Wolf Parade’s Apologies to the Queen Mary is a 2005 Montreal indie rock release that moves with a nervous, headlong charge. The songs were written across the band’s first couple of years, and the record’s appeal is in that shared push rather than a single songwriter’s polished statement. “You Are A Runner And I Am My Father’s Son” opens with urgency, while “Modern World,” “Grounds For Divorce,” and “I’ll Believe In Anything” keep the set moving through sharp turns and big emotional pressure. It’s a lively, slightly unruly listen, with enough melodic pull to keep the momentum from becoming noise.
Wolf Parade had been together a little over two years when this arrived, part of the Montreal scene that was attracting plenty of outside attention. Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse helped bring them to wider notice, then recorded much of the album with engineer Chris Chandler at Audible Alchemy in Portland. The band had also toured with Modest Mouse and The Arcade Fire, and had already self-released two limited EPs. Anyone drawn to early-2000s alternative and indie rock should find plenty to grab onto here, especially in the album’s quick pace and collaborative feel. Paid formats include FLAC 16/44, ALAC, WAV, AIFF, and MP3 320, with vinyl, CD, cassette, and shirts also available.
