Most of the lyrics on the album strive for greatness, as if the band were trying to find a middle ground of the nostalgia from Funeral and the grandiosity of Neon Bible, but they rarely reach their mark. The best moments, lyrics-wise, are when Win Butler retreats into the honesty of Funeral, “So can you understand? / Why I want a daughter while I’m still young / I wanna hold her hand / And show her some beauty / Before all this damage is done” is, no competition, the best lyric of the opening track, smack-dab in the middle of mentions of fighting, shores, bombs and walls that they built in the seventies falling. Ditto the two aforementioned tracks, “Sprawl I (Flatland),” with Win’s responses to the cop (dubbed later, “the last defender of the sprawl”—seriously?), “It’s the first time I felt like something is mine / Like I have something to give,” and to “Well, where do you kids live?” he answers, “If you only knew what the answer’s worth / Been searching every corner of the Earth.” Meanwhile, there’s the achingly beautiful, “If I could have it back / All the time that we wasted / I’d only waste it again” of the closer, which ends the album on a really high note, and the fading falsetto-ed reprise, “Sometimes I can’t believe it / I’m moving past the feeling," actually managing to do what reprises are supposed to do, something most artists apparently are unable to understand.

I was thrilled that Arcade Fire won the Grammy’s Album of the Year with The Suburbs. It was surprising, not because they didn’t deserve it, or because Funeral should’ve won years earlier, but because they were the only indie pick of the nominees, amongst Lady Antebellum (a usual Grammy favorite), Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and Eminem (all usual crowd favorites). Eminem was someone I thought would’ve been a shoe-in, whose Recovery was by all means a good album when compared to post-The Eminem Show standards and compared to the mainstream hip-hop picks of the previous year (we’re talking The Blueprint 3 and Relapse of all things). Surprising, because compared to 2009, 2010 was a great year for mainstream pop, with Janelle Monae's "Tightrope" (I suppose this isn't all that mainstream) and Cee Lo Green's "F*** You!" which rivals 2006's "Crazy" as one of the best crossover pop hits. I guess it’ll be interesting to see what they’ll do to follow The Suburbs now that they’ve become the most mainstream indie band in the world, but I’m expecting more or less the same, with less returns—becoming a safer version of yourself isn’t growth, it’s actually the reverse.

8.5/10

Very good album that has been a grower for me. Ready to Start and Sprawl II are obvious favorites. Suburban War and Wasted Hours are pretty good too. I agree with a few of the comments that 16 tracks may have been a little long.

brilliant piece of work. the running time is a bit long and the concept is slightly hazy but many of the tunes are winners though some seem to be obligatory album-fillers (sprawl 1, deep blue). obviously this album may have been blown out of the water a bit by critics upon it's release (it is nowhere NEAR as good as OK computer) but that's not taking anything away from what a brilliant effort this record is, the songs can be haunting and raw (the sunburbs, ready to start, the suburbs continued) but can suddenly become catchy pop-rock tunes (modern man, month of may, sprawl II) certainly give this album a go, it took me a while to grasp it but it is well worth the effort and will surely be included in the top albums of the 2010's come the end of the decade.
best songs: the suburbs, ready to start, half light I, sprawl II

Slightly overproduced, but a nice clear conceptual theme throughout and many gems hidden inside there.

A fantastic set of songs, especially for its length. A couple of weak spots, just like the previous two. Certainly a contender for their best album and Sprawl II is a contender for their best song.

A good album that completely fails to speak to me in any way, shape, or form. There are some great tunes on here, though.

Great album. Second best of the decade so far.

A great collection of songs, but it runs just a bit too long. Ever since it's release, I've thought of it as Arcade Fire's "Sandinista"

Well this album is a "Sprawl" isn't it? Around 16 tracks long and holding up no where at all. While some are less spectacular, they are like steps onto the more fertile ground. The planks which make the bridge, stepping further afield. 'Empty Room' is a vivid recalling of memory, strapped to the one thousand mile per speed of silk flung with envy, 'The Suburbs' is adult fears put to nursery rhymes and the brilliant blue bell which holds the album together. See.... it is the every day wonders, the every day miracles which are at the heart of this album. It's an old photograph album put to audio and this is no beautifully and more amazingly than on the track 'Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)'. Formulaic? Derivative? Pop Sensibilities? Nevermind those labels! Do away with the words because this song... in the context it's placed in, shines to crystallized hopes and dreams of the young girl who wants to grow wings and fly away. I want to stay with this album a while, I believe it has much more to say.

Excellent ablum. But think Neon Bible is much better. 16 songs too long as well. Defo not the best of the 2010's for me but very good.