Merge Records released albums from two of it's biggest bands earlier this year. Both The Arcade Fire and Spoon released albums over the first half of 2010 and for some reason they never came across our desks...until now. To say that both bands are the tent poles of the Merge stable of artists would be fact as both bands have probably received more critical praise and sold more than any other band on the label and The Arcade Fire even recently received a Grammy nod. With that in mind, it's safe to say that if you haven't picked either of these records up yet, you should probably do so as they're a couple of the better releases this year.
Arcade Fire's, The Suburbs, carries on Canada's fascination with such things and in a roundabout way picks up where Rush's Signals left off 27 years ago. Centered on life in, you guessed it, the suburbs; The Suburbs takes an arty look at such things and as is typical does so with artistic style and flair. While not nearly as immediate or urgent as the first Arcade Fire album, The Suburbs is by far the artiest of the bunch and is such a well thought out and produced record it's hard to believe that this is only their third album. At times Arcade Fire sounds like Stars at their moodiest and most introspective, but most of the time they reaffirm their characteristic sound that's only gotten richer and more textural as time has gone by. Now sounding at times like the perfect pop band while throwing in huge amounts of string textures, The Suburbs sounds as sprawling as its namesake. This is an epic, sprawling record that soars over the residential area with it's tales of loss, renewal, contemplation, and maturity. I'm not sure if The Suburbs is necessarily my favorite Arcade Fire album, but it's darn near close and its thoughtfulness and artful musicianship creates a gorgeous canvas that proves this band will always be at the forefront of the indie rock genre.
Spoon on the other hand has unfortunately slipped down a few notches. From their early works which seemed so upfront and good to their more recent albums which seem to have lost some of that, it almost seemed somewhat appropriate then that this album was called Transference as it marks the band shifting from one phase to the next. Opening with a primarily acoustic song the album sort of lull's you into a false sense of panic. Thankfully, the band turns it up after, "Before Destruction," and ramps up the choppy catchy rock and roll this band is known for. "Is Love Forever?" poses an age old question that it nervously tries to answer as it jumps around in a bit of a fit desperate for anyone to answer the question. It's a pretty good song and is a hint at what's to come. While this is not Girls Can Tell, the band seems to have found its mojo here and it's nice to hear the band filled with the moody nervous energy that made this band great. Transference might fool you at first, but once it pulls off the covers it's pretty immediate and its songs are instantly catchy. If Arcade Fire were introspective and contemplative in the suburbs, Spoon's Transference is the sound of the city coming alive with a jittery energy that keeps it moving day or night. While the band does occasionally take a detour into some undesirable territory and sounds a bit too adult alternative-ish when Spoon are up for it, they create some fantastic pop that's feisty and like their power pop of old. You may not be able to teach old dogs new tricks, but you can remind them of the old ones. While not the best Spoon album, Transference is a step in the right direction.
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