As I figured beforehand, no discussion on that album at all. Let's hope this album sparks some more interest.
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44. Arcade Fire – Funeral (2004) My first encounter with Arcade Fire wasn’t very nice. I think I received the song
Wake Up in a roulette was and in a round full of random experimental or progressive metal tunes, it didn’t stick with me. Except that I returned to this later and years after that roulette has ended, it would not surprise me if this song is the only track I received in that specific round that I still listen to. Whoever I punished with a low score that round, please take some consolation with the fact that this track is now my favourite on the album.
Arcade Fire were once hailed as a band that could make rock music true to form again and they succeeded to the extent that they are widely known among hipsters and festival goers. At least, that statement is true for where I come from. Dubbed as the second best album released in the 2000’s by Pitchfork (6th in Rolling Stone’s list, both had Radiohead’s ‘Kid A’ as #1), this is a special album indeed and, if I may be so bold to state this, one of the best indie albums ever released.
Rather than quote from top-X-lists from websites I don’t read on a regular basis, I’ll try to explain what made me return to this album and what made me love it. There’s probably tons of albums out there that portray raw emotion and produce a sound that resonates as ‘pure’ or ‘authentic’, but this tends to be very hit or miss with me. The infamous Neutral Milk Hotel album many on DTF seem to love can’t seem to interest me at all, yet this album does and it’s not even that much different. ‘Funeral’ features slightly out of tune singing, deliberate ‘bad’ production (although not as apparent as on the NMH album) and not exactly the most showmanship in the songs. It’s those songs however, that make this album great, for they are so well-written.
I had a hard time choosing the other three songs apart from my favourite, but ultimately went with album opener
Neighbourhood #1 (Tunnels) because of its raw honesty, the album closer
In the Backseat for it’s the most laidback track on the album featuring vocals by the only female member of the band and
Neighbourhood #3 (Power Out), arguably the most rocking tune on the album. I can recommend not listen to individual tracks here though, but rather to the album in full. It’s a rewarding experience once it (finally) clicks.
Favourite song: Wake Up
Other songs worth checking out: Neighbourhood #1 (Tunnels), In the Backseat, Neighbourhood #3 (Power Out)
Other stuff by this band: I must say I’m not too familiar with their other stuff. I listened to ‘The Suburbs’ once or twice and I quite liked it. It wasn’t as good as this one, though.