Wolf Parade should call it quits (and not just because the
band’s last album was a dud). But Spencer Krug should devote all
his energy to Sunset Rubdown—everything this band (which includes
members of Pony Up! and Miracle Fortress) does kicks ass. Especially
Dragonslayer, its third full-length, which even surpasses the
critically acclaimed Random Spirit Lover. And though half of the
songs clock in at over five minutes (“Black Swan” is seven minutes
long and the epic closer “Dragon’s Lair” tops 10), the songs never lose
their focus or urgency. Deftly weaving flashes of profound emotion and
tenderness through exciting crescendos, big riffs and pulsating
rhythms, Krug has created something truly majestic.
This article appears in Aug 20-26, 2009.
