At long last Canadian indie-rock mainstays Spencer Krug and Dan Boeckner have combined songwriting forces, reuniting with Dante DeCaro and Arlen Thompson to record a new Wolf Parade record (unfortunately, Hadji Bakara sat this one out, deciding to pursue academic valor rather than rock ‘n’ roll infamy). All four individuals took time off from their multitude of other projects (Handsome Furs, Sunset Rubdown, Swan Lake and Treasure Hunt to name a few) coming together as a band for the entire writing and recording process; each adding their individual talents and discernable styles to create a unified sound. Expo 86 is very much a collaborative effort, resulting in the most cohesive, well rounded Wolf Parade effort yet. Due to be released on June 29th, the 11 tracks that make up Expo 86 are sure to define Wolf Parade as a band with a unique sonic formula. All the usual ingredients are there: big guitars, keyboards, diverse rhythms, bleeps and blips (despite Hadji’s absence) and distinct vocals and melodies. However, everything seems bigger and brighter. Expo 86 is the most upbeat Wolf Parade album to date; everything is clean, crisp, vibrant and rejuvenating. In true Wolf Parade fashion, the songs’ huge, thoughtful constructions are full of melody and character that somehow manage to lack pretense. Composed and recorded by a group of very talented men, it’s clear that the band harbours a true passion for what they do, and have the ability to translate that passion on to tape. Expo 86 is the Wolf Parade album we’ve all been waiting for!