new Arcade Fire album & single = 'The Suburbs' (pre-order)

I can already predict that Pitchfork will give this album a rating of over 8.5 without even listening to it!

P.S. Can LCD and Arcade tour again?

Are they still signed to Merge? or are they trying to be like Radiohead by selling their albums first by themselves?

Just downloaded both tracks
They are both good, sound less pompous than Intervention, and more countrified and on the vibe of "keep the car running"

fuckers did it again. Channeled influences of the past, but somehow created something unique. how the hell do they do this over and over again.

suburbs is great

radiohead gave it away

blew my mind, never heard anything like it before in my entire life

Anon 9:40am....never heard anything like it before in my entire life

hahhah really?!

this is the greatest song ever written.

OMG tugged to it

these songs have none of the visceral bombastic quality that was what made funeral great. if anything "the suburbs" is like a retread of the themes they were exploring with the neighborhood songs but with out the gravity. "power out" for instance is like a dynamite stick from end to end. the lyrics actually say something substantial and eloquent about the feelings they are exploring. Here it's like they are trying to make some big statement, but it comes off as forced and kind of contrived. Add that to the fact that the musical aspect of the song is lacking the fury and syrupy catchy melodies that made almost all of funeral so listenable from a purely musical sense. A band like radiohead was able to have longevity because they kept (at least up to hail to the thief) building on what they were doing before. They had a long run of not stagnating and finding a new voice for each record. funeral is a masterpiece and neon bible, while less special, at the very least has some great high moments. if these songs are any indication, arcade fire seem to have their best work behind them.

Just like most hip hop albums, Arcade Fire will never top Funeral....

plain and simple

9:54 said it best.

We've heard Neu now. So we thought we'd do a song about how punk we are That's all.

Arcade Fire corked it.

Those looking for the totaly reinvention of the wheel, look elsewhere. Everyone else, enjoy these slightly-above-average rock/pop tunes.

this album's going to be pretty good.

US DATES PLEASE??!?!

They did it again. They speak for my generation. Arcade Fire. The Band. My life.

i like barcade fire better. more energy. more dynamite explosiveness from end to end.

honestly, suburbs is great.

Been humming it all morning.

Wayne Coyne was right!

Love the album art and title. Not loving the songs, wish I did. But maybe they're growers.

A critique of the suburbs...how groundbreaking

The Sam Mendes of indie

These vinyl preorders are for the upcoming album not the 12" single correct?

9:54-Neon Bible is extremely different than Funeral and IMHO just as great as Funeral and in alot of ways more complexed. Let alone that Funeral while a great album got better after AF toured and perfected the sound of the songs live. Judging by these first two songs released I find them a mix of the two albums something I would have expected. However, I don't think you can make a determination based on just these two songs because you have no idea what the rest of the album will sound like. First songs released are usually songs that will be less experimental and safe. I'm looking forward to the whole new album before I dare make a bold statement like the best of AF is behind them. Heck even if they played it safe for the whole album you have no idea what they do next.

THis song sounds beautiful. 2010 will be the year for these smelly Canadians. Go Fire!!!

i love af...but how the hell can you say anything super positive about these 2 songs after the first couple of listens?

they're mediocre at best.

im not going to judge the album from these 2 songs, nor am i going to put my final stamp on these songs being ehh...but after catching them on tour again, judgement will be made.

JUDGEMENT WILL BE MADE.

ps - beat on the brat, beat on the brat, beat on the brat with a baseball bat

oh yea, oh yeeeeeeea.

They are gonna be on NPR at noon, eh? It is 12:39, I have spent 39 minutes of my life listening to SPJ talking about Sex and the City 2. Please tell me this will have some pay-off. Please.

you were probably listening to the wrong channel: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127118125#commentBlock

What records stores in NYC are selling the single? It wasn't in Other Music or Academy Records as of early this afternoon but the Merge website says today is the release date. Anyone know?

AF reinvented the motherfucking wheel on this one OMG

I agree with Anon 5/27 10:49. I can't think of a more boring, cliched concept than to scrutinize the suburbs. Off the top of my head, I can't think of any albums that have done it other than Donald Fagen's *The Nightfly* (help me out here, folks), but still it earns a big yawn from me. And "Month of May" sounds like a fifth-rate outtake...I can't believe it's an album track and not a throwaway download.

street boners

more excited for wavves

wow, did you hear that interview?

they gotta be stoned.