(Jagjaguwar)

www.jagjaguwar.com

Spencer Krug's voice is the one that always rings operatic through the lovely, messy indie-rock haze of his main band, Wolf Parade. Actually, with the ever-increasing success of Sunset Rubdown, his "other" other project, besides the quirky Swan Lake, it's becoming unclear which band is really his "main." Not that it matters, as they are all rather different, sometimes subtly and sometimes dramatically so. Krug's songs for Wolf Parade are always a bit show-tune-y, like an unwritten musical by a modern-day Kurt Weill, full of changes and hooks and tinkling pianos. Dragonslayer, Sunset Rubdown's latest, is no different in this regard, although it may be the most driving, urgent, and rocking record the band has created thus far. It also feels the most like an album by a full group instead of a solo project, no doubt due to the inclusion of band members in the recording process.

And never more so than on a track like "Idiot Heart," which rides on a wave of driving bass and drums and caterwauling guitar, as Krug repeats "Look at you go!" over and over. "Apollo and the Buffalo and Anna Anna Anna Oh!" and the album's opening song, "Silver Moons," are more recognizable as the utterly unique and appealing beer-hall rock that Sunset Rubdown does so well, a neo-indie version of Weimar cabaret. These songs take their time, never rushing to reach their peaks or denouements - most clock in above the five-minute mark. And above it all rides Krug's warbling vocals, keeping the whole mess together.

Sunset Rubdown continues to deviate from rock and roll conventions with every new album. Whether Dragonslayer is softly exploring a new melody or unleashing guitar chords in an aggressive and challenging manner, it's doing something in a way that you haven't quite heard before. In other words, Spencer Krug continues to keep indie rock interesting.

Standout Tracks: "Idiot Heart," "You Go On Ahead (Trumpet Trumpet II)" JONAH FLICKER