The newest album from Canadian retro-prog rockers Wolf Parade finds the band doing what they do best: epic guitar-driven psychedelic retro-rock. What the album lacks in innovation it makes up for in concise, emotional compositions that draw on late eighties prog rock and post punk. While At Mount Zoomer is an enjoyable and, in places, exhilarating listen, its retro feel and formulaic song structures make it sound a little too familiar. The result is an album that lacks a unique sound or artistic vision—one that makes you wonder whether its worth recreating a sound that The Smiths and The Cure did better the first time around. Still, in listening to the music, there’s no doubt that these guys love what they do and, quite honestly, they do it well.
The album opens with “Soldier’s Grin,” a joyous bounce of offbeat guitar jangle and sustained synth notes twisted through filters. Half radio-friendly pop, half Irish drinking song, the music is simply great retro in all its guitar and synth glory. “Call It a Ritual,” built around heavy-handed piano chords, features Dan Boeckner’s vocals emerged in a sea of reverb and guitar distortion that frames a blistering tremolo guitar passage. The harpsichord figure and prechorus of “Bang Your Drum” sound as if they were lifted out of early Jefferson Airplane. “An Animal in Your Cure” seemingly references Ziggy-era David Bowie—sparse, rocking, and anthematic. The delicate piano interlude and faux Oriental outro are nice touches, but really just more familiar regurgitations.
The majority of the album draws from late 80s NYC and London post punk with some dashes of glam rock thrown in here and there. “California Dreamer” features muted guitar chunking over a Fender Rhodes before the song opens to a dated, though charming double guitar solo. “The Grey Estates” has The Smiths written all over it: Jangly guitars, eighties synth sounds, a relentless eighth note bass pulse and plenty of “oh-ohs” scattered throughout the vocals. “Kissing the Beehive” is another epic muted guitar chugging late that blows up into a monster tapestry of layered guitar and sustained organ as majestic synth lines soar over the top of the mix.
At Mount Zoomer is great bar band music and you’ve got to admire these guys for simply playing what they enjoy without much regard for breaking new ground. The music is infused with energy and, from a songwriting approach, is well-enough constructed to hold the listener’s attention throughout (and enjoy the listen). The problem with the band’s retro approach, however, is that At Mount Zoomer lacks any sense of purpose or permanence. Great drinking music, yes. An album that will stand the test of time or even the next couple of years? Probably not.
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