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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
597 of 709 people found the following review helpful
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!***
29 of 31 people found the following review helpful
Format:MP3 Download
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.
90 of 107 people found the following review helpful
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
Fantastic
Love this album, I highly recommend it. I've played this nearly non-stop since getting it, favorites are definitely 'Rococo', 'The Suburbs' and 'We used to wait' but I have no... Read more
Published 15 days ago by solomon_rex
Enjoyable album with good extra tracks and short film
Though not as good as their first LP, Funeral, overall a very enjoyable album. The two extra songs on this deluxe edition are quite good and the short film by Jonze stands out. Read more
Published 21 days ago by Mike Sun
Bringing Back Albums With Tracks That Belong Together
This was the most exciting album I heard in 2010. In 2011 it won the Grammy for Best Album of the Year. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Jeania K
Good, but not Arcade Fire good
If you throw out tracks 3, 10, 11, 12, and 13, this album plays much better. It is a bit bloated with the idea that it's probing some important depths of and making insightful... Read more
Published 1 month ago by AM
Better after several listens
I'd never heard of Arcade fire until last summer. I was on the fence about this CD and would have given it 3 stars based on my initial impressions. Read more
Published 1 month ago by M. Gourdin
The Suburbs
These guys and girls are going a long way. Songs are a great commentary on our present civilization and how it is going to have to change whether establishment types like it or... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Drew Maher
The Suburbs (from a non-hipster perspective)
This album has been out forever, but like most other music of its ilk, it managed to escape my notice. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Robby
At first I thought this wasn't as good as "Funeral" but like most...
When I first heard these songs I was kinda mad they weren't like the big epic songs on Funeral. But after listening to the album for the third time all the way through (months... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Noah J. Farver
Review
I ordered this online the first week in December. It came in plenty of time to give as a Christmas gift. It was in great shape. Thanks
Published 3 months ago by landersfam5
Beautiful album, and an excellent quality vinyl!
Really love this album from Arcade Fire. I also bought their first studio album 'Funeral' which is also definitely worth checking out! Read more
Published 3 months ago by Gozza
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