The songs work better as an album than as singles, but it's not saying much, because it's a really bad album. The songs fold in on themselves to the point where you wonder if you're stuck on repeat. There's nothing propulsive in there, it's just droning noise, and maybe that was the idea, but it's a shit idea to build a concept album on.
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Arcade Fire announce new album Everything Now, out July 28, titular single out now
- Thread starter big ander
- Start date
Nothing is worse than Rococo.
The album does get better, but it's only enough to have made a good ep imo. Infinite content (those awful ham fisted lyrics), Good God Damn, Peter Pan and Chemistry are among the worst songs they've ever done.
Music is way more subjective too. It's not the norm to make something that appeals to the lowest common denominator in music, so one persons 'omg best album ever' might be utterly terrible to someone else. That does happen in other mediums, but I wouldn't have thought it's gonna be as common.
equippedwithtowel
Member
Album is not just painfully bland but also a lyrical and thematic mess. I liked Reflektor despite the bloat, this just isn't good at all.
Z
ZombieFred
Unconfirmed Member
Put your money on me is an awesome track and up there from the band. There's four great tracks I've listened so far.
arts&crafts
Member
I saw Arcade fire way back when and it was awesome, and I love their first 3 albums but I am not feeling this. Maybe I am just past that stage of my life. Reviews seem to be pretty rough too.
arts&crafts
Member
I will admit it! They are still more consistent than Bloc Party when it comes to GOAT debut album and eventual downfall.
A 5 is way too generous for this album. Would be around a 2 in my book.Mau ®;244744701 said:
Neon Bible is good.
Music review writing is also horribly cringey. There's something about the way critics, literally any critic, describes music that just sounds extremely pretentious to me. Especially when they get it wrong! I've read a handful of things that describe Win's singing on Signs of Life as rapping, lol
Neon Bible has Windowsill, which is their worst song, so it'll always be their worst album.
War Peaceman
You're a big guy.
Not even slightly. Neon Bible and The Suburbs are excellent albums, Reflektor has excellent songs but is too bloated.
I consider both Neon Bible and Reflektor to be great albums. I love pretty much everything on both of them. Not as good as Funeral, but very little is.
outunderthestars
Banned
I wonder how much of the disjointed nature of the album comes from having two very different producers working on it...
Weirdly I really really like Peter Pan.
Weirdly I really really like Peter Pan.
Have you heard this new album?
War Peaceman
You're a big guy.
Rococo is clearly their worst song. Nothing wrong with Windowsill; at its worst it is inoffensive.
thatdamnmook
Member
Peter Pan is one of my favourite songs from the new album but is getting panned everywhere else
For me the album is a strong 7
For me the album is a strong 7
outunderthestars
Banned
i actually like both of those songs. Would I put them onto a mix or playlist? no. But I wouldn't skip them when listening to the albums.
Oh my. What simple times we lived in when Windowsill was their worst song.
To me:
Funeral - 7.5
Neon Bible - 8
Suburbs - 2
Reflektor - 5.5
Everything Now - 2
Listening to it right now actually.
"MTV what have you done to me" + "I don't want to live in America no more" are the worst lyrics Win has written. And I have a pretty high threshold for cheesy, cringey Win lyrics. But the latter line especially just makes me feel embarrassed to listen to it.
I didn't like Rococo for a long time but at one point something about it clicked for me, and I've liked it ever since.
I think it's fine. I think Chemistry is the weakest track, sounds like something from The Reflektor Tapes which were already cut songs.
To me the album is pretty good but really pales in comparison to their other albums. The best tracks (like Put Your Money on Me) are about as good as We Used to Wait but none of them are in the top tier like Spraw II or Reflektor.
Most of the tracks are the same as the Suburbs/Reflektor filler, which is ok but now they seem to take up the majority of the album as opposed to being the exception.
This is kind of where I am on the album. I actually don't think there is anything here I would describe as being bad, whereas Reflektor and even the Suburbs had at least a song or two each that I would describe that way. But I don't think any of these songs are great. I think there are about 3 or 4 songs I would call good, with the rest being varying degrees of mediocre. This makes the album a bit disappointing, but not a total letdown.
I've given it 2 listens now and it's pretty awful imo. Reading some of the reviews as well "soulless" is the perfect word to describe it, very disappointing.I can honestly say I can't really find a favourite song on this I'd want to listen to or put in a playlist, maybe Everything now but the rest are just so bland.
Dreams-Visions
Member
So I hear this album is garbo.
What happened to this band?
What happened to this band?
They got too big tbh
War Peaceman
You're a big guy.
