The Suburbs

This is the second Arcade Fire album we’ve heard (so far). Both of them were pretty decent, with a few good tracks and others that were forgettable. If you took the best tracks from the two albums and made that an album, it would rate four stars.

Good golly, is every single Arcade Fire album on this thing? Surely no song on here will surpass 'No Cars Go', though. Overall this did feel like a better album than their earlier ones; pretty solid throughout. More poppy and less sprawly. I think they performed some of these songs on shows I've seen. But indeed, no No Cars Gos. Another 3.5, maybe. Highlight: 'Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)'

6 - AVERAGE

I liked Month of May. Otherwise album was fine. Easy listening, had it on in the background while doing house chores. 3/5.

Just doesn’t resonate with me.

nmg da verujem da mi izadje 2 albuma ovog benda ovako brzo, realno nisam imao motivacije da se udubim u slusanje, bilo je ok dacu mu 3/5, al realno treba da se poslusa opet

A chill album, standouts are The Suburbs, Rococo, We Used to Wait. I can see myself driving my car with the album playing, but only on an afternoon. Made me sleepy.

This album was just OK to me. Started out decent enough. The suburbs was a good song and a couple of tracks that followed were alright. But after that, wasn’t a whole lot here to get terribly excited about. I ended up finding a lot of these songs repetitive, and by extension the overall album repetitive. In the end, it was just an average album from a relatively average band.

This way too millenial for my liking. That's not necessarily a bad thing, just not my thing.

Zu lärmig

title track is wonderful, but otherwise I kind of hate their vibe, and this washed-out dreamy un-remarkable indie

I found this album to be more Arcade Embers than a full on fire. Some tracks were good but not brilliant and others were a damp fizzle. Probably won’t listen again as it just didn’t do anything special

Arcade fire - the suburbs. 5/10. Neil Young and Talking Heads influences are obvious among others. Some hints of Springsteen at times. I'm glad to have heard this album but it's not an instant favourite. Lyrics are a weak point in an album that is very of it's time in the Indie rock era.

It's nice I guess

I loved Sprawl I and Sprawl II! Great songs

This is literally what every song in the late 2000s sounded like.

Feels like a longing for the mundane. The main energy seems to be ennui and a day-in-the-life sort of story about suburban life.

Few good songs, but just very same same after that

This was decent, something I wouldn't balk at listening to again. I'd place it somewhere between Funeral and Neon Bible. 3.4

First few songs were great after that it was okay.

Good album. Not for me.

Walking into an Urban Outfitters. Arcade Fire is piped in. You don’t buy anything, but for a brief moment, you feel really cool.

Indie rock

I've never been able to get into Arcade Fire. I always felt like the way they were raved about by my musical peers that I should like them, but they always just kinda felt a bit boring to me. Listening to this now, I can absolutely respect the songwriting, some iconic tracks on here, production is very cool. There are some things they do musically that I just don't really vibe with anymore, but I do love a concept record and the more spacious, ambient moments and string arrangements are what keep me invested. It's a fantastic record, for sure. I just think I might have missed the window on this one where it would have hit me hard in the way it did a lot of my friends.

it's not BAD per se, but the whole album sounds like the most forgettable songs from the soundtrack of a quite recent (2010's up to now) movie/series i get that there are people that enjoy this type of music, i do as well in some cases, but not this time

Decent, we used to wait has major nostalgia points

i think that the vibe is generally good. It's so damn long though and i think runs its course a little. Some nice songs though like "the suburbs". I think a lot of the musical ideas and grand sequences like in "deep blue" Works. However, i think a lot of the musical moments might be hampered by the lyrics. Especially that one song pontificating whether the singer is as bad as a millionaire, i don't know guess i have a knee jerk reaction of someone actively trying to make me sympathesise for rich people lol. Seems like some of the lyrics veer into self-indulgent and a little fake deep to be honest, but to be fair didn't really listen to the lyrics in depth lol. this feels particuraly acute with like the slower more sprawly songs. Think i prefer more of the punchy songs. The thing that i can definitely say that it is hampered the most is its length. It's an hour long and only like a handful of songs really drew my attention a little. A lot of the songs have similar structure and musical beats as well with the orchestra and pans out better in some songs over other. Maybe might change my mind after a relisten but right now think will give it a 3 stars

very good

A band I was aware of but never listened to.

A bit uneven. Overall good but falls into melancholy on one end and noisy riffs on the other.

Some really nice instrumentation, the band sounds really cohesive and in tune with one another, great mix too. Not a fan of the vocals tbh, I dont find them that interesting. The songs themselves I'm not the biggest fan of, just not my style I think. Some very nice moments with big crechendos. Reminds me of Saltburn

I’d always meant to listen to Arcade Fire. I think I might have seen them at some stage. It was alright

A drag, just like living in the suburbs

Feels exactly like living in the suburbs. Everyone seem to like it and you want to like it too, but you just can't feel completely comfortable.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘶𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘣𝘴 is a well-crafted album with a clear sense of scale and ambition, but its emotional spark appears only in select moments. The band from Quebec builds a polished sound palette — lush arrangements, strong dynamics and a theme that runs consistently through the record — yet not every track carries the same intensity. Compared to 𝘍𝘶𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭, the sense of wonder and urgency feels scattered rather than constant. When the album clicks, it does so beautifully: certain songs capture that sweeping, cathartic Arcade Fire magic, where melody and momentum spill over with feeling. But in between those highlights, the pacing softens and the atmosphere becomes more restrained than gripping, resulting in an uneven listening experience. Good music overall, just not consistently transformative.

The record that took the Arcade Fire to the stratosphere. A solid effort front-to-back, but like a lot of double albums, it does suffer from some bloat. Other than the title track and Sprawl II, there aren’t many tracks that leave me thinking I need to revisit them.

i’ve never really have given this band a chance. i’ve heard great things about this record though, so i was pretty open minded going into it. i’m not planning on diving deeper into them or anything though.. isn’t the main dude kind of creepy? i don’t trust a mf named Win. just call yourself Edwin you dick. anyway, 3.5/5.

I’m not an Arcade Fire fan, they are like the U2 of Indie. I tried to many times, though, the last of which, was when this album came out and I bought it. There are some high points, but I don’t think it needed to be a whole album. I preferred the vibe of Neon Bible.

First time listening to them, they are ok to me, but just ok

Good music but overlong.

“Oh, good, these guys again.” - Me, said sarcastically after rolling my second Arcade Fire album for this project. I really don’t know what it is about this band specifically, none of this is bad and the background aspects are very well done, I just find it all so pretentious, by the books, generic and boring. If someone were to play any of this, I wouldn’t object listening to it, but I would absolutely skip it 100% of the time if it was just me in the car. This is a prime example of the kind of generic indie rock that I can tolerate listening to, but do not prefer or recommend to anyone I know. They for sure aren’t the first band I’ve heard that just sound disingenuous, and they won’t be the last, but they just come off sounding kind of fake and phoned in. Damn, I’m being kind of rude to this album. It’s not as bad as I’m making it out to be, I promise. It’s fine. Passable at best, and more good then bad, but it’s very easy to critique as well for its faults, and hard to praise when every song sounds the exact same as the one before it. Not sure if I liked this or Neon Bible more. Probably the ladder, as it had 1 song I really loved. This one, not so much. I think the opener was probably the best song, “The Suburbs”.

Arcade is life the French food of alternative music (ok, maybe French Canadian food). All the critics like them, they sound good, they have a good message, and if there are musical food groups, this band would probably have a healthy amount of everything that is good. But like French food, even after eating it, I just never seem to crave it or feel like I need it. The sad part is that I want to like them for all the obvious reasons (and they are good reasons), but I can't get into them. The first album was better to me, and this one started strong, but before the first track was over, I felt the old not caring creeping right in. Help me understand this band.

Good mix of tunes on this AF album which I think is one of their better ones. Like the energy of Ready To Start.

