The anxious anticipation surrounding the release of Arcade Fire’s upcoming album The Suburbs has hit fever pitch with the first airings of the North American and UK singles yesterday. It was that man Zane Lowe again who dropped ‘We Used To Wait’ on Radio 1 and ‘Ready to Start’ was played on U.S radio earlier in the day.
It’s hard to gauge after only a few listens but they sound much more rooted in what we’ve become accustomed to expecting from ‘Arcade Fire’ unlike the punky ‘Month of May/The Suburbs’ leaked a few weeks ago. While pertaining many of the usual characteristics there is still an air of freshness, unfamiliarity and discovery. While you can make up your own mind, on first impressions, ‘Ready To Start’ is murky, dark, bass-driven and quite similar to ‘Neon Bible’. ‘We Used To Wait’ is built on a ditsy piano and is as uplifting as it is beautiful, this one keeps demanding more and more attention.
The final judgement is up to you, have a listen to the radio rips below, so, what do you reckon?
Sorry but Ready To Start is nothing like Neon Bible… thank god. I’m really excited for this album after hearing all 4 new tracks. I’m so glad they’ve brought back some energy and intensity.
Oops forgot to say thanks for posting these!
like them all!
Machiventa – I’m not sure what it is about ‘ready to start’ that reminds me of Neon Bible, just a first impression. As it happens I wasn’t a fan of that album at all and I’d agree welcome back to the energy and intensity.