Wolf Parade Heat Things Up in New York

As New York City's summer is in full swing, it's reached that point where the city's music venues are turning into saunas, like on Tuesday when 3,000 people packed Terminal 5 for Wolf Parade. "I feel stupid trying to dry off. I'm wet," declared Wolf Parade keyboardist Spencer Krug towards the end of their hour-and-10-minute set.

Indeed, it seemed like a rather pointless activity. By the time Krug and the gang had reached 'This Heart's on Fire,' they were all looking sluggish, the way a runner does when they've hit a point of contention with the air around them. But the band pushed through, drawing mostly from their new album 'Expo 86,' a record that's a bit more accessible than their last one, 'At Mount Zoomer.'

In some regards, Wolf Parade becoming an onstage sweaty mess is one of their own doing, namely because it feels like they're always speeding up their song's live tempos as compared to their studio counterparts. That's a good thing, in particular on the Dan Boeckner-led 'Palm Road' and 'What Did My Lover Say? (It Always Had to Go This Way),' with both becoming highlights of the new crop that don't feel bloated with proggy complications, like some of their songs can.

Older highlights included 'Dear Sons and Daughters of Hungry Ghosts' and 'I'll Believe in Anything,' songs that have been in rotation over the years but still sound powerful. When sandwiched into the newer material, it's easy to see that they've evolved into something that's much more textural than anything. Where those early songs pound you with heavy, rhythmic elements, the 'Expo 86' material feels like they've struck a balance between finding a way to get people to move without an overabundance of keyboards and guitar effects, a notion that some listeners struggled with on 'At Mount Zoomer.'

After a lengthy European tour this past spring, Wolf Parade are currently in the midst of a North American run, with a slew of dates in Canada scheduled as they make their way to the West Coast later this month.