Wolf Parade

Apologies to the Queen Marywas sitting in the S&H.ca mailbox without a press release or a URL to the band’s personal website. Nothing! So, with that, we opted to go in blind and let the tunes either sink or swim…

The CD slipped gingerly into the player and bang! the first track ‘You Are A Runner And I Am My Father’s Son’ starts to rip through your speakers. If the first track was any indication Wolf Parade was set to kick your ears’ ass.

Without venturing too deeply into the album, the key to this release is the layered vocals and oft-bizarre sounds and musical compositions. The four members of Wolf Parade do a great job of creating a mix of melodic moments with straightforward musical numbers like a trancelike kick in the face. The illustrations on the CD jacket and insert really suit the band (and the album): colourful, a bit raw, and definitely abstract.

No lyrics printed, which is not common these days – another change of pace. Track 6 (‘Same Ghost Every Night’) is a perfect example, you can hear words but it’s the way they are sung that really haunts you, like a ghost. Track 7 (‘Shine A Light’) with its great Beatles intro slips into the band’s T-Rex upfrontness. Track 9 (‘Ill Believe in Anything’) is another favourite, with its jingle-jangle sound and odd vocal style.

After weeks of trying to figure out Wolf Parade, turns out they’re the talk of the musical town. Good for them, this release is truly a must buy!