Wolf Parade
The Inside Pulse:
Wolf Parade isn’t a lot of things. They aren’t really dance rock. They aren’t really an 80’s throwback to weird lyrics and weirder backstories. They also aren’t really worth their hype, but that’s only because the buzz on this band is OK Computer-esque. Wolf Parade is a great straight-up band that could be more given some time, and this is a great debut LP. Potential is probably the best single word description the band merits at this point.
A quartet from Montreal, Wolf Parade released an EP a few months ago that came with positive regard all around, and they don’t squander it here. Almost every song on the album could be a single, but at the same time it’s easy to see areas in which they could improve. It’s tricky; on one hand, they’re better than your average rock band. On the other, it’s frustrating because the entire record gives the indication they could be so much better. I guess we’ll have to wait for the next album to see if I’m right.
Positives:
Wolf Parade dishes out three-minute pop songs like effortless apple pie, done with a synchronic expertise that makes every end sharp and capable of drawing blood. The standout tracks, “Shine a light” and “I’ll Believe in Anything” are both rock-bar ready and could blare out of any car stereo that’s used to rock. As well, the buzz on this band is strictly indie. Nobody outside of ‘the scene’ has heard of these guys, so there’s still the window of opportinity to be the first guy on your block to own it.
Negatives:
As I mentioned before, there are several moments on the record where you know they could do better. “Modern World” and “Grounds For Divorce” are strictly by-the-numbers rock ballads that sour the rest of the albums’ originality.
Cross-Breed:
Think about what a band would look like if you took Bloc Party, raised them in Canada, made them smoke all their lives, and made them a little less dancy but a lot more raw? That’s pretty much where we are.
Reason To Buy:
It’s tough to find a band with a cooler name, for one. Secondly, it’s daring rock music that goes new places (but give the feeling they could go more). It’s an all around album that works just about everywhere and at any time.
