Sunset Rubdown’s batshit crazy music boggles the mind and confuses
the soul. Your blabbermouthed uncle who sits in his rocking chair
telling made-up war stories might listen to it. So might that hipster
down the street with a closetful of American Apparel tees and a pair of
headphones bigger than your dog. This isn’t music for the masses. Wolf
Parade’s Spencer Krug formed Sunset Rubdown as a side project, and with
the assistance of three (this time four) other musicians, he’s released
three albums under that name. The music often sounds like a mish-mosh,
with screeching electric guitar sneaking between playful keys,
stampeding drumbeats and Krug’s hyperventilating vocals. But when the
songs lose structure, they come off sloppy and boring. Still, “Idiot
Heart” almost makes up for those tunes. Its muted guitar and jagged
electric bursts are brought to life by a barrage of bells and playful
lyrics about Greek myths and dying in “a decent pair of shoes.” The
first few tracks on Dragonslayer are satisfyingly complex
— reason enough to (temporarily) sacrifice your sanity. —
Danielle Sills
This article appears in Jun 24-30, 2009.
