Wolf Parade at The Phoenix

Wolf Parade unveiled a whole bunch of new songs last night at The Phoenix in Toronto and I'm happy to report that Dan Boeckner's description of the new material was right on the money. Not only are the songs more "uptempo" than 2008's muddled-yet-appealing At Mount Zoomer, but fans of Spencer Krug's synth indulgences will be glad to know that the band's eighties new wave influences are in greater evidence than ever before. Below you'll find Apologies to the Queen Mary classic, "You Are a Runner And I Am a Father's Son" -- which they opened the set with -- followed by an enthusiastic rendition of "Happy Birthday" (sung for Krug's mother by the crowd) and an unnamed new song a new song entitled "What Did My Lover Say (It Always Had to Go This Way)". -- JD