Suburbs (W/Download Code) (Vinyl)

I wanted to write this review after seeing the Grammys and hearing the grumbles among the many commercial artists and confused public that have never heard of Arcade Fire. With a very well respected fanbase of musicians and fellow artists (okay, so maybe not necessarily among the pop and hip-hop set), it was a bit surprising to see so many blank expressions.

I think the most important thing that I can say about this is that music used to mean something more than a top 10 hit, album sales, or branding. Music was not created to target a particular audience or achieve a max level of radio rotation. I love pop and hip-hop music, but when we become so obsessed with the artificial markers of success, we lose something. I think the Grammys did a great job of trying to strip away these markers and understand something about the craft of music and what it means. An album is not a collection of singles. In this, they got the nominations right and Arcade Fire are more than worthy of the accolades.

The Suburbs is a concept album that doesn't try to be a concept album. It effortlessly bounces back and forth between sounds and styles and creates an atmosphere of nostalgia, regret, hope, and longing, that reflects the sonic landscape of 80s-90s 'burbs. I had read the initial press on the album and understood that it was an exploration and expression of growing up in the suburban sprawl. Even as a fan of their previous albums, it took repeated listens to finally get it - now it seems to get even better each time I listen to it.

The album itself is a pure rock and roll album with no tricks or illusions. It's an album crafted from the ground up (written, performed, and produced) by a group of musicians that believe in the music as a medium and a message. No pandering to the lowest common denominator to produce a pop hit or radio friendly single. In my opinion, separating a song out of the album diminishes the whole - you lose the context of album in the same way that reading even the best chapter out of book doesn't really tell you the story.

Some of the best music out there has never been played on the radio or seen a stint on MTV - consider how radio and music video stations get their playlists and what motivates what gets put out there. Are we demanding this music, or are we being fed this music and told all the reasons we like it? The fact that this album broke through the veil of the multi-million dollar machinery of the music industry should tell you something.

Give it a try - whether you traditionally enjoy the genre at all is unimportant. You may just surprise yourself and discover something new about the potential of music.

This was not what I expected at all from this album. I found myself enjoying it immensely. The Suburbs came recommended, so I bought it on a whim and had a listen. To say I was pleasantly surprised is an understatement. I'm not a picky person when it comes to music; however, it's just become increasingly rare to find any type of music with soul these days. Especially when that music can be heard on the mainstream stations. But this album focuses on many things: nostalgia, growing up, individualism vs. the system taking away creativity, greed, hope, and much more. It's as much an album as a story that the listener can connect with. No wonder this won a Grammy. Amidst a sea of (mostly) bland music up for awards, Arcade Fire pulled through and took home Album of the Year. This was well deserved.

Let's get the only negative out of the way first: the title track. This is one of your take it or leave it songs. Personally I think I have to be in a certain mood to want to listen to it. Other than that, pretty much everything else is well made. There are a couple slow points such as Wasted Hours and Deep Blue, but these are still good songs in their own right. Unfortunately, the other songs are so well done that these two just don't stand up against an energetic rocker like "Ready to Start" or the nostalgic "Half-Light" duo that can be found on the CD.

Highlights of the CD include the three aforementioned tracks: Ready to Start and the Half-Light songs. There's also the catchy Rococo, a song that addresses the younger generation's tendency to use words they don't understand. There's the thoughtful Modern Man, the rocker Month of May, and the poignant Empty Room that all succeed in delighting the listener. But the two main standouts of the album rise above all of these. Suburban War hits home with anyone who remembers growing up and apart from old friends. The lyrics, "Now the cities we live in, could be distant stars" coupled with the following guitar rhythm is simply fantastic. Suburban War really is a standout and worth giving a listen. The other highlight has to be Sprawl II (Beyond Mountains). A song that can have a myriad of meanings, it encompasses themes such as: individuality vs. the system stifling creativity, the spread of suburbia destroying nature, work vs. downtime, relaxation, and more. This may sound pretentious, but clocking in at over 5 minutes, it's anything but over-the-top with subdued lyrics that quickly make a point. If there's one thing this band knows how to do, it's knowing when to pull back so that they're not coming across as full of themselves. Regine sings the song with an energetic attitude, making the song hopeful rather than depressing.

This is definitely an album worth buying. It's highly recommended.

Je ne connaissais pas Arcade Fire. Les critiques avaient encensés ce merveilleux CD. Je l'ai donc acheté et trouvé excellent !