Not totally my thing I always liked the suburbs (continued) so I liked the suburbs too. I liked another one as well so pretty good ratio of add to playlist. I think they do some theatre-ish songs that don't appeal to me but otherwise… nice

The title track is a jaunty number, but overall I didn't like this as much as previous albums. My one abiding memory of this at the time was Rosie O'Donnell freaking out that it won the Grammy for Album of the Year because she had never heard of it... Not much of a legacy I suppose.

Good indie stuff

Couple of bangers...but rest are so...so

Meh

Not for me.

Funeral was a better album than this one.

It's a really good album. The suburbs is my favorite song. I loved the transition to ready to start. At some point the lead singer changes, that was unexpected.

Melancholia at its finest. If I could rate in half-stars it would be a 3 1/2 star record.

eh

good listening

Nice. Not nearly as good as Funeral. 3/5

Solid Album.

Feels like i want to get a moustache tattoo for my hand and talk about how I met your mother

An interesting band albeit not my usual type of thing. I enjoyed quite a few songs here (Sprawl I and II, Half Light I and II, Suburban War to name some) but some just didn't quite hit the mark for me. They're a talented group (having seen them live I can confirm) but not always up my street.

Some absolute stompers on here but also experienced my most painful listen in the 3rd track

I feel like Arcade Fire is one of those bands I should really like, and people always tell me how they are so great. I just don't get it though. They are fine and I really like the first 2 songs on this album but the rest is just fine. 3 stars

It was decent

Very good, I saved it, wants me want to listen to more Arcade Fire

Ganz gemütlich, hat mich aber nicht vom Hocker gerissen

Ließ sich gut hören. Schön, ein Flow, aber halt auch nichts Besonderes. Keine Überraschungen. Kein herausragender Track. Werd ich schnell wieder vergessen.

Gefällt mir gut, stilvoll und eingängig. Album ist aber zu lang. Die ersten drei Songs sind grandios.

I like, really nice, chill, idk i liked

Moments of brilliance on it but too many songs I don’t enjoy. Sprawl is absolutely class.

*sigh* This was basically the last album I truly liked by Arcade Fire. Everything since has been really subpar. I mean, there are a few songs I like but overall it's been shit from them since this album. 3.1 / 5 stars

It's okay. I do like some stuff from it but it does run into the issue of just being too long without much variety.

I'm really not sure what it is about certain 2000s indie (e.g. Sufjan Stevens) that really hits for me and what it is about others that doesn't, but something about this one just refused to fully click in for me. It is solid though!

Track 1: Nice thumping drive. Using flourishes and details to ramp it up while keeping the muscular groove consistent. Not a big fan of the vocals except the chorus and the falsetto harmony bits. A bit anemic in the verses. Also, low in the mix, like MJK from Tool, except MJK uses his voice like an instrument on par with the rest of the band. This singer sounds histrionic. Sounds better when layered and melded with the band. Track 2: Another good thumping drive. To be honest, thought it was okay. Felt like it was missing a chorus. Like verse, pre-chorus, verse, pre-chorus. Until that bridge change-up. That was good and then made the return back to what the song was already doing more elevated. Track 3: Good song. Feels like a complete package. First song where I liked the vocal delivery the whole way through. Track 4: Another good song. And here I think I'm understanding the elements I like and those I dislike. The songs seem to be incorporating more dynamics and builds now. They can do good thumping grooves. They seem less into riffs and more into wall of sound instrumentation with flourishes. It's nice. However, I spend half the song not liking the vocalist's delivery, usually in the verses. When he plays to the song, pretty good. When he tries to stand out, it just sounds shrill and has that indy rock vocal trapping that does nothing for me. If anything, sounds like limp bombast, goat bleating without the Jello Biafra or Comus character. Track 5: I like the song musically. Was excited for a vocalist change, but don't have much of an opinion because they drowned her. They drown her under the wall of sound so much that following along with the lyrics on spotify seemed to glitch out at times and the app didn't even know what line she was on. Track 6: Boring. Seems like the epitome of the aspects of the band that don't grab me. Track 7: Meh. Pretty good strings. Seems a bit overblown. A lot of melodrama in this album. Plus, the mix isn't great. I either don't like the vocals, or am underwhelmed. And they really muddy them and keep them in the back some times. Not to keep harping, but the vocal melodies are getting really tiresome. Would love to hear an instrumental track. Track 8: Another meh. Bombast, but I'm not finding myself caring. So far lyrically, I've only connected with Modern Man and Rococo. Everything else has been so vaguely whatever. Suburban pathos or suburban horror or suburban ennui or suburban apocalypse would float my boat, but not much I find to really latch on to other than those two songs so far. This is a long album and I'm halfway through. Please, do something interesting. Make me feel something. This might be one of those times where growing up listening to heavier genres just makes other's attempts at bombast sound wafer-thin and melodramatic. Track 9: Finally. Best song so far. Lyrics that gave me a story and emotion rather than generalities. Music that had dynamics and interesting musicianship and structure. Not making a song for the sake of swelling bombast, but adding it in appropriately. Track 10: Decent track. QOTSA-like. Seems written to play live. Actually think his vocals work a lot better here. Track 11: Mostly a decent track. Sounds like a sequel or reprise of the previous track. Not too big on the moments where the instrumentation drops out and the melody changes. For some reason. Track 12: Again. Decent. More of the same. I think I'm getting bored with the sound. Feels like hanging out with an extrovert that hasn't said anything original or only a few things interesting. They are all into expression and presentation. Even their quiet moments are irritatingly performative. And I'm tired. Track 13: Ha. I'm back for this one. They keep doing that. I start to get bored and then they throw in a great track. On par with Track 9. Track 14: Pretty good. Nice and moody. Lyrics on point. It does feel like an extended intro. On to what it was setting up. Track 15: Hell yeah. Great song. Mixed well. Great epitomizing track. Like a celebratory dirge. Track 16: A coda reprise of an earlier song. Completely unnecessary. Thought the previous track was an excellent finisher. Didn't need a come-down. Actually, would have rather kept the high of the previous track as a send off. Conclusion: What a mixed bag of a record for me. Some strong moments, some strong elements, some strong tracks. But equally some frustrating elements, vocals that I found more grating than enjoyable. Not Billy Corgan (for some people) levels of turn-off. It's more the lead vocalist's melodic choices and affected style that I just can't fully vibe with. And the songs with the second vocalist are mostly drowned out, except for Track 15 - one of the best. A lot of the songs I like are despite the vocals at times. 3 great. 3 good. 6 decent. 2 meh. 2 bad. 3 out 5. Mixed bag leaning toward good. I know a lot of the aspects that don't vibe with me do vibe with others.

day 16: too soon for another arcade fire album eeee. first song is on another level and second song follows suit. the rest passes along fine. some very averagely boring stuff draws this out (do not need to have 16 songs). there is for sure a better 10 song album in here somewhere. it’s no funeral but it’s better than neon bible.

Pretty nice, didn't really stick out to me too much

Bonne petite musique de fond.

I enjoyed it, maybe a bit long but it was neat how everything felt connected

what once made me feel cool in high school now sounds boring on revistit :p

crazy how half of this album made me feel absolutely nothing and then the other half was pretty interesting. Could have been a solid 40 minute album, but instead it was hard to get through for me

Ei nyt vakuuta eikä hetkauta

In my book a weaker album than their Funeral, but it had some good moments, like the opening song The Suburbs, or Rococo. It will forever remain in my memory as the album recommended to me by my teacher, who I held in high esteem.

***An ok album, easy listening

Slightly preferred neon bible. 3.

Some songs do just pop off like crazy but many do kind of end up a wash

nice 3.5

Yeah it's alright

A pleasant listen. A dance album but not boring thump, thump. While each song picks a beat and doesn't deviate, it's never boring thanks to the variety of textures. Synth arrangements never overpower the acoustic instrumentation. Thoughtful overarching lyrical themes and musical seques between several songs make this an enjoyable, although dystopian, concept album. Favorite song(s): Sprawl 1 and Sprawl 2 Rating: 3/5

Good alternative band. Some good songs. Original music. enjoyable to listen to.

