Funeral

Great life journey album for it's time...

I know Bowie dug these guys, but I can't get into them

Not their best album but there are some good parts

Primer disco de Arcade Fire, mostrando lo que sería el clásico indie de los 10s pero aún con ciertos sonidos rockeros. Canción favorita: Wake Up.

Not my taste but in general it’s a good listenable album.

ehh too slow for my taste

ok

Good re-listen, I like the more orchestral parts of Arcade Fire especially the last track

2.75? is that nitpicky? i wasn’t totally pored but not impressed either. nothing stood out

Really? I don’t get it?

I think I would need to be in the right mood for this to hit. Generally, not something I'm going to just throw on

I’m not sure why this band grates - the B-grade Springsteen indie anthems, the annoying affected vocals, or maybe the pretentious song names. Whatever it is I didn’t get it at the time and still don’t get it now.

so incredibly mid

please god no. not another arcade fire album. is the debut better than “neon bible“? well, it seems catchier. i honestly cannot remember a thing about “neon bible” and it was less than two weeks ago. but i don’t understand the hype. i didn’t understand it while it was happening and i don’t understand it now. what was it that was resonating with people to make it such a big success? i think other, better bands were doing this much more successfully musical. matt pond pa for example. but i guess they didn’t have a violin player?

I think the most surprising part of the album was the overwhelmingly positive critical reception. It's definitely not offensive, but it feels like on the see saw of creative vs safe, they leaned more heavily on the safe side. It's a fucking crime that we have 3 of these albums and only 1 for contemporaries like Gorillaz, the Black Keys or Queens of the Stone Age or 0 for Tame Impala or Tyler the Creator

Do people consider this ambitious? There are a lot of layers but I actually find it kind of bland and tame. There's no bite. I also don't particularly like the vocals, they're a bit weak and whiny There are some parts I enjoy, like the second half Une Annee Sans Lumiere which reminded me more of British indie of the time. Neighbourhood #3 is pretty good, I like the grander sound that that one goes for Didn't really enjoy this and probably won't come back to it 2.5 Highlights: Neighbourhood #3

The singer has a delivery that mixes Morrissey's incessant whining with the type of self importance that never allowed me to fully embrace Bono. But Bono had a great tone and excellent songs. This vocalist is just a non-starter for me. It wouldn't matter if the band was amazing (but they aren't). The keyboard work in particular is even more pretentious sounding than the vocals. I'm sad to read that they are a Canadian band. I usually like Canadian bands. At least the record jacket is cool. I just read that Pitchfork gave it a 9.7. That doesn't surprise me. Just like Rolling Stone in the late 60s, they like to occasionally assert their influence by taking a terrible album and pumping it up (RS review of the unlistenable VU and Nico album being a good example). What is worse is when they pan a great album just to stroke their own egos. It's like people who say they hate The Beatles. This one gets a 2 out of 5.

I don't get this Album at all. There is some decent songwriting Here but the vocals and mixing in General Ruins it for me.

i used to love this album. i had it on vinyl and gifted it to a friend when they got their first record player. i think its a mix of listening too it far to often in a short period of time plus numerous accusations of sexual misconduct with frontman Win Butler that sour this revisit. it’s corny music but still catchy

Pre Listen: Never heard of them, but I like the album cover. No expectations. Notable Tracks: Haiti - My favorite track, I love the intro. I wish this female vocalist was featured on every track, I would've liked the album a lot more if that had been the case. In the Backseat - Another highlight. Again, the woman singing is leaps and bounds better than the male vocalist. Post Listen: Another album I'm filing under Millennial Rock, and one where the lead vocalist really drags the whole experience down 90% of the time. I defined Millennial Rock under a different review of mine as "really boring, but never really bad per say. It's characterized by smoother, low tempo beats, lots of ooo-ing and aaa-ing, and the occasional piano or other classic-adjacent instrument." I'm gonna use that describe every one of these types of albums, as I feel the exact same way. What's noteworthy on this one is how much I hated the regular male vocalist. Bro needs to either let out the tears, or go to therapy, sick of this wishy-washy inbetween whining. Unimpressive, sleepy sounding corporate schlock. 2/5.

Odd one this. Sounds like something that should be likeable, but yet adds up to less than the sum of its parts. A bit too earnest. Round myself paying no attention to the lyrics. Just.. meh.

I found this album to be kind of a downer and depressing. It is not something I would listen to again; however, musically it was okay.

Gillar deras nya bättre, mer refined, detta basic? Lite meh

-very 2000s band, kinda reminds me of the soundtracks of the movies made during then. can envision Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson right now for some reason lol - Neighbourhood #3, Rebellion and in the back seat are the highlights for me on the album -kind of repetitive and got a bit bored mid album

2/5 Decent, a little folky, and some songs that sounded good but didn't develop into anything I really wanted.

meh

olidligt sätt att sjunga på

Dribble. Mindless dribble.

ok nothing special

2/5, extremely boring for me.

Not likable at all. listened all the way through but didnt like it.

Ei se nyt ihan lähe, ja laulaja on aika karsee. 2/5

Not their best album for sure. But good and choir and horn sections always hit ..live best

Last three were pretty good but most of this did nothing for me

Deleting the essay I wrote before because upon further reflection I just don't like this record. Not the worst thing I've ever listening to, but the 3/5 I gave before has not been sitting well with me. Taking it down to a 2.

Mix of Coldplay and bono - snooze. 1 good song maybe

I wish I could like Arcade Fire. They're such a staple of early 21st century indie. But having lived through the hipster wave of the 2000s and early 2010s, I can safely say I almost drowned in arcade fire records in that time. And it's not being overinundated, it's that I've heard better bands from the same year this came out. You can't tell me modest mouse doesn't absolutely crush this band in 2004. Indie Album of the year, by the way? Over Elliott Smith? They borrow so much from him it's painful. And don't get me started on the Pinback influence on track 5. Yet another band I'd rather listen to than Arcade Fire. With a better vocalist, as well. Win Butler warbles his way through this record in a manner that makes me believe he's scared of his own voice. Like listening to RFK Jr. say more than a sentence at a time. Instrumentals are fine, and the production is good as well, but I can't bring myself to listen to more than half of this album at a time.