I honestly don't know how you can say it is soulless. Don't like it? Fine, but they are clearly trying out new things and there is a lot of energy in it.
And people criticising Windowsill's lyrics... yeah they are terrible. The whole album is super cheesy and angsty. It fits!
Stairouais
Member
Haven't listen to the album yet, but their marketing was absolute garbage.
So cringeworthy it wasn't even funny, but I guess that was their plan all along.
So cringeworthy it wasn't even funny, but I guess that was their plan all along.
crooked spin
Member
Chemistry is corny but I kinda like it. It owns its corniness, I suppose.
Dreams-Visions
Member
unfortunate, but it happens. rest in peace.
Lunarwhale
Member
well at least it was an accurate representation of the product then!
people don't like Rococo? I dunno... I'm not a massive AF fan but I like that song.
I never really listened to Reflektor. I'll probably give this new one a listen but not expecting much based off the impressions.
Neon Bible to me is their best album easily. Funeral is obviously great as well and I like Suburbs a lot (it's a bit long for me though).
I never really listened to Reflektor. I'll probably give this new one a listen but not expecting much based off the impressions.
Neon Bible to me is their best album easily. Funeral is obviously great as well and I like Suburbs a lot (it's a bit long for me though).
outunderthestars
Banned
I've always found his lyrics to be terrible, but the songs work regardless.
Mushroomer25
Member
Eh, the highs of the album outwiegh the lows for me. Chemistry & Infinite Content are lame, but We Don't Deserve Love and Put Your Money On Me hit a really solid blend of the electronic sound and classic Arcade Fire theatrics. I also still think Everything Now is in the band's top five songs, period. Electric Blue & Signs of Life also really strong.
Overall, it's reminiscent of Reflektor in that way. There are tracks from this album I'll be playing for years - I don't know how many more times I'll listen to the full thing.
Overall, it's reminiscent of Reflektor in that way. There are tracks from this album I'll be playing for years - I don't know how many more times I'll listen to the full thing.
Dreams-Visions
Member
I like it too. Dunno wtf these folks are babbling about.
Agreed. I dig it. It reminds me of Wings, and I'm a pretty big Wings fan so I can appreciate a little corniness.
In my opinion it's just very bland, lyrically poor and a bunch of the songs feel like nothing more than filler, both Infinite Content songs, Peter Pan,Good God Damn and pretty much the entire middle of this album sounds like a bunch of discarded B side filler. There is very little charm, excitement to the majority of the songs, I would disagree that there is a lot of energy in this one.I get that their trying to experiment but this one just doesn't do anything for me and as talented as this band is musically this is a poor effort. I'll give it a few more listens but as of right now it's a terrible album, and their worst yet.
I really like the groove in Good God Damn. Signs of Life is also growing on me a lot from when the single first came out.
I think Put Your Money On Me might be the highlight for me right now.
Peter Pan to Infinite Content IS the entire middle of the album :lol
The first Infinite Content is the worst track for me. I kinda like the second one but it needs to be three times longer and an actual song. I think that's the issue with the middle section for me, the songs just feel undercooked even if I like elements of them.
I think Put Your Money On Me might be the highlight for me right now.
Cmagus said:
Peter Pan to Infinite Content IS the entire middle of the album :lol
The first Infinite Content is the worst track for me. I kinda like the second one but it needs to be three times longer and an actual song. I think that's the issue with the middle section for me, the songs just feel undercooked even if I like elements of them.
Let's go downtown and talk to the modern kids
They will eat right out of your hand
Using great big words that they don't understand
They seem wild but they are so tame
Holy fuck I want to douse myself in acid
This is accurate. Each album has gotten progressively worse.
Animal Collective fans are the worst
The lyrics in that song are also not even remotely close to their worst. Even though they are terrible.
peppermints
Member
I was only 18, but seeing them on the Neon Bible tour seemed life affirming at the time.
Saw them again for The Suburbs with The National and they just seemed like a different band. Probably cause I was more hyped to see The National.
Album didn't really do much for me. I'll give it a few more listens, but it's just kinda boring. At least Reflektor has its own (IMO) unique sound.
*edit* at least the new Passion Pit is really good.
Saw them again for The Suburbs with The National and they just seemed like a different band. Probably cause I was more hyped to see The National.
Album didn't really do much for me. I'll give it a few more listens, but it's just kinda boring. At least Reflektor has its own (IMO) unique sound.
*edit* at least the new Passion Pit is really good.
That's how bad they stick out
peppermints said:
Holy shit, that's a great lineup! Kinda strange that The National was opening for another band at that point in their career though.