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[jstevenson]

only the big publications got a copy to review. the rest go out Monday.

They didn't even get copies... everyone has had to go to listening parties.

It's rather remarkable it hasn't leaked with only 9 days to go until some international releases next Friday. Borderline shocking after some of the other recent high-profile leaks.

 

[Expendable.]

Yeah, most of the publications only got to listen to it once I heard. :lol

I can't even imagine doing that with any album before reviewing.

 

[Acid08]

That's actually pretty bad. All the reviews are just based on single listens? That's not a good tactic for music reviewing.

 

[Lafiel]

That's actually pretty bad. All the reviews are just based on single listens? That's not a good tactic for music reviewing.

Well if they're that impressed on their first listen. IT MUST BE REALLY GOOD? or maybe the album will get worse with every subsequent listen.

 

[GG-Duo]

I await for less hyperbole and more thoughtful analysis...

 

[Alucard]

I await for less hyperbole and more thoughtful analysis...

You're not going to get that until 2-3 months after the album is actually released.

 

[Expendable.]

That's actually pretty bad. All the reviews are just based on single listens? That's not a good tactic for music reviewing.

no, just some. Some of them talk about listening to it multiple times.

 

[Dynamite Ringo Matsuri]

OK. Just preordered the premium digital album plus the CD proper. On the site, it states that all preorders will receive an instant download of The Suburbs and Month of May. Is the code supposed to come with the receipt or something?

 

[Davey Cakes]

Some people are going to bitch and moan that this isn't Funeral 2, but hell, they did that with Neon Bible and Neon Bible was a good album.

Going by tracks like Month of May and Ready to Start (I've only really listened to the officially-released stuff), The Suburbs is going to be another gem, no doubt.

 

[Odrion]

Leave your idiotic witchhunts on the gaming side.

Nearly every single indie album leaks. People listen to it, and the people who actually listen to independent music are most likely buying it/going to shows/buying shirts.

Anyway, anyone in TO planning on going to the Island concert? I'm thinking about it, but my cheap asshole side comes up and tells me I could go to four others for the same price. :lol

how the hell would stopping people from talking about stealing music be considered a witchhunt? how the hell would enforcing the TOS be considered a witchhunt?

if the artists want to distribute their music for free, they will. if the artists want to distribute their music early, they can. the whole "if people like the music they will pay for it" is bullocks and this day and age there are many free and legal ways to listen and discover bands.

 

[jstevenson]

It has officially, and finally, been leaked.

 

[Cohsae]

It has officially, and finally, been leaked.

For real this time? Because I believe there was a fake leak going around. Nonetheless, Google here I come!
Edit: Seems it is for real. God dammit it's 1:30 AM I should be going to bed.

 

[Get'sMad]

Does this band realize they are a parody of themselves?

 

[Ninja Kn1ght]

It's finally here!

 

[Pikelet]

Does this band realize they are a parody of themselves?

what?

 

[jstevenson]

Does this band realize they are a parody of themselves?

/don't feed the trolls kids

 

[jon bones]

:lol your avatar cracks me up

what game is that from

 

[K.Sabot]

Don't hate me guys if I fall prey to the temptation to listen to this early.

 

[Zilch]

I'm surprised I'm saying this, but I wish there was more electronic stuff on the album -- Sprawl II takes the band in a really exciting direction that I wish they would've explored a bit more on the album.

It all sounds good. Gonna take a few listens to really come to any conclusion on how I feel it stacks up to their other two albums (both of which I love).

 

[KtSlime]

Don't hate me guys if I fall prey to the temptation to listen to this early.

As am I...

 

[Blooper]

Does this band realize they are a parody of themselves?

I see what you mean. Though I do feel some of the stuff on the second half.

Album kinda just chugs along with a unguided sense of melancholy. Like where are the tempo changes? The shouting? The pain? It's all sort of complacent in hopes the listener will thrust a certain mood onto the album and just "feel it," which many will probably end up doing. But in the end as a whole it fails to move me, sweep me off my feet like Funeral. There are parts that come close or do this, but they are few and far between for a sprawling 16 song album.

I feel Funeral mastered a feeling, the orchestral build up in most songs introduced melancholy and developed it into something further, pain; regret; desperation; inspiration; warmth; and love.

Neon Bible kinda took that large urgent sound and became an album on the verge of cliche or parody, so filled with angst and bombast and kinda lost some of the innocent sincerity Funeral had.

