Wolf Parade Lives! Also, Operators & Moonface (RIP Sunset Rubdown/Handsome Furs)

[ono]

I looked.  I coulda sworn someone started a Sunset Rubdown thread aeons ago.  Guess it was just a post somewhere.  Anyway, these guys deserve a mention (even though Stefen chose to hate 'em).

http://wolfparade.nonstuff.com/

Yep, they're at it again.  Hot off their 2007 album Random Spirit Lover, the best album of the year that no one listened to, they've got DRAGONSLAYER coming in June.  I've heard a lot of the stuff that'll be on the album live, and it's shaping up to be great (if a bit short).

Handsome Furs' FACE CONTROL leaked earlier this year, and was released a couple weeks ago.  Plague Park was pretty awesome as well.  And of course, Wolf Parade rounds out the trifecta with their classic Apologies to the Queen Mary and less-than-stellar but still strong At Mount Zoomer (with Frog Eyes there, but lagging a bit behind).

[Stefen]

Oh, I really dislike most Canadian indie music.

[ono]

But whyyyyy?  (I can't get enough of Twin Cinema or Challengers, and I know you don't care for them, either.)  You hate Arcade Fire, too, dont'cha?

[NEON MERCURY]

hey ono


ive never listen to any of the bands in your topic but ive ben mesning to...i di like canuck indie:

like BSS and the gang..blacl mountain? thhey candain right?

[Stefen]

But whyyyyy?  (I can't get enough of Twin Cinema or Challengers, and I know you don't care for them, either.)  You hate Arcade Fire, too, dont'cha?

Naw, I like Arcade Fire.

I dislike most Canadian indie bands because they come off as very pretentious and the music they make isn't even something they should be pretentious about. Arcade Fire are mad pretentious, but they can back it up. Bands like Black Mountain, Wolf Parade, any variation of Broken Social Scene (Carl Newman, Faust, etc), Sunset Rubdown, etc are a lot of fun, but they're almost a little too ambitious for their own good.

I'm specifically talking about those bands I've mentioned and don't mean to pigeonhole ALL Canadian indie into the same criticism since I haven't even heard Handsome Furs or Magic Weapon or most other Canadian indie bands.

[ono]

I agree with you about the pretentious thing, but only about the Arcade Fire, ironically enough.

One of the most obnoxious things I ever saw was the lead (don't even know his name) performing on SNL the song "Intervention".  Dipshit had the nerve to SMASH his instrument after the song.  Listen to the song.  Then imagine some jackass smashing his instrument after performing it live on national television.  Yeah.

As for "too ambitious for their own good," can't agree with you there.  When has ambition ever been a bad thing, especially considering how prolific Spencer Krug has been?

Do yourself a favor, get some Handsome Furs at least.  I seem to recall mod really liking them (not that that means anything ).  I saw Magic Weapon live (opened for Sunset Rubdown).  Very impressive on first hear, and that's an accomplishment considering how hard it usually is to take in unfamiliar music live.

(Hey, neon -- haha, after all this time, you're still neon.)  I wouldn't know about the two you mentioned.  I've only listened to BSS briefly and never the other one.

[Neil]

you don't think it's possibly the reason he broke the guitar? I mean, i could see the humor.

and stefen can a guy get a little elaboration on this:[

Naw, I like Arcade Fire.

I dislike most Canadian indie bands because they come off as very pretentious and the music they make isn't even something they should be pretentious about. Arcade Fire are mad pretentious, but they can back it up. Bands like Black Mountain, Wolf Parade, any variation of Broken Social Scene (Carl Newman, Faust, etc), Sunset Rubdown, etc are a lot of fun, but they're almost a little too ambitious for their own good.

I'm specifically talking about those bands I've mentioned and don't mean to pigeonhole ALL Canadian indie into the same criticism since I haven't even heard Handsome Furs or Magic Weapon or most other Canadian indie bands.

just curious, not sure if i could've gotten away with saying that.

