I've just been replaying The Suburbs and Reflektor for the past few weeks and I just don't get how a band who made such sublime music could make something like Everything now. I was so embarrassed after listening to it I deleted it. It wasn't atrocious, it was just really mediocre, which could be worse.

I think very few people (outside of NME apparently) like it. I dunno if that will affect them in any way, but if they do continue making music hopefully this will just be a one off misstep. :/

Funeral and The Suburbs are amazing albums, engaging, fun, and interesting, no matter what the haters say. Reflektor is all right, but Everything Now is egregious.

It's just Sick Boy's unifying theory of life playing out: you got, then you can't hack it anymore, and you lose it.

^ Thanks for the heads up about what to look for/what to avoid from Arcade Fire. I have Funeral, which is an interesting album. I particularly like all the instrumentation, which gives the album a unique feel, and I'd probably be more enthusiastic if I could work out what the guy was singing about. Does anyone else have trouble understanding him or is it just me?

Normally I have trouble understanding 90% of anglophone music. Reading the lyrics is the solution...;)

Also, I would just go chronologically with their discography and give all the albums (apart from maybe the last one) a go.

I loved Funeral. Not immediately, it was really strange and new and special, and it grew on me gradually, but has become an undisputed classic since then. Probably my favorite of theirs. The Suburbs probably has a similar melancholic energy. Neon bible is more edgy and antagonistic while Reflektor is more epic and danceable. They put out at least 3 great albums and 1 very good one so quite an impressive discography....

You forgot to mention their reigning achievement which is album dos, Neon Bible. One of the best records I've ever heard.

The Suburbs > Funeral > Neon Bible > Reflektor

^ There are plenty of ocassions when you aren't missing out on much, adidasss !

^ Yes, with the answer just a click away I really can't excuse my laziness. Perhaps I'll take a look instead of just grumbling.

And welcome back adidasss! Good to see an old member, contributor to the World section, come back again :wavey:

Neon Bible > Funeral > The Suburbs > Reflektor > Everything Now

I liked Reflektor a lot when I first heard it - but I've never felt even the slightest urge to return to it. Their first two albums are quite excellent but The Suburbs is what does it for me. Was my first AF album and will always tickle my nostalgia glands. Have not listened to anything after Reflektor - should I bother?

Just giving WE a listen these days, it's certainly not cringey as Everything now, but it's also pretty forgettable. Not sure if they will ever recover. And they had such a brilliant string of albums. :/