Review Summary: It’s a curse.
Wolf Parade was a band that I followed religiously for a very long time; specifically, since their first album, Apologies to the Queen Mary. It was an album that I immediately connected to, with catchy hooks and memorable lyrics. But as much as I adore that record, I cannot deny that that album’s success has been more curse than blessing. Ever since Apologies, Wolf Parade seemed to struggle with the burning question every band with a successful first outing has: what now? 2008’s At Mount Zoomer and 2010’s Expo 86, while a decent set of albums, were far from the heights the band once had reached. It seems the band was aware of this, because in what felt like an instant, Wolf Parade went on hiatus in 2010. The band that I had fallen in love with just 5 years prior was now effectively defunct.
They returned with an EP in 2016 and Cry Cry Cry in 2017, both of which made very little splash in the music scene. Even those that once sung their praise now met them at the gate with little more than indifference. It seemed that Dan Boeckner, Spencer Krug, and Arlen Thompson, Wolf Parade’s founding members, would once again be swallowed whole by the curse that had been shrouding them for years. Or at least, that’s what I thought at the time. But then some of the pre-release singles off their new album, Thin Mind, started being released and my ears perked up. “Against the Day,” the first of the singles, seemed like a step in the right direction for the band. The synth and drums, while a tad overbearing, gave the song a lot of driving energy; something that Wolf Parade had been sincerely lacking. But this was just one single, and I was excited to see how the final album would make use of this sound.
Honestly, I don’t think I could properly describe the wave of relief that washed over me when I heard the opening notes of “Under Glass.” While not my favorite on the album, it was a solid starting line for the album, and probably the album’s most immediate rock tune. Following that track is the 3rd single released, and one of my personal favorites off of the album, “Julia Take Your Man Home.” One of the poppier songs on the album, it the production sells it. Props to the band and producer John Goodmanson, cause this song (and the rest of the album) sounds punchy and clean, without feeling sterile. It’s a tough balance to find these days, so it’s always a pleasure to hear.
Another album highlight, “As Kind As You Can,” is a Bowie-esque track that builds gradually to an explosive finale that I just adore. The song is admittedly a bit of a mess lyrically, but lyrics have never been Wolf Parade’s strongest area. That said, there are a few instances of great writing by both Boeckner and Krug on Thin Mind; maybe even some of their best work. The Boeckner-penned track “Wandering Son” immediately comes to mind, with its themes of automation and references to dystopian futures:
“And all your days, all your days will wash away like tears in rain”
“Though your feet walk foreign streets, you'll never change”
The album’s cover depicts this future visually, with the remains of abandoned architecture being overtaken by greenery and co-opted by gun-toting freedom fighters. In interviews, the band had stated that the album’s title was an illusion to how technology has slowly withered our attention spans. In the words of drummer Arlen Thompson, “how do you deal with the constant barrage of having your opinions swayed by all these different actors?” Thin Mind traverses many themes and concepts over its 42-minute runtime, but this concept of a dystopia built by our own desire to gain information as quickly as possible seems to be the main driving force for most of the album. Wolf Parade run the risk of sounding preachy with a message like this, but it plays off with the more synth-forward sound they present on Thin Mind. Much like the ‘warriors’ on the cover, it feels like Wolf Parade are enlisting the aid of electronic drums and keyboards more as a thematic choice rather than one influenced by changing trends in indie rock. Could be wishful thinking on my part, but either way, it does match the tone of the album well.
Despite enjoying Thin Mind immensely, I do think that it does sound too homogeneous at times. Many of the tracks follow a very similar structure, almost to a distracting degree. The only tracks that seem to break away from the formula are “Out of Control” and “Fall Into the Future;” both of which are the album’s weakest tracks. I suppose this goes back to what I was saying about the ‘curse’ though: Wolf Parade’s established brand of ‘synth indie rock’ doesn’t make for very much branching out. But the highlights on Thin Mind seem to stretch those set confines, if only slightly. Moments like the halfway point of “The Static Age,” where the band complements a more standard rock tune with electronic accompaniments are some of the album’s best parts. So, while many of the tracks on Thin Mind do take liberally from the same well, it’s hard to blame the trio for it. After all, they do sound the best when they’re taking from it.
I suppose in some ways, Thin Mind being as it is confirms my suspicions; that Wolf Parade are cursed to hide in the shadow of their first album forever. I certainly don’t believe Thin Mind is better than Apologies to the Queen Mary, and I doubt very many people would disagree with me on that front. But Boeckner and co. seem to be taking it in stride, by putting out an album that’s more ambitious than that first album: in instrumentation, in production, and in theming. Perhaps the only way to overcome a curse is to continue making art despite it. It seems to be working for Wolf Parade at least.