Not for me

Not my thing. Also just an overplayed style. I feel like this is responsible for all stomp clap music of the late 2000s and 2010s.

I'm not really a fan of the voice of the main vocalist. Feelin' introspective. Also felt nostalgic for "Wake up".

Pas convaincu

Meh, nothing memorable at all. I think Arcade Fire are one of the most over rated recent bands

I didn’t particularly enjoy this album, but I can hear a lot of the influence on indie rock to come. It’s got that chime-y, ringing guitar borrowed from The Edge (U2) and a multi instrumental approach with strings, flutes and woodwinds that give it a twee or ethereal, chorale sound. It’s probably one of those albums that informed a lot of music after it that improved on the formula, but points for being first. ⭐️⭐️

Good music- not my taste

2,5

Man, I just do not get the hype over Arcade Fire. Musically they're fine at best, and dude's voice makes me queasy.

Reminds me of Bowie, but not as good.

One of the biggest albums of my youth, and one of the most embarrassing to reevaluate for that reason. Cheugy beyond belief. Dumb Guy Smart Guy stuff on the level of any bad poet musician you can name. Just awful! A hard round up here for two reasons: it’s better than any of the albums that followed it (at least it sounded kind of novel when it came out I guess) and also I do still like Owen Pallet and he does some good work on this.

Okay

Already listen to it, but not really my type of genre

Sounds like every other hipster indie band from the early 2000s - fuzzy and sweet, slightly whiny and mostly inoffensive. The only noticeable twist is the strong Talking Heads influence ; but Talking Heads did it better in the first place, so why bother ? I didn't hate it, but I also didn't connect with it on any level, and it did become a bit annoying towards the end. Kind of a pointless addition to the list in my opinion, there's no way this band deserves three albums... 3/10

Bought on release, pulled in by the hype. Musically it feels like a messy Têtes Raides style sprawl with violins, just way more dramatic. It constantly flirts with falling apart, a kind of organized chaos. Coming back to it now, I get the appeal, especially in the early 2000s when rock was fading into something blurry and lifeless. This sounded alive. Still, just like in 2004, I can’t fully get on board. The voices and that overload of sounds wear me out. I could come back to it though, because I feel that it was and still is special and might give it another try… in a decade.

Not my type

Not as bad as a funeral but not as fun as a wedding

I get that Arcade Fire and this album specifically was insanely influential, but I can't not hear it's influence in the some really bad music of the 2000s and 2010s. It sometimes just sounds like Imagine Dragons or Twenty One Pilots to me. I like the rest of the album much better than Neighborhood 1-4, and I like when the female vocalist sings, she has a really unique voice. Maybe more time needs to pass before I can listen to this baroque rock stuff and not cringe, idk.

Pregnant with the “shout stomp” folk movement

White generic slop, boring

Not my style, but good to expand outside my comfort zone a bit.

Not my cup of tea. V unrelaxing

Música de publicidad de cámara de fotos. No me disgusta, tampoco me enloquece. Meh. No queda guardado.

Utterly forgettable.

Я уже не знаю что придумывать чтобы как то описать релизы девятой сотни

2000s sound. As I listened I kept thinking they sound like other bands like MGMT, Fleet Foxes and Modest Mouse with the whiney kiddie voice and group singing. I did like the classical instruments though.

Eipä jäänyt tästä mitään mieleen. Aika tasapaksua huttua...

Desconocía el artista no me agrado mucho las canciones, tal vez no es mi tipo de música o solo se siente vacío sin sentimientos

Meh

I'm just not a big fan of Win Butler's voice. Lots of good songwriting and old-timey sounds on the record, but can't get past his voice.

Dreamy vibes, chill. Lo veo como soundtrack de alguna película romcom o algo así al momento de la revelación final. Medio aburrido igual

no good music comes out of canada

Don't know what the fuss is about

I grew up and not really into it anymore lol

Nah not for me. Wake up is maybe the only song I like here. Arcade Fire’s “The Suburbs” album is the first instance I can think of where I brainwashed myself to like an aesthetic because it was someone I respected’s favorite thing. Female vocalist is really low in the mix when she’s on, and those are the parts of this album I enjoyed the most— so I’m not feeling great about this one :\

kinda boring? this era of indie rock was so obsessed with being “important” and “bombastic” and it might have felt that way at the time compared to their more sleazy counterparts but it sort of rings hollow now. at least, the earnestness they present on this record doesn’t resonate with my own earnestness, then or now.

No thanks

Unfortunately, didn't resonate complety with this album however, saved a song so that i can give it a second chance someday :) Maybe, who knows, I'll find someone who can change my mind about this album.

Three albums on this list is a bit excessive for this band. This is the second one by this band I’ve heard so far from this list and it’s not doing much like the other one I listened to. I don’t really understand why they’re so popular although they do have a fairly inoffensive sound so that’s probably how they found appeal. These songs just sound so second rate. Whatever style they’re going for is done pretty lightly. In a way it does seem kind of classically Canadian to take indie rock and make it sound so bland. I’m Canadian so this band is kind of embarrasing to me, ugh. Although there are apparently many people in the world who like this but I suppose that’s not surprising because most people in the world are very conservative. I’ve been trying to keep my comments as kind as possible but I’ve been getting a run of sub-par albums lately so I’m losing my patience with the amount of crap on this list…

Not my cup of tea

Lo escuché mientras lavaba el auto👍🏽

NGL this was kinda buns. Not even good at all cheks. Why did this get recommended to me, they can't sing or write a hook. Utterbly uninspired and bland album.

48 minutes of perfectly mid music. extremely inoffensive. i've probably heard this playing in the background at stores before but it just washes thru and leaves no trace in my memory. i guess i like the vocal style and vocal processing but again, other artists did it the same on much more interesting tracks. rebellion comes closest to standing out but... not really. mostly this album just makes me wish i was listening to the killers instead.

ME pasó lo mismo que con The Suburbs. Rock lavado con poco punch. Es como Imagine Dragons, no es para mi.

