Even if The Suburbs had sucked, Arcade Fire‘s latest would have made a splash. After 2004’s Funeral and 2007’s Neon Bible, saying the follow-up was anxiously awaited is like saying John Lennon’s return would be surprising. The fact that the album ended up being terrific – well, it may not have broadened the splash that much yet (the Internet’s attention span doesn’t allow for much reflection), but just wait for the year-end lists to arrive.

The early frontrunner for most-coverable tune is “We Used to Wait.” Given the song’s recent Google Earth-driven concept video, this shouldn’t be surprising. Two well-executed covers have popped up in the inbox so far and I expect more will follow. Until then, we have the Drums and Clare Burson. The Drums’ lively bounce may be the more bloggable, but Burson’s subdued lament takes more risks. Continue reading »