Arcade Fire 2: Arcade Harder

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I'm surprised several people here don't care for The Suburbs. I think it's fantastic.

Not sure what I think of the new song yet. It could be a scenario where it will be better to hear it in the context of the album.

It's a consistent double album, though I would agree with iYup's appraisal. I adore it, but tracks from Neon Bible factor into several solid life events.
 
The thing about The Suburbs is that it really drags in the middle, to the point that it's almost amorphous. But damn does it start and end strongly. Neon Bible is a much more cohesive album, and looking at the tracklist right now, there are some absolute stunners on there. Intervention is their best lead single to date.

That pretty much sums it up for me. Funeral is probably my favorite, due to a few "so-so" songs on Neon Bible, but there's just too much on The Suburbs I always want to skip.
 
Suburbs is a classic from my perspective, much more appealing melodically and thematically than any of their other albums, but I wouldn't call it obviously "pop" either. I'd cut a few tracks, but only a few. I think it's masterfully constructed, myself. There are so many gems people overlook as well, like Empty Room. Holy fuck.
 
Suburbs is a classic from my perspective, much more appealing melodically and thematically than any of their other albums, but I wouldn't call it obviously "pop" either. I'd cut a few tracks, but only a few. I think it's masterfully constructed, myself. There are so many gems people overlook as well, like Empty Room. Holy fuck.

:yes:
 
I like the new song, but I'm going to be snobbish and turn my nose up at this 128kbps file until tomorrow when we have a much higher quality version.

I love The Suburbs too.
 
Suburbs is a classic from my perspective, much more appealing melodically and thematically than any of their other albums...

I still think much of the thematic content on The Suburbs feels forced. I mean, yeah, Butler says the words "suburbs" and "kids" a lot. But does that make for a coherent vision? In my book, both Funeral and Neon Bible are more emotive because they are not telling you so directly what to think.

I could give them the benefit of the doubt and interpret the meandering nature of the middle of The Suburbs as commentary on how listless suburban life can be, but I'm not sure that's what Butler and co. had in mind when crafting the album.
 
I still think much of the thematic content on The Suburbs feels forced. I mean, yeah, Butler says the words "suburbs" and "kids" a lot. But does that make for a coherent vision? In my book, both Funeral and Neon Bible are more emotive because they are not telling you so directly what to think.

I could give them the benefit of the doubt and interpret the meandering nature of the middle of The Suburbs as commentary on how listless suburban life can be, but I'm not sure that's what Butler and co. had in mind when crafting the album.

You don't think Neon Bible is on the nose? Intervention is about a puppy dying of cholera in a snowdrift because God looked away for a split second. Antichrist Television Blues takes Springsteen's melodrama and somehow manages to ratchet it up even further. Windowsill's original title was "I Hate What the World Has Become" but it wasn't abstract enough. The Suburbs spoonfeeds opinions to you, but at least I don't want to smack Win for having them.

Certainly it's your opinion that the middle of the Suburbs is weak and you're welcome to it. Half Light II, Suburban War and We Used to Wait are fucking awesome. Month of May also gives it some variety. Wasted Hours and Deep Blue are whatever, but that's it. If your album has two weak tracks, you win.
 
Notice I said "so directly." :wink: Of course Neon Bible is preachy, but nothing on there is as direct as Sprawl I.
 
Mostly I don't mind that track's lyrics. The first person storytelling keeps the proselytizing down. But the final verse is complete garbage:

The last defender of the sprawl
Said "Well, where do you kids live?"
Well, sir, if you only knew what the answer's worth
Been searching every corner of the earth


Go fuck yourself, Win.
 
And just to be clear, I think We Used to Wait is one of the best songs of the decade so far. That one hits ridiculously hard emotionally.
 
Every time I think about how I used to wait for letters to arrive, I cry.

:wink:
 
I still think much of the thematic content on The Suburbs feels forced. I mean, yeah, Butler says the words "suburbs" and "kids" a lot. But does that make for a coherent vision? In my book, both Funeral and Neon Bible are more emotive because they are not telling you so directly what to think.

I could give them the benefit of the doubt and interpret the meandering nature of the middle of The Suburbs as commentary on how listless suburban life can be, but I'm not sure that's what Butler and co. had in mind when crafting the album.