This sounds derivative and not very interesting. Not plain bad, just boring

A little odd. Not my flavor.

some stupid self-indulgent lyrics in here sub-par musics and musings, amusings it goes to places I wouldn't go with my huge hunting dog aka Rebellion, but then it moves toward In the Backseat which is lovely, but if I didn't go, how can I come?

It's fine but reminds me too much of the pretentious people that would enjoy it.

Meh

Songs for advertisers to sell cars to

Couple of hits but not my taste.

Inascoltabile e noioso. Non l'ho nemmeno finito

I just don't get it! I see a lot of people 5-starring and I cannot for the life of me understand why. I've heard this name a lot and saw them in a couple of videos, including SNL, but most everyone sounds bad there. But these folks seem to sound bad everywhere. They're average musicians at best and their singer(s) are Quite Bad. Maybe the lyrics are deep, but none jumped out at me in a few listens. Sort of average views on mundane things. Usually I can say something is not for me, but I can understand why someone would like it. But here, this is just bland every-band sort of MOR crap. Sorry if you love them and are offended. I'm sure you're a fine person. AND I'm happy you're on this list trying to widen your horizons and improve your musical tastes. This is a 2 album at best. Because I could see them with a different singer making some decent music... maybe.

Don't care for the vocals, instrumental is alright. Lackluster

Overrated

Meh

Pretty, but not my style. More like soundtrack music than an album I’d choose to listen to.

Vocals are more annoying than anything else. Very gospely. Production is good

Not bad but just not my preferred genre.

This one is enjoyable as background music but nothing pulled me in further.

Not for me.

Ei kolahda. Tasapaksua. Laulaminen osittain rääkymistä ja musiikilliset koukut puuttuu. Viimenen kappale pelasti vähän, oli sellainen jonka voisi lisätä jollekkin soittolistoista

It was alright not a big fan of the genre.

What did I know about this album/artist before I listened? Okay, I know that they are an indie rock band, maybe from Canada? I’ve heard exactly one song from - “Keep The Car Running” - which I don’t believe is on this album (*checks* it is not). They won Album Of The Year at the Grammys in the early 2010s for the album The Suburbs. I bought cheap tickets to see them at some point in the last ten years that I ended up selling to Timmy (the guy who recommended this album!). Like, I know who they are and some of their significance, but I have not knowingly heard anything from this album. What are my first impressions? First song was okay. I like the music and the way that the sonic elements were being introduced bit by bit. It all built to a satisfying climax and an extended outro, which when done right, I am a sucker for that kind of thing. I liked the lyrics enough, I imagine this is going to be an album full of aching and loss based on the tone that has been set (the thing IS called Funeral, after all). I didn’t mind Win Butler’s vocals, but I’m interested to see if I get tired of him by the end of this album. He has a warbling, wandering quality to his voice that isn’t awful, but I don’t know that I’m going to be into it after 50 minutes. What genre(s) come to mind as I listen? Are there any specific artists that are evoked? "Une année sans lumière" had a little bit of 90s Springsteen popping in (appropriate, given I know he was a stated influence among bands like this and the Killers as the 2000s went on), and I heard a little Jimmy Eat World on this and “Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)”. Is the production appropriate for the sound/era? I mean… I don’t know that you could get more early 2000s indie here if you tried. I guess I knew that this was a larger-sized rock band and had at least one multi-instrumentalist playing some non-standard rock instruments, but it was still a surprise to hear the accordion and the strings when they came up. Listening to this helps contextualize a lot of the bands I was seeing/playing with in the mid-2000s Kalamazoo DIY scene, where this was really rampant (and perhaps even more experimental/indie?) and the vibe felt really pompous/highfalutin’. What did the lyrics evoke? What did the singer sound like? Were the lyrics more simple or clever, direct or vague? The lyrics are my favorite part of the record. The first half of the album tells a story of a town hit with a power outage in the middle of winter, and I can see where my first impression came through here. Definitely more of a set of lyrics devoted to aching than loss, necessarily. The second half of the record is just… other songs, which is fine (I don’t necessarily think a conceptual suite of songs has to encompass the entire album), but it hits different after the telling of a saga of songs. I was concerned about what to expect vocally as the album went on, but I’m finding myself warming to Butler’s voice. It’s also nice that he’s not the only vocalist here, as Régine Chassagne has a lovely voice and I wish she’d take lead on more songs. What is your favorite track/why? “Neighborhood #2 (Laika)” - The verse sounds like an indie-rock version of a punk rock call-and-response-type song, and it segues nicely into a chorus with a different vocal feel. The two seem like they should clash, but they work really well. Least favorite/why? “Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles)” - I liked the lyrics to this, but it with most of these songs pushing five minutes, this one felt too long and too drab. Not enough variety in the music and not enough momentum to really warrant the length. “Crown of Love” - Look, I’m just gonna say it, 6/8 is not my favorite time signature, so if you’re gonna write a song with that signature, it’s gotta HIT. This was a boring, meandering dirge, and the abrupt switch into an upbeat 4/4 for the last minute felt more jarring than a heightening of emotion. What sort of situation/vibe would you find yourself playing this album in? Playability factor? I suppose I could see myself putting this on if I was in an introspective mood in the middle of the night. (maybe I’d be lucky enough to fall asleep if it was late enough) Final summary? I was really interested to listen to this, and as it turns out, I had heard a few of these songs already. (I swear, I always assumed “Wake Up” was a Polyphonic Spree song!) As the album went on, though, my mind was wandering and I was less engrossed in this listen. The first half was neat in concept, if not execution, and I was hoping for a satisfying build as the album continued into the second half, but it seemed like it lost steam after that. Interestingly, that’s how I felt about a lot of these songs as a whole: these tunes kept seemingly building to something, but then couldn’t deliver in the end (most of these songs were too long anyway). I wonder if the album had been sequenced differently, if that would have made a different. Switch side A to side B, and vice versa, and maybe reorder the non-suite tracks, and then at least it would have felt like there was a cool thematic climax at the end of the record. I dunno, I’m probably not gonna seek this one out for a second listen, but I’d politely ignore it if someone else played it.

Pretty standard fare for its era. Finished listening moments ago and cannot recall one melody or lyric. Also didn't ever want to skip it so there is that. Perfect mediocrity. Its... beige. Really unsure how it is on this list.

