At Mount Zoomer

If you mention Wolf Parade to the casual listener, their reaction will typically be "I love 'I'll Believe in Anything'!" or, if you're lucky, they've listened to Apologies to the Queen Mary. Which is a real shame, because At Mount Zoomer features some of Wolf Parade's best work. It just might not be apparent after one listen.The album opens with the catchy "Soldier's Grin" and ends with the 10 minute 52 second ballad "Kissing the Beehive" (or, as I refer to it to my friends, the song I'll play on the jukebox at the bar when I want to stop listening to bad country music for a solid chunk of time). Inbetween are some truly excellent songs: "Call It a Ritual"; "California Dreamer"; "Language City"; "Bang Your Drum"; "Animal in Your Care." Less catchy than maybe some of the songs on Queen Mary, but more rewarding almost in the build-up.This album sets the stage for things to come with Expo 86. If you're a Wolf Parade fan, this album is a must. If you're a casual fan, I'd still highly recommend starting with "California Dreamer" or "Language City" and giving yourself a chance to dive deep into these songs. It's worth the effort.

This is indie pop with a hard edge and a progressive bent. I was only mildly interested in their first, Apologies to the Queen Mary and didn't even end up buying it, while I find this album probably one of the best this year. What changed? Evaluating their side projects, Plague Park kept me on edge from beginning to end, while Random Spirit Lover only had a couple songs that caught my attention. So undoubtedly, it's probably the case that this album is more influenced by Boeckner than Krug. If you saw Wolf Parade as Krug being "more equal" than Boeckner (kind of like how many view Jack White and Brendan Benson's relations in the Raconteurs), chances are you will find this album lacking. If you liked Plague Park more than ATTQM, chances are you will find this an improvement.This is not to say Krug's songs on here are not highlights. The double whammy of the first two songs, "Soldier's Grin", and "Call It A Ritual" really got me to pay attention here. On second thought, it may not be Krug himself, but simply the further integration of Boeckner's guitar skill into Wolf Parade's music, adding further instrument diversity. Another thing that made it for me is the increased diversity in song structures; you've got your typical three minute pop songs that defined much of their first album, and then there's prog-indie epics like "Fine Young Cannibals" and "Kissing the Beehive".Overall, this album expands the band's sound while continuing to maintain the strengths of their first.

I have never heard apologies to the queen; however, i still immensely enjoyed this album, what is my introduction to wolf parade Highlights include: language city, soldier's grin, california dreamer, and the rest.

Arrived ahead of schedule

Perfect quality, great art, the sleeve is sturdy and the music is incredible. I listened to it twice the first day I got it.

