A short review of “The Suburbs” by Arcade Fire:
There are a handful of bands, in my book, in which a new album release warrants celebration. If you spend much time around me, you could probably get a sense of who these bands are; one of them released a new album today. Arcade Fire became one of these bands at first listen to their previous album, “Neon Bible”. I was fortunate to experience the record free of the hype that seems to surround the band, and the sense of beauty and isolation it instilled instantly found its way to my heart. Shortly there after, their first record, “Funeral” did the same. Both records have a distinct sound and voice, one that allows it to stand as a unique page in their catalog. I love when bands succeed in this capacity—Radiohead, The Beatles, Rogue Wave, and Kent to name a few personal favorites. I’m not comparing Arcade Fire to these bands, other than to say they excel in producing something new with every record and this a very important indication of an artistically healthy band.
After just a handful of listens, “The Suburbs” has provided me with a third, unique identity in a catalog of music I have come to love. The instrumentation has more definition than “Funeral”, the orchestration more lush than “Neon Bible”. Lyrically, this new record is more straightforward, as well, the restlessness of each their albums seemingly more apparent in the lyrics. As the title implies, “The Suburbs” wrestles with the inevitability of change in the childhood communities we remember, the sadness over what is lost, and, I think, the hope of what’s ahead. Honestly, it sounds a lot like growing up.
I’m no critic, but I’ll say one last thing. There’s a lot to listen to here, and I will continue to listen to “The Suburbs” over and over again for many years to come.
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