Boring. Forgettable.

Instrumentals were good but I just did not dig the vocals

Eh, it was fine but not really for me. The songs blended into one another. Wake Up and Rebellion were my faves among them.

Nice and relaxing but i wasn't in the mood for that today

Other than the one song everyone recognizes, the rest was forgettable.

Sounds like what u listen to when ur having a identity crisis

FAMOUS LOOKING ALBUM COVER!! POTENTIAL WHTE BOI CLASSIC™. You there sir step right up, you bet your sweet bippy that this thing has everything the the unmelanated melancholic could desire. It really is our time to shine. Our time in the sun. Although if you get me slathered in sunscreen under the tyranny of a summer's day with a UV index north of 5, I'll be shining alright, and about three minutes away from a nasty rash and bout of heat stroke. Thousands of years of heritage from the north of Scotland to produce a guy who says mean and often unfunny things about music on the internet. Battling the English and breathing your last on the bloodstained hills of your homeland, knowing one day that your progeny will be a chubby asthmatic chortling to himself making snide remarks about art, had to make that death sting a little worse. I am deeply sorry that I am both using the English language to make this apology, AND such a disappointment. Speaking of disappointment! Too much stomping, too much clapping. We had moments here, but too much happiness overall. Sorry everybody. Maybe this is for a different brand of white bread. I am the discount Old Mill variety. I have the nutritional value of a pinecone and I am NOT for sale. 2.5 HIGHLIGHTS: Allegations incoming

a bit too whiny for me personally. The last one I enjoyed though!

eh not really my thing…the instrumental was cool at times though

p902. 2004. 2 stars. Distinctly average Stateside indie rock from the critic darlings, with no redeeming features.

I thought it was just ok. It is decent music, the kind of music that is the soundtrack to an average rom com movie.

Immature

скучно, но приятно уху

Seemingly a caricature of indie pop

Not a big fan of Funeral. The first track was amazing and was really looking forward to listening to the rest of the album. However, after that the quality started dipping. For some reason just didn't really connect with any other tracks and was happy when I finished listening.

It didn't click for me and came across as dull, probably need a few more listens

3/10

An album that had a huge impact at the time. Not really for me as I found it somewhat overblown, overbearing and sloganeering.

This is very Canadian. I don't know how to explain it but it's just very Canada in its vibes and sound and content. Of course there's a franglish song. It's interesting I like it but it's also just meh. I'm only halfway through however. Yeah I like it but it's kinda unremarkable. Also they're using American spelling which is crazy. Favourite: Haiti Least favourite: Neighborhood #4

I personally didn’t like the sound of the album the first song on the album was my favoritebut I will check out the artist again

Not a fan of this. This is a 2 star for me. It's too... I do not know. Not for me.

not really my thing

A classic emo grunge rock album. Personally, not a fan of the vocals, they tend to rely heavily on whining and screaming. There was some interesting instrumentation.

2.5 no meu coração

Crown of love é bastante corny. Não achei ruim mas não me pegou também. Wake up é melhor, mas nada demais imo. Acho que o que me incomoda são os "backing vocals". O álbum é agradável de ouvir, só que não me tocou mais que isso. É meu primeiro contato com a banda, nunca tinha escutado nada deles. Não particularmente me suscitou curiosidade pra ouvir o resto, mas não desgostei de ter ouvido também. Pra um debut, é maneiro. it's fine. Duvido que vá escutar de novo.

Too much noise, too little order. Maybe I’ve already passed the time of listening to this kind of sound, or maybe I haven’t reached it yet to truly understand it. At least it didn’t work for me.

Some cool music and some which to me feels kind of meh. This is my third Arcade Fire album, and I'm not certain that they all warrant a spot on this list.

Verging too much into stomp clap for me to get past

Hørt i stua hos mamma 2. juledag

It’s just not my thing. Don’t take it the wrong way.

This is second Arcade Fire album I’m being dealt here. Last time I gave them 1/5 - it was unbearable! This one is much better - I’d say it’s twice as good!

Neighborhood.

I find this type of sound very boring.

Twee Talking heads. Twee but not in the way GIRLS the TV show is, but I know each of those girls would be listening to this. I don’t think I’d listen again but I can understand why people do like this sound. It’s of a time of American apparel and instagram filtered topshop changing room selfies.

I found some of the more energetic tracks entertaining, especially when they built up a head of steam, but I can't get behind the vocals, which are fairly indistinct and sound like they were recorded using a mic in the next room. Once of those groups that only really gel if you found them at that special time in your life when every artist was the best ever.

Funeral After enjoying Neon Bible I was looking forward to this, but I didn’t really get on board with it, it felt a lot like the same song over and over, and the same song going on and on. And coming after the enjoyable eclecticism of SFA, the slightly po-faced seriousness of this doesn’t land that well, falling into that morass of late 00s US indie rock that I struggle with, the similar tempos and drum patterns, the similar melodies and the similar sense of self importance. I’ll definitely listen to Neon Bible again, but I don’t think I’ll come back to this, so it's a stingy 2 for me. ⛪⛪ Playlist submission: Neighbourhood #3 (Power Out)

Pretty good! Haven’t listened to ‘Wake Up’ in years and was surprised that I was kind of over it by the end considering how much I loved it back in the day. Love a full orchestra/band, band.

This is the whitest shit I have ever heard.

Thanks, but I'll pass. 2

OK. The songs all do the most obvious thing and the vocals are pretty weak.

1.7/5 I didn't really know what to expect since I've only ever read the group's name somewhere, but never intentionally listened to their music. Now that I have, I can say that I didn't miss out on anything. At least on this album, Arcade Fire sounds if you gave MGMT or Empire Of The Sun a violin, put some more effect pedals on the mic's line-out and moved them to Canada. In other words, it's really boring Indie / Hipster music. I've ranted about this whole genre before so I won't do it again, what I have to say though is that this album definitely doesn't belong on this list (but what does at this point?). The album always sounds like this "You grow up and break free"-theme that never hooked me to begin with, it sounds watered down and very inoffensive. Probably perfect for secretaries and people who don't know what life is about (but not when they're 18, but 35+). So 35-18 = 17, put in a dot for good measure and you'll arrive at my rating: 1.7/5

Wake Up is still pretty good. The rest of it didn’t click for me.

