blissfully carefree. However, I am not this person. So, I find this album, like many of this style, to be just fine. It's all quite samey, and it's very long. It's harmless, and even I experience a degree of nostalgia from it. But stripping back any imaginary emotions and focusing purely on the music, it's okay. I'd listen again, but not in a hurry.

I like their sound. A lot of it has a nostalgic feel to it without me having actually heard this album before

Decent suburbia was favourite

On a first listen, not really for me. Who knows.

I would give this 3.5 stars. Again, another artist I knew of, but had not listened to an album by them.

Repeat listen

Despite this album’s considerable virtues you can already see the beginnings of what ended up destroying this band, mainly a focus on Big Statements over melody, a growing sameness, and a pivot to synths over traditional rock instrumentation. Granted, synths eventually start looking good to every washed-up rock group, but only a lucky few (one out of ten, maybe?) are able to come out the other side of that unscathed. Arcade Fire, somewhat infamously, did not. Still, there are numerous excellent songs here: “The Suburbs,” “Ready to Start,” “City With No Children,” “Modern Man,” “We Used to Wait”…it all is a bit too long, though. Best track: “Ready to Start”