Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer Review
Posted by James Palm on 06.21.2008
After getting their various side projects out of the way, the members of Canadian indie sensation Wolf Parade have emerged with their long-awaited sophomore album. Their 2005 debut LP was a modern classic. How have they responded? Very well indeed.
The side project has always been an interesting departure for many musicians. While many fans see a key member of their favorite band choosing to work with other people as a sign of doom, the truth is that sometimes collaborating with the same group can be stifling. Especially if you’re a member of Canadian super group Wolf Parade, whose members have featured on some the country’s finest recent exports. Only last year, chief songwriters Dan Boeckner and Spencer Krug each released albums under the Handsome Furs and Sunset Rubdown banners respectively. These two assembled the band in 2003, finally releasing an Isaac Brock produced album Apologies To The Queen Mary in 2005, garnering widespread acclaim, while also earning a Polaris Music Prize nomination; the Polaris being the Canadian version of the UK’s Mercury Prize. After finding some time in their busy schedules, Wolf Parade has now unleashed a follow-up.
Boeckner and Krug are the type of musicians who always have several projects on the go, simply because they have that much music to give. The aforementioned albums they separated for last year were fantastic in themselves, but they also revealed the method to Wolf Parade’s madness; channeling the wild compositions of Krug and combining it with Boeckner’s lyrical flair, relaxed by comparison. With writing duties split between the two, we are offered numerous examples of the contrasting styles. Opener “Soldier’s Grin” is a band truly in harmony; every instrument driving the song upward. Hadji Bakara’s keyboard then turns dark for “Call It A Ritual”, a short Krug concoction with a odd sense of malice. Over a relatively simple rhythm, unnatural sounds slip in and out, unsettling at first, but once Krug starts wailing, everything fits into place.
The amazing thing about the members of this band is their respective abilities to defy musical climates, creating sounds typical of the time and yet simultaneously progressive. Krug seems to encapsulate as many rhythms as humanely possible into “Bang Your Drum”, at first an eerie tune well suited to navigating a foggy marshland, before an abrupt guitar riff directs the song into clearer conditions. These unexpected interludes are abundant, often thrusting melodies in spellbinding directions. Instant classic “California Dreamer” begins with a Ray Manzerak approved organ line, which soon explodes into the foreground, taking a psychedelic turn and encouraging the other band members to follow suit. Wolf Parade promised prog rock, and this song’s chaotic escalation more than follows through. It won’t light up the dance floors, but “California Dreamer” is definitely a song of the year contender.
Krug has his many moments in the spotlight, but Boeckner’s compositions are just as captivating, albeit more appealing to said dance-floor crowd. “Fine Young Cannibals” starts the build with a bass line indicative of the band of the same name and their signature song; a cheeky joke perhaps. Conversely, “Language City” is a track unto its own. An electronic dance break towards the end of this spiraling melody is the only time Wolf Parade sound like any other band, which is hardly a criticism. From the opening line the song is arresting. Band members seem to be in battle, constantly interjecting, as if each instrument is charging power for the momentous outburst midway. This may come across as hyperbole, but in essence music is supposed to satisfy us, and this song is almost indescribable in its execution.
While there are certainly stand-out tracks on At Mount Zoomer, every single song earns its place. With such remarkable company above it, the latter half of the album has much to live up to. Lesser bands might have been content to let their momentum peter out; Wolf Parade do just the opposite, maintaining the energy with “The Grey Estates”, a confession of sorts with Boeckner reflecting on the wasteful nature of society. He talks about moving on in life; perhaps a reference to the band’s relocation to Montreal, center of Canada’s indie scene. This consistently inspired album proves why Wolf Parade became the darlings of that very scene. Seemingly the only way to conclude the album is with “Kissing The Beehive”, a 10 minute plus celebration of music that may seem daunting, but is well worth the listening effort.
The reason indie bands like The Bravery have failed to capitalise on early successes is due to their inabilities to distinguish between revisiting the music of years gone by and evolving past them. Wolf Parade make use of familiar sounds and create new ones; in Darwinian theory, they are the fittest. The only thing that stops At Mount Zoomer being perfect is that, despite this triumph, Wolf Parade are still not everyone’s cup of tea. Thankfully, there are plenty of people who love a rapid fire sonic assault, but for those who were even remotely interested in Apologies..., I recommend you check this out. The coming year will see their profile grow exponentially, and it will be on the back of this fantastic album.
The Hit - Language City The Encore - California Dreamer The Wah? - not a thing.
The 411: I cannot say that this album is better than Apologies to the Queen Mary. Their debut is still the stronger album, but that is only because it was beyond phenomenal. ...Zoomer is also phenomenal; there is so much to enjoy that you will go back to it again and again. And though it's slightly disappointing that they couldn't do better, you don't criticize good music. You listen to it.