Thats wasnt mine

Tons of good songs. I dig it

I’ve listened to a few Arcade Fire albums by now that didn’t do anything for me at all. But this one was different. I kinda dug a lot about it.

eh, kinda soured on this one over the years, never really go back to it. not as fun as funeral, or as weird as neon bible, and the hits aren’t as good as reflektor

It's their pop hit album? Never really got super in to them, so their albums are flawed beyond their debut, which is truly an amazing album from start to finish.

Listenable, but nothing amazing. "Month Of May" is a good track. Mostly the same kind of beat and sound, non variable.

Not as high on this as I thought I'd be. Definitely enjoyed the hits when they came out, but feels a bit hollow this time through. Beautiful exterior, some great melodies, great production etc. but not really conjuring much. Will have to go back and read the review to see what the hype was about. I think in 2010 we were searching for a great rock album. My Dad chooses random bands to loathe, which is usually funny because hes a very kind man. HATES Arcade Fire - something about the number of people in the band. Florence and the Machine makes him physically ill. I don't have that ire, but not going out of my way to listen to AF either.

There is something self-serious and affected about AF, like they’re aiming for your approval while also acting superior to you. Above it all. Some of these songs are pleasant enough, modern man and half light 2, are kind of cool. But I just get this hollow feeling listening to them. It’s cool without being fun.

I find myself somewhere in the middle with these guys. The sound scapes are unique and cool, but Butlers voice occasionally annoys me The first two tracks (The Suburbs, Ready To Start) are fantastic. Month of May is a worthy cut as well but, it doesnt seem like it fits the concept here. No true duds on here, but some really odd stuff I dont get - Rococo for example. Rounding up to 3. More like a 2.5 for me though

Arcade fire always feels a bit vague to me. Some of that is just stylistic. The lyrics are great but often obscured by heavy reverb and layering for an ambiance that can force the ear to search the mix laboriously. It can get a bit samey. That said, I still enjoyed it and found myself reading through lyrics on a few songs.

Surprised I didn’t like this one as much as I thought I would as a longtime Gorillas fan time 2000s indie rock fan. Hadn’t gotten around to listening to arcade fire. Makes nice background music, but didn’t seem to have any tracks that stuck out or stuck with me.

I generally don't like Arcade Fire's music but I found a few songs that I genuinely enjoyed. Mostly big standard indie rock with a few above average moments sprinkled in. Favorite track: Suburban War

This is a pretty mid album, sorry all you that love them, just not my thing fully.

totally enjoyable while i was listening to it and then i went downstairs for a drink of water and came back and had absolutely no recollection of anything i had listened to.

omg ngl this started off strong and was like that perfect cozy alternative music you need to listen while fixing your tea and looking out the window while it's gloomy but then it got a lil too white around the middle and i almost tapped out then got cute again LMAO

I'm writing this intro before starting the album - I could name several albums by Arcade Fire but have, to my knowledge, ever heard a single note of a single song by the band. Surprising as they came up in a time when I was making my own music with people who were huge fans. For whatever reason - the way people spoke and wrote about them, the state of rock music at the time - I assumed they were some posey hipster shite and avoided them. Now that I have listened to this album, there are definitely things I didn't care for and actively disliked. There are some of the more twee moments of Noughties rock which shoves it into the hipster sphere and away from the sense of rebellion and individuality that the genre thrives on, but I was mostly pleasantly surprised that I didn't hate the thing. The caveat with this review, and all my of first time listens, is that I've only listened to the thing once. As we all know, impressions of music change with re-listens and with time. It's rare for me that an album is an immediate love. I don't get the impression that I'll ever love this, but there are definitely a few songs I'll add to my car playlist, and that will lead to a deeper dive into the lyrics and my own feelings on those songs. All in all, I don't know if this is a three or a four star. It could go up or down in my estimation with more listens. I get the sense that this is one of those point in time albums - you had to be there, immersed in the sound and have it accompanying your journey at that time. Naturally you could say that about any album, but I don't think this is distinct enough that it'll transcend time and generations like the best albums do.

I'm sorry but I just really don't care about arcade fire. This was fine background music to have on when I work but I don't get much out of their music.

This album is like 5 tracks too long which I guess is the urban sprawl in album form. Pretty much every song has this driving monotony, and then if it doesn’t seem anthemic enough theres always an almost artificial buildup at the end. Which is not to say I didn’t like these songs, the album just made me feel a bit cynical at times, which again, is kinda the point? Also it definitely builds up an atmosphere that is undeniable, but also causes the songs to all feel the same at the point. I have a lot of thoughts on this one, so I think I’m gonna plump for 3 stars, I definitely think a tighter album with less filler couldve been easily 4 stars, but the album as presented is 3 stars, on the cusp of 2.

#3 - 15.09.25

In my mind, Arcade Fire is lumped with Muse, and that's not really a good thing. I find the songs that got played on the radio, cloying, busy and noisy. The singer's voice doesn't really speak to me. Was surprised by the album, which also gets a bit more rocky/grungy and that stuff worked better for me. Still, not something I'll come back to soon I'm afraid.

This was ok. Nothing super special to me.

Some good moments, will have to listen again.

Grammy winning album. Is good. Indie rock. Mostly meh for me. Pitchfork: 8.6 Rolling Stone: n/a Best Songs The Suburbs Ready to Start Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)

It's a nice concept album, although it's a bit bland at times. The first half was definitely the best for me, it starts strong with "The Suburbs", and I also liked "Ready To Start" too. As it progresses it gets diluted a bit, but it's a nice listen anyways. I saw them perform this album live, and in that case, it's a 5 star. Their live performance is so raw and powerful and energetic it gives the album and songs a new meaning, they're also absolutely amazing live. This rating goes to the album version only.

Honestly, I feel the exact same way about this album as I did the Funeral. It's a perfectly good indie rock record, it just doesn't really do anything for me personally.

Actually loved this. Especially the run with Rococo and the ones after. It's very nostalgic, jangly, danceable and earnest. 3.5 though, it was a little too long.

Starts and ends strongly but there's some weak songs in the middle. 3 stars with a couple of songs i really like.

Much better than i remembered. Its no funeral but decent !

Not too bad, many songs had the same sound. Modern Man and Month of May were my favorites.

This album was okay tbh. Sounded like a lot of alternative that was going on at that time. Kinda like Neon Trees, Phoenix type deals. Don’t get me wrong, Arcade Fire is great! Wake Up is a smash! But wake up isn’t on this album lol.

Sellaista radioheadia köyhän miehen otteella.

Grew on me the more I played it, but its way too long. The middle segment turns into one long drone before Régine takes over the vocals and saves us with the most energetic, dynamic and unique track on the album. After a couple of listens I put on arcade fire radio and loved everything I heard, so their influence is obvious, perhaps I just don't like Win's nasal whine.

Solid all the way through

Good record from the alternative era of my college age/post college age

OK SAME SAME 3.5

I don’t know who I thought this band was, but this first track is not what I was expecting. I don’t know why but I was expecting aggressive music. This is a great mellow album.

Not bad, wouldn't want to listen to it again

I have once again listened to Arcade Fire and they really just don't do much for me.

little long but good

Good solid album. Annoyed me when it first came out, Arcade fire in general does.

