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Let’s talk about Arcade Fire… (reddit.com)

submitted by brewgiehowser

Let’s talk about Arcade Fire…

295 points•183 comments•submitted by brewgiehowser to r/vinyl
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[–]brewgiehowser[S] 6 points7 points  (7 children)

So for 2023 I've been doing deep dives into artists paired with these 33 1/3 books. In January I read about A Tribe Called Quest, and in February I read about The Pharcyde to coincide with the reissue of Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde.

This month I took a break from hip hop to read about an album I never really absorbed; Arcade Fire's The Suburbs. I've been a fan of Arcade Fire since their debut full-length album, Funeral, and I really enjoyed Neon Bible. I don't really recall where I was in life, but for some reason I didn't pay much attention to The Suburbs when it was released and I wanted to give it the attention I felt it's always deserved (it won Album of the Year at the Grammys!).

Featured is the original 2010 pressing of The Suburbs, the 2009 reissue of Funeral on 180g weight vinyl (though I also have the original 2005 US pressing), and the Mondo exclusive of Arcade Fire and Owen Platt's neoclassical score to Spike Jonze's film Her pressed on translucent red marble (I also have the Newbury Comics exclusive on clear).

So what are your thoughts about this record? Do you have a favorite track? Did you watch the Spike Jonze complimentary film about the album (or how about Where the Wild Things Are?) What's your favorite Arcade Fire album?

[–]pobeso 5 points6 points  (0 children)

This is their best album hands down. Between the production value, thematic subject matter, varied yet cohesive sound, sonic storytelling, all still with the aching heart I knew from their earlier two albums -- to me this the ultimate culmination of everything "early Arcade Fire" (relatively speaking) set out to be.

Before The Suburbs, they were too scratchy to be truly accessible, even though those albums are very near and dear to my heart. After The Suburbs, things got weird; it was cool, but not as deep. The Suburbs, to me, represented that perfect balancing act between heart and accessibility.

I also was 16 when it came out and it defined my musical experience until roughly college, so you could say I'm strongly biased lol.

[–]chicky_babes 3 points4 points  (4 children)

Funeral is far and away their best, imho. Suburbs is #2. They kind of tapered off a bit gradually after that to my ears. But these first albums are perfect.

[–]Sarcofaygo 1 point2 points  (1 child)

Neon Bible is #2, Suburbs is #3

[–]ACardAttackRebellion (Lies) 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I agree about Burbs, but NB is #4, Reflektor is #2!

[–]sailor_rose 1 point2 points  (1 child)

I'm not sure if I am biased because Funeral changed my life when it came out and was my first exposure to AF (Rebellion (Lies) music video on MTV) but that will always be my favorite album of theirs, no exceptions ❤️

[–]chicky_babes 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've thought about this a lot, why I like Funeral so much. It's just that there's not a bad song in it, and there's nothing that seems like "filler." Those are rare albums. But yes, it was my first exposure to them as well.

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

As time goes on, I find the more overdramatic aspects a little tiresome. But it's still a very well-made album with some classic AF songs.