Arcade Fire, 'The Suburbs'

In 2007 Arcade Fire released ‘Neon Bible’, the critically acclaimed follow-up to their 2004 debut, ‘Funeral’, which, contrary to the opinion of pretty much everyone else, I believe to be a far superior album. Although ‘Neon Bible’ had its moments, Intervention and My Body is a Cage being two of the band’s finest achievements, it clearly lacked the cohesive charm evident in its predecessor. In what appeared to be an attempt at sonic expansion and multi-layered musical density in its production, ‘Neon Bible’ had a muddy, and at times, impenetrable sound, which often hindered its tracks rather than enhance them. Take Black Mirror for example. A song which, when played live, reveals itself as a genuine classic to rival any single from ‘Funeral’, yet on record, feels sludgy and laborious. With this direction receiving praise from critics and fans alike, I was fully expecting Arcade Fire to continue in a very similar path.

The potential for disappointment with the band’s third release, ‘The Suburbs’, was further compounded when it was revealed that the record would boast sixteen new tracks, a number which surely suggests a significant amount of filler to be contained within. However, to underestimate a band of this calibre is very evidently a mistake, as ‘The Suburbs’ sees Arcade Fire not only make a clear return to form, but create their best and most accomplished album to date.

The over the top production values have been ditched in favour of a beautifully light and airy atmosphere, allowing each track to breathe and express itself in such a way that would never have been possible with ‘Neon Bible’. Opening track The Suburbs demonstrates this perfectly and acts as a direct contrast to Black Mirror, ‘Neon Bible’s’ opener. With understated piano and acoustic guitars providing a light and sparse mood, The Suburbs acts as a perfect precursor for what is to come over the next 65 minutes. This minimalist approach is once again evident in Modern Man, Rococo, and Deep Blue, displaying a newfound maturity and sense of discipline in their instrumentation.

The Suburbs also sees the band tread new ground in the form of Month of May, a pulsating and intense track that possesses an intensity and urgency previously unheard in their earlier work. Lead single We Used to Wait and Ready to Start each provide moments of similar intensity when compared to much of the album’s lighter moments, both held together by a rigid pulse and tight structure.

Their progression into new territories continues with Sprawl 2 (Mountains Beyond Mountains), arguably the most ambitious move the band have made to date. With a synth laden chorus, Sprawl 2 points the band in an electronic direction unheard in their previous offerings, providing a shimmering backdrop to a spectacularly infectious lead vocal performance from Regine. The way in which the song gently builds and applies its layers without once threatening to impose upon the melodic nature of the central vocal performance is quite simply an achievement in itself.

Not only have Arcade Fire made a welcome return to form with the best album of their career so far, I firmly believe ‘The Suburbs’ to be a true modern masterpiece. They have managed to create an album of such epic scale and grandeur whilst maintaining an atmosphere of understated beauty and simplicity. For me, ‘The Suburbs’ deserves to be firmly placed among the great album releases of the past decade, and certainly the best album of 2010 to date (new Interpol album pending). Furthermore, the sonic qualities displayed here hint at the potential for even greater things in the years to come. Having opened their sound up in such interesting and inventive ways, they really could go anywhere with album number four.