This album's production and ambition outpaced its songwriting. There's rarely a memorable moment on this heady journey through the 'burbs. I don't see myself choosing to drive this way again any time soon. Standout track: Ready to Start

I can see driving around in the 2010s as an indie kid/young adult, listening to this on repeat thinking that it's totally about me. It doesn't sound like The Who, but it has that sort of Quadrophenia "no one gets me" romanticism. I would say it's too long but I guess it's a double album. Good stuff. Not great stuff. I wish there was a 3.5

Okish, but altogether underwhelming effort. 2.5/5

3/5

#DÍA 31: 1001 Discos Que Hay Que Escuchar Antes De Morir (English Translation Below) Otro día más cumpliendo, en este caso el tercer álbum de estudio de Arcade Fire. Ya he escuchado y disfrutado de su debut Funeral, un LP de Indie Rock bastante emotivo e intenso, aunque algo inconsistente a mi parecer. En esta pieza de 66 minutos la banda se embarcó en un proyecto bastante ambicioso, centrándose en una temática central: el paso del tiempo. Rebajan en general bastante la epicidad de su primer álbum, aunque quizá para entender mejor esta decisión debería escuchar su segundo disco. Primeramente, el entrante es una canción bastante dulce que en presenta la temática y el motivo central, los suburbios, algo que interpreto como una representación de aquel lugar en el que uno pasa su infancia —aunque concretamente se centra en lo que es crecer dentro suburbios—. La canción es bastante emotiva, tiene una suavidad que evoca bastante nostalgia. En cuanto a la voz de Win Butler, es realmente melancólica, pero no termina encajando conmigo en prácticamente el resto del LP. Tiene un estilo expresivo sin duda, quizá algo melodramático, pero nunca llega a ser demasiado explosivo o atrevido como siento que sí es en Funeral. Esto sobre todo hace sangrar al álbum en temas como Modern Man, en la que no paran de haber crescendos que nunca llegan a un clímax realmente satisfactorio. Por ello creo que disfruto más del álbum cuando es Régine Chassagne quien canta, por ejemplo, me gusta mucho su estilo fantasmagórico en Empty Room, encaja a la perfección con el bajo tan predominante y la ventisca de cuerdas que rodea la canción. En general el álbum no me llega mucho musicalmente, pese a que las letras en su mayoría sean bastante evocadoras, explorando muchos tópicos relativos al paso del tiempo y usando inteligentes simbolismos. Rococo es una divertida sátira acerca de la superficialidad de las generaciones modernas, titulada de forma ingeniosa como una espada de doble filo: la ignorancia de usar términos cultos para sonar interesante, y hacer paralelismo con una época histórica realmente superficial. Por otro lado, tanto Deep Blue como We Used To Wait han envejecido como el vino, pues su enfoque en el auge de la tecnología y de lo instantáneo no puede ser cada vez más relevante. Finalmente las tres últimas pistas cierran de forma preciosa el LP, musicalmente son bastante potentes y llevan el concepto a una conclusión interesante. Sprawl I vuelve a traer el asunto de los suburbios, aquí Win hace una interpretación más teatral que pienso que encaja genial para acercarnos al final. Luego Sprawl II es una brillante canción de synthpop que contrasta con la oscuridad del otro tema central del disco, Half Light II, aunque pienso que ésta segunda es mucho menos emocionante y tiene una mezcla algo caótica que llega a saturar. Por último, el álbum cierra con una pequeña vuelta al primer tema, confesando que si pudiesen volver a los tiempos de su infancia, volverían a malgastar el tiempo, porque no hay nada mejor que poder vivir sin preocupaciones. The Suburbs tiene una temática emotiva y muy bien traída, pero pienso que deja mucho que desear a nivel instrumental y creativo, la mayoría de canciones son algo aburridas y pecan de tener un sonido excesivamente suave. Canciones como City With No Children o Suburbian Wars parecen tener poca ambición musical, resultan demasiado inofensivas. La percusión tiende a flojear en cuanto a golpe e intensidad, por lo que un tema como Month of May que intenta tener un ritmo más puramente de Rock termina aburriendo. Y es una pena, porque pistas como Wasted Hours pierden su potencial debido a una producción y composiciones que no son nada llamativas, pese a tener un mensaje expresado de un modo bello y con el que es fácil empatizar. En fin, me extiendo bastante porque en general veo muchos puntos positivos en este álbum, pero los veo malgastados por una pobre ambición sónica y estética. Aún así probaré a escucharlo un poco más, es posible que le coja el gusto procesándolo, que es bastante largo. Favoritas: The Suburbs, Ready to Start, Rococo, Deep Blue, We Used To Wait, Sprawl I, Sprawl II, The Suburbs (Continued) Menos favorita: City With No Children #DAY 31: 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die Another day completed, this time with Arcade Fire’s third studio album. I’ve already listened to and enjoyed their debut, Funeral, a pretty emotional and intense Indie Rock LP, though a bit inconsistent in my opinion. In this 66-minute piece, the band embarked on quite an ambitious project, focusing on a central theme: the passage of time. They generally tone down the epic quality of their debut, though maybe I should listen to their second record to better understand this decision. Firstly, the opener is a rather sweet track that introduces the theme and central motif: the suburbs. I interpret this as a representation of the place where one spends their childhood—though specifically it focuses on growing up in the suburbs. The song is quite moving, with a softness that evokes nostalgia. As for Win Butler’s voice, it’s genuinely melancholic, but it doesn’t quite work for me through most of the LP. He has an expressive style, no doubt, maybe a bit melodramatic, but it never feels explosive or daring in the way I think it does on Funeral. This especially hurts the album on tracks like Modern Man, which is full of crescendos that never reach a truly satisfying climax. For that reason, I think I enjoy the album more when it’s Régine Chassagne singing—for example, I really like her ghostly style on Empty Room, which fits perfectly with the prominent bassline and the storm of strings surrounding the track. Overall, the album doesn’t connect with me much musically, even though the lyrics are mostly evocative, exploring many topics related to the passage of time and using clever symbolism. Rococo is a fun satire on the superficiality of modern generations, cleverly titled as a double-edged sword: the ignorance of using lofty terms to sound interesting, while also paralleling a truly superficial historical era. On the other hand, both Deep Blue and We Used to Wait have aged like fine wine, as their focus on the rise of technology and instant gratification only becomes more and more relevant. Finally, the last three tracks beautifully close the LP, musically powerful and bringing the concept to an interesting conclusion. Sprawl I returns to the subject of the suburbs, and here Win delivers a more theatrical performance that I think works really well as we near the ending. Then, Sprawl II is a sparkling synthpop song that contrasts with the darkness of the other central theme, Half Light II, though I find the latter much less exciting, with a somewhat chaotic mix that becomes overwhelming. Lastly, the album closes by circling back to the first track, confessing that if they could return to their childhood, they’d still waste their time—because there’s nothing better than being able to live without worries. The Suburbs has an emotional and well-developed theme, but I think it leaves a lot to be desired instrumentally and creatively. Most of the songs are somewhat dull and suffer from being excessively soft in sound. Tracks like City With No Children or Suburban War seem to lack musical ambition and feel too harmless. The percussion tends to fall short in punch and intensity, so a track like Month of May, which tries to carry a more straightforward Rock rhythm, ends up being boring. And it’s a shame, because songs like Wasted Hours lose their potential due to production and compositions that aren’t particularly striking, even though the message is beautifully expressed and easy to empathize with. In short, I went on at length because I do see many positive aspects in this album, but I feel they’re wasted on poor sonic and aesthetic ambition. Still, I’ll try listening to it a bit more—it’s possible I’ll grow to appreciate it with more time, since it’s quite a long record. Favorites: The Suburbs, Ready to Start, Rococo, Deep Blue, We Used to Wait, Sprawl I, Sprawl II, The Suburbs (Continued) Least favorite: City With No Children

I think there is more to this than what I could glean on a first listen, but nothing about it made me want to go back for the second listen.

Dont mind it. Little boring for my taste

Their third album, and the first one that doesn't fully click with me. Not without moments of greatness.

This album is just average. I did enjoy some of the songs on "The Suburbs". Those tracks are preventing it from a 2-star rating. None of the songs are on the same level as the album I listened to yesterday There are better bands than Arcade Fire out there. 3 stars for "The Suburbs".

Really nice but a bit samey

I liked it. Some of the fist songs reminded me of tame impala, and two songs reminded me of coldplay, it was good.

Songs feel repetitive and like they should have been a minute shorter

I liked this album. I've never listened to arcade fire before, but I really enjoyed it. Will have to go back to it again to re evaluate soon

A few familiar and catchy hooks. Atmospheric, fairly enjoyable but nothing to write home about. Tried to listen to it twice but was doing other things and kinda just washed into the background, which maybe sums it up pretty well. Would probably listen again and enjoyable enough, just nothing earth shattering. (3.5)

6.4/10. Some good songs there but really not my thing

Good and a bit relatable.But a lot of the songs sound really similar if not like almost the same.

Long album about missing your youth and anxiety over the state of the world in comparison to the nest you left. No super standout tunes for me, but it was a cohesive album.

