Arcade Fire

Lately you might of heard of a band by the name of Arcade Fire. They recently released their third studio album "The Suburbs" in 2010 which was nominated for three Grammy's including "Best Alternative Music Album", "Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals" for "Ready to Start", and "Album of the Year". Along with these nominations they were also asked to perform at the Grammy's. Although they seem to be growing popularity now, this group of musicians have been building a strong fan base since their first studio album "Funeral" released in 2004. Their music has always communicated a strong sense of urgency and loss of innocence through aging along with being raised in suburbia. 

These themes are first echoed in the song, "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)" off of their first album "funeral".  What at first may seem like a song about two lovers on opposite parts of town changes to a commentary on how so many aspects of our childhood and young love fall apart as we get older and all the things we held close to us become irrelevant.  This is best exemplified in the lyrics,

" Then we tried to name our babies

But we forgot all the names that

The names we used to know". 

I believe that since they've forgotten the names that they've always wanted to name their children they in turn have lost their own innocence and that the name of the babies signifies all the aspects of youthfulness that they have lost. 

The following lines show how as we move forward in life many aspects that one holds to be important such as family begin to be erased.  The lyrics are as follows: 

"But sometimes, we remember our bedrooms

And our parent's bedrooms

And the bedrooms of our friends

Then we think of our parents

Well, what ever happened to them"

These lines can be interpreted in a couple of ways which all connect. For one it can be seen as an older person discussing memories from along and as the memories progress they revert back to the basics.  In this case it's shown in the form of the parents. As you remember and discuss all these parts of your life you go back to your parents and wonder what their lives have become since you've left.  Along with that comes all of the layers that your life and their life consisted while living with them. Arcade Fire seems to resent this aspect of life and calls for us to stay young at heart before it becomes jaded.