The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • Track Of The Day
  • Track Of The Week
  • Books + Movies
  • About
16
new
SPILL NEW MUSIC: GWAR HAVE GONE BERSERK! CHECK OUT THE NEW SONG “BERSERKER MODE” OUT NOW
SPILL NEW MUSIC: QUEEN KWONG RELEASES HER TAKE ON A ‘POP’ SONG “WITHOUT YOU, WHATEVER”
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: ART D’ECCO – “MIDLIFE CRISIS”
SPILL NEW MUSIC: YUNGBLUD ANNOUNCES SELF-TITLED THIRD STUDIO ALBUM SET FOR RELEASE SEPTEMBER 2 VIA LOCOMOTION/GEFFEN RECORDS
SPILL NEWS: CANADIAN PUNK LEGENDS DAYGLO ABORTIONS HIT THE ROAD WITH CITIZEN RAGE FOR A CROSS CANADA TOUR
SPILL FEATURE: DON’T YOU FEEL CLOSER? – A CONVERSATION WITH CY CURNIN OF THE FIXX
SPILL MUSIC PREMIERE: BROKE ROYALS – “REVIVALISM”
SPILL NEW MUSIC: COMBICHRIST SHARES NEW SINGLE & LYRIC VIDEO FOR “MODERN DEMON” VIA OUT OF LINE MUSIC
SPILL NEWS: KATIE TUPPER RETURNS WITH NEW SINGLE “HONEY” + EMBARKS ON CANADIAN TOUR
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: VARIOUS ARTISTS – PAY IT ALL BACK VOL. 8
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FLORENCE + THE MACHINE – DANCE FEVER
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MASTER BOOT RECORD – PERSONAL COMPUTER
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FADER – QUARTZ
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DIATOM DELI – TIME~LAPSE NATURE
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: PANJOMA – “BLEEDING SUN”
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: BEAUTY IN CHAOS – “AFTERLIFE” FT. TISH CIRAVOLO
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • Track Of The Day
  • Track Of The Week
  • Books + Movies
  • About
  • Spill Menu
    • Reviews
      • Album Reviews
      • Features
      • Live Reviews
      • Festivals
    • Portraits
    • Headlines
      • News
      • Contests
      • Events
      • Entertainment Headlines
      • Concert Listings
      • Toronto Concert Venues
    • New Music
      • Premieres
      • Track Of The Day
    • Track Of The Week
    • Books + Movies
    • About
Album Reviews
263
previous article
SPILL NEWS: ALICE MERTON ANNOUNCES U.S. TOUR DATES | "NO ROOTS" OUT NOW ON MOM + POP MUSIC
next article
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MIRAH - SUNDIAL

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: WOLF PARADE – CRY CRY CRY

Wolf Parade

Wolf Parade
Cry Cry Cry
Sub Pop

It’s always hard to predict who will stick around when a band calls an indefinite hiatus. Not every group’s work stands the test of time, and irrelevance sometimes seems imminent for even the most promising of acts if they take too much time to themselves. Wolf Parade tried their luck this year, releasing their first full length album after seven years, and apparently their dedicated “Wolf Pack” of fans hadn’t budged since 2010. The Montreal indie rockers were warmly welcomed back to the music scene they had such an integral part in almost a decade ago.

Band leaders Spencer Krug and Dan Boeckner have always had a knack for sharing the spotlight. Each member always finds a way to showcase their own unique style of composition throughout every tune, complimenting each other’s sensibilities and resulting in an wholly unique sound. Their distinct vocals and raw instrumentation have always been a highlight of Wolf Parades sound. Boeckner and Krug have kept this dynamic in the forefront of their newest release Cry Cry Cry. 

Cry Cry Cry features a moody uncompromising collection of songs from start to finish with huge choruses and cutting guitar licks. A truly apt addition to the bands now cherished catalogue. Opening with a love-it-or-hate-it brooding ballad, “Lazarus Online” , this is an emotional track featuring a solid arrangement, but probably not the best introduction to this collection of otherwise energetic rock pieces. The following tracks are a memorable return to form, a highlight being the albums single “Valley Boy”. Krug’s unmistakable trembling vocals and bold synth tones draw vintage post-punk comparisons, while Boeckner’s more straight forward rock vocals ground the collection of songs and create a great contrast throughout the album.

Wolf Parade came to prominence amidst some of Canada’s greatest indie rock acts such as Arcade Fire and Broken Social Scene. A definitive style emerged from this era with moody songwriting, loose airy production and raw emotional vocals. These values are still ever present on Cry Cry Cry. Tracks like “Incantation” and “Am I An Alien Here” are great examples of these aesthetics, and a couple more highlights from the album.

For the casual fan of Wolf Parade, their more progressive and experimental side may come as a bit of a surprise. This is one aspect that sets the group apart from many of their contemporaries. Serious chops and abstract solos can be found throughout the six minute jammer of a track “Baby Blue”, bolstering piercing harmonized guitar solos, along with too many synths to keep track of, and as always a loose and heavy drum beat beneath it all.

