Arcade Fire: The Suburbs

The Arcade Fire have returned with their third album, The Suburbs, and after living with it for a couple of weeks now, I feel settled in and ready to give some thoughts on it.

Just like their two previous albums, The Suburbs doesn't disappoint.  However, it did at first, a little.  On the initial couple of listens, the album felt flat, lacking the energy and anthemic sound we have come to expect from the band.


But that's the problem, isn't it?  Expectations.

There is no 'Wake Up' on The Suburbs; no instant anthemic gratification.  But why should there be?  Progress should be strived for in whatever you pursue -  especially if it's music - and that's what the Arcade Fire have reached for and achieved with The Suburbs.

In a way, the slightly subdued nature of the album reflects the core subject matter of the album - life in the sprawling suburbs and nostalgia for a childhood spent there.  This is also reflected sonically, where the sound, at times, leans towards the 80's, undoubtedly a time when most of the band members were in their youth, and a musical period that provides inspiration.

I said earlier, that there are no high points on first listening, no anthemic moments.  Truth is, they are there, they just take a little longer to discover and sink in - surely the sign of an album with depth and longevity.

For example, 'Month of May' begins with a riff that wouldn't be out of place on a (good) Queens of the Stone Age album, and sonically 'Sprawl II (Mountains beyond Mountains)' lies somewhere between Blondie and French electro-pop (I am cringing as I type).

If anything, The Suburbs, in its entirety, is an anthem: to the suburbs, to lost youth, and, most importantly, to the 'album' genre itself.  Each song flows into the next and, although they can easily be taken on their own, when placed together the sum of the parts is greater than the whole, connecting into a wonderful artistic statement.  How refreshing in an age where digital downloads - specifically the ability to pick and choose your favorite tracks - is eroding the albums place within music.

The Suburbs is a breath-taking LP, a contender for record of the year, and the album to cement the Arcade Fire's place in the annuls of music history.  I cannot wait to see them live again when they return to Scotland in December.


Below is a clip of 'We Used to Wait' from the band's recent performance at Madison Square Garden, New York City.  Enjoy.