Gahh why must Arcade Fire make me turn against Montreal for a second time!! There are morsels of good ideas here, mostly in the instrumentation, but their entire sound is built upon angsty melodrama that I do not find at all relatable or enjoyable.

Not for me

Good but boring. Enjoyable as background music. 5/10

It's not bad, and there are some good songs, but overall it fell flat for me. Especially the first half. "Wake Up" is really good. I remember hearing about this band in the mid-2000s era, but never got into them. Listening back to this, I can see why - pretty uninspiring overall. But they are at least capable of something special. 2/5.

Nooo not more Arcade fire, no need for more than one of their albums on this list, snoozefest

idk, man, it's * less interesting than the emo stuff that came before and clearly inspired it * less interesting than the rock that was happening at the same time as it * less interesting than all the indie pop rock stuff that was popular afterwards

I really tried to like this! It has so many influences that I do like and I know a lot of people love Arcade Fire, but I couldn't get into it. This is the epitome of soundtrack music, consistent, droning, not too interesting to pull attention away from the visuals. There is some nice piano and violins but they're hard to appreciate because everything is mixed at exactly the same level creating a flat, monotonous drone. It's a mix of styles I like but they've all been mixed into a grey goo. Disappointing. The cover is really nice though! The composition is interesting and pleasant, it gets a 4/5.

There are some beautiful and orchestral songs on here, but I find it extremely annoying when there's one instrument really high in the mix keeping time by playing the same chord continuously for the entire song. And unfortunately that's almost every song on this album.

Pretty boring, not my thing. Couple decent moments but they’re lost within the rest of the album which is nothing special

Well this is more highly rated on here that I expected. I accept that I just don’t get much of the critical acclaim rock music from the period very much, have little infinity towards it, a disconnect with what was perceived as the cutting edge of rock at the time hearing a dull bland drone. Old man shouting at sky time ( insert Grampa Simpson meme). I didn't find this bad per say, but struggled to touch what makes it relevant? Sees like It was on, but it didn't seem to do anything in particular, go anywhere. I just don’t hear a masterpiece that others are describing or anything close, just a fairly bland conglomerate of a series of rock tropes since the 70s, under that sheen of 21 century production. If this is someone's greatest album ever good for them, as it likely has meaning and context in time for you, personally I had little interest found it dull, 2nd listen didn't get any better, that dull guitar sound and wall of rhythm that is so prevalent in Millennial rock, whinny vocals again a stable. Not for me 2 Stars And as side note last artist I had on here all the top reviews were all linked bar none to allegations of misconduct, pillarising the artist, though not substantiated in that case but everyone had issue myself included - art vs artist, etc etc though similar situation here it seems when googled - but not much mentioned?? Be it unsubstantiated it is an issue/or isn't, but people seem to pick and choose their moral stand ( if they like the artist/ he isn't such a prick?).

I was subjected to this album a lot in 2005. My reaction again is annoyance.

Mulle lihtsalt tundub see album kohutavalt igav. Võibolla kui ma kuulaksin seda plaati mitu korda läbi, siis jääks midagi meelde, aga esmasel kuulamisel on tõesti raske ühtegi lugu siit meenutada. Ei aita ka fakt, et mulle see vokaal ei sümpatiseeri üldse. Võibolla mulle lihtsalt ei meeldi indie rock või see vaib.

I have heard of this band plenty, but never listened to them before, pretty sure of that. I'm halfway through now, and it's not that bad, but it's kind of boring to me as well, can't see this going for more than 3 stars, maybe less, will see after I finish listening to this fully.

this is good and stuff. hipster as fuck to be honest. Wake Up is a fucking BANGER. Win Butler is a dork and a sex pest, but so are a ton of folks on this list. This is not a justification. Rebellion Lies is also good. Whatever, it's a 2.

This wanted to be great but did nothing expansiveness enough to truly achieve that.

I've never actually listened to Arcade Fire until today, but I have three quick stories that should help illustrate what my impression of them was before going into Funeral. 1. My first serious girlfriend (who I had a pretty traumatic breakup with) was one of those annoying "hipster" girls who was really into amateur photography and indie rock. Arcade Fire was one of her favorite bands. 2. I once saw a new Arcade Fire CD (can't recall which one – probably The Suburbs or Reflektor based on the timing) on sale for like $1.50 at a Brookstone in Maine and considered grabbing it, but ultimately decided against it – I just had a gut feeling it wasn't going to be my thing. 3. That whole "Paft Dunk" stunt at Coachella back in 2014 (along with Win Bulter dedicating a song to "all the bands at this festival playing real instruments") left a bad taste in my mouth for a long time. I'm sure it was in good fun, but anyone clowning on the kings of French touch presumably weren't putting out music I was going to enjoy. With all that out of the way... I tried to go into Funeral with an open mind, but it was hard not to hear the album as a bunch of pretentious indie rock. The vocals were so unintelligible that I had no idea what I was even hearing half the time. I can't say I genuinely hated it the whole way through, but there also wasn't much I really enjoyed. This is one I'd be okay not coming back to – hopefully one of Arcade Fire's other Book Albums will do more for me. Highlights: Crown of Love, Rebellion (Lies), In the Backseat

Behold, an Arcade Fire album I didn't just hate.

A cynical person's idea of sincerity. I don't buy it.

mid

I’ll take another godawful Neil Young album after this

Gear: ZiiGaat x Hangout.Audio: Odyssey 2 Artwork: ✒️🪶🍂 Production: 😱🔪👂 Music: 👀❓🤷 Rating: ✒️✒️/5

Probably a 2.5. Much better than the last Arcade Fire album.

Noisy and demanding. The art value is low while begging for relevancy is high.

I can’t get into this band, my mind and my body are indifferent.

This stuff just doesn't really grab me.

Another turd where my favorite song was the final track because the assault on my ears would soon be over. The strange noise coming from my refrigerator is equally as pleasurable to listen to

I know I'm supposed to love AF. I know they've won awards, I know they're very clever, and I know the critics love them. But. I. Just. Can't. Don't know if it's that irritating shuffle beat they love to use. Or a complete absence of emotion in the music. But there we go. Next.

