The First Taste Is Free--At Mount Zoomer by Wolf Parade Released Today.

I need some time to let this one sink in. It's a bit more complicated than Apologies to the Queen Mary. But some opening thoughts. For what it's worth, Wolf Parade are in the running for my favorite band. I think Spencer Krug & Dan Boeckner are two of the better songwriters you'll come across, and I don't look forward to the day they won't be in the same band anymore, which I have something of a nagging feeling is not that far away.

I prefer the debut album, honestly. Despite my psychotic need to continue to discover independent music, this basic maxim remains true: If it's described as "accessible," I usually like it more than those albums or artists more aptly described with "you're going to have to think this one over for awhile."

My version of "accessible" may be a bit strange to some (I think Frog Eyes & Sunset Rubdown are perfectly accessible), but basically, it boils down to this: you can add as many bells and whistles, surreal lyrics, bizarre sonic experimentation (layered over a decent pop song), and I'm down. The hook can even be lost in the thicket for awhile, not entirely discernable ("The Men Are Called Horsemen There" by Sunset Rubdown being a prime example), but it better show up eventually. The songs on the first album hooked me right away; on At Mount Zoomer that's less the case.

Strike that. I preferred the demos of the songs that later showed up on Apologies. Wolf Parade was actually one of those rare bands I was listening to well before they released their "big debut," mostly because I just followed Montreal music after living there for four years, and heard the demos almost right after they were available. The demos are equally, yes, accessible, but far rougher sounding. I vastly prefer the demo version of "We Built Another World," for example, as well as "Dear Sons & Daughters of Hungry Ghosts" and probably "Grounds for Divorce." But the album version of "Modern World" is much better than the one on the demo, sans synth & plus acoustic guitar. There were also some songs on the demos worthy of an album release, which makes me wonder what sort of quality songs were lost when Wolf Parade decided to scratch the songs they had written for a follow up because they were too much like Apologies, for those released today.

Speaking of which, I've always found Dan Boeckner to be a criminally underrated songwriter. I agree with the general assessment that Spencer Krug is a genius, but think Dan Boeckner gets the short shrift due to all the praise going his bandmate's way. I think Handsome Furs are really good, as a matter of fact, and many of my favorite Wolf Parade songs from the first album and demos are his ("Modern World," "We Built Another World," "This Heart's On Fire," "Secret Knives" (off a demo) and "National People's Scare" (ditto)). For the uninitiated, Boeckner's the crooner and Krug's the yelper.

But Spencer really is a magnificent songwriter. That being said, I'm just going to say that Dan's material on this album is far better. I like Krug's songs and have to mull them over a bit longer. But honestly, on a first take, they sound like Sunset Rubdown outtakes (and I happen to love that band, by the way). We'll see, I've only listened to it through once so far.

Anyway, the song I've added to the playlist is by Dan Boeckner, and it's called "Language City." This one has been available as a pre-released track for awhile, so it could have been done days ago and nothing new to those interested. It's track 15 on the player.