Sophomore slump? What's that?Don't be fooled by the three year gap between Wolf Parade's first and second album, these guys are prolific. If I'm not mistaken (and I think I am), Spencer Krug and Dan Boeckner play in ten or twelve other side bands each. This means that during those three years they have collectively written eight-hundred songs, so you'll excuse them if Wolf Parade's second album has only nine perfect songs instead of twelve.Anyone who's followed Ryan Adam's career knows that being prolific is often more of a hindrance to an artist than a boon. Unlike Senior Adams, the principle members of Wolf Parade do not have to bear their band on a single pair of shoulders, and despite the high quality of the aforementioned side projects, there must be some kind of chemistry between the principle songwriters Krug and Boeckner that pushes both of them to the peak of their songwriting skills. Perhaps that's even why the album is called At Mount Zoomer (actually it's because that's where it was recorded).At Mount Zoomer is one of the few sophomore albums in recent years that feels like a confident couple of steps in the right direction. After listening to both albums back to back I'm convinced that the band approaches their second album with a completely different mindset than their first. The guitar is no longer required to merely produce a series of chords, and instead the vocals, keyboards and guitar all form a cyclone of melodies.Likewise, the songs are much looser in structure. Many of the songs make their way through so many sonic landscapes that by the time you reach the end of it is easy to forget about where you began. In particular "Language" city begins as a rhythm driven march but as it continues, and the song rises with the mantra "We are not at home," it feels more like a zephyr surrounded by swirling synths.The inclusion of so many slower songs like "Call it a Ritual," "Bang Your Drum," and "Fine Young Cannibals" (a sizable sum on a nine song album) only draws attention to the band's chest-out confidence. The conversations between the rhythm and melody segments are so deep that none of these songs feel like filler, and so confident is the band that even at excess of six minutes "Fine Young Cannibals" holds one's interest for every intervening second.I know what you're thinking. Now, I'm hardly an expert regarding bands from the eighties comprised of ex-members from The English Beat, but if The Fine Young Cannibals ever, with a nod to INXS, host a reality show contest in order to replace a band member, then I think the members of Wolf Parade would give that guy with the white afro from Hot Hot Heat a run for his money. In conclusion, yes, "Fine Young Cannibals" does sound like it has some eighties influence, with synthesized horns and all, but not like an actual Fine Young Cannibals song.The real centerpiece of the album is the six-minute epic "California Dreamer." The propulsive drum and bass provides tension for every moment while the rest of the band ratchets up their performance. By the time the chorus of "I thought I heard you on the radio but the radio waves were like snow" kicks in, it's damn near impossible not to join in.When I finally get to the point where At Mount Zoomer is no longer the choice du jour on my ipod, and it gets quietly shuffled back into the mix, it's comforting to know that there will be plenty of side projects to tide me over. Of course, even with all those side projects running around, I would prefer not to wait three more years for another Wolf Parade album. Remember Boeckner and Krug, power in numbers and all that.

Je classe  Apologies to the Queen Mary , le premier album de Wolf Parade, au rang des trésors de ma discothèque. Ce fut à l'époque un véritable coup de cœur, une révélation magistrale. Peut-être était-il simplement arrivé au bon moment pour réveiller ma foi vacillante en le rock, mais les faits sont là, j'adore ce disque.Par conséquent la barre était placée un peu haute pour son successeur, «At Mount Zoomer », donc.Aussi brillant soit-il, "Apologies" nous parle la plupart du temps dans une langue connue, celle d'un indie-rock sophistiqué, savant et curieux (et surtout extrêmement inspiré), capable de quelques excentricités, mais néanmoins assez familier.Ce nouvel album est moins percutant, moins bouleversant, moins immédiat, mais il est aussi plus complexe et probablement plus riche. Les morceaux empruntent ici des détours inhabituels, s'affranchissent totalement des structures couplet/refrain, s'amusent avec des synthés qu'on pourrait qualifier de kitsch ou progressifs, mêlent avec allégresse les genres, s'emmêlent parfois les pinceaux, flirtent avec le mauvais goût mais ils sont toujours habites d'une urgence qui rend même les expériences les moins convaincantes (je ne sais toujours pas si j'aime vraiment toutes les parties de "California Dreamer") tout à fait jouissives. Après plusieurs écoutes ce disque donne envie de l'entonner à tue tête, partout, tout le temps, ce qui est bon signe, et gage de qualité.Si At Mount Zoomer ne contient pas de chansons aussi immédiatement vibrantes et passionnées que I'll believe in Anything et Dear Sons and Daughters of Hungry Ghosts que l'on découvrait, éberlué, sur Apologies, il regorge néanmoins de moments de grâce et de beauté, de riffs rocks et de chants passionnés, de jolis arpèges de piano et de rythmique propulsive. Surtout, il étend un peu plus le territoire musical du groupe, qui a définitivement largué les amarres et n'en fait désormais plus qu'à sa tête. Apologies to the Queen Mary

Listen to Kissing the Beehive and California Dreamer and I am sure you will agree.The music is layered and the tempo changes perfect. Plus, Spencer Krug's vocal stylings are unbelievable.

Great album