Arcade Fire - The Suburbs


BY BURAK ŞAHİN (IR/III)
burak_s@ug.bilkent.edu.tr

I have always loved the bands that consist of couples. Arcade Fire is a Canadian band fronted by the husband and wife duo of Win Butler and Regine Chassagne. The Suburbs is their masterpiece.

We all met Arcade Fire with their debut album, Funeral. With Funeral and their second album, Neon Bible, Arcade Fire has attracted attention. Their sound cannot be called classic Rock 'n' Roll because the songs are not dominated by guitar, but Win Butler still connects with people. Arcade Fire's most recent release, The Suburbs, forces you to listen again and again and spend time thinking about lyrics.

The 16 songs featured on The Suburbs placed it at number one in album sales in the USA, Canada, the U.K., and Ireland. The key points of the album's success is found in the collaboration of the tracks. The order of the songs is set perfectly. The first song is linked with the ninth song on the album, and while listening to The Suburbs, you realize that you start to take a trip with the band. Win Butler stated that this album is kind of a letter to his hometown with pride. Check out the lyrics to the title song:

In the suburbs
I learned to drive
And you told me I'd never survive
Grab your mother's keys, we're leaving

This first song of the album, "The Suburbs" is the beginning of a story that continues in the second, "Ready to Start."  "City With No Children," "Suburban War," "Month of May," and "Sprawl II," which is sung by Regine Chassagne, are most essential tracks in the album's theme.

Right now, everybody talks about their achievement with a question on their mind: will the success of The Suburbs affect Arcade Fire's alternative band character? What Arcade Fire found with this album is a great direction to go and their adjustments along the way are totally on time. Now, they are recognized by the world. If they keep doing this work, they will only spread the word of their fabulous sound.    

Top 10 songs of summer 2010
This is the first article after the holiday so I want to share best tracks of summer 2010.
1. "Radioactive" by Kings of Leon
2. "Suburban War" by Arcade Fire
3. "Echoes" by Klaxons
4. "Forever And Ever Amen" by The Drums
5. "Lights" by Interpol
6. "Crossfire" by Brandon Flowers
7. "The High Road" by Broken Bells
8. "Factory" by Band of Horses
9. "Are You Ready?" by United Nations of Sound
10. "Break It Up" by We Are Scientist