The first two albums from the Canadian Arcade Fire, (2004) and (2007), were the cornerstones of the theatrical rock of the noughties. Arcade Fire grew into a major international act. The company around Win Butler and Regine Chassagne resisted the temptation to repeat this trick with the grand gesture. The bombast has largely made way for layering, making the band sound fresher than ever before.
The lyrics also convey a sense of inspiration. Butler has only just passed his thirties, but is still on the retrospective tour. The suburbs of Houston where the singer grew up are a major source of inspiration, as well as tangible things from a bygone era, such as the profit of the chess program Deep Blue on the chess player Kasparov in 1996. Because some themes and phrases recur throughout the album, The Suburbs feels like one whole that surrounds and swallows you. Just as Neon Bible appealed to a larger audience than Funeral, the band takes another step with The Suburbs. Arcade Fire's previous albums sounded like the soundtrack to a triumphal march, The Suburbs continues and is a triumph in itself. (JE)more
