Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

It took a little while for me to digest the new Arcade Fire album--it is sixteen tracks long, after all--but after multiple listens, I've finally fallen in love with it. I'm still sticking by my original belief that it is a bit too long and a few tracks could be edited out ("City With No Children" and "Deep Blue," for starters), but for the most part, Arcade Fire have refined their baroque pop sound even further and created an album that is truly a sign of the times. Experimenting only slightly, like with the shimmery '80s keys on "Ready To Start," and their string arrangements (schmaltzy on "Rococo" and frenzied on "Empty Room") this is still the same old Arcade Fire that likes its lyrics as dense and dramatic as its music. On "Modern Man," frontman Win Butler laments "Maybe when you're older you will understand / why you don't feel right / why you can't sleep at night," speaking directly to those effected by the plight of the recession. As dark as Arcade Fire's previous albums have been, the weight of The Suburbs can truly be felt on each track, with Butler calling for the end of suburban sprawl and his band members chiming in behind him. Although there may not be an obvious "Rebellion (Lies)" or "Keep The Car Running" on this album, "Month of May" is as close as it gets to being a strong contender, with Butler's half-shouted meta lyrics and the fuzzed-out guitars that back him. The Suburbs is a bold statement for a band that has constantly tried to one-up themselves with each new release. While it may not sound as exciting as the first time you heard Funeral, it's definitely an album that will stick with you for a long time.

DOWNLOAD: Arcade Fire - The Suburbs [Merge]
Recommended Tracks: "The Suburbs," "Modern Man," "Empty Room," "Half Light II (No Celebration)," "Month of May," "We Used To Wait," "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Moutains)."