Was the mix just really bad? Their performances were literally nothing but an unintelligible monodrone.

I remember listening to this album and somewhat enjoying it. But whenever I've seen them perform live it's been plain awful.

2/15/2011 9:04:09 PM

^ the first song ("month of may") did not sound good at all, imho. but, i thought "ready to start" sounded better, in terms of tv sound quality.

i've seen them live 3 or 4 times now and they've always sounded great other than the show at Thomas Wolfe in Ashevillle (with The National) where the sound guy was horrendous and the volume was low.

2/15/2011 9:31:25 PM

part of the problem is that "month of may" is a terrible song

2/15/2011 10:06:37 PM

^. seriously an awful song

2/15/2011 10:10:01 PM

i don't really like "month of may" on record, but i enjoyed watching the performance of it (except for the biker).

2/15/2011 10:10:16 PM

^, ^^, ^^^ and yeah, the other good point, it's also probably one of the worst on the record.

[Edited on February 15, 2011 at 10:11 PM. Reason : .]

2/15/2011 10:11:12 PM

Mat Hoffman can do no wrong imo

2/15/2011 10:14:57 PM

i think they could have literally picked any 2 other songs off the album to perform and it would've been much better. but whatevz, i was happy for them to win.

2/15/2011 11:50:40 PM

They did Month of May because it's more "arena rockish" than some of the other songs, but that's horrible justification in any case.

If they'd done Sprawl II it would have been much better and not put off as many people.

2/16/2011 12:22:03 AM

^^ no love for Ready To Start?

I like that song quite a bit

2/16/2011 12:41:46 AM

On the other hand, I think Ready To Start is peeeeeerfect for that sort of thing. They should have done it first.

2/16/2011 12:48:03 AM

So are hipsters still allowed to like Arcade Fire now? I don't know what the protocol is on this sort of thing.

Or did hipsters already disown them and everything they've ever done a long time ago? I can't keep up.

2/24/2011 7:48:10 PM

Month of May isn't a terrible song.

Even if the the song wasn't attached to a band I already like a lot, if I happened upon a top-40 radio station and it was playing, I wouldn't go, "what is this garbage?"

2/24/2011 8:21:54 PM

Fine, it's not a terrible song.

It is, however, the worst Arcade Fire song. Even the moody stuff on Neon Bible serves a purpose.

2/24/2011 8:37:48 PM

I disagree with you.

2/24/2011 8:39:27 PM

Quote :

"So are hipsters still allowed to like Arcade Fire now? I don't know what the protocol is on this sort of thing."

Yes. It hasn't been featured in an iPod commercial yet. However, since Suburbs won a Grammy we are required to hate their next album, even if it resurrects Jesus and gives everyone in the world a million dollars.

And I personally LOVED Suburbs...even liked it more than Funeral (and I thought Neon Bible sucked). It made me feel 11 years old again. And I really liked being 11 years old.

[Edited on February 24, 2011 at 8:51 PM. Reason : herpes]

2/24/2011 8:50:36 PM

I've tried now on multiple occasions to listen to this band, you know, being that they are so critically acclaimed and all. I can't make it through an full song. They sound like all the other out-of-key whiny pseudo-rock bands that took over WKNC 5 or 10 years ago. Is this seriously what is considered ground breaking music these days?

2/24/2011 8:55:42 PM

yep

2/24/2011 8:57:18 PM

^^Oh god, we've seen the light! Under the weight of your unquestionable taste in music, I have sprung anew with a sense of purpose in life that was previous hampered by this pseudo-rock bullshit!

2/24/2011 9:36:25 PM

let's all go buy the new 311 record

2/24/2011 9:37:17 PM

lazy trolling is lazy

2/24/2011 9:45:11 PM

my roommate, freshman year, was a big 311 fan

we did not get along

2/24/2011 9:56:38 PM

So is this the best album to win since The Joshua Tree?

2/24/2011 10:02:36 PM

I don't know...Speakerboxxx/The Love Below was pretty fucking good.

But then again I've never cared for U2, so...

2/24/2011 11:06:53 PM

There's a 311 cruise.

That's weird.

2/24/2011 11:39:16 PM

I'm blown away by the fact that The Suburbs went from #52 on the billboard charts before the grammy to #12 after the grammy. They're going to get so many new fans. I thinks it's awesome.. such a great record, very much deserving of the attention it's getting

2/25/2011 1:01:33 AM

I'll add my name to the group of people who thinks "Month of May" sucks.

2/25/2011 1:10:57 AM

best album to win since Thriller??????????

2/25/2011 1:28:38 PM

I'm not trying to make anyone "see the light". I'm all for people liking whatever they want to like. My wife and I definitely don't agree on musical tastes but I'm cool with that. I actually expect most people to dislike much of the music I like.

However, I can usually find something I like in modern mainstream rock even if it's far from my first choice of music. Not so with these guys. I guess I'm trying to figure out what makes them so popular and appealing to so many in my demographic when I literally cannot finish listening to one full song. I'm willing to admit I'm the one with not so mainstream musical tastes...again not trying to bash anyone or the band, just trying to figure it out.