Det är flera låtar som är bra men ibland blir det kanske lite för mycket INDIE JAG ÄR INTE SOM ALLA ANDRA 😜

I own exactly one Arcade Fire album, their debut, and while I liked a couple of the songs it never really grabbed me and I didn't investigate further. Several of my friends with similar tastes in music to mine have raved about this band and expressed shock that I didn't also love them. So let's see how the third album sounds... ... turns out to be very similar to the first one, unsurprisingly. I liked "Rococo." As with their first album, I don't DISlike this. I just don't like it enough to want to listen to it again or explore their catalog further.

Very nice album, I just prefer funeral a lot to this one

Overall good album. Haven’t listened to it in a few years.

This is when I started to get bored with the Arcade Fire

Was fine. Nothing really stood out too much but I'd listen to it again. Best song: The Suburbs Notable(s): None

It’s fine but not a fan - 2nd AF album I’ve been served in same week 😩

not quite on the level of Funeral for me but I remember this coming out and it being a big hit at the time. Doesn't quite stand the test of time for me

Sound isn’t particularly impressive and lyrics are simple and lay out the themes for you. Though the string orchestration, and spacy synth stabs do succeed in giving the unique ethereal vibe that they usually go for. It’s a slow burn and grows on you as you go, but I prefer other arcade fire.

Modern Man carries it, great song on it's own. Otherwise it's ABBA songs with Modest Mouse production.

Just like the last Arcade Fire album it does enough to keep me listening but not enough to stop being boring.

Nostalgic and tragic lyrically. But not really my favorite to listen to

It was okay, not my speed really

it sounds like something many people love but for some reason i didnt end up as one of those people

I was a big fan of Arcade Fire when this album came out. The only time I saw them live was on their 2010 tour in support of this album, in fact. It was a genuinely great show, though it was unseasonably chilly for the first week of August, and the show was outdoors. All of that is preamble to say that this album is not nearly as good as I remembered it being. There's a handful of songs here that are among the band's best, for sure. The first four and final four tracks on the album are fantastic little suites. But the middle 8 is sluggish, punctuated only by the high point of "Month of May". Listening to this stretch now, I find myself wishing that someone had argued for making that middle portion leaner.

Great indie record!

This album is like when you have managed to talk a girl who is out of your league into going out for a drink with you. You don’t have your own car yet, so you have to borrow your mum’s. Needing to make up for this bad start, you know you have to take this girl somewhere fashionable and cool, but it still has to be a safe pick - not too weird so as to make a potentially polarising statement about your personality

Nice, indi rock a bit psychedelic. I can tell why people like it

This was good morning drive music!

Decent album. Needs more boom pop

Simply ok

I’ve now gotten three of this band’s albums. I don’t get what the big deal is. Like a glum-sounding Spoon. It’s not bad, but it’s not blowing me away either.

I enjoyed the overall sound and vibe this album was putting out. Definitely liked it more than the last album of theirs that populated on this list (Neon Bible). Thematically this sounded very Springsteen-esque (at least one song made me immediately think of Neil Young), so it wasn't terrible. However, I'm not sure if this album (nor their last one) deserve to live on a list where you need to hear this before you die.

Not bad, but I found it completely average throughout. Nothing was great and nothing was horrible. This was an album I heard.

It's a style that got really popular and all turned into background noise but this album helped set the stage for it and was pretty inventive. Good usage of instruments and a good vibe. I think this has a place on the list even if it isn't something I'd reach to put on much.

This sounds like a bunch of other albums we've listened to but it is very well executed. There is a reason I've heard about them so much without really giving them my full attention. Modern Man is in my wheel house sonically. I'm not sure we need so much Arcade Fire on the list. Maybe pick one or two.

Not especially engaging

Udmærket indierock, moderne, måske lidt kedeligt

Pretty standard "alt" sound

Nothing wrong with it, and I would put it on sometimes, but there's a laziness or sluggishness that kept me from being more interested or engaged. Sprawl II stood out as a good listen for me.

When I started to listen to this I was expecting it to sound like "Sex Is On Fire" but it didn't so I searched and found out that apparently I was thinking about Kings of Leon and that I really had no idea who Arcade Fire is. I mean, I've heard of them but... Anyway, this was fine I guess.

Whole albums gives a very "hype chill guy" type of flavour. I like it. The whole album feels very consistent. Would be a nice album to play in a skate store of sorts. 3/5

This is well made but just nothing special. I liked most songs here, but none of them are particularly impressive, and after a while, they started to blend together—not particularly memorable. This album is enjoyable, but aside from high production values, it doesn’t do anything to stand out. 7/10

I enjoyed this listen! Was aware of the hits but i did enjoy Modern Man and added it to my playlist.

The first half of the album album's biggest weakness was that the songs were repetitive and formulaic. They had a couple good bones each, but not enough to make a skeleton. I feel like that significantly changed towards the second half of the album. "Suburban War", "Waste", and "The Sprawl I" were good songs. (As usual, I tend to like the few more solemn songs on otherwise fast albums.) I definitely might listen to some of them again. Overall, I like the idea of an album that bemoans the monotony of suburban sprawl. I only wish it would've been better.

Every Arcade Fire album I've listened to so far from this list are all the same: a few good songs and a lot of meh filler.

I feel very indifferent towards this album. The first couple tracks are pretty good but there are lots of monotonous songs throughout the album. By the end I was done.

hm, klang für mich alles ziemlich gleich, aber war jetzt auch keine Ruhestörung das Album. Wenn man in der Stimmung ist sicherlich sehr angenehm.

Wundert mich schon, dass dies Album of the Year bei den Grammys gewonnen hat. Ist nettes Gedudel, aber auch kein Meisterwerk. Sprawl II war aber ein echt cooler Song

Rockcito lavado con poco punch. No te digo que está mal pero no es lo mío. Se vuelve laaaaaaaaargo

some bops. but a little much an artifact of its time for my taste?

Fine, nothing too memorable. I like the first song

I've heard some epic songs from Arcade Fire and saw that this album was rated top 5 or top 3 in many cases for them. Maybe it is just the day, but I'm not feeling it. Deep Blue had a nice feel to it, a little like a muted Neutral Milk Hotel song. That said, I had to stop pausing the album to, in my mind, go do something interesting. Then eventually Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) grabbed my attention again and I was able to push through to the end of the album.

Feels like an album in a world of playlists. Only slight criticism is that it may be a bit too long. How this is 15 years old is baffling.

This is my third Arcade Fire album so far, and honestly, having three albums from the this band on this list feels like a disservice to all the other artists who didn’t make the cut. Pick one, they all sound generally the same. That said, The Suburbs does have a few solid tracks. “The Suburbs,” “Ready to Start,” and “Sprawl II” are all worth your time. The rest? Forgettable at best. It’s not a bad album, but it’s hard to get excited about a band that seems to keep making slight variations of the same thing. 3.5 stars

A solid album with many interesting musical ideas. I need to listen to it more because so far it only ended up as a nice background stuff.

Pretty good. I liked Month of May - it reminded me of Rent. Not sure this is an album you NEED to listen to before death, though.

They have a good sound, I’m willing to bed that I’d love their newer stuff and the evolution they have.

Just fine

The kids are looking back on when they were kids, and it is still angsty, grandiose, and chock full of the big feels. The songs are complex--at times verging on busy--and the record is a bit too long, but the whole is punchily raw and honest. I can imagine screaming along at a stadium show, at age 55 recalling myself at 27 looking back on being 16.

Naja

Was busy and barely heard it to be honest. But sounded alright.

