Wolf Parade - EP 4

In 2005, Wolf Parade became the latest Canadian band to travel from CBC Radio 3 and New Music Canada fame to the hallowed halls of Internet buzz and indie scene hype. But as it was with Arcade Fire and the Most Serene Republic (to name only two examples) before them, the Montreal quartet is pretty deserving of the chatter. This self-titled set is only four songs long — two from the September 2005 release Apologies to the Queen Mary and two recorded with pal and fan Isaac Brock. The Modest Mouse impresario is an influence, too — Wolf Parade have a similarly skewed approach to indie pop, and vocalist Dan Boeckner sings in an approximation of sighing vacuum cleaner and David Bowie impersonator. But "Shine a Light" and "You Are a Runner and I Am My Father's Son" never lose their side-long catchiness, and they're helped along by various keyboards and laptops and simple, splashily effective drumming. "Disco Sheets" isn't as unique, but Hot Hot Heat and Franz Ferdinand fans will love it, and "Lousy Pictures" closes out the EP strong with some great dynamic shifts and an organ whirring beneath its scraggly electric guitar.