2/25/2011 2:30:54 PM

list some other bands that you like

2/25/2011 2:32:15 PM

^yeah seriously, Arcade Fire won a Grammy but they're not Nickleback, it's not like they're some radio-hit band christ

2/25/2011 2:35:34 PM

I am intrigued in this hipster band. I will listen to this "Sprawl II", noted as a good song on page 1, and give my verdict after I listen to it (after this good song I'm listening to on last.fm ends, that is)

I'll admit I am expecting

Quote :

"They sound like all the other out-of-key whiny pseudo-rock bands "

Decent for hipster music. Whiny, electronic, pseudo-rock with a hipster subject matter (boo having a responsible life) and its a hippie song to boot.

Not my taste at all, but I can see why hipsters love it and will soon hate and demonize the band now that it is getting more popular.

[Edited on February 25, 2011 at 3:17 PM. Reason : sounds like every other hipster band out there]

2/25/2011 3:03:20 PM

Haha i love Sprawl II. It sounds fun but has a pretty whiny subject matter (as does the whole album). Personally I'll take living in the suburbs over moving back to johnston county any day.

2/25/2011 3:13:55 PM

I'm gonna go laugh at Peter's last.fm now

2/25/2011 3:20:18 PM

Quote :

"I guess I'm trying to figure out what makes them so popular and appealing to so many"

They produce catchy songs.

They produce pretty songs.

They produce songs that make my head bob and toe tap. They produce songs that resonate emotionally.

Quote :

"They sound like all the other out-of-key whiny pseudo-rock bands"

Who are some other bands that you find meet this description?

2/25/2011 3:22:38 PM

beat you to it by 5 minutes

was going to post a link in response to his post

2/25/2011 3:23:00 PM

doesn't ThePeter listen to Rush?

also his last post could be nominated for worst of all time

2/25/2011 3:24:35 PM

Quote :

"Haha i love Sprawl II. It sounds fun but has a pretty whiny subject matter (as does the whole album). Personally I'll take living in the suburbs over moving back to johnston county any day."

I don't really see how it is "whiny". I think it's a pretty important subject, and it's interesting that they wrote an entire album about it, but then again I am in grad school for urban planning so I've already got a huge interest in that stuff. Also, the album isn't really just this big blasting of suburbia. There is a lot of criticism of city life in there too, as well as a lot of nostalgia for growing up in the suburbs.

2/25/2011 3:25:34 PM

I tried the band. I didn't like it because its not my taste. You hipsters are so fickle and sensitive.

2/25/2011 3:26:19 PM

fuck it

http://www.last.fm/user/pcvenema

2/25/2011 3:27:31 PM

I understand that. They were disturbed that the area they grew up in (Houstin I think) was overcome by suburbia. I agree it is an interesting topic to write songs about but not one that affects me emotionally because I spent my whole life wanting to get closer to the city. I still love the album.

[Edited on February 25, 2011 at 3:30 PM. Reason : .]

2/25/2011 3:29:46 PM

2/25/2011 3:29:51 PM

I hardly notice Arcade Fire's lyrics. My appreciation for them is almost entirely sonic. They could sing about the supposed genius of Sarah Palin, or the hidden value of strip malls and I'd still think they were bango.

Quote :

"You hipsters are so fickle and sensitive."

Just because someone thinks something you say is dumb doesn't make them a hipster.

[Edited on February 25, 2011 at 3:32 PM. Reason : ...]

2/25/2011 3:30:47 PM

I can agree with that. the lyrics on Neon Bible are incredibly lame and whiny imo.

2/25/2011 3:31:56 PM

haha, you guys are quick. its almost like i didn't link it on tww. feel free to friend me too.

btw the song I mentioned was Gamma Ray - Rebellion in Dreamland. Good, enjoyable power metal.

As you can see, Arcade Fire does not entirely reside in my music interests, but I figured I would try it out since it has won many awards. Thanks for the hate though

Quote :

"Just because someone thinks something you say is dumb doesn't make them a hipster. "

I was more referring to the personal attacks after I said I didn't like the song.

Also, maybe it was just that song. Feel free to suggest another.

[Edited on February 25, 2011 at 3:37 PM. Reason : lkj]

2/25/2011 3:33:55 PM

You were personally attacked, huh?

And its hipsters who are so sensitive?

2/25/2011 3:37:16 PM

WE'RE JUST A MILLION LITTLE GODS CAUSIN' RAIN STORMS TURNIN' EVERY GOOD THING TO RUUUUUUUuuusssstttt

2/25/2011 3:37:49 PM

^^I'll admit, I just said that as partial trolling

Does Arcade Fire have any more 'hard rock' type of songs or are they pretty similar to Sprawl II?

2/25/2011 3:43:05 PM

Check out their Helloween tribute album

2/25/2011 3:43:51 PM

I am so sick and tired of people throwing around the word "hipster" all the time. It stopped being funny or anything a long time ago.

Someone isn't a hipster just for listening to music you haven't heard of. I hate when people who don't listen to music that often try to school people that do or some shit. Also, I don't know how in fuck's name you got "boo having a responsible life" from that song. Basically everything ThePeter said made little to no sense. Also, nobody is on your shit because you don't like the band, ThePeter. I'm pretty sure people could care less whether you like the band or not. It's because the way you "justified" not liking them was quite possibly one of the most nonsensical things any of us have read on this forum (or at least the Entertainment section).

Count me in the camp that doesn't really care about AF's lyrics either way, though. Some music you listen to for good songwriting, some you listen to because it sounds good. Arcade Fire's music just sounds good.

[Edited on February 25, 2011 at 3:53 PM. Reason : .]

2/25/2011 3:50:51 PM