It took forever for the Arcade Fire songs to click and I don’t know how Alyson feels about this because she seemed, I dunno, a little disanced in her review.
AI felt the same way.
It took forever for the tracks I own (we didn’t get a review copy -guess they’re not that indie) and we decided not to download the leak because we don’t believe in theft) so all I have are what is readily available.I haven’t readany reviews yet. No reason, just haven’t got round to it.
SO, any way, at first I ragged on the new songs just about mercilessly but then they began to sneak up on me.
What caught me first was a verse on the title track “The Suburbs”:
“So can you understand?
Why I want a daughter while I’m still young
I wanna hold her hand
And show her some beauty
Before this damage is done
But if it’s too much to ask, it’s too much to ask
Then send me a son”
I likr things that catch me off guard, I like words that I haven’t heard before, that cut across an emotional rainbow and lead you somewhere else entirely.
And every time “The Suburbs” showed up on a mix, I would stop what I was doing and wait for the verse. Finally, the off melody chorus hooked in and the rest of the AF songs followed suit. That’s why I decided to buy a tix for their MSG gig despite thinking AF sucked at Radio City Music Hall on the Neon Bible Tour.
I don’t doubt Wim Butler’s sincerity at all. The man is insincere. But “The Suburbs” is a recherche de temp perdu that haunts inself in the glare of its own full beam headlights.