Apologies to the Queen Mary
Wolf Parade
(Sub Pop)

Reviewed by Megan Giddings

Last March, I was initiated into the brotherhood of the wolf. No, this is not a secret cult in the ’80′s movie/Ivy League sense. It was in the midst of a Guitar Wolf show in Detroit, where I was cowering next to my boyfriend amidst flying beer bottles and the biggest, most dangerous mosh pit I have ever seen. Seiji – the Guitar Wolf himself – stepped up to his microphone and told us that we were all part of the spirit of the wolf. Or at least that’s what I think he told us; it’s kind of hard to understand what Guitar Wolf is saying. But long story short, I am now more than happy to welcome Wolf Parade into the fellowship.

Apologies to the Queen Mary, the debut album by my newest Canadian wolf brothers, could easily be used in a hipster bingo game of spot-the-influences, but it still manages to surpass the indie community’s expectations . Its sound scope, ranging from sludge drone (“Same Ghost Every Night”) to flying bird melodic highs (“Grounds for Divorce”), brims over with merry blips and gorgeous keyboards. Other than “Same Ghost Every Night,” which truly attempts to produce a malevolent spirit, the primary effect is to make me feel good – or maybe I just equate electronic noise with happiness. But if one also pays attention to the lyrics, the album takes a somewhat creepier tone. Queen Mary is an album haunted by ghosts, most of the variety that are found in a grandmother’s attic on a rainy Saturday afternoon; while they often have strange stories and requests, there is rarely a preeminent feel of danger. Wolf Parade does its best to encourage the childhood sense of exploration and adventure.

However, I should remind you that I am a realist. While this record is exceedingly good (really, go buy it, you’ll thank me), some of the tracks, particularly “Dinner Bells”, could do with a bit more editing. I like my droney music with cheerful electronic nose layered on top as much as the next girl, but I could do without seven minutes and thirty-four seconds of it. I’m not too thrilled with “This Heart’s on Fire” either, especially as an album closer. Repetitive and with strained, MTV-esque lyrics and vocals, it’s just not up to the quality of the other songs: this album deserves to end with a glorious bang, not a dull thud.

Honestly, in the world of modern music, the moments where true poeticism and wonderful music meet are few and far between. Albums like Apologies to the Queen Mary can be viewed as a direct challenge against other musicians. Hopefully, the soul, depth, and sheer ferocity of Wolf Parade’s debut album will be used as an intimidation factor to raise the bar for all new releases.