In 2004, which was a very good year for music in general, The Arcade Fire burst onto the scene with the now-classic Funeral headlined by the anthemic "Wake Up", the band's most recognizable song to date, having been featured everywhere from sports montages to the trailer for the Where the Wild Things Are movie. Achieving "indie masterpiece" status practically from day one, it's the kind of album many believed would stand as the band's crowning glory, making 2006's disappointing Neon Bible an easier letdown. But for a set of such talented musicians, we were foolish to believe they would peak with their debut. Though there may be some progress-fearing die-hards who will cling to their copy of one of the most celebrate indie albums of the decade, the truth is that Funeral has indeed been topped. 2010 has been an excellent year for music as well, but The Suburbs may already top a list of exceptional albums, and, perhaps more significantly, become the band's new magnum opus.
It should be noted that there is no "Wake Up" on this album, no radio-ready single that begs to be shouted at the top of one's lungs in a crowded arena. Instead, this is one of those albums that is meant to be listened to from beginning to end to truly appreciate it. The band's maturity really shines through in just about every aspect of the record, from the lyrics and musicianship to the vocals and production. The album contains an excellent range of styles and sounds which complement and contrast each other very well due to the expertly crafted progression of songs. Many tracks run right into the next and themes and lyrics are revisited later. For example, the word "pure" appears in several of the songs, and the lyric "First they built the road/ Then they built the town/That's why we're still driving around and around" appears in back to back tracks "Month of May" and "Wasted Hours", whose very different sounds give the words a subtly different meaning each time.
The overall theme of the album, of course, is the suburbs, and finding one's place in the suburban world. There is a broad range of emotions associated with this conflict that the band addresses throughout the album, but the real genius lies in its progression from beginning to end. The listener is taken through resigned acceptance, self-deception, resistance, and mourning. In the last true song on the album, "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)" they lament "Sometimes I wonder if the world is so small/That we can never get away from the sprawl." Still, it is more than just the external conflict the "Modern Man" must face in today's world; it is the internal struggle that predominates. On the other side of these struggles, the narrator reflects "All my old friends, they don't know me now."
The truth is, while each individual song can stand out very strongly on its own, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The album will likely stand as The Arcade Fire's greatest achievement due to its complexity, the depth and relatability of its message, and its mastery of a diverse range of sounds. The Suburbs should vault The Arcade Fire into a class of their own. This is one of the few albums I've heard this year that I loved from the first moment I heard it and loved it more each time I listened. Often first listens that I really like will diminish, whereas the true classics take some growing, but this album started strong and still hasn't gotten remotely old a week later. Additionally, with over an hour of music (and no filler) spanning 16 tracks, you really get your money's worth. Few albums that long are quality from beginning to end these days.
To break down the individual tracks is difficult for reasons already mentioned, but for the sake of giving each track its due, I will do so:
1. The Suburbs (8/10): The first single, the song's main weakness is that it goes on a little too long, but it is still an excellent track. The guitar interludes are probably my favorite part of the song, but the overall atmosphere of the song endeared the album to me immediately and gave me a lot more hope for it than I had prior to listening to the album, which is impressive for one song to do (most expectations are either confirmed immediately or changed with great difficulty). Establishes the very different vibe from Neon Bible.
2. Ready to Start (8/10): This track is a little more what one might expect from The Arcade Fire, and is slightly reminiscent of "No Cars Go". A catchy track that builds a lot of energy for the album.
3. Modern Man (10/10): One of the best tracks on the album, this song plays with your sense of rhythm, possibly reinforcing the sense that there is something not quite right with the "modern man", an inconsistency in the beat of his "perfect" life. The song simultaneously lures the listener into a sense of complacency as it drifts along and unsettles the listener with its rhythmic irregularity and the song's message.
4. Rococo: (7/10): Very different and interesting, though some may find it slightly boring in the beginning. The chorus, consisting of the word "rococo" sung over and over is actually quite endearing and catchy.
5. Empty Room (9/10): Fast paced strings and electric guitars bring up the energy level once again on the track that sounds closest to classic Arcade Fire. Its anthemic chorus of "When I'm by myself I can be myself/And my life is coming but I don't know when" is one of the best moments on the CD.
6. City With No Children (8/10): This one's a grower. I wasn't a huge fan the first time I heard it, but the chorus and the guitar and bass line really move this one along.
7. Half Light I (5/10): More of a lead-in to Half Light II, though it could probably be shorter. Still, nothing on this album is noticeable as being egregiously bad, or even all that skippable. On its own, this song isn't great but it functions well in the context of the album and I still don't skip it.
8. Half Light II (9/10): The middle of the album contains two of the best songs and really are the tracks around which the rest of the album revolves, musically and thematically. This track calls for resistance to the takeover of suburbia, asking "that I won't live to see/the death of of everything that's wild" and accusing "Some people say/we've already lost/But they're afraid to pay the cost."
9. Suburban War (10/10): This is the best song of the album and the other track at the very heart of this album. This track finds the band at the height of its maturity. At times, it sounds like it could melt into Bruce Springsteen's "Atlantic City." indeed, this track draws the most comparisons to Springsteen of all, despite his heavy influence throughout the record. Such comparisons could sink most artists, but they are well-deserved in this case, and "Suburban War" could stack up nicely against some of Springsteen's best.
10. Month of May (9/10): A fast-tempoed piece that would seem out of place on this album were it placed anywhere else. This track shows the band branching out a bit and embracing something slightly outside of their comfort zone, but they pull it off nicely.
11. Wasted Hours (8/10): The last of the four-song set that I think marks the highlight of the album, this song lazily meanders appropriately for its title.
12. Deep Blue (7/10): This one sometimes seems to pass by without me realizing I listened to it, and almost seemed to be continuation of "Wasted Hours" the first time I heard it. This one will either grow on you or bore you.
13. We Used to Wait (8/10): This is another grower which starts off slow and builds intensity until its climactic ending.
14. Sprawl 1 (Flatland) (5/10): I could bump it up another couple points for its lyrics and for its strength as a lead-in to part II, but individually this is definitely the weakest song on the album.
15. Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) (10/10): Catchy beats, thought-provoking lyrics, an 80s dance atmosphere, female vocals, what's not to like about this one? Excellent closer to the album and a great summary of the thematic material as well.
16. The Suburbs (Continued) (6/10): Essentially an outro, this is a more melancholy take on the album's opener.
Album rating: 9/10
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