[Uncle Erik]

Agreed on the Hollywood Bowl! I'd love to see them there! "The Suburbs" is finally beginning to catch on - about five songs have planted hooks and I just know that they're going to pull me into the rest of the album. Can't wait to get home and put it through the headphone rig another time.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Ack! Double post - apologies.

 

[daigo]

I listened through Suburbs twice last night.  An overall solid album, but I'll need more listens to see if any of the songs continue to stand out.  I didn't like Neon Bible much at all, so this was a bit of an improvement.

 

[DLeeWebb]

Quote:

I listened through Suburbs twice last night.  An overall solid album, but I'll need more listens to see if any of the songs continue to stand out.  I didn't like Neon Bible much at all, so this was a bit of an improvement.

I've listened to "The Suburbs" probably four times through now and I'm loving it more every time I listen to it...

 

[tintin47]

I have really enjoyed this album, and I would rank it about on the level of neon bible, which I really liked. Funeral is in a class of its own, and I'm not sure if they'll ever be able to equal that.
 
The one thing that really bothers me about this album is the lyrics.  They sound lazy to me, especially considering the three-year hiatus since neon bible.  I can't think of any specific examples, but ill add a few next time I listen to it.
 
Does anyone else just hate "month of may"? I can't stand it.
 

 

[virometal]

tintin47:

The one thing that really bothers me about this album is the lyrics.  They sound lazy to me,

 
I'm with that as I commented sort of about a page ago. The subject matter is well worn, and the lyrics don't help. Funeral explored some of the same motifs, yet had such a wonderful wordsmith quality to it.
 
Anyway, for me it's a very small complaint. On the subject of sweet spot, about the eighth play was really, really good for me. Now, I've entered don't want to burn it out stage! Man, this is one of those that has lived up to the hype for me. Usually I'm such a contrarian that such albums have little chance. The Suburbs is just that good.

 

[Xan7hos]

Quote:

I've had "The Suburbs" for a couple of days now and am through about four listens. I like it, but it hasn't entirely sunk in yet. I loved "Funeral" from the first listen, but didn't enjoy "Neon Bible" at all on first listen. I put "Neon Bible" away and went back to it. With more listens, I gradually warmed up and really liked it.

"The Suburbs" reminds me of several albums that slipped through the first few listens without registering - nothing I love and nothing I hate. However, after a number of listens, they sink a hook and the whole thing makes sense. I think that might happen here and I hope it does.

I share the same sentiments. I'm a firm believer that prior to The Suburbs, Arcade Fire's best stuff was their first stuff. If you haven't listened to their self-titled EP, it's simply a treat. I loved Funeral, liked Neon Bible.
 
It's usually due to just one hook song, for me, it's definitely Sprawl II for this album

 

[Dublo7]

Quote:

I have really enjoyed this album, and I would rank it about on the level of neon bible, which I really liked. Funeral is in a class of its own, and I'm not sure if they'll ever be able to equal that.
 
The one thing that really bothers me about this album is the lyrics.  They sound lazy to me, especially considering the three-year hiatus since neon bible.  I can't think of any specific examples, but ill add a few next time I listen to it.
 
Does anyone else just hate "month of may"? I can't stand it.
 

I can't help but cringe and groan at lines such as, "the businessmen drink our blood" - Really? I find it (suburbia) all to be just such an exhausted and smashed subject. It's pretty tedious.

 

[logwed]

I like it, but I honestly have no capacity to even hear lyrics (Yes conditioned me to have them be indecipherable). The music is good, quite a bit more poppy than the previous efforts, which is fine by me, though I liked Funeral and Neon Bible.r
 
I certainly can't complain about kitschy lyrics after some songs by The Flower Kings... 

 

[cruizin caleb]

'if the businessmen drink my blood, like all the kids in art school set they would, then i guess i'll just begin again.'

i think he is ridiculing the kids like the kids in art school... or something. i actually really like that line. along with the lyrical themes of Rococo. and honestly, there aren't many lyrical topics that aren't exhausted.
Quote:

I can't help but cringe and groan at lines such as, "the businessmen drink our blood" - Really? I find it (suburbia) all to be just such an exhausted and smashed subject. It's pretty tedious.

 

[Calexico]

I agree, Month of May is god-awful.  Skipped every time I listen to The Suburbs.  I'm not sure if I like this more than Neon Bible, and I definitely don't like it as much as Funeral yet.  I really like Half Light II though.  But really I just get bored listening to this album.  Maybe Arcade Fire isn't really for me anymore, since I stopped listening to Funeral and Neon Bible from end-to-end a long time ago.
 
Quote:

I have really enjoyed this album, and I would rank it about on the level of neon bible, which I really liked. Funeral is in a class of its own, and I'm not sure if they'll ever be able to equal that.
 
The one thing that really bothers me about this album is the lyrics.  They sound lazy to me, especially considering the three-year hiatus since neon bible.  I can't think of any specific examples, but ill add a few next time I listen to it.
 
Does anyone else just hate "month of may"? I can't stand it.
 

 

[tolkencatholic]

nah Month of May is swweeeeet. especially when it goes into Wasted Hours

 

[cruizin caleb]

exactly. i feel like Month of May - while i wouldn't listen to it by itself - is a very good 'album tool' / 'change of pace' / 'transitional track'
Quote:

nah Month of May is swweeeeet. especially when it goes into Wasted Hours

 

[radu]

I was a fan of Funeral, but got burned out listening to that album.  To me, the Suburbs sounds boring, uninspired, almost like a bad rehash of thier earlier work as opposed to moving the band in another direction.  I know people will disagree with me, to each thier own, but this is my opinion...

 

[duotone]

Am gonna buy this tonight, listened to 2 tracks on youtube yesterday evening & thought this is definitely worth buying.
 
The tracks I listened to were: we used to wait & city with no children.  Looking forward to listening to it from start to finish tonight.