Song of the Day: "This Heart's On Fire" by Wolf Parade

So, this is a bit of news that got me pretty amped over the weekend. Montreal's Wolf Parade is dropping a new album in late June/early July via SubPop. Pitchfork has this interview up with guitarist/co-bandleader Dan Boeckner about the new album that's definitely worth a read. I'm a pretty big fan of the Parade, so needless to say I'm stoked. To my knowledge nothing has made the rounds online, but this is still worth celebrating by remembering the bands past highs (and let's be honest, there have been pretty much nothing but highs). So, I thought that it would be a good idea to give a listen to the closing track of their 2005 debut Apologies to the Queen Mary, the song "This Heart's On Fire."

The song is one of Boeckner's contributions to the album and is about the death of his mother, and dedicated to his at the time girlfriend (and current wife/ Handsome Furs member) for her support during that time. It's a killer closer to an insanely impressive debut album. It begins with co-leader Spencer Krug's synth laying down a slightly off putting melody before it is joined by Boeckner's chugging guitar. From there they add layers of synth, guitars, and other electronics to the mix, along with Arlen Thompson's drums (which, at this point, might be better known for their work on Arcade Fire's track "Wake Up"). It all adds up to a beautifully life affirming cocophany with Boeckner yelling the slightly ambiguous "This Heart's On Fire," over it all. I think that particular sentiment can be taken as either joyous, or hopelessly depressing. I mean, is a heart on fire a good thing? I don't know for sure, but I'm choosing to think it is. Or, maybe it's both at the same time. Actually, that makes the whole damn thing even better, because really, when are emotions only one thing at one time? (music and video post-jump)

Song of the Day: "All My Friends" by LCD Soundsystem

So, the fact should be pretty clear to most people who know me that I am a very big fan of LCD Soundsystem. I am also a very big believer in the song "All My Friends." By believer what I mean is that I consider it the best song that was released in the past decade, and actually the best song released in a timeframe that is significantly larger than a decade. It's been a long time since a song was as paradoxically epic in scope while being appealingly intimate. The song begins with a piano loop, and slowly but surely bass is added, followed by drums, synth, vocals, and finally a guitar. LCD leader and DFA czar James Murphy sing-speaks a song about regret, the loss of youth, becoming mature, and still trying to remain close with those friends that have helped you along the way. And there are, of course, those little speckles of rock music name dropping, but its subtle, and not over-the-top. The song's placement in the album is pretty key as well (although it stands up insanely well on its own, too). It follows "Someone Great," whose key refrain is, "when someone great is gone." The question posed by "Someone Great" is the nearly unanswerable, "how do you deal with loss?" Murphy posits that friends are the way to cope. This isn't a song of false nostalgia, it's one of poingant regret at wrong turns taken and paths left unexplored, but finding solace in life's failures in those around you who have always been there. The lyrical realizations are mirrored in the music, as the song builds in volume and intensity for nearly eight minute until a near climax that ends with Murphy shouting, "if I could see all my friends tonight" with startling earnestness. I have heard this song called, "sex without cumming," and her point is well taken. But then again, I think that's sort of the songs goal. It's all tension without release...kind of like the way life in general is. The song's structure is a reflection of the fact that, all things considered, life is a lot of buildup and tension, without much of a chance for release. Well, maybe that's taking things a bit too far. But, unassailable is the song's power and poingancy. It's a truly amazing achievement. (Click for video...)