Wolf Parade - Apologies to the Queen Mary

I’ve been going back and listening to a lot of albums I haven’t heard in a very long time. Lately, I’ve been going to the year 2005 on my computer and playing stuff from that year because 1) it was a monster year for music and 2) it was a year that WAS muffled and stuffy with nostalgia for me but now, I feel entirely invigorated by it. I remember hearing this kind of stuff and being bummed about the past and now I hear it and it simply galvanizes me as I strongly look towards the future. I mentioned Illinois earlier – which is also from ’05 – and now here is what many consider the best album of that year (not me but I still love it) Apologies for the Queen Mary.

For starters, the first song, “You Are a Runner and I Am My Father's Son” is such a great way to start any album: its stomping drums are a singular call to arms, Spencer Krug’s voice is the flat-out BOMB and that stampeding piano has left me exhilarated each and every time I hear it. “I was a hero early in the morning, I aint no hero in the night” is one of the best lines on the song and it also showcased just what Isaac Brock was capable of in terms of production. The sounds were open here, the clarity was surrounding the band’s impressive musicianship and this is a downright beast of a song.


I’m inclined to mention “Modern World” here because the transition from the aforementioned into it is one of the best on the album. It’s especially skillful in the fact that it goes from a wild, romping Krug song into this howling, smooth but tenacious Dan Boeckner song. I’ve always loved the way each musician can bring so much to the table and how they’re so different from each other and yet, they go hand-in-hand. The chemistry is undeniable and still, you can distinctly always tell who wrote what song. Looks like this is the official video to the song which I had never seen before until now:


And of course, I couldn’t mention this album without including “I’ll Believe in Anything” (power of 3) because it’s very simply one of the best songs I’ve ever heard. Sure it’s cliché but the way everything comes together around another stomping drum and this time, a stampeding guitar, and of course, Krug’s maniacal, awesome voice is amazing. At first he’s singing and asking for her to trust him “And I could take another hit for you, and I could take away your trips from you, and I could take away the salt from your eyes” and essentially saying that if he’s gonna believe in anything, she has to trust him too. It’s an entirely romantic song and well, I’m a foolish romantic so it definitely hits home here too. I love it when he sings, “So give me your eyes, I need sunshine” because everything looks beautiful with her eyes; what a wonderful line. – Bryan