One Track Mind

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Wolf Parade doesn’t do things quietly. When they burst onto the indie-rock scene with their self-titled EP and their debut full-length in 2005, they did it with battering rams, flaming arrows, and full battle armor, maces swinging above their heads. The Wolf Parade EP and Apologies to the Queen Mary, both released within a three month span by Sub Pop, helped make the Montreal act one of the most important bands of 2005, garnering critical adulation and a sea of devotees. Frontman Spencer Krug (who has performed with Frog Eyes and Swan Lake in addition to helming his other outlet, Sunset Rubdown) has more than a little bit of Isaac Brock in him–which makes sense, since the Modest Mouse leader was the A&R guy responsible for Wolf Parade’s initial record deal.

Since their breakthrough year, Wolf Parade has cemented their following with 2008′s excellent At Mount Zoomer, and will continue adding to their resume with Expo 86, slated for a June 29th release on Sub Pop. “What Did My Lover Say (It Always Had to Go This Way)” is one of two songs the band is previewing in advance of the release and has a touch of the epic to it. Coming to a halt just shy of the six-minute mark, the new album’s third track is moderate in tempo but is an engrossing listen with a thick groove. From the opening stick-figure guitar riffs through its hi-hat heavy drum beats, “What Did My Lover Say” keeps its perambulations interesting, working in enough distinctive detail work to maintain interest throughout each verse.

Of course, part of what a listener tunes into Wolf Parade for is the ineffable raw power of their music, and “What Did My Lover Say” does not disappoint on this front. The guitars are muscular, the drumming packs a punch, and Krug is in his usual fine form behind the microphone, even while letting out a series of falsetto “ooh-ooh-ooh”s near the song’s end. There is a also a satisfying bit of mirroring to the composition’s structure, with lonely guitar notes both signaling the start and bringing things to a close. For fans of albums one and two, Expo 86 appears to have much to offer, finding Wolf Parade continuing to broaden their horizons while holding onto the core elements which made them such a supernova when their star first burst.