The Suburbs is by no means perfect, but it is certainly a very good album. Taken piece-by-piece there are moments that don’t quite work but, as a whole, things level out to be pretty great.

It’s definitely a grower. There’s nothing in there that’s going to blow you away on your first listen. But give it a few plays and you’ll be rewarded as you get a feel for how well the music complements the lyrical themes.

The Suburbs’ is probably Arcade Fire’s most daring record to date; in places very new and forward thinking while very retro elsewhere. At times the band’s new found penchant for retro sounds falls flat (Half Light II) by when they get it right (Month Of May, Sprawl II) these nods to bygone decades are some of their most enjoyable moments to date.

It takes a lot of effort to resist the urge to compare everything to their debut record, but it’s best to leave the comparisons to Funeral behind. The Suburbs is a strong, and very different offering in its own right.

Certainly at least an 8 out of ten - catch us on a good day and we might even stretch that to a 9.