Album Rating: 4.0

Alright if you really need to keep going with this.



My point was that Funeral was the main, most popular impetus for the resurgence (I used the word resurgence and never treated it as new creation) of baroque pop. Not exclusively. And I sure as hell did not start out with the purpose of attacking Sufjan. Illinois is an excellent album, but I do hold Funeral in slightly higher regard. And if you trace the notoriety that Michigan got when it was released, it was minimal. It was Illinois that broke Sufjan and made a large audience start listening to his back catalogue, which came out after Funeral and just before the huge wave of baroque pop. Sufjan is certainly a huge contributor to that scene, but Funeral is more important in that respect.



It is related to the discussion of The Suburbs because so much of this album is Win Butler reacting to his fans. I felt it necessary to trace the history of Arcade Fire's relations with the indie music world, and the whole thing has been such a crazy ride of highs and lows because Funeral set the bar so high. I brought in Sufjan to compare Funeral to becuase he is easily the most obvious argument against Funeral's influence. Someone could easily argue that Illinois is the more important album in the genre. I disagree.

notoriety?

Album Rating: 4.0

Michigan was not nearly as widely covered in the press as Illinois. It doesn't even have a Metacritic page, and Wikipedia

lists two reviews of it. Illinois has a huge Metacritic page with a 90 rating and an entire subsection on critical reception

on its Wikipedia page. Not that these are perfect denotations of the press that an album received, but I think they are

pretty good barometers, especially when you have to go back 5-7 years.

honestly i might be wrong but i always thought notoriety implied being known for a negative quality

Album Rating: 4.5

Nope. That's exactly right. The definition is basically the state of being notorious.

Album Rating: 2.5

mmmmmmmmm

Album Rating: 4.0

well fuck me. My use is apparently a "chiefly British" alternate meaning but it's the way I've always used it. I meant

well-known, if that wasn't obvious yet.

Album Rating: 2.5

a second listen is in order



and yeah i always thought being notorious was synonymous with infamous

Album Rating: 4.0

Well yeah notorious I would use that way, but for some reason I use notoriety for fame, even though they're the same root word.

Album Rating: 4.0

It was all a dream

I used to read Word Up magazine

u dream of me

Album Rating: 3.5

I like this one more than before.. seems less pretentious. They are still not exactly my favorite band, but I'd buy this for something different.

Album Rating: 2.5

just got an 8.6 on pitchfork...

Album Rating: 4.5

FlawedPerfection-



I know you're right about Michigan and all that, and Funeral being one of the largest influences for the resurgence. And I hope I didn't imply that you were saying they created something, because I did clearly note that you regarded it as a resurgence in the review. I'm also sure that you didn't mean to impart what I picked up off the first paragraph, but that's why I commented on it, constructive criticism and all, that you may or may not agree with.



To be honest, if that first paragraph was more like your response I would have no complaints. Wherever an objective statement is made, a subjective qualifier is always nearby to be found, you also took the time to compliment Sufjan which prevents it from being an attack, and you really explained why you were saying what you were (which was clear in the first place but in my opinion still needed). If all of those qualities were in the review I think it would have been damn near perfect.



Anyways, I didn't mean to make an argument or anything out of it, just to say what I picked up and offer up that perspective to your review.

Album Rating: 3.0

called that pitchfork score EXACTLY

Album Rating: 4.5

After one listening I am already like this. To me the stand out tracks are Empty Room and Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains). Good review too!

Album Rating: 4.5

Arcade Fire getting the "best new music" tag from Pitchfork was so obvious.. I guessed it'd be sth around 8.5

Album Rating: 3.5

starting to enjoy the album

Album Rating: 2.5

I actually thought theyd have the balls to not give this the "Best new Music" tag

Album Rating: 5.0

Awesome album, no idea how it would deserve anything but a 5. Every track is amazing.