While I rate this a decent enough album that doesn't hurt one and can run in the background, there's something mildly annoying about it that's typical for indie rock.

I never was the biggest Funeral fan, but when I was reminded of this album through Fantano's most recent "Overrated and Underrated" video I knew I had to give this another chance to see just how poorly this album has aged in my mind as well. To my complete surprise I think Melon might have actually been onto something. It feels very dry in a lot of spots that I originally loved and thought were pretty exciting, now it feels like a memory I wish lived up to how it originally felt. All of the moments this album helped create and inspire afterwards have been washed down to pieces of what they used to be by 20 years of aging gone horribly for this album. Not even the once incredible Neighborhood #1 has survived the onslaught of aging as well as I want it to, it was once a go to winter staple for me and now it feels like a fading memory. Man I wish I liked this more, but I think this album will continue to fall for me as time goes on as it truly isn't as remarkable as many people make it out to be anymore. Instead of being a spectacle it once was, it now lives in the shadows of other albums it inspired.

Listened to this a LOT in Karl's company. There are some good songs but none that I put into regular rotation.

I don't get why this was so highly praised. It's totally overrated. The production is mediocre at best (well, it cost just 10K), especially the vocal production. The female voice doesn't fit well with the male one. There were some disharmonies on several tracks that I doubt were intended. Not one track had me tapping my foot or bopping my head, like The Suburbs (which is no longer in the current version of the book), their third album.

Some songs are fine but the album is quite boring in its globality

Not mine

Never heard from this group before, and I sorta kinda wish it had stayed that way. Funeral is an ending and this didn't end soon enough. Listened before? N Saved tracks? N Favorite tracks? (the entry only of) Neighrbood #2, Laika; In The Backseat (though I don't really know why) ⭐️⭐️ Neither here nor there but didn't appreciate it today

Dani and David give them a thumbs down. the guy is a creep or something? The music was good but I'm with them!

I forgot Arcade Fire existed. That probably says it all. In the Backseat is particularly awful and I couldn't finish it. Listened before? Y Saved to library? N Favorite track(s): Wake Up, Rebellion ⭐⭐: Didn't like it, didn't hate it. Saved no tracks.

Uhhhh I mean this is fine. I think it has some sins to answer for regarding being a precursor to the ho hey Obama era music that we're currently kind of hating on as a society (probably ensuring its resurgence around 2028) and just being like annoying Pitchfork darling fodder. I didn't particularly care for it.

interesting concept album

It's fine, I guess? For me, it sounds like run-of-the-mill early 00's indie. And I remember the singer being a bastard?

Was in high school when this came out and wasnt sure why I'd never heard of it. After listening I know why...it's not for me. It's from a time Rock was in transition that I wasnt into.

2 arcade fire albums in a week is a bit much

Behind the obnoxious vocals is a clearly talented band, but the vocals man.... to me they just do not suit this kind of music and I find it borderline unbearably to listen too

Felt like it went on forever.

Background noise. Nothing memorable. One song lifts the riff from Lust for Life. "Neighborhood" slightly varies from the indecipherable songs. "Haiti" sounds like a different band in a good way bc female vocals mostly, but lots of ho hey garbage. This album is painful.

kedelig. 2

Some fun moments but not too enticing overall.

Everything here screams "Indie!!!!", but while screaming, they forgot to add anything not derivative about the genre. 2/5

eh

"Funeral" has some decent music, but I just can’t handle that voice that sounds like a sad puppy trying to sing. It really puts a damper on the whole experience for me.

A total fine, unexciting album. I’ve heard this one a few times before and it has never done anything for me. Probably a good example of a fan base so pretentious I can’t take the product seriously.

Simply did not move me.

It's disappointing, this would've been a pretty solid album if the warbly obnoxious singing hadn't ruined the whole thing.

Bleh. I missed this band completely throughout their existence. Apart from today's blip, I hope that will continue to be the case for the rest of my existence.

I kind of like the sound and vibe of this album, but it does downshift into drudgery a few songs in and never really digs itself out again. Also those vocals are soooooo damn whiney, it's just hard to listen to. Every song kinda feels like it's building to something, but really it's just a build, and nothing ever feels resolved. With a better singer or better songs this could get another star.

The lyrics are by far the strongest part of this. The music often sounds like it's from a commercial for vaguely-specified B2B solutions

I used to not like this at all, but I thought enough time has passed, I've changed a lot so I should give it another go... I still don't like it at all.

Been there, heard that

Arcade fire’s sound becomes redundant and winy after awhile. I can handle a few of their songs and “wake up” “rebellion” are the only 2 songs I like in this album.

Listened to this in the car driving to a wine tasting in Le Creusot. Lovely memories, the album but didn’t fit the vibe for the day (not the albums fault). A little somber, a little sad and I described this as ‘cry in the shower music’. Not my personal cup of tea but I understand it is a well made album and quite remarkable for a debut.

Hey Siri, play some insipid anonymity.

Not really a fan. It's not horrible, but certainly doesn't strike a chord with me.

Smear. Overload the electronics to smear out the sound, smear your vocals across the songs. That's my name for this style: smear. It needed to be on this list because it's a style. It's not my style.

WARNING: DO NOT DRIVE OR OPERATE HEAVY MACHINERY WITHIN 12 HOURS OF CONSUMPTION. generic indie slop, not sure if i listened to the same album as everyone else but i have no idea how this could be a 5 in anyone's book, unless you're a loser millennial who grew up with this and it revokes memories of the only time you had friends in your life not as bad as suburbs though holy fuck that album was bad

Chiant.

Pretty boring. Definitely preferred "The Suburbs" from these Montréal warriors

Started fine but tailed off. I feel like I can trace back a lot of music from the early 10s I dislike to this album.

This album epitomizes what I don't like about '00s rock music - sensitive, pretentious, earnest. I wish to smash their guitars against the Delta House walls. The production here is not my favorite. It's dense which is a fine quality, but this sounds muddy and busy for its own sake. The vocals of both singers are buried. Should we not hear them? If not, why not? Butler's singing style of scream/whine is grating after the 3rd song as well. Régine is good and I would like to hear more of her. In fact, why can't she be lead most of the time? This isn't bad. Definitely not my taste. This is music for college girls discovering their first indie band crush and the boys who love them.