Cry Cry Cry may not capture the pure excitement and rawness of “Apologies to the Queen Mary”; but it contains more than enough spirit and innovation to delight the dedicated “Wolf Pack” who have long awaited the group’s return.



Artist Links

facebook_flat_2016 twitter_flat_2016 instagram_flat_2016 youtube_flat_2016

Item Reviewed

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: WOLF PARADE – CRY CRY CRY

Author

Elijah Jimenez-Clarke

Here's what we think...
Spill Rating
Fan Rating
Rate Here
New Criteria
10
10
8.0
Total Spill Rating
10
Total Fan Rating
You have rated this
Album Reviews
album reviewscry cry crysub popvalley boywolf parade
album reviews, cry cry cry, sub pop, valley boy, wolf parade
About the Author
Elijah Jimenez-Clarke
Growing up in the dull suburbs of Southern Ontario, Elijah gravitated towards the city at a young age. With a healthy addiction to live music, and a constant itch for discovering his new favourite band, he finds himself happily submerged in Toronto's music scene. With his work appearing thus far in Sock Monkey Sound, and The Spill Magazine, he's going to keep this writing thing going for a while.
RELATED ARTICLES
album reviewscry cry crysub pop
 
9.0
On-U Sound
—

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: VARIOUS ARTISTS – PAY IT ALL BACK VOL. 8

by Ljubinko Zivkovic on May 13, 2022
Various Artists Pay It All Back Vol. 8 On-U Sound Master producer/songwriter/artist Adrian Sherwood has been behind all things On-U Sound since 1979, and since then he and [...]
 
10
Florence + The Machine
4.9

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FLORENCE + THE MACHINE – DANCE FEVER

by Robert Defina on May 13, 2022
Florence + the Machine  Dance Fever Polydor Records Florence + The Machine has always found the midway point between her classically-trained vocals and accessible dance pop. Her [...]
 
9.0
Master Boot Record
—

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MASTER BOOT RECORD – PERSONAL COMPUTER

by Samantha Stevens on May 13, 2022
Master Boot Record Personal Computer Metal Blade Records Once in a generation a musical genre takes a leap and for metal…that leap is Master Boot Record. The brainchild of [...]
 
9.0
Fader

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FADER – QUARTZ

by Aaron Badgley on May 13, 2022
Fader Quartz Blanc Check Records Fader is a duo, consisting of Neil Arthur (Blancmange/Near Future) and Benge (Wrangler, Creep Show and John Foxx And The Maths). Quartz is their third album, [...]
 
9.0
Diatom Deli

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DIATOM DELI – TIME~LAPSE NATURE

by Ljubinko Zivkovic on May 13, 2022
Diatom Deli Time~Lapse Nature RVNG International Artist PR’s can really go to extremes, from bare facts to wordy gibberish that praises the artists to heaven with no substantial [...]

Latest Album Reviews
View All
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: VARIOUS ARTISTS – PAY IT ALL BACK VOL. 8
9.0
—
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FLORENCE + THE MACHINE – DANCE FEVER
10
4.9
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MASTER BOOT RECORD – PERSONAL COMPUTER
9.0
—
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FADER – QUARTZ
9.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DIATOM DELI – TIME~LAPSE NATURE
9.0

Tweets by @spillmagazine

SPILL MAGAZINE MENU
  • Home | The Spill Magazine
  • Premieres
  • Track Of The Week
  • Album Reviews
  • Books + Movies
  • Features
  • Live Reviews
  • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • News
  • Events
  • Entertainment Headlines
  • Concert Listings
  • Toronto Concert Venues
  • About Us
  • Contests
  • New Music
  • Spill Magazine Contributors
  • TOTD
  • Privacy Policy
  • The Scene Unseen
  • Newsletter

Copyright © 2022 | The Spill Magazine
All Rights Reserved.

TRENDING RIGHT NOW
   
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE BIRTHDAY MASSACRE – FASCINATION
716
 
SPILL FEATURE: CRUISE TO THE EDGE 2022 – THIS YEAR’S PROG CRUISE MAKES A LOT OF NOISE. A WHOLE LOT OF NOISE.
586
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PRIMUS – CONSPIRANOID
421
 
SPILL FEATURE: DANCE TO THE PERFECT MESS – A CONVERSATION WITH CARL MARSH OF SHRIEKBACK
406
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MEN WITHOUT HATS – AGAIN (PART 2)
322
 
SPILL NEWS: BARENAKED LADIES TO RELEASE LIVE TRACKS FROM SOLD-OUT ROYAL ALBERT HALL SHOW | DELUXE EDITION OF ‘DETOUR DE FORCE’ OUT JUNE 3
320
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS – UNLIMITED LOVE
312
 
SPILL LIVE REVIEW: JERRY CANTRELL w/ LOLA COLETTE @ HISTORY, TORONTO
282
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: TANGERINE DREAM – RAUM
268
 
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: LOST CAT – “L.O.S.T.”
266
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: VR SEX – ROUGH DIMENSION
255
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PAN AMERICAN – THE PATIENCE FADER
253
 
SPILL NEW MUSIC: VENUS BEMUS RELEASES DEBUT SINGLE “STORMS”
251
ENTERTAINMENT HEADLINES