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Editorial Reviews
Written, arranged, performed and produced by the
Arcade Fire and co-produced by Markus Dravs, The
Suburbs was recorded around Montreal and New
York over the past two years.
Arcade Fire and co-produced by Markus Dravs, The
Suburbs was recorded around Montreal and New
York over the past two years.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
611 of 726 people found the following review helpful
By Dr. Rock
Format:Audio CD
After waiting for what seems like a millennium since their last official release, we finally get The Suburbs, an engaging indie rock record full of pop gems. Here's my track by track take on it...
The Suburbs - A weak start to an otherwise awesome album, this song was released as the first unofficial single. When I first heard this song before the album was released, it greatly lowered my expectations. It's terribly repetitive. (2/10)
Ready to Start - This song marks the true beginning of the album, in my mind. The Strokes-y drum and bass coordination kick-start the song and drive it into one of the most poignant, catchy choruses on the album. (10/10)
Modern Man - I love a good song with a time signature that throws you off then becomes one of your favorites. (9/10)
Rococo - With its chanted tribal chorus, this song brings to mind memories of their debut album, "Funeral." It's a good example of standard, epic Arcade Fire fare. (8/10)
Empty Room - This is my favorite song on the album, without a doubt. The frenzied strings lead you into the trap and then like the distortion kicks in and knocks you out of your chair. This reminds me of The Rentals. (10/10)
City With No Children - The Springsteen influence once again becomes apparent. Thank God they know how to use it. (8/10)
Half Light I & II - The first half is not as amazing as the second, but it serves as a good lead in. (6/10)/(8/10)
Suburban War - I've seen some people make the case that this album is overproduced (mainly due to tracks like this), but I'd have to disagree. It's well produced, but not overly so. I think this track a perfect example of the right amount of indie/pop production a great Arcade Fire song requires. (8/10)
Month of May - I'm not in love with this song. It reminds me of the grungier side of Yo La Tengo, but it sounds like one of their tracks I would skip. (5/10)
Wasted Hours - The vocal melody and lyrics immediately linger in your memory long after hearing this song. (9/10)
Deep Blue - The album starts to get a little sleepy at this point. During my first listen, it was harder to differentiate the songs toward the end of the album, which made them slightly less memorable. This song trots along at a blues bar pace but doesn't stay with you for long afterward. (6/10)
We Used to Wait - Things are still a bit worn out as this song plays, but a few interesting elements are introduced into the mix, such as a Modest Mouse-like guitar riff that noodles around in the piano hits. (7/10)
Sprawl I - Perhaps the sleepiest song yet, Sprawl I crawls around but its melancholy melody saves it from being a failure. (6/10)
Sprawl II - The alarm clock finally went off. This could easily be the next single. The catchy 80's all-girl vocals are infectious. This track is an obvious standout and an instant favorite. (10/10)
The Suburbs (continued) - Somehow, the lead-out with the same name as the lead-in is at least ten times better. How? I don't know. (8/10)
Overall, the album felt a little bloated at times. But if you sift through the slower songs, there are moments of musical brilliance to be found. Thanks for reading!
***A note to other people on Amazon who have given this album a rating of less than 5 stars: Don't delete your review just because some pretentious hipsters have been clicking the 'not helpful' button! They want you to delete your review!***
The Suburbs - A weak start to an otherwise awesome album, this song was released as the first unofficial single. When I first heard this song before the album was released, it greatly lowered my expectations. It's terribly repetitive. (2/10)
Ready to Start - This song marks the true beginning of the album, in my mind. The Strokes-y drum and bass coordination kick-start the song and drive it into one of the most poignant, catchy choruses on the album. (10/10)
Modern Man - I love a good song with a time signature that throws you off then becomes one of your favorites. (9/10)
Rococo - With its chanted tribal chorus, this song brings to mind memories of their debut album, "Funeral." It's a good example of standard, epic Arcade Fire fare. (8/10)
Empty Room - This is my favorite song on the album, without a doubt. The frenzied strings lead you into the trap and then like the distortion kicks in and knocks you out of your chair. This reminds me of The Rentals. (10/10)
City With No Children - The Springsteen influence once again becomes apparent. Thank God they know how to use it. (8/10)
Half Light I & II - The first half is not as amazing as the second, but it serves as a good lead in. (6/10)/(8/10)
Suburban War - I've seen some people make the case that this album is overproduced (mainly due to tracks like this), but I'd have to disagree. It's well produced, but not overly so. I think this track a perfect example of the right amount of indie/pop production a great Arcade Fire song requires. (8/10)
Month of May - I'm not in love with this song. It reminds me of the grungier side of Yo La Tengo, but it sounds like one of their tracks I would skip. (5/10)
Wasted Hours - The vocal melody and lyrics immediately linger in your memory long after hearing this song. (9/10)
Deep Blue - The album starts to get a little sleepy at this point. During my first listen, it was harder to differentiate the songs toward the end of the album, which made them slightly less memorable. This song trots along at a blues bar pace but doesn't stay with you for long afterward. (6/10)
We Used to Wait - Things are still a bit worn out as this song plays, but a few interesting elements are introduced into the mix, such as a Modest Mouse-like guitar riff that noodles around in the piano hits. (7/10)
Sprawl I - Perhaps the sleepiest song yet, Sprawl I crawls around but its melancholy melody saves it from being a failure. (6/10)
Sprawl II - The alarm clock finally went off. This could easily be the next single. The catchy 80's all-girl vocals are infectious. This track is an obvious standout and an instant favorite. (10/10)
The Suburbs (continued) - Somehow, the lead-out with the same name as the lead-in is at least ten times better. How? I don't know. (8/10)
Overall, the album felt a little bloated at times. But if you sift through the slower songs, there are moments of musical brilliance to be found. Thanks for reading!
