The Genius of Wolf Parade

For this post, I would like to concentrate on a song by the Canadian band Wolf Parade from their album "Apologies to Queen Mary." This song is entitled, "Modern World." Listen carefully, enjoy, follow along with the lyrics/watch the video if you want and we'll reconvene in about 3 mins:


Lyrics to Modern World :
(A Section)
I'm not in love with the modern world
I'm not in love with the modern world
I was a torch driving the savages back to the trees
Modern world has more ways
And I don't mention it since it's changed
While the people go out and the people come home again

(Bridge)
(a Section)
It's gotta last to build up your eyes
And a lifetime of red skies
And from my bed saying your haunted hissing in my bed
Modern world don't ask why
Cause modern world build things high
Now they house canyons filled with life

(2nd Bridge- Change to a major key!)
(B Section)
Modern world i'm not pleased to meet you
You just bring me down
Modern world i'm not pleased to meet you
You just bring me down
Modern world i'm not pleased to meet you
You just bring me down
Modern world i'm not pleased to meet you
You just bring me down

One of the first things that automatically grabs my attention is it's steady rhythmic pulse. Now, even though that's pretty much a given in all "popular" music, "Modern World" is different. The strong beats (for example, if a song is in 2/4 time, the strong beat would be 1, weak beat 2) are essentially hidden. This leaves only a driving chordal rhythmic motive in the guitar (I'm trying to explain this without sounding like a pompous musician, it's really important to me that this is easily understood).

If I were to relate this song to an Italian Art song from the Renaissance, I would call it more or less Bar Form (AAB). Although, I'm not going to do that, because Wolf Parade is so much better. In this case I would label it AaB, because the second section has a different set of lyrics, but incorporates the same tonality/rhythm, etc.

Something important to note is that the piece starts out with a minor tonality (that's why is may sound sad or dark), but then at the second bridge, something amazing happens! It switches to this glorious major like key with a really sexy cymbal crash that marks the change. The rhythmic pulse stays the same but there's this brilliant interchange between the bass and guitar (the guitar playing on the offbeats of the strong bass, "dove tailing" if you will). As this B-Section Continues, even more amazing stuff happens. There's constant layering between voices (voices meaning all the musical lines going simultaneously). Voices are constantly added and eliminated. This aspect of layering is one of the reasons I love Wolf Parade, particularly Dan Boeckner's music. It starts with the bridge: drums, bass/piano, guitar. Then vocals are added as well as a descending pattern introduced by the piano (I think). After that, there's a trade off and what sounds like a choir of vocals echos that same descending pattern in the piano line. Then the vocals are eliminated and the piano is given precedent. The piano line slowly fades, leaving the intact bridge section. The song subsequently ends how it begins the bridge section: that sexy cymbal crash.

I might be a nerdo, but I think analysis helps. Now you know EXACTLY why I love this song.