The soaring choruses, rousing anthems, sprawling guitars and chaotic keys
that make up Wolf Parade are on proud display over the course of Cry Cry Cry,
the bands thunderous first album in seven years.
That unique combination of sounds and influences, spearheaded by electric
co-frontmen Spencer Krug and Dan Boecknera complex yet relatable, energetic
brew of glam, prog, synth-rock, and satisfying discomfort helped define 2000s
indie rock with three critically celebrated albums, and propelled a growing Wolf
Parade fandom even after the band went on a then-indefinite hiatus in 2010.
The upcoming return marks their first to be produced by Pacific Northwest legend
John Goodmanson (Bikini Kill, Sleater-Kinney, Unwound) at Robert Lang Studios
outside of Seattle, and is accompanied by a renewed focus and the creativity of
a band that took their time getting exactly where they needed to be. Its also
a homecoming to Sub Pop, which released all three of the bands previous
albums.
In the time apart, the band scattered geographically and focused on family and
other workSpencer on his solo project Moonface, Dan on his bands Handsome
Furs, Operators, and Divine Fits (with Spoons Britt Daniel), and Dante De
Caro on records with Carey Mercers Frog Eyes and Blackout Beach. And that
time allowed for an even stronger, tighter band to emerge.
Eventually, Spencer, Dante, and Arlen found themselves all back living on remote
Vancouver Island, accompanied by a population density less than that of Alaska,
and the tranquillity that leads to creative emanations like a
government-sponsored bathtub race. With Dan on the same coast in Northern
California, discussions began about picking things up where they left off.
I think were actually a better band than we were when we stopped playing
music together, says Arlen. A little bit more life experience for
everybody, and people having made a bunch of records on their own.