20.

Wolf Parade
Apologies To The Queen Mary
(Sub Pop, 2005)

Remember how early associations of Wolf Parade with Modest Mouse had the mainstream media constantly comparing the two bands? It’s a pretty ridiculous comparison, but whatever, it can be hard for Rolling Stone to distinguish between two bands that both use guitar, bass and drums. On my first listens I remember being intrigued but unable to grasp the album as a whole. I don’t think I knew then that there was two vocalists/songwriters in Spencer Krug and Dan Boeckner. And so, Apologies To The Queen Mary unfolded itself to me slowly, but fold by fold, triangle by square, Wolf Parade became THEE wolf band of the day and, as it now turns out, of the decade. Wolf Parade’s debut is rich with grand songwriting at every fold, and still unfolding.

-Thistle