The Suburbs
by Arcade Fire
This album has been added to 9 private lists and 21 public lists:
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Grammy Album of the Year Award Winners and Nominees
Mindy2011 winner A shining example of what I love to see in an AAOTY winner, The Suburbs sounds like the prevailing pop trends of the time, and yet it pairs the gritty, dystopian sounds with heavenly instrumentation and driving snare drums creating a sound that is not only immediately placeable as a 2010’s album, but still has its own unique sound. Continuing the dystopian concept album that was inescapable at the time (see: Viva la Vida or Torches), they chose a subject matter that was unique, intrinsic to urban growth Americana (and presumably Canadia?), and a sprawling enough concept that could easily be explored at length. I am unashamedly biased in my opinion of this album, as at the sound of the very first chord in the very first track, I am immediately transported back to riding in the cruiser with Mom and Andy when I heard that this indie album (that was oh so dear and felt like it was lifting the banner for so many other beloved, and even local, artists that were tragically underrated) had won THE music award of the year. Couldn’t be happier about this winner 🥹
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SJO- Bandwagoner
Stephen OlsenMaybe Funeral instead?
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2010
JamesThe album examines suburban life not simply as cultural critique, but as emotional and psychological environment. Win Butler and Régine Chassagne sing about nostalgia, boredom, fear, and lost possibility with surprising tenderness. The music shifts between anthemic rock and quieter reflection without forcing easy conclusions about adulthood or memory. It understands that growing up often means realizing the places that shaped you are impossible to fully escape.
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2025 - Week 18: Rob's Listening Log #5
Rob RyanA seminal album and deservedly beat out Bieber for Album of the Year at the Grammys
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1001Albums
Neil HopkinsI was all prepared to shrug my shoulders at this album - pretty standard, middle of the road indie stuff from Canadian rockers Arcade fire, with a loose sort of concept theme of life in the suburbs, but one track made me sit up and listen. Month of May is a certified banger - a solid Krautrock beat and even a nod to the Ramones with a ‘1, 2, 3, 4’ lead in, and some great lines about ‘kids all standing with their arms folded tight’.
I started listening a bit more closely to the lyrics, and there’s some nice stuff in here about run down shopping malls and soulless housing estates patrolled by police chasing kids on bikes, where you can’t even recognise the house you grew up in without looking at the numbers on the door. The last but one track is Sprawl II, which is a great 80s style vaporwave pastiche leading into the final section about the Suburbs. Malltastic!
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My Vinyl
Ben EdwardsIconic
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High School Never Dies
Dan SteinThe alienating feeling of the suburbs gets under your skin. It is not for the faint of heart, and I don't think its something that if you grew up in a city you could possibly understand. Arcade Fire elevated (somewhat pretentiously) this phenomenon to new heights on this album. Sprawl II, the album's best song, articulates this the best. You know your kind is in the city, but you cant escape the feeling that they don't want you there.
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