My final example from this year’s Pazz & Jop singles list comes from Arcade Fire. ‘Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)’ clocks in at #10 (in a three-way tie).
In case you’re wondering, the Pazz & Jop poll got its name because its creators wanted to avoid arguments over whether a song really belonged in the “pop” or “jazz” genre. By making up nonsense words to describe the listed music, it allowed room for anything. I notice that in the past 10 years the list has been dominated by hip-hop, so it’s a good thing they didn’t go with the more restrictive label.
I’ve been meaning to listen to Arcade Fire’s The Suburbs ever since it came out last year. I enjoyed their Neon Bible, though less so than the critics, but for some reason I avoided this one. I have a feeling I’ll break down soon and give it a shot.
This song is pretty addictive in a retro 80s way. It’s interesting that the single the band landed on this critics list doesn’t even feature their lead singer on vocals.
Quit these pretentious things and just punch the clock,
These days, my life, I feel it has no purpose,
But late at night the feelings swim to the surface.
Cause on the surface the city lights shine,
They’re calling at me, “come and find your kind.”
Sometimes I wonder if the world’s so small,
That we can never get away from the sprawl,
Living in the sprawl,
Dead shopping malls rise like mountains beyond mountains,
And there’s no end in sight,
I need the darkness someone please cut the lights.
We rode our bikes to the nearest park,
Sat under the swings, we kissed in the dark,
We shield our eyes from the police lights,
We run away, but we don’t know why,
And like a mirror these city lights shine,
They’re screaming at us, “we don’t need your kind.”
Sometimes I wonder if the world’s so small,
That we can never get away from the sprawl,
Living in the sprawl,
Dead shopping malls rise like mountains beyond mountains,
And there’s no end in sight,
I need the darkness someone please cut the lights.
They heard me singing and they told me to stop,
Quit these pretentious things and just punch the clock.
Sometimes I wonder if the world’s so small,
Can we ever get away from the sprawl?
Living in the sprawl,
Dead shopping malls rise like mountains beyond mountains,
And there’s no end in sight,
I need the darkness someone please cut the lights.
Meet Me In Montauk 
I know this band is a critic’s darling. Personally, they don’t do much for me, and neither does this song.
wow how anyone cannot like this group is totally beyond me. Arcade Fire is one of the best groups in the world today but to each his own – I am sorry you have poor taste in music
Have you heard anything else by them?
At first I thought this might be a song about Haiti because of the title coming from Tracy Kidder’s book about Paul Farmer, but I guess that’s just a coincidence?? Anyway, it’s a nice sound; like it.