[Stefen]

I meant they act like they're too cool for school when they're really not. Maybe it's just that all Canadian indie bands are interchangeable, but I'm just not feeling most of the scene. It all sounds the same to me.

For the record, Apostle of Hustle's National Anthem of Nowhere made my top 5 in 2007.

EDIT: haha, I actually just rechecked my list http://xixax.com/index.php?topic=9770.msg247226#msg247226 and I even roasted Canadian indie bands in my review of National Anthem of Nowhere.

Normally I hate Canadian bands cause they come off as self servicing (they give themselves blowjobs) and cheezy but this band is one of the lone exceptions. If someone says "What's indie music?" give them this album because it sounds like the quintessential indie album. The production is great too.

haha, can't say I'm inconsistent.

[Neil]

100% on you with that. I haven't heard of some of these bands. But, with arcade fire i know exactly what you mean.  My friends came to me with neon bible in hand and swore to fucking god on it.  I gotcha, I was just unaware of this collective Canadian, meaning, I didn't know that all these bands were from Canada.  But, that's because I really don't give a damn about them. 

With that  being said.  If anyone wants to PM me some links for some shit that you would suggest. or throw them up on here, whatever. I'm definitely interested in seeing/learing more about this conglomeration.

[NEON MERCURY]

i have  afdeeling that acrade fire will/already have/has A backlast against them..i can see how they would be annoying....i honestly thinkt hat  the BSS|crew is untouchable...the family tree i huge!  ANS ITR SPREADS..IVE LISTEN OFF MANY OF SHOOT PROJECTS AND VAROIUS FORMAL CONNNECTIONS OF TH EBANC AND ALL TH ESOLO SHIT...AND SEROIDLY..NO ONE CAN FUCK E/bss..

[tpfkabi]

You might be thinking about that time I asked about all the various Wolf Parade connected bands in the Now Playing thread.

I wanted to buy Face Control but the digi-pak in the store looked bent to Hell.

Swan Lake has a new one, too.

I could never get into that last BSS - I bought it when Best Buy had one of those cheap sales on indie type artists.

[ono]

With that  being said.  If anyone wants to PM me some links for some shit that you would suggest. or throw them up on here, whatever. I'm definitely interested in seeing/learing more about this conglomeration.

Um, just hear it all.

Sunset Rubdown might takes a while to click.  You could start with Shut Up I'm Dreaming, but I don't know if it'll take the first time around (except for They Took a Vote, Us Ones in Between, and Shut Up... (title song)).  Random Spirit Lover is a little bit more accessible, but it's also very rich, and I find it's easy to get lost in.  Every track on that one is strong save one or two, though.  Once you've taken to it, Shut Up will make a lot more sense.  So yeah, those two.  And then Apologies to the Queen Mary for Wolf Parade.  From At Mount Zoomer, Kissing the Beehive is all that REALLY matters.  Everything else is just okay, though I admittedly haven't listened to it as obsessively as Apologies.  For Handsome Furs, get Plague Park, then if you like it, check out their new one, Face Control.  Is there an echo in here?  Yeah...  If you really start to dig Sunset Rubdown, they have some b-sides and live stuff that's great, too.  Ditto for Wolf Parade.

[ono]

Wolf Parade's got a new album June 29th.  Expo 86 is its title.  I just love that two such talented guys have so many things cooking, and nothing ever seems diluted.  Makes the wait in between projects all the more tolerable, especially since Sunset Rubdown just had a new (albeit slight) album last spring.

http://wolfparade.nonstuff.com/

[tpfkabi]

i streamed those two new tracks from Pitchfork and read the brief interview - i'm anxious to hear it as they say it was mostly recorded live, with only vocals done later.

i don't think i was ever totally knocked out by the Swan Lake and Sunset Rubdown albums last year.

[squints]

I like the new frog eyes.

Especially the first track, its great.