1. The Suburbs: Toe-tapping, the piano picks up the pace, great singing, plaintive, great guitar in the background: I didn't like this song at the beginning, but the piano, the vocals, the beat got me...thumbs up. My heads bobbing now. Yep, I like this! Thumbs up to track 1. " We were already, already bored." yes we were..... TBH, I never lived in the suburbs; maybe in Germany? But that wasn't my house. It was my girlfriend's parents. So not really me living there. (We eventually broke up, my fault 100%, I am a cheating MFer.) Thumbs up to track 1. Question 1: Is this a concept album? Need the lyrics for the album. My player has provided the lyrics...yes! MUCH BETTER. 2. Ready To Start: Good 3. Modern Man: Great, obviously. There's a reason a song becomes a hit. Plus, you can sing along. 4. Rococo: "They build it up just to burn it back down..." Okay. That line makes sense. Good. 5. Empty Room: I don't speak/understand French, unfortunately. Probably doesn't matter. Enough said: When I'm by myself I can be myself.... 6. City With No Children: Well, personally, as an older man in a long-term relationship with a woman, and no children (DINKs), I don't miss having children, personally. We did take in a nephew when he was just becoming a teenager: 13 or 14 years old. That was enough parenting for me...(laughing). 7. Half Light I: a bit slow this one.... This not a celebration either. Just saying. Okay that's a dud. 8. Half Light II (No Celebration): Dud 2.... But I do like this line: "Some people say we've already lost But they're afraid to pay the cost for what we've lost Pay the cost for what we've lost" Yeah, still paying for that loss.... 9. Suburban War: Just a great song. Most excellent. 10. Month of May: Rocker! Love it...worth the price of admission. Have to say this is my favorite song so far. 11. Wasted Hours: Not my favorite. Screeching brakes on the energy from MoM...yuck. 12. Deep Blue: A song about a computer chess program? Nah.... 13. We Used To Wait: A song about pining for waiting for letters/the mail? Okay, I guess. That's quaint. And the US elected Trump...it's gotten worse. 14. Sprawl I (Flatland): Both of these songs are good, this one is better than II though. 15. Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains): Kind of disco...not my thing. 16. The Suburbs (Continued): And we exit with strings....okay.

Interesting. Not my cup of tea

3/5

Solid Arcade Fire Album. It's good, but not their best.

A fun album I enjoyed. However, after this one was over I went and listen to Funeral. This is a solid outing, but not their best work.

Worth a listen if you're into peak millennial indie rock

The long boring middle section drags this down from a 4 to a 3. This album has always been weird to me because I don't want to like it but it has some good songs on there. It did come out during a time in my life that resonated a lot though.

Arcade Fire is like a Time Machine in that it slows down time so that it feels like an hour feels like two. Nothing terrible on this album, nothing great either. 3/5

Never understood the hype with this band. It’s not bad, just not interesting..

3.5 stars I listened to this a lot when it came out, but not lately. Partly because of the revelations that Win is, at the least, a creep. But also because I always found this album drags in the middle. The opening run from The Suburbs to Modern Man is incredible. Then it kind of starts to blur together until Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains). It’s not that I don’t like the songs in between. I think it just needed some more editing. I listened to the whole album a few times this weekend and it sounds great and I still really like it. But if I need to evaluate this as a whole album experience, the momentum just doesn’t sustain itself for the whole hour. Maybe I’m knocking off at least a half star because of Win.

Solid. I enjoyed this basically from start to finish, and it was nice to unearth the singles that I heard a bunch when this album came out. I'm never really excited or inspired by Arcade Fire, though, and that's what keeps this album at a 3 for me.

Much better than I anticipated. Still, a bit lacking for a higher grade. ⭐⭐⭐1/2

It’s good but not their finest work. Standouts to me are the title track: “the suburbs” and “we used to wait”

Background music

This is a bit of an improvement over their earlier records. The first two tracks (which I had heard before) are probably their strongest tunes. “Month of May” kinda reminds me of a Mark Lanegan song. Otherwise this still doesn’t really do it for me.

Decent

Another Arcade Fire album? Don't get me wrong, I think they're a good band, but definitely overrepresented on this list and these songs are reaching the point where they're all beginning to sound the same. Case in point is Empty Room: it sounds good but it just reminds me of other, earlier Arcade Fire songs. Giving this three stars although I'm a bit bored of Arcade Fire now, because I know if I had got this earlier in the list I would have been more interested.

I missed the allure of this album back when it came out and I still do.

half of this album and half of funeral can be combined to form peak arcade fire but then there's neon bible somehow in between them as the trough.

not my favorite arcade fire tbh

Grew on me on 2nd & 3rd listen

The middle sags a lot, but this is a solid record. Win Butler's voice can start to grate on you after a while. Smart orchestration, some really fun time signatures.

I could only give this three stars because half of the songs were only two stars but half of the album consisted of four star songs. They should have cut this album in half. A stand out for me was Half Light 1 and 2

Meh. Good intentions. Musically is very boring

I can't get as enthusiastic about this album as other people seem to be. The opening track is the hook, but the rest is not so engaging.

I tried my best. Literally got Funeral two days before and now this, it still all feels the same to me. I think the only song that I really jammed with was Month of May and it's slightly different from their indie rock sound. I can tell their evolution from their first album and its much more clean as far as production, but none of these songs really did it for me.

Empty Room is a banger

I’m a terrible critic. I have no idea what to say about these albums. Another enjoyable listen that lands in the world of 3 stars. I guess I’m just stuck on what I know.

Fav: The Suburbs Least Fav: Modern Man I don’t really care much for the album but the title track brings me so much nostalgia so I’m always thankful for that

Brilliant pair of opening songs, a bit of meh, then Sprawl II, more meh.

The month of may is a great track for the treadmill if that’s your thing. The Suburbs is the standout track here.

Five songs I like very much. The others are nice like Coldplay.

It was okay, a little forgettable.

Still just okay. Consistent mid streak lately on here.

Arcade Fire's Heyday is such a specific moment in history. They wear so many of their contemporaries on their sleeve and yet to a generation of folks who were teens and college aged at the time of their highest cultural relevancy, they were like no other group, keying in on a moment in time and feelings that were waiting to be unleashed in the cultural zeitgeist. In many ways this is quintessential iPod music. That being said, I was like 9 when this came out, so I don't have the same nostalgia to rely on. It's a good record, all in all, from my vantage point, but doesn't blow me away

Landmark record for the band, it wounds very well produced, although I thought it could very well be shorted because through the second half i though it was dragging the final songs to an extensive hour and more of music. Great record overall.

Pretty good: good lyrics and I’m liking it better than Neon Bible.

I had never listened to this or heard of this band before. This was okay, and to be fair, I listened to it twice. Nothing here is a real stand-out out but I did like a couple of tunes, which made it worthwhile. "Month of May" and "Sprawl II" were favorites.

There are a few good spots here and there but ultimately I find this album too long and boring. A shame as I really fell hard for Arcade Fire with Funeral.

Would probably make a good coming-of-age movie soundtrack

too boring and over orchestrated

7/10 really liked the subject matter and the symbolism, but outside of a few songs like Modern Man and Roccoco i just didn't really care for the style. I can tell that it's good it just doesn't really appeal to me in the way other artists do

I remember being so excited for this album to come out and then trying really hard to like it before it got relegated to the untouched realms of my cd booklet.

Couple good songs. Solid alt album

Honesty up front, I listened to this album on a long drive, so the sounds of traffic and general chit chat we taking place at the same time. That is to say, it didn’t have my undivided attention. That said, I did find myself enjoying it for the most part. There were definitely points where I felt that the album was ending, and then another track would start playing. I think that this album might be more enjoyable listening to a few tracks at a time rather than the album in full, but maybe thats just me. It’s a bit miserable, but then again, that’s usually something I love in an album.

Ugh, fine. Somewhat catchy, I guess. I understand their album Funeral being on this list (despite my earlier expressed reservations), but this album doesn’t deserve to be.

It was just perfectly fine.

Couldnt finish it.

There's too many Arcade Fire records on this list. 3.

Middle-of-the-road Obama-era indie. Not much to say about it.

Arcade Fire is a band that does the same thing over and over again with some slight tweaks. It's a strategy which really works for fans, and really doesn't work for me. That said, this is probably the strongest effort of theirs I've heard so far. It's just the kind of thing I can't get past - it's a weird amalgamation of Strokes-ish indie rock fused with freak-folk and a twist of '*stomp* "hey!"'. I respect the lengths to which they go in being artsy, but it ends up sounding like it's trying too hard. 7/10

Couple good songs

Pretty alrightish record, its nothing very memorable, there are good parts don't get me wrong but that's it: there is a great lack in consistency, which is a big flaw in my book. Overall fine listen but nothing really more. Favorite track: The suburbs. Overall score 5/10.