Not my kind of rock music, its to slow and it feels depressing which I usually don't look for in music.

Can see why it gets the readings but nothing special for me

I really liked this in high school, and tbh I still know all the words to rebellion (lies) but this album is merely fine. Low 2.5

Appropriate title for this particular “holiday” (July 4th). Album itself isn’t bad-liked it better than I thought, though I’d likely not revisit it. Had some weak songs. Properly 2.5.

Had to look up the definition of milquetoast for this one.

Its fine but I dont feel that much heart in this song.

Not a particularly memorable album. Enjoyable to listen to, and maybe it was groundbreaking at the time, but I feel like nowadays it kind of just blends in? Fave songs: - Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) - Une Annee Sans Lumiere - Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles) - Wake Up - In The Backseat

Okay, not great

Oh, dear. It’s 2025 and all this bloviating baroquery – songs that sounded so clear-minded and agenda-complemingly progressive 20 years ago; part of the soundtrack to, no need to whisper it, change – sounds sickly-pretentious to the point of hostile-facetious. Not strictly Arcade Fire’s fault – though lighting the path for the nightmare of stomp-clap-hey, a subgenre of indie so indulgently anodyne that it killed guitar music for the best part of a generation, sort of might have been – but all the same … “Funeral” now sounds like just that, only it’s millennial optimism we’re grieving. I didn’t like this record. It was almost so many things but not quite anything – “The Black Parade” without energy; Dexys Midnight Runners without charm (nothing here comes even close to DMR’s “This is What She’s Like”) … ultimately, a fitting soundtrack to our squandered opportunity for, whisper it now, change.

wheezy thin vocals, cramped mix, milquetoast instrumentation- dictionary definition indie-rock. a lot of people connect to it on a real emotional level- but it's not reaching me at all. there's a couple of songs near the end (after the excrable neighborhood suite) that sond like if a different band covered them would be decent- so it can have an extra star...

Intenso y aburrido

3/10

Now my kind of style but I like the sounds

Nope

On the surface, this ticks all the right boxes - sadly, I just found it a bit dull to listen too. For all the quirky instrumentation and offbeat arrangements, this is just straightforward akt-rock cosplaying as something more sophisticated. And the singer's voice annoys on most of the tracks. Interesting in places, but this is not for me - not sure what all the hype is about.

Hey! Another previously-listened-to-er. Me and this album go way back to five months ago, when I first listened to it on a whim through the last.fm recommendations. I really didn't like it. Something about the irreverent backing vocals and epic atmosphere of the album rubbed me the wrong way and came off as insincere. I don't negotiate with arsonists of shopping districts or game centres (I don't know which they're referring to - both are equally hipster), though I guess I can give these guys another go if the Dimermeister were to put me under duress. That guy's scary. Uhhhhhh. Maybe this one should have returned to me a little later as it doesn't sound different from when I last heard it. That being said, I can see the merit this time around. I like the guitar outro on "Une Anee Sans Lumiere". "Crown of Love" is pretty alright - the songwriting on that track is competent. I enjoy the way that the vocals flow together and the strings are very nice. "Wake Up" is a pretty respectable tune, which is significant since I had that exact song in mind while I wrote my previous paragraph. The crunchy guitars also give the song a nice bit of punchiness, so I guess the "epic" atmosphere is warranted this time around. The fittingly massive outro is decent as well. Harps/music boxes works surprisingly well with the song and I enjoy the change in tempo. Solid track. Man, I hate writing these reviews while I'm listening to the albums - especially when I change my mind halfway through the process of writing. There are some good cuts on this album, though I think a lot of the good material is being held down by one fatal grievance - the vocals. They're entirely shitty. "Neighborhood #2" is the biggest offender of this - a song which caused me to completely shut my brain off in order to get through it. Other victims of Win Baker include "Neighborhood #3" and "Rebellion", though all of the songs (minus the closer) are tainted by his presence. In all fairness, most of my favourite albums come from artists who I initially perceive as being shit-voiced, though I don't care enough about the music on this album to let it polish itself with future relistens. This is very narrowly escaping a 1 star, if only due to the instrumentals being competent and inventive. I had an entire character arc over the previous paragraphs, though I feel like I'm back to square one with this band. I need drink. Interestingly, the two other Arcade Fire albums that were on this list have been expunged from future editions of the book. I listened to "Neon Bible" a month or so ago and can't remember a single thing about it, so maybe that's for the best. That being said, I can vouch for this album as an inductee. I do know that it's both popular and influential. It's also pretty unique and dynamic, so I guess I'm grateful for having heard this one before I cunked it.

Probably a big album for my millenial peers, but this was quite a boring listen for me.

Arcade Fire did not deserve an album on this list, let alone two

It was ok

Eh

Didn't do much for me at all, appreciated the baroque elements and a somewhat unique sound but found it very boring

This album really pissed me off.

Ei tästä jäänyt mitään mieleen, ei jatkoon.

Uninspired. This whole album could have been a prompt.

Decent, not my thing. A little spineless to be honest, like it lacked some semblance of any grit or strength. The best we got was the final song (In the Backseat). There's been better by Arcade Fire that's for sure, but it might just be hard to measure up to the Elbow album which is also in the generated lists and the Arcade Fire song Afterlife. 2.5/5 stars

Ok emo pop

too folksy for me

Neighboorhood #3 (Power Out) is a Tour de force! But I am still not a fan of the singer’s voice. I preferred The Suburbs over this record. I did not like the overall sound and the occasional yelling eg on Wake Up frustrated me. Haiti and In The Backseat annoyed me too. I don’t know what exactly it is that put me off.

Dritkjedelig klimprepop.

Well I tried to like it. It's all over the place, not at all an enjoyable listen.. Lyrics are kinda stupid. Voice is mediocre. Very hard to sit through.

too much arcade fire in this list

Don't really have a lot to write, didn't really enjoy it.

