Shut Up I Am Dreaming (CD)
On their new album, Shut Up I Am Dreaming, Sunset Rubdown has evolved into a full-fledged band effort, abandoning the idiosyncrasies of lo-fi solo work yet still eschewing the allure of a polished, glossy production. Along with his bandmates, Spencer Krug (of Wolf Parade) has transformed Sunset Rubdown into a force of nature and crafted an enormous record. Rough and expansive like a thunderstorm or the whole of a canyon, Shut Up I Am Dreaming rollicks and rages in broad, sweeping gestures and tiny messages. It rolls towards oblivion like a cathedral on wheels, a shaky blur of crumbling grandeur, a miracle or a wreck of color and divinity.
| Tracklisting | |
| Disk | 1 | |
| 1 | Stadiums and Shrines II |
| 2 | They Took a Vote and Said No |
| 3 | Us Ones In Between |
| 4 | I`m Sorry I Sang On Your Hands That Have Been In The Grave |
| 5 | Snakes Got a Leg III |
| 6 | The Empty Threats of Little Lord |
| 7 | Swimming |
| 8 | The Men are Called Horsemen There |
| 9 | Q~Chord |
| 10 | Shut Up I Am Dreaming of Places Where Lovers Have Wings |
| Brian McKinney
- charlotte, NC, USA |
| Spencer Krug, the spastic and sprightly singer and keyboardist for Wolf Parade has more than a few tricks up his sleeve. On top of breaking into scenester circles across the country with Wolf Parade, Krug also finds the time to write and records his own songs under the moniker of Sunset Rubdown. In all honesty, Sunset Rubdown is every bit as relevant as Wolf Parade. With his newest release, Shut Up I Am Dreaming, Krug doles out songs with a dreamlike energy. Organs, distorted Yamaha keyboards, glockenspiels and flittering guitars mesh with Krug's vocals which are rife with whimsy and anthropomorphism featuring consistent references to man as animal and the tragic human blunder. Krug's lyrics paint such ostensibly sad pictures. For instance, ''Oceans never listen to us anyway / And if I fall into the drink / I will say your name before I sink'' from the title track alludes to a futile attempt at love. Another stand-out track is ''Stadiums and Shrines II'' which tells the story of a lost little boy with a guilty conscience, ''I'm sorry that your mother died / That one was my fault / I'm sorry anybody dies at all these days.''
Shut Up is an album that warrants repeat listening, if not requires it to just to filter through the layer upon layer of allegory and allusion. With each listen, another gem appears but when the metaphoric dust settles, what's left is utterly brilliant indie pop that may very well be remembered long after Wolf Parade goes to pasture. | |
| Chris Morin
- Saskatoon, , Canada |
| Yawn. The reason most people form bands is to express themselves, but also have their ideas tempered by a host of other musicians. Most of the time, that's what makes an album so good, everyone pitching in and adding their own dimension. Spencer Krug, lead vocalist of indie stalwarts The Wolf Parade has released this solo album to much fanfare and praise. However, what ''Shut Up I Am Dreaming'' boils down to is a disc of masturbatory hymns for those of us who too easily believe the hype machine. Sure, Wolf Parade is great. This, however, is quite disposable, an affair of songs that couldn't make the cut in the other, better band. | |
| BRock Thiessen
- Vancouver, , Canada |
| When it comes to touring in the rock world there exists two distinct categories: those who view it as complete and utter torture, and those like Spencer Krug who can't deal with the quiet of the post-tour comedown. Krug, whose day job entails being half of Wolf Parade's songwriting muscle, has swiftly unloaded a proper full-length under the name, Sunset Rubdown. Even though this project, which started out as Krug's solo adventure in home recording, has now manifested into a full-band effort, the bulk of this album sadly feels much too removed and synthetic for comfort. This is partly due to the overly dark and brooding nature of the record, as well as the fact that Krug's bleak lyrical musings often seem a bit too affected and nonsensical. As a result, it's nearly impossible for the listener to feel any real connection to what's happening here on this recording. Also, the overly digital feel of the album's production leaves it sounding much too hollow and rigid for my tastes. 'Shut I Am Dreaming' isn't necessarily a totally bad record; it's just not one that will likely be greeted with many repeated spins. | |
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