Punknews.orgPunknews.org Logo
Review Navigator

BackForward

Features

 

Contests

 


Reviews



We Are Wolves

Non-Stop Je Te Plie en Deux
2005
Fat Possum

We Are Wolves - Non-Stop Je Te Plie en Deux (Cover Artwork)


Review by: Matt Whelihan
See others by this writer

[staff]



Only registered users
can post comments

Print this Review Send this Review to a Friend
Fat Possum Records (Logo)

Published on December 9th 2005

We Are Wolves, much like fellow Montreal denizens the Arcade Fire and Wolf Parade, have a sound that could make them the next Pied Piper of hipsters everywhere, yet they seem to lack the same songwriting skills and depth of their Canadian peers. Instead, their noisy dance-punk numbers often grow grating thanks to their sparse soundscapes, synthetic tone, and repetitious nature.

The album opens with a screechy siren synth wail before a dance beat and fuzzy guitar riff kick in. Next come the shouting-through-a-broken-megaphone vocals. This might be “Little Birds,” but it could pretty much be any song on the album. Formulaic isn’t always an insult, some bands are able to latch on to a certain style and bang out great song after great song, but for We Are Wolves each song seems like it must fulfill a list of prerequisites the band determined upon forming.

Dance beat; check. Noise guitar line; check. Some synth noises; check. Shouting some cryptic phrases; check. Well guys, looks like you’ve got another song in the can.

Sometimes We Are Wolves stumble onto one of Polysics' more melodic moments, or one of Kill Me Tomorrow’s more interesting passages, but for the most part they seem trapped in their limited formula.

Even the high-strung energy that can keep dance-based bands interesting seems lacking here. The drums may be live, but the beats are so repetitive and their tone so electronic and lifeless that it seems a drum machine could do the job just as well. Sometimes the guitar, synth, and vocals seem to be wrapped in fuzz and overdrive simply to make up for a lack of enthusiasm on the part of the band.

Some people will probably argue that this is a great mash-up of noise and dance, a melding of spastic bursts and well-rooted grooves, but the problem is that while We Are Wolves may have intended to create music that symbolizes an intersection of chaos and order, the final product doesn’t come off that way. Instead we are left with an album that drones on like a rickety old machine that is discordant, monotonous, and mechanical.



People who liked this also liked:
Cancer Bats - Birthing the GiantSince By Man - We Sing The Body ElectricThe (International) Noise Conspiracy - A New Morning Changing WeatherShorebirds - Shorebirds [7 inch]The Specials - The SpecialsAgainst Me! - Crime as Forgiven ByFeist - The ReminderColiseum - No SalvationEvery Time I Die - The Big DirtyAkimbo - Navigating the Bronze



Please login or register to post comments.
What are the benefits of having a Punknews.org account?
  • Share your opinion by posting comments on the stories that interest you
  • Rate music and bands and help shape the weekly top ten
  • Let Punknews.org use your ratings to help you find bands and albums you might like
  • Customize features on the site to get the news the way you want.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, December 14, 2005 at 9:21 AM (EST)

    not their fault your retarded.

    Ha!

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, December 13, 2005 at 11:18 AM (EST)

    I bought this CD by accident because of the influx of "wolf" titled bands bands and I couldnt remember which one I wanted and which one I wanted to avoid. It turns out this was the one I was supposed to avoid.

    It is so fucking bad. Its pretentious noisy garbage that nas nothing to be stuck up about in the first place and no art to drive its dissonance. Its hollow bullshit and you cant even dance to it.

    Fuck this band.

    not their fault your retarded.

    Posted by GreenVandal on 2005-12-13 03:57:09

    Your right. A bunch of dudes banging on things and singing about absolutely nothing is WAY better then that in every aspect. They certainly deserve their (hopefully incredibly small) paycheck.

    Posted by boldredletters on 2005-12-11 20:10:45

    it's really funny the assumptions people make about "scenesters." they are a bunch of really nice dudes who make music that you don't like. i think there are some really good moments on the CD, personally, particularly "non stop." at least it isn't a bunch of buff thirty year old dudes with etnies shirts, forty dollar haircuts, women's jeans, and earrings singing about their high school relationships.

    Posted by GreenVandal on 2005-12-11 16:52:50
    My Score:

    Will, I would listen first comment second. This is a bunch of scenesters without any talent. There are no redeemable aspects to this music. The noise parts arent even inspiring.

    Boring.

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, December 11, 2005 at 2:20 PM (EST)

    We Are Wolves, Raised By Wolves, The Wolfnote, Aids Wolf, Wolf Parade.... too many Canadian lupin bands out there.

    Posted by boldredletters on 2005-12-11 03:22:54
    My Score:

    i like it. there are a few really good songs on it; when i saw them live, they were pretty great (opening for the Gossip).

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, December 10, 2005 at 9:04 PM (EST)

    Who cares if it's "catchy?" This review was done from a very pop-rock "what's the formula!?" point of view, and when it comes to those standards, you could tear apart Brian Eno and Wire, easily.

    I haven't heard this band, but it doesn't sound like they care about being danceable.

    -Will

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, December 10, 2005 at 5:32 PM (EST)

    Please, no more Montreal band reviews that reference Arcade Fire. They have nothing to do with We Are Wolves.

    Rob.

    Posted by givemeamuseumandillfillit on 2005-12-10 13:46:27

    I bought it for the artwork, so worth it.

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, December 10, 2005 at 2:21 AM (EST)

    I also saw that show, (trail of dead, and (i)nc) and thought they were pretty good.

    ...evildeadalive

    Posted by maverick on 2005-12-10 00:23:59

    Also saw these guys with Trail Of Dead and T(I)NC. Also thought they were horrible. This is the exact type of music I always figured French Canadians were making.

    -Scott

    Posted by GreenVandal on 2005-12-09 18:24:18
    My Score:

    I bought this CD by accident because of the influx of "wolf" titled bands bands and I couldnt remember which one I wanted and which one I wanted to avoid. It turns out this was the one I was supposed to avoid.

    It is so fucking bad. Its pretentious noisy garbage that nas nothing to be stuck up about in the first place and no art to drive its dissonance. Its hollow bullshit and you cant even dance to it.

    Fuck this band.

    Posted by sallyjesse on 2005-12-09 16:10:39

    quatre tet= good
    we are wolves=another band name with an animal in it

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 9, 2005 at 10:34 AM (EST)

    Played a show with these guys back in Nov. They really suck live. I mean c'mon how hard is it to push a button on a drum machine. They kept bitching at the sound guy all night. Very unprofessional. Music was weak and uninspiring. Also on the bill were Quatre Tet who really kicked ass.

    Posted by xrobotcorex on 2005-12-09 08:07:20

    There's a local Pittsburgh band called We're Wolves. Weird.

    Posted by the_other_scott on 2005-12-09 00:10:52

    saw these guys with trail of dead and t(i)nc

    they were fucking horrible

    the other bands were good though

    Posted by Testiclese on 2005-12-09 00:08:23
    My Score:

    this cd is crazy good

    © 1999-2006 Punknews.org • Terms of Use • Privacy • About • ISSN 1710-5366 • RSS RSS Icon