Every song in this album compels you... To skip it. It starts OK but by song 3 it is painful, each song is 4 minutes too long, only Rebellion is fine in its entirety. I am giving it two stars because songs in isolation could be bearable and here and there there are some interesting sections (in Power Out, Kettle and wake up) but I would rather pay thousands in quarters playing a Mortal Kombat clone while on fire than listen to the whole album again.

Couple so so mid tempo indie rock songs….but otherwise pretty boring I’ve seen them live and the songs are better in person than on record across their discography But at the end of the day just another boring hipster band who spent too much time with other hipsters from Mile End in Montreal…..then other hipsters from other towns saw them, and now here we are….a world famous boring hipster band. I’m certain this review will infuriate baristas everywhere

I find the lead singers voice irritating. Music is pretty mid.

The music is great. The singing is not for me and the lyrics are playful but not moving. If there were an instrumental version of this album I would listen to it.

This is not enjoyable to me.

This doesn't sound like 2004. I hate that there are albums on this list that are from the 2000s while still sounding like other records on this list that are way older. This is not bad but youbvould have chosen way more from the 21st century.

The instrumentation is quite nice, but the male singer makes it a drag to listen to. The best song was Rebellion (Lies).

no easy, aber recht unspektakulär.

The days when the meta was to pretend that you were smarter than you actually were. That's the only way I can explain anyone rating it higher than "fine"

music to "find yourself" to after you realize that you are gay

Dind't like it when it came out and I still dont.

very mid pop punk record. nothing in particular stands out

Was this groundbreaking for 2004 or something? Snooze

Wasn't very engaging for me, kind of forgot I was listening to it as I did other things.

Okay I had high hopes. Everyone loved Arcade Fire. I like them. Not this album though.

Not a fan. Not sure why.

I tried listening to this but kept falling asleep. There is some undeniable talent in this group, but it's just not my kinda thing.

This was ~ok~. It's just a little Indie for my tastes. There was randomly a girl on the last song? I don't even know if she was in any of the previous songs. I would probably like this more if I gave a good look at the lyrics but since I work while I listen to all of these albums, they're sometimes probably not getting a fair chance.

Wasn't a big fan, nothing stood out for me on this album

Not bad, just not for me, vocals are a little drowned out and honestly its boring, high 2

Not for me

Cool vibes but not entirely for me Songs added to Liked Songs: Une Annee Sans Lumiere Rebellion (Lies)

This came out around the tiime I stopped reading the music press, and within a year nerlynevery indie band sound like this and I still don't know why.

its gonna be a no from me dawg. the only song i enjoyed was neighborhood #3. everything else felt like an experiment in a garage. never understood the Arcade Fire hype and well... guess I still don't

Aside from Wake Up, which was used by U2 to introduce their live shows, i was completely unaware of Arcade Fire. This album definetly fits in the indie rock category along with acts like Foster the People and Friendly Fires. Some of the songs took on a droning noise parade feel like Haiti. Overall ok but not really my cup of tea.

Yet another fad I skipped in the turn of the naughts. Everytime I heard someone talk of Arcade Fire I had problem remembering which band it was, I know I've heard their music, quite a lot at one point, but nothing stuck. Sound like so many bands, I hear echoes of Brit rock bands like Suede and stadion pop such as U2 et. al. and none of this appeals to me. This album did nothing to me. Utterly forgettable. I mean, it didn't annoy the hell out of me, so I guess it deserves two stars?

Tracks Enjoyed: Neighborhood #3 (Power Out) Wake Up Rebellion (Lies) Matt said he has seen them in concert before. Not really my vibe.

Good album I like Arcade Fire but that wadn't their best one for sure so a bit disappointed like I didn't succeed to get into it at all at any time just sometimes some good melody parts for the chorus but that's all.

Beautiful cover Music is not stunning 2.5

I’d heard Wake Up and Rebellion (Lies) and had both songs in my music catalog. After listening to the full album, I still only like those two songs. Not much else on Funeral that I could get interested in or enthusiastic about. The word milquetoast comes to mind. It’s really about a 1.5 for me but I’ll say 2 out of the kindness of my heart. 2/5

sooooo of its time…does not hold up as well…

Sounds weirdly out of tune?

Less enjoyable than I remembered.

It didn't grate on my ears, but it just wasn't very good. Not a whole lot to say otherwise.

Second album de ce groupe proposé par le générateur. Je n'avais pas été convaincu par le précédent (Neon bible). Cette nouvelle proposition ne me convainc pas plus. Rien de bien mémorable ici, il sera vite oublié. =>2/5

Pretentious marmite.

I just don't like Arcade Fire. I think there was a thin slice of time in the early aughts when this kind of music was popular, but I really don't hear anything like it anymore. I really don't understand why we need not one, not two, but THREE Arcade Fire albums. There are MUCH better bands that have put out MUCH better albums, but I have to listen to three hours worth of this boring, milquetoast shit.

Thoroughly unimpressive. This album has been on so many "essentials" lists and I don't understand why. I would not choose to listen to it again.

2.5 - Meh

..

Parts of it were quite nice (the music especially) but overall, I found it dull.

Nothing stood out to me. Wasn't a tough listen, just passed me by without catching my attention

I dunno this just didn't work for me really. It didn't jam for me. Folky but kind of annoyingly folky, I dunno.

Bad bad. Not my jame

Very tedious to listen to. Not my cup of tea

bland, and unimpressive. songwriting overall fine, but instrumentation and presentation feels very formulaic. 4/10

Very boring. Only a couple of good songs. They have much better albums.

Fine, some interesting moments. Not a very strong lead singer imo

Not that great or at least not my jam

Kind of anaemic indie pop that never quite goes anywhere. Lead single ‘Wake Up’ probably does the best job of having some backbone but the rest is just a bit dull

Fav song: In The Backseat A little bit bland and boring for me. Not a lot of stand out songs or lyrics and generally uninteresting production style.

It was okay but not something I would go search for again.

SNOOZE FEST! It's not as bad as their second album, but that's not saying much. Nothing here I respond to on any level.

Not my style. Can anyone really tell the difference between modest mouse and arcade fire?

The concept of the album is fine, but the execution lacked in my opinion. The vocals are buried in the mix and the instrumentals are too simple at times.

Doesn't do it for me.

borringgg midd