Well, personally, I haven't connected with any album thematically and lyrically in quite the same way as I have The Suburbs. Maybe that's because it's lyrics are a little on-the-nose, but I suspect it's more that, IMO, he got the feel and mood and emotion on looking back on childhood down pretty perfectly. Just my opinion.
 
Suburbs is a classic from my perspective, much more appealing melodically and thematically than any of their other albums, but I wouldn't call it obviously "pop" either. I'd cut a few tracks, but only a few. I think it's masterfully constructed, myself. There are so many gems people overlook as well, like Empty Room. Holy fuck.

I like their first album (because I like all the songs and their best are on there) but the 3rd has eclipsed the 2nd. The only negative aspect is that's such a downer album. The Suburbs look like the concentration camp that it isn't.

The new track is continuing the chill wave quality everyone is doing. I like it so far and I hope the rest of the album will continue with a new sound because they did the last style to death. I always thought Win sounded like Bowie so it's fitting.

Sound quality on link is shite
 
Possible lyrics

Music 411 Blog

Trapped in a prism
In a prism of light
Alone in the darkness
Darkness of white
We fell in love
Alone on a stage
In the reflective age

Entre la nuit, la nuit et L'Aurore,
Entre le royaume des vivants et des morts

If this is heaven
I don’t know what it’s for
If I can’t find you there
I don’t care

I thought I found a way to enter
It’s just a Reflektor (It’s just a Reflektor)
I thought I found the connector
It’s just a Reflektor (It’s just a Reflektor)

Now, the signals we send
Are deflected again
We’re still connected
But are we even friends?

We fell in love when I was nineteen
And I was staring at a screen

Entre la nuit, la nuit et L'Aurore,
Entre le royaume des vivants et des morts

If this is heaven
I need something more
Just a place to be alone
Cause you’re my home

I thought I found a way to enter
It’s just a Reflektor (It’s just a Reflektor)
I thought I found the connector
It’s just a Reflektor (It’s just a Reflektor, just a Reflektor)

It’s just a Reflektor, just a Reflektor
It’s just a Reflektor, just a Reflektor
Just a Reflektor, Reflektor

Just a reflektor (repeat)

Just a reflection of a reflection
Of a reflection of a reflection of a reflection, ah!

Will I see you on the other side?
We all got things to hide

It’s just a reflection of a reflection
Of a reflection of a reflection of a reflection, ah!

Will I see you on the other side?
We all got things to hide

Alright, let’s go back!

Our song escapes
On neon silver discs
Our love is plastic
We’ll break it to bits

I want to break free
But will they break me?
Down, down, down
Don’t mess around

I thought I found a way to enter
It’s just a Reflektor (It’s just a Reflektor)
I thought I found the connector
It’s just a Reflektor (It’s just a Reflektor)

It's just a Reflektor (repeat)

Thought you would bring me to the ressurector
Turns out it was just a Reflektor (It’s just a Reflektor)
Thought you would bring to me the ressurector
Turns out it was just a Reflektor (It’s just a Reflektor)
Thought you would bring to me the ressurector
Turns out it was just a Reflektor (It’s just a Reflektor)

It’s a Reflektor
Just a Reflektor
Just a Reflektor

Will I see you on the other side?

It’s just a Reflektor

(AH!)

Will I see you on the other side? (Reflektor!)
We all got things to hide (Reflektor!)

It’s just a Reflektor

Will I see you on the other side?
 
Neon Bible's evangelical post-apocalypse concept rocks. At its best, it evokes a goofy rock opera... Quadrophenia meets The Road.
 
I really can't express at the moment how great I think Reflektor is after one listen. David Fucking Bowie and James Fucking Murphy, two of Planet Earth's three greatest men, and Arcade Fire, who you all know I've liked but not loved. What a tune.

I'd say it ranks behind only Power Out, Rebellion and Wake Up.

/anotherridiculouscobblerpost
 
The link worked for me when I tried it just now. Right now, I don't like it. Not much at all. It's too long, it's too disco, and it's too repetitive. Lop off about 30 seconds or more, and maybe I'd like it more. Maybe.

They're going to kill it live. I mean, you won't even be able to find your book afterwards.
 
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