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| Wolf ParadeApologies to the Queen Mary2005 Sub Pop 
  Review by: RyanM See others by this writer Only registered users can post comments 
 
Published on October 23rd 2005
It’s safe to say there’s been enough buildup surrounding the release of this album to fill in any lesser album, but where Apologies finally satisfies in ways earlier releases couldn’t is in perhaps the simplest of ways: amount and variety. Not that past releases haven’t been good -- they were -- or engaging, but there is only so far twenty minutes of music can take you. Finally tackling a full-length (albeit one that isn’t necessarily lengthy either) leaves Wolf Parade with much more room to expand their sound and fully realize the nuances that can bring opposing pieces together.
Granted there is nothing inherently special about Apologies, and while it’s nearly obligatory to reference Modest Mouse or the Arcade Fire, from which there are clear similarities, the successes here are far more subtly embedded within the interplay of the songs and their differences. “Same Ghost Every Night” is particularly epic, yet leads its unassuming delicacy into the pounding stomp of “Shine a Light.” Perhaps even more surprising is how this adds to the latter, drawing a stark distinction between the emotions and the zeal for unassuming ramblings -- even if both are present in some sense in them all. So while the pieces are unassuming and somewhat expected, the linkage between them is what is ultimately satisfying. So while it’s simple to attribute its likeability to the recent breakout successes from both styles, doing such is merely a cursory observation; in truth, the album continually plays off contrasting elements: The youthful exuberance of “You Are a Runner and I Am My Father’s Son” or the mechanical delivery in “Modern World;” the atmospherics in “Dinner Bells” and the straightforward build through “I’ll Believe in Anything.”
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I happen to like The Hold Steady and Wolf Parade more than Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, but that's just me. Some people in the indie circles regard this as the second coming of Christ which it's not, but it's very good. Easily one of the year's best to date. The jury's still out on this band in my opinion. The music is good, the songs are decent and I like the singers syle-but the fact he mymics Isaac so much kind of annoys me. Way better than Wolf Brigade. WB is overrated crap; they make the Weakerthans sound like ORD-era JTB. Are these guys anywhere near as good as Wolf Brigade? "Fuck Pitchfork. Its one person's opinion. A number means nothing. Music means everything." Wolf Parade - Apologies to the Queen Mary I just got this album this weekend ; recommended highly by my 'indy' friend...i usually dont get too into what hes into but this is a great fall album. i like it a lot Pitchfork only gave The Promise Ring's "Wood/Water" 3.2 so you really can't believe a word they say. Fuck Pitchfork. Its one person's opinion. A number means nothing. Music means everything. I've found an interesting thing about albums that get more than 8.0 on Pitchfork Media. Chances are, that the band is really good at first. But after a couple of weeks, the album becomes less and less interesting, until finally you shelf it for a couple of months before you dig it up, listen again, and sell it. Any Modest Mouse album that Isaac Brock sings on because that is the main similarity. He never really compared them to Modest Mouse. It was more like the influence was clearly evident. Which Modest Mouse album though? That's the real key. so this is gay "indie" butt rock then? Good, but way overrated. To compare them with Lonesome Crowded West-era Modest Mouse (you know, when they were still a great band) is ludicrous. Their EPs are better, but bare in mind that I fucking adore their second EP to no end. This gets an 8, then another point for "I'll Believe in Anything". I agree with some of the comments. It's good, but not THAT good. I think Wolf Parade is over-rated, but they're still decent, and they're better than The Arcade Fire, especially their live show (which I highly recommend). saturday aint just for oldies no mo? thats good, some of the oldies were bad....was that what was displayed in the joke reviews i missed? http://www.subpop.com/scripts/main/discography.php?cat=true&disp lay_type=discog_single&title=Apologies to the Queen Mary&PHPSESSID=7bd769e0f68936474a456cb81cecb47e can people please get a link to the band's website and some mp3s when they write a review. its just sheer laziness not to bother. best album of the past 3 decades except panic at the disco this album is more punx then the unseen "why the hell is this the same review that's on absolutepunk? also this cd is this year's arcade fire why the hell is this the same review that's on absolutepunk? This is a good album, but it's not that good. |