I think they may have just tried parring back that dynamic approach but kept similar Arcade Fire themes for The Suburbs. Unfortunately to me it feels just a little empty, and again, cliched. They kinda mastered these themes on Funeral with a greater dynamic, and trying to do a similar thing with less range, but more length kinda makes the album feel dry lots of the time.

But I've only listened once, and I'm sure theres room for this to grow. I'm sure it's a good album, but I'm also sure it's not a particularly great one.

 

[jstevenson]

I see what you mean. Though I do feel some of the stuff on the second half.

Album kinda just chugs along with a unguided sense of melancholy. Like where are the tempo changes? The shouting? The pain? It's all sort of complacent in hopes the listener will thrust a certain mood onto the album and just "feel it," which many will probably end up doing. But in the end as a whole it fails to move me, sweep me off my feet like Funeral. There are parts that come close or do this, but they are few and far between for a sprawling 16 song album.

I feel Funeral mastered a feeling, the orchestral build up in most songs introduced melancholy and developed it into something further, pain; regret; desperation; inspiration; warmth; and love.

Neon Bible kinda took that large urgent sound and became an album on the verge of cliche or parody, so filled with angst and bombast and kinda lost some of the innocent sincerity Funeral had.

I think they may have just tried parring back that dynamic approach but kept similar Arcade Fire themes for The Suburbs. Unfortunately to me it feels just a little empty, and again, cliched. They kinda mastered these themes on Funeral with a greater dynamic, and trying to do a similar thing with less range, but more length kinda makes the album feel dry lots of the time.

But I've only listened once, and I'm sure theres room for this to grow. I'm sure it's a good album, but I'm also sure it's not a particularly great one.

Stop comparing it to Funeral. It is not Funeral. It will never be Funeral.

They have said specifically none of their albums will ever sound alike.

To be, it seems like a band much more confident than they were when they created Funeral. But again, it's early, AF usually features a ton of depth.

 

[Timber]

i agree with Blooper that they came dangerously close to self-parody with some of Neon Bible's pomp. but the same kind of sound and emotional intensity coursed through Funeral, which in retrospect seems a bit too much but got/gets a pass because of how new and exciting and perhaps even a bit groundbreaking it was at the time. that super-theatrical emotionalism works for one album, but it's not something you can easily make a career out of. so i'm quite glad that musically they reined themselves in a bit, and i don't think Suburbs feels meandering or aimless or dry. perhaps some songs do. perhaps they could have pared it a bit. but most of it is class.

the only aspect of Suburbs where they're overdoing it a bit (cliche, self-parody?) is the lyrics. Butler should probably find something else to write about besides "the" "kids".

i've only listened to it once but i enjoyed it thoroughly. will definitely buy it when it hits stores.

 

[wenis]

SOOOOO goood.....

 

[Vicious]

Damn, I really like "Modern Man"

edit - This album is amazing so far. Up to "Half Light II" which is awesome. The only track I wasn't really into was "Empty Room".

Hope it keeps up.

 

[Dies Iræ]

Edit: Found it.

I'll post thoughts after my first listen.

 

[KtSlime]

I liked individual tracks, especially the reprise of the the suburbs, however I felt it was much more broken up than funeral and neon bible. Maybe I just need to listen to the whole thing a few more times.

 

[jstevenson]

I liked individual tracks, especially the reprise of the the suburbs, however I felt it was much more broken up than funeral and neon bible. Maybe I just need to listen to the whole thing a few more times.

The sound and style of the music is more broken up, yes, but thematically, it's the strongest album they've ever done as far as consistency.

This is the first album of theirs that is just overflowing with confidence. you can hear it. I have a feeling this is only going to grow better with more listens. It's almost dreamlike how the reprise fades back into The Suburbs if you have it on repeat.

 

[ThanksVision]

I don't have time to look, can someone please PM a link to DL?

Thanks!!!!!!!!!

 

[Barrett2]

I'm going to see them at MSG in a few weeks. Anyone else?

 

[jstevenson]

I'm going to see them at MSG in a few weeks. Anyone else?

Will be watching that concert live on YouTube... they still haven't announced West Coast dates. Sigh. Been a long time since that 2007 Hollywood Bowl appearance (saw them 3 times in 4 months that summer... total bliss)

 

[Zilch]

I kinda want to go to the MSG show (are both sold out?) but stadium-sized shows don't do anything for me.

 

[Dynamite Ringo Matsuri]

Nooooooooooo, it leaked and I'm here at work I would love to say that I can wait til the album is shipped to me but im just too weak of a man... Man, had the iPhone 4 been jailbroken I could have downloaded, extracted and listened to it with Finder :| What's the bitrate of the leak?