Their first three albums should be called A Sides, B Sides, and C Sides. Very little memorable here.

Aptly named. This album is so boring it makes me angry. A dramatic over correction to Neon Bible. I like Arcade Fire a lot, this is probably my least favorite album.

It was fine. Good vibe. Not a lot of things I’ll be singing along to though.

Decent background music, but nothing that really grabbed me. 3/5

I have tried with this band before, and I didn't get it then. Perhaps I'll get it this time around. Feeling a bit apprehensive about the runtime of this, especially as I'm really skeptical of this band. Hope to be surprised. The Suburbs The piano riff is good. Decently vivid production. I enjoy the lyrics, has a great vibe. The chorus is fine, I like how the vocals are performed on it. The song plays itself out well. Decent. 3.5/5 Ready to Start Great transition. Love how the high pitched note from the previous song carries into this track. Great bassline. The guitar almost has a drone-like quality to it at certain points in the track which is largely unexpected for this type of music. Good. 4/5 Modern Man The guitar is pretty good, there are some decent melodies in there. The vocals feel a bit off. Impressed with how good it sounds, the clear and transparent mixing makes for a balanced instrumental. Decentm 3.5/5 Rococo The lyrics come off as a bit pretentious. Don't care much for that chorus. Annoying loud synths. Repetitive instrumental. The distortion is at least a bit interesting. Average. 2.5/5 Empty Room That's an awesome instrumental. Love the loud guitars and the distorted wailing in the background. Has a shoegazy vibe. Excellent energy. Love the change of vocals. Fantastic. 5/5 City With No Children Boring verse structure. Again, great overall sound. Don't care much for the chorus, off-putting effect. Did not like. 2/5 Half Light I Buildup sounds nice. The strings in the background add a lot of depth and contrasts well with the repetitve guitar riff. Pretty lyrics. Crescendoes into a great ending. Great. 4.5/5 Half Light II (No Celebration) Elements from the previous instrumental carry over into this one, makes for a decent continuation. Suffers a bit from a very obvious 2010s progression. Love the guitar sound. The vocals are just fine, I find the structure and the way the verses build up a bit stagnant. The delivery seems to create the desired effect, even if his voice isn't my favourite part of the album so far. Good. 4/5 Suburban War Another banging instrumental. The vocals are a bit unclear. Sentimental lyrics. Interesting reprise of the title track in the middle there. The instrumental switchup really was a great idea, adds another dimension to the track and really enhances its impact. Magnificently composed. Fantastic. 5/5 Month of May Don't know if I think this sound fits the rest of the albums vibe. Has some ok energy, but is a bit uninteresting. Doesn't have the same instrumental depth of previous tracks. Vocals don't do enough to save it. Has some decent writing in the lyrics. Average. 2.5/5 Wasted Hours Not much to say here, sounds pleasant. Cute sentimental little indie song that doesn't really do anything wrong, just doesn't do anything special either. Fine. 3/5 Deep Blue See previous song reaction. Perhaps has a little bit more going for it instrumentally and lyrically. I really like the harsh contrasting electric guitars that come in occasionally. Is a bit too long. Decent. 3.5/5 We Used To Wait The verses really don't feel like they conclude on anything. Builds up into a really unsatisfying climax. Feels like it would be better if they went even harder on the chorus, feels a bit too flat, lacking character and impact as a result. The "Wait for it" part genuinely doesn't work for because of this. I get the idea, but the execution feels a bit middling. Has its moments, but falls flat in the end. Average. 2.5/5 Sprawl I (Flatland) Haunting. Well written, feels personal and evocative. Understated and vocal focused so the instrumental takes an understandable backseat, though I do think it does its job as a supporting vehicle for the vocals to really deliver. While his voice isn't star tier, I do think he does a lot in his performance here to create a vivid picture and really convey the the story presented in the lyrics. Good. 4/5 Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) A really different vibe from the rest of the album, unexpected electronics. Catchy chorus. The synthy instrumental is really evocative. Definitely the most "pop" song on the album, but that shouldn't be a cause to dismiss its content. The lyrics are pretty great, and I find the inclusion of such a radically different song from the rest of the album to be a great creative choice and a breath of fresh air. Really effective track to put near the end of the album. Her voice is also pretty great for this type of song. Fantastic. 5/5 The Suburbs (Continued) Closes off the album well, wrapping up its themes and bringing the listener back to the start. A nice bookend. NA/5 Very varied sonically, but a bit inconsistent. Feels a bit half-baked at times, and has areas where it lacks a bit of punch. Instrumentally it's pretty creative when it allows itself to be, really liking how much every single member of the band gets to shine on different tracks. Love the strings and the many different ways the guitar is being used, throw in some lovely keys and a plucky bassline here and there and I'm sold. There's even some great work on the synth which genuinely was a pleasant surprise when it showed up most of the time. Lyrics and themes do stay consistent throughout, with many nostalgic, reflective and sentimental tracks about being young in a place which has changed and will never return, though they are presented differently throughout the tracklist. I'm sure there's more here to unpack on consequent listens. Not in love with the lead singers voice I'll have to admit, though he does have some performances which stand out here and there. Would finally like to shoutout the production as I feel its pretty much flawless and sounds great throughout. Overall would like to give it a higher score, but there are just too many tracks here that fizzle out or are just a bit too unengaging for me. Will probably return to. 3.5/5 leaning more towards 3/5 Fave track. Empty Room/Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) Least fave track. City With No Children

Interesting themes and imagery but I didn’t really like the songs when they first came out, nor do I really enjoy them now.

Got kinda bored Sprawl II is cool, and Empty Room intro

I had never heard of this band and album before. I like the indie sound and vibe. The music is full of longing. It’s the perfect soundtrack to some kind of obscure indie movie that makes you hurt all over your soul while watching although you don’t really understand all the intricacies of what’s actually going on. I think the song We Used to Wait is a good example of this. This song somehow deeply touched me. What I found interesting is the changes of perspectives that occur through some of the songs, e.g. children are described and a few lines later, the lyrical We / singer are /is these children. Very nice way to keep you engaged. The album contains several hints at feeling like living on the brink of societal collapse/ life after societal collapse. If this is the soundtrack to the apocalypse, it could be worse. But it could be better too. The sound does get repetitive after a few songs.

Decent but vocals a bit jarring after a while.

Another re-discovery. Solidly good album.

cold shit

Better on revisit than i’d expected. The sprawl is an all timer

Good indie rock, doesn’t really date itself to 2010s much as a first-time listener. A bit boring at times but overall a consistent and well made album.

Most people will be in one of two categories relating to this album: 1) You were a teenager in 2010 and when this album came out it hit you hard. "Wow, they really get me, this is so meaningful." 2) You were not a teenager in 2010 and this album is a slightly annoying "soundtrack" to teenage angst, like every generation has. All of those "soundtracks" are basically Reddit's "I'm 13 and this is deep" subreddit in musical form. Unless it's your generation's, then it's the most profound shit ever. It is clear Arcade Fire is a talented group, but I found this album slightly annoying to listen to all the way through. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go listen to the Cure, they really get me.

Interesting. Not bad, not fantastic. 3 stars

a little long, but the highs hit hard. 3.5/5

I think this was better than the other Arcade Fire album I had but this one also didn’t much for me. Just didn’t feel like anything special, I did quite enjoy Wasted Hours though, that was a fun bop.

I did listen to this, but I didn't finish it. It was pretty cool though he did an Arcade Fire album in MLC.

Pretty regular and comfy, but nothing stands out to me. Nice background music.

Great start. Lost interest about 5 songs in. Same as every Arcade Fire album.

Det er ganske bra men jeg elsker set ikke.

Overraskende bra, men kanskje litt kjedelig i lengden? Høres ut som en av inspirasjonskildene til Øystein Greni, ved siden av Zeppelin og Creedence

I missed this at the time but it had an absolute chokehold on so many people I know. It’s pretty good and has some good emotional beats.

