First impressions. Not as orchestral as Neon Bible, nor so sad as Funeral. While the sound may not be as huge as it was on the last album, it still manages to get up there at some points. Much less going on in this record, but the by toning it down, Arcade Fire gives ever instrument a chance to shine. Overall, pretty good, although I do think I like the other two LPs more. It's a new style for Arcade Fire, but the change is nice because it gives each record its own distinct feel. Unlike Funeral, which dealt with death, and Neon Bible, which discussed religion, The Suburbs discusses, well, the suburbs. Frustration with the daily repetition of menial tasks and the desire to escape from mediocrity at home and in the workplace are some of the main topics. "They heard me singing, and they told me to stop, quit these pretentious things and just punch the clock," howls Régine Chassagne. Obviously, Arcade Fire is tackling some big issues on this one, but they do it in a way that doesn't sound overly heavy handed. Anyways, here comes the track list:
The Suburbs- A fairly overt reference to the album's title. Win Butler creates the album's tone in this one. "Grab your mother's keys, we're leaving", he states. It sets the stage for the mini-drama that develops during the rest of The Suburbs. This is a fairly Arcade Fire-esque song. Interwoven layers of instruments play off of each other nicely without ever fighting for top spot. The main difference is that we now have a piano instead of the usual bellowing organ. One of my favorites on the album.
Ready To Start- Here's that push that you were waiting for. Win is pretty to the point on this one. 3/4 of the way through Butler takes center stage and creates a nice buildup with a sudden drop that sounds very similar to the end of (Antichrist Television Blues). The pattern of disillusionment continues in this one. "Business men are drinking my blood," says Win. If this isn't a pretty glaring message, I don't know what is.
Modern Man- Arcade Fire manages to keep this song toned down as well, and while you may be patiently awaiting that drop, it never hits like you really want it to. Butler discusses what it means to be a "Modern Man" in the suburbs, discussing the day to day toils of living in monotony. One can only hope he achieves the escape that was planned in the first track.
Rococo- I can't say enough good things about this track. Ironically, Arcade Fire is singing about their main fan-base(Hipsters), and they aren't saying anything nice. But I'll be damned if they aren't spot on with their criticisms. I'm guilty of a few of them myself. This song also provides that long awaited kick that we have come to expect from Arcade Fire. By far my favorite track on the record.
Empty Room- I am inexplicably reminded of Jonsi during the first seconds of this song. Its probably got something to do with that playful violin. This song gives Régine a chance to shine. She discusses the necessity of hiding her true self when others are around. Layers of guitar, piano, and crashing symbols fade almost too early as the song comes to a quick ending.
City With No Children- Win struggles with his own stardom. He pines for a simpler time, back when he wasn't separated from everyone else by his fame and wealth. It has become his "private prison" in his own words.
Half Light I- Once again Régine laments how people are hide themselves from others. Metaphorically speaking, people don't let others look into them, and instead bottle everything inside. Her voice is the driving force on this one, with a soft drum beat in the background.
Half Light II (No Celebration)- Harsh guitar chords work well with the sweeping violin in the background. It adds an almost dancy beat in the background as the song picks up. This song serves as an explanation as to how they ended up in the suburbs to begin with. Their dreams crushed by money, they are forced to pack up their belongings and leave the city.
Month of May- I don't know where the hell this song comes from. It kicks off with a cagey punk rock opener that is highly reminiscent of the beginning of a Ramones song. Totally breaking the toned down feeling of the rest of the album. The weight of life is a prominent theme in this one.
Wasted Hours- And here we are, back to simple guitar chords and a light drum beat. Probably my least favorite track on the album. This one is about...wasted hours more or less. Looking back at life, Win realizes how much he missed.
Deep Blue- Crashing symbols and the piano take the center stage while, unexpectedly, a synth makes its a debut. Butler comes up with an answer on how to escape the chains that hold him. "Put the cellphone down for a while, In the night there is something wild, Can you hear it breathing?" There is life beyond the suburbs. You just have to find it.
We Used to Wait- The piano once again is the main instrument on this one. Butler decides to make a change, he is going to break free of the suburbs, acting on the plans made in track 1. We get that orchestral feeling back on this one with Chassagne providing back up vocals. An upbeat tempo brings the song to a close.
Sprawl I (Flatlands)- This one starts with the sound of a train passing over its tracks. The solitary thump, thump, thump of box car after boxcar passing through an empty expanse help to create the isolated tone of this track. Arcade Fire brings up the motif of night again. Now that the "Half Light" has passed, they are deep into the early hours of the morning, and seem to be regressing to an almost child-like state.
Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)- Chassagne takes center stage on this one again. The punch the clock lyric serves as the opener. She discusses the true nature of the sprawl, realizing that they will never escape. The upbeat tempo and synth betray the feeling of inevitable loss that is relayed by the vocals.
Suburban War- A nice guitar riff opens the track up for the drums and other instruments. This is a pretty good track, and definitely one of my favorites. It really picks up when the drums kick in about 3/4 of the way through and Win really lets it go. The inevitable return to the suburbs has happened. Daylight has come and they realize that they cant escape. A crashing crescendo helps provide the feeling of something ending.
The Suburbs (Continued)- A very mournful track. Slow violins take the stage on this one. Butler and Chassagne trade off lyrics and it sounds very much like a conversation. A rather depressing finish to the album.
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