 

[Dies Iræ]

320.

 

[Dynamite Ringo Matsuri]

320.

Niiiiiiiiiiice... I guess all I've got to look forward to are liner notes :lol

 

[jstevenson]

It's a transcode though. Someone ripped it at 192, burned it to CD, and someone else ripped that CD.

Not a great transcode, but overall quality is solid until something better shows.

 

[ethic]

I thought there was a rule about giving mpressions of pirated stuff. Why is music piracy tolerated?

 

[PhoenixDark]

I thought there was a rule about giving mpressions of pirated stuff. Why is music piracy tolerated?

:lol

 

[KtSlime]

So I am listening to it for the 3rd time, and I must say that there are some amazing things with it. While not as catchy as Neon Bible, and not the emotional roller-coaster of Funeral, it is so very solid.

Love how Suburbs just throws you into the song
Love the little buildup towards the end of Ready to start
Love the asynchronous/syncopated beat of modern man with it's slow ending
Some of the word play and lyricism is great, kids, school, art, music, rococo "They build it up just to burn it back down"
The chanting of rococo is just hilarious, and I love how it drowns into a sea of cacophony at the end with the
The rococo period piece start with strings
The simple chords of city with no children is refreshing

And there is so much more! Can't wait till I get the album in the mail!

Wished there was more Regine, I love her voice, and love when she speaks in french.

Everyone get this album. =)

 

[KtSlime]

I thought there was a rule about giving mpressions of pirated stuff. Why is music piracy tolerated?

I don't really consider what I did as music piracy... Arcade Fire has my money where ever they go within a hundred miles (maybe even further if I am feeling saucy and can get a friend to drive me). Besides, I feel music is one of the few mediums that people will experience thousands of times. Games and movies I often only play/watch once, maybe twice if it is REALLY good. Books I can read maybe two or three times if they are good. (Read the Odyssey 12 times). I will listen to an album over and over for as long as I live if I love it, and I will continually go to their concerts.

What I did at best was check what I got under the christmas wrapping...

 

[jstevenson]

Everyone get this album. =)

As someone who has like, 4 various versions pre-ordered and buying more as gifts. I whole-heartedly support this statement - support your north american indie band!

 

[rhino4evr]

Album is awesome. Their most accessible to date, but far from ordinary. I don't think it's better or worse then any of their records just yet, they all seem to stand on their own and have their own idiosyncrasies. Bottom line its another solid record from one of the best rock bands around today.

 

[Dynamite Ringo Matsuri]

Album is awesome. Their most accessible to date, but far from ordinary. I don't think it's better or worse then any of their records just yet, they all seem to stand on their own and have their own idiosyncrasies. Bottom line its another solid record from one of the best rock bands around today.

Exactly. Every album should stand on its own merits. I hate how people are constantly comparing this or that to Funeral. An album is sometimes special because none of the following ones sound like it. I like that their sound is maturing and moving in different directions with each album.

 

[Jangocube]

Grrrrrrrrrrrr can't find it.

 

[Dies Iræ]

Three listens. This is a very solid record. As a whole, I absolutely prefer The Suburbs to their first two efforts as it's a stronger concept. It would be nice - though, if the album had more anthemic tracks. I find that the album peaks with We Used to Wait. I'm not a fan of Sprawl II and I'm unable to find this album's Intervention/Rebellion.

 

[Joe]

Arcade Fire is playing back-to-back nights at MSG?? I didn't realize they had even a quarter of that popularity.

 

[rhino4evr]

Arcade Fire is playing back-to-back nights at MSG?? I didn't realize they had even a quarter of that popularity.

They are pretty huge in the Metro areas..and have a pretty large international following.

 

[KtSlime]

Arcade Fire is playing back-to-back nights at MSG?? I didn't realize they had even a quarter of that popularity.

Hmm, I'd say probably half of my friends know them, but I'm in a pretty hipster metro area.

 

[rhino4evr]

I would love to see them live..i saw them on Austin City Limts on PBS and was blown away..sadly they have never played south Florida...

 

[Dynamite Ringo Matsuri]

I would love to see them live..i saw them on Austin City Limts on PBS and was blown away..sadly they have never played south Florida...

:lol I love PBS for that very reason; they sometimes surprise me with the artists they feature. I think the first time, I flipped through the channels, and Bloc Party were on and I was like wait... what? And next thing you know, ACL came on again and bam, Arcade Fire.

I'm finally home, and album finishes DLing in 11 minutes. I'm glad this is a transcode so I can still look forward to the quality of the digital album.