I mean sure its not Motzart or Bach, but its a beautiful love letter to Suburban roots and the American dream. How difficult it is to press on the face of daily adversity. Advises the listener to take hold of their dreams and flea suburbia before its too late and your free will gets ground into a fine paste. I was far too naive to understand some of the intricacies of this album when I was 17, but it sure hits homes pretty damn hard. I'm pushin' thirty in my hometown still but with a great job and bright future. I still feel the push of desire and aspiration pulse through my blood. But will I ever break free from the Suburbs? I dunno, but musically speaking. Fabulous, not a 5 star album but Arcade Fire always had a solid indie sound and set the tone for late 2000's indie and 2010's indie for sure.

Third and final album on the list from AF, and even though they have moments of greatness, their albums are too uneven to be huge highlights of listening experience. City With No Children, Month of May and Sprawl II are the best tracks. 3/3 3-star albums

the suburbs- 5 ready to start- 4 modern man- 4 rococo- 5 empty room- 5 or 6 city with no children- 5 half light i- 4 half light ii- 4 suburban war- 4 month of may- 4 its so boring i dont wanna listen to more

I remember a couple of these songs being really popular at the time. Good for background music.

A few solid tracks - Sprawl 2 is pretty good

Heard it when I was younger, dad’s a big fan. Can never really get past the 5th song when I listened to it

Pretty good concept album. Music is good for me, not spectacular but I don’t mind it.

Bit disappointed hoped for better

Mediocre

Critically acclaimed band, and I understand why. Doesn’t do much for me though.

Better than I expected!

More of the same from Arcade Fire. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, I’m just not huge into the genre. It isn’t bad, I just don’t think it’s ever going to be a “go-to” for me.

I found this album monotonous. They have a distinctive sound but a pretty narrow range IMHO

First off: Nothing I criticize applies to "The Suburbs". However, the tracks tend to be too long, which makes the whole album cumbersome. I can't even recognize that a certain feeling should be conveyed or theme dealt with. Instead, this is a bundle of songs of which most have some kind of radio music character, but aren't catchy enough, and some that are more ballad-like, but the singer's voice is far too thin for that. MGMT without catchy synth tunes. Muse without fat drum beats. Depeche Mode without moody electronica. Still, a mix between MGMT, Muse, and Depeche Mode is something.

It's fine, I can see how they were/are quite popular.

Didn’t know these dudes were from Montreal!

Ok, probably needs more listens for me to appreciate it.

When I started this album I really thought it was gonna be a 5. The first five songs (through Empty Room) are phenomenal. Unfortunately City With No Children on the songs lose their luster and interest (11 songs). Not a great album from a sequencing perspective imo. 3/5

The Arcade Fire album ‘Funeral’ held great significance to me. I was living in the suburbs, going to a community college, seeking culture desperately, but finding none. When I heard the Arcade Fire, I realized I’d found my vibe. There was darkness on that album, there was longing, but ultimately, there was triumph. This album (and the early ep) was in my cd rotation for years, even long after I moved to the city and found my scene. I’ve listened to it thousands of times and it still can bring tears to my eyes. It was the anthem of an era in my life. Neon Bible came out and I was already in a better place. But that’s not why that album didn’t achieve the same status in my heart. The Arcade Fire had mostly eschewed triumph to heighten the darkness of their sound and lyrics. That album still had some bangers, but despite my high hopes for Neon Bible, I had to press my hopes for future releases and write this one off as an intermediary album. Then, it finally came. The Suburbs. An album themed around the ennui I felt which immediately drew me to Arcade Fire in the first place. The Suburbs brought Arcade Fire into a new level commercial success and fame. No longer did they have that underground, artsy mystique. In making an album about the homogeny of our capitalist modern world, they embodied the very enemy they wished to portray. Basically all of the triumph from the Funeral days was traded out for misery. There are no fun moments on The Suburbs. The only moment I feel that energy which drew me to them in the first place is at the very end in The Sprawl II, easily the best song on this overlong and monotonous album. This one can make me cry and actually feel that old youthful Arcade Fire spirit, that immense longing to escape normality and enter a realm of unhindered expression. The Suburbs is where I gave up with the Arcade Fire. They’d grown as a band, but to me, in the wrong direction. That being said, this isn’t a bad album per se. The lyrics are simple and repetitive and actually pretty repetitive across their entire body of work, but at least they’re trying to pinpoint actual concerns that ‘keep people up at night,’ be that (even fifteen years ago) the threat of artificial intelligence, legacy and purpose, and overcoming cultural suppression. To me, it can’t be higher than a three, but it can’t be lower either.

Second album by this band and not much more to say about it. This also sounds very Radio Paradise and is also a 3 because it didn’t quite seize my attention enough for a 4.

E wiiteri Band wo chli en faade biigschmack het will sie eigentlich uf de cancel-Liste isch. Aber da wird eus das Album präsentiert, also wird das Album au bewertet. De Start isch ja schomal uf em höchste indie-banger-niveau und gaht mit em zweite Song au grad wiiter, bim Rest vom Album het d Bangerigkeit immer meh nahglah mit einzelne Bangerhöchs. Sust e recht durchzognigi Bangermittelmässigkeit mit einzelne Sunnestrahle. Uf de Namittag nämmet d Banger meh ab bis uf de Abig wenig Bangers übrig bliibed. Im Süde mitere durchschnittsbangeratur vo 15°, im Mittelland e bangeratur vo 11°. Git im Tüüfdruckgebiet en Durchschnitt vo 3.5 - abgrundet uf 3 - verlorni Grichtsprozess Zrug zu dir Timon mit de restliche news: Danke Timon, zude Top Story: De Timon weiss ned welle Film de Basil M. Quotet. Enttüschend? Mer werdets gseh! Bis bald und Good Morning Album Klöpp!

The Söbörbs, was ein scheiss ort, aber au e fönny albumname. erinneret mich biz a LA fires vo dem Januar. Sound isch wahrsch det i de nöchi au entsprunge. Scho sehr gmüetlich musik, the track suburbs glaubs au de einzig woni kennt ha, aber au de besti. Ja für es 4i langeds aber leider glich nöd, sorry bröös

oi sorry for the late review also das album isch eigenltich grad zunnere richtige zit cho han müese de ganz tag mitem auto umefahre und es isch en guete wegbegleiter gsi - richtigi roadtrip musig es isch sehr stabili musig gsi mit au es paar bangers drinne leider dur mini abglenktheit vom autofahre hani die nöd gnauer chöne analysiere, aber ich weiss es hetts gha drum git das 3 pigmi bamboo flute tracks vom francis bebey Crazy people in town Eating bread and butter and honey And drinking black coffee and cola

[[Living Room / Speakers ]] This felt like the beginning of the turn towards 'generic' indie rock anthems for them when I listened to them as a 19 year old. Today it fills me with a warm nostalgia. I don't take off points for the shallow lyricism and the one-note instrumentation on this one. Crazy that Will Butler was the one with a career that ended up having legs.

Maybe it’s because I’m super tired today but nothing about this stuck out in particular to me. Decent enough to listen to maybe should listen to one more time on a more awake day and see if I like it more.

6.5/10. I did enjoy this on the whole. I preferred it when the album got a little more rocky in certain tracks. There were some nice riffs and catchy hooks to boot. However while all this is true I can't exactly say it moved mountains for me and as such ends up being an album that I liked but didn't 'love'.

Ironic that they sing about a lack of identity and make the most personalityfree music 3/5

Better than the last Arcade Fire album. I think my issue with this band is that the music has many layered sounds that build over a song, often in a kind of heavily emotional way - which is nice and effective when you hear one good song. But the albums are so long and this kind of sound is punishingly heavy over an hour plus long stretch. It's like being bludgeoned with a pretty club. The art is hard to appreciate while it's assaulting you

6/10 it's just not for me I don't think but I can tell it's influential. I am surprised it won grammy of the year when it was put out considering the only reason I know the album is because it was album of the year. I didn't finish listening I was on like the last 5 songs and skipped through them.