Wolf Parade
At Mount Zoomer
Sub Pop
By Miriam Lamey
The very title of Wolf Parade’s latest, At Mount Zoomer, implies an otherworldly location potentially in the middle of nowhere. Or a bizarre amusement park ride. Fair enough, At Mount Zoomer actually refers to drummer Arlen Thompson’s recording studio, but still, it sounds like a drug-induced landmark in a mystical realm. In one sense, the title’s trippiness reflects some of the album’s overall sonic unpredictability. While Wolf Parade may have embraced their experimental side, they still maintain a rock-solid edge, first presented on Apologies to the Queen Mary. Their latest effort produced a highly listenable album with a clear blend of their original composition techniques and newer prog-rock-based tracks.
Lightheaded synths trill and flow through the album’s opener, “Soldier’s Grin,” and similarly “Bang Your Drum;” the former track being complimented by militaristic drum beats. In both tunes, such harpsichord-like chirpy keys create a sinister mood, rather than transmitting a classically inspired vibe. Steady, reliable drums seem to be the only aspect of this album that grounds most tracks; the methodical drumming on lighter snares, or the thick bass give listeners a solid foundation from which they can leap off into the sparkling synth notes and off-beat riffs.
Yet this doesn’t mean that Wolf Parade have created irritatingly random music, stuffed with indulgent, floaty instrumentation. Instead, every riff, in “California Dreamer” for example, combines to generate an eerie feeling, well-supported by throaty, distanced vocals. The same effect is achieved in the aforementioned “Bang Your Drum,” thanks to angrier riffs, but with a retro distorted edge.
“The Grey Estates” pretty much represents Wolf Parade’s attempts at an indie-pop track, for it opens with chirpy keys, and almost hopeful vocals – as positive as Spencer Krug can sound. The track has a New Pornographers-like blend of sound; no one instrument is showcased, and the tune, lyrics and pacing are all fast. At the other end of At Mount Zoomer, the song “Kissing the Beehive” rears its indulgent head. OK, that’s being harsh, but a 10 minute-long album-closing track, invoking The Doors and Pink Floyd indicates the band want to show off. On the other hand, they could finally just want to give the finger to listeners and play as they like. At any rate, “Kissing the Beehive” has a retro-rock feel, methodical, with touches of 70’s countrified harmonies. It devolves into a heavy, anthemic track with forceful vocals, crashing drums, keys and synths and finally falls into a sonic explosion, culminating in a bunch of bizarre noisy bangs, synth chords and ear-aching riffs.
An intriguing second album, At Mount Zoomer achieves a sonic unity through the overarching discord. Through the smoky instrumental haze are plenty of solid, real tracks that establish Wolf Parade’s creativity and songwriting prowess.
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