The Busiest Krug in Indie Rock

Spencer Krug doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. After consistently touring with Wolf Parade, followed by cross country gigs with his side project, gone full-time band Sunset Rubdown, it would seem like this one-time grad student might be the busiest person in indie rock.

In his new project, Swan Lake, with Dan Bejar (Destroyer and the New Pornographers) and Carey Mercer (Frog Eyes), Krug has the opportunity to once again show us how well he can flashdance with those fancy songwriting skills of his. To be honest this kid seems to be on his way to the indie rock hall of fame with the amount of solid work he continues to shell out. With “All Fires,” Krug’s vocals and lyrics take center stage atop acoustic strums cornered by eerie vibrato plucking. The distant drum work and Bejar’s hollowed out, backing vocals are the ingredients to make a campfire song for the ghosts of the community. Short and sweet, “All Fires” is a nice introduction to this much anticipated indie supergroup.

[mp3] Swan Lake – All Fires

After falling in love with Krug’s songwriting on Apologies to the Queen Mary, Sunset Rubdown was an easy and much enjoyed transistion. The new song “Winged/Wicked Things,” which was recently performed as part of the brilliant Daytrotter Sessions, shows that even with busy schedules, there is time to keep one’s guns shiny and knives sharp. In other words, Krug’s weapons are still fit to kill if you know what I mean.

[mp3] Sunset Rubdown – Winged/Wicked Things (Daytrotter Session)

One of the most powerful transitions that I have experienced in any live set has got to be Wolf Parade’s fusion of “You Are a Runner” into “Fancy Claps.” “Runner” has enough thump to wind your feet up before exploding into "Claps," the “rockiest” of Wolf Parade’s songs. A live recording might not do this mash up justice but let this just be a warning for your next Wolf Parade show, when you hear “Runner” you better sure as hell be ready to put your dancing shoes on.

[mp3] Wolf Parade – Runner/Fancy Claps (Live)

Swan Lake’s debut Beast Moans is out November 21. Drumroll please...the artwork and tracklist.

1. Widow’s Walk

2. Nubile Days

3. City Calls

4. A Venue Called Rubella

5. All Fires

6. The Partisan But He’s Got To Know

7. The Freedom

8. Petersburg, Liberty Theater, 1914

9. The Pollenated Girls

10. Bluebird

11. Pleasure Vessels

12. Are You Swimming In Her Pools?
13. Shooting Rockets