With overlapping members in profile bands like Sunset Rubdown and Swan Lake, the guys of Wolf Parade are no strangers to productivity. After a year hiatus, the Montreal group is back with its third LP, EXPO 86, a shimmering gem of an indie album that manages to be eclectic while at the same time grounded in driving, danceable rhythm. The keyboards are more prominent and a bit more experimental than on previous records, and singer Spencer Krugâs distinctive voice throws as much intensity behind lyrics about love as those describing the colors of the rainbow.
One of Wolf Paradeâs greatest strengths is that you never know if the lyrics may take a turn towards the poignant or the surreal, and neither twist feels contrived. Opener âCloud Shadow on the Mountainâ wastes no time in establishing an insistent rhythm and vivid imagery, with squealing guitars evoking a kind of â70s rock feel. You donât necessarily need to be able to follow Krugâs images or logic as long as you can nod along to Arlen Thompsonâs drums. âWhat Did My Lover Say? (It Always Had to Go This Way)â is perhaps the albumâs strongest song, complete with strong lyrics like âsome people live like theyâre falling, some people die in their sleepâ complemented by a riff that sticks in the mind like Franz Ferdinandâs âTake Me Out.â âYuliaâ is a poignant track rooted in history, while âCave-o- sapienâ is illogical bliss. Wolf Parade have used their time away to burst back onto the scene with an album that stands up to the quality of its predecessors and pushes its sound one step to the left and far ahead.