***A note to other people on Amazon who have given this album a rating of less than 5 stars: Don't delete your review just because some pretentious hipsters have been clicking the 'not helpful' button! They want you to delete your review!***
36 of 39 people found the following review helpful
By Craig
Format:MP3 Music
First off, when this album was released I didn't really like it at first but then it grew on me, like most of Arcade Fire's stuff. Now I really like this album. It's very good and the 2 new songs and videos are totally worth it, although if you go to Arcade Fire's official website, you can buy the whole thing directly from them WITH the videos for only $4.50 so I recommend getting it there. Otherwise this is awesome.
93 of 110 people found the following review helpful
By Andrew Vice
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Arcade Fire has been mining the emotional turmoil of adolescence since its debut in 2004, and though the cause of that turmoil has once again changed, the message is, as always, the same. I'm not one of those people that thinks that everything Arcade Fire has done has been peerless and flawless: I think Arcade Fire is a good band that makes good albums with a handful of truly brilliant songs, nothing more and nothing less. The Suburbs is, as some of the song titles would suggest, a sprawling work, and not without its flaws, but there is plenty of reward for those willing to stick it out for the 60+ minutes. Perhaps working too tightly on the theme of "the suburbs," the album has a tendency to be repetitive, which is not surprising given the album's length and the number of Part 1/Part 2 songs on the record. Though it suffers from some of the same problems like the Decemberists' bloated The Hazards of Love, namely strict adherence to a not entirely warranted theme, the Suburbs sets itself apart by having a number of truly excellent songs. Modern Man and Sprawl II are definitely among the best songs Arcade Fire have written, but having a propulsive drive that demands stomping in time with the beat and belting out the words. It should have been obvious all along that Arcade Fire was not going to top their (somewhat over-loved) debut, Funeral, but on the Suburbs, the band has stayed true to its sound and made the logical next step.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the all time greats
This album is a must buy, it has everything you want from a Indie album. The arcade fire do not disappoint you. love it
Published 2 days ago by Steve
5.0 out of 5 stars
Record of the Year (literally)
If you loved this CD like it deserves, you'll love it even more on vinyl. There is one song on the entire compilation that is bad (Month of May), and most Arcade Fire fans... Read more
Published 19 days ago by Sarah
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pefect
It's brand new so of course there wont be any problems with it it it it it it it it
Published 1 month ago by Jon
5.0 out of 5 stars
a great album
Suburbs is one of the best albums from arcade fire a great band.almost all the songs in this album are really very good and this album is very highly recommended.
Published 2 months ago by Rohit R
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Suburbs
I purchased this as a gift and it was very well received. I can still by music for my adult grandsons, believe it or not!
Published 2 months ago by nancy spellerberg
4.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome album , but not a masterpiece
This album by Arcade Fire , it has a conbination of new wave, post- ponk, and some alternative sound. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Edmundo
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent
Almost everyone song is really good. I might say this is the best arcade fire album yet, but each one is good and has its own flavor
Published 2 months ago by Oliver Bennett Pierce
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent!
My son is very pleased with this album and the sound quality is excellent. Buy it today for your listening pleasure.
Published 4 months ago by Marianne Mortera
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful album, Arcade Fire shines!
I had not heard of Arcade Fire before listening to this album. I wondered what the big fuss was about. Listening to the opening track had me hooked. Read more
Published 5 months ago by O. Guzman
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome album!
Won album of the year and surely deserves it. Arcade Fire create a sound, and a feeling, through this effective and excellent theme album
Published 5 months ago by Lucas
