Apologies To The Queen Mary
by Wolf Parade
  • Record Label: Sub Pop
  • Release Date: Sep 27, 2005
User Score
8.7

Universal acclaim- based on 174 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 150 out of 174
  2. Mixed: 20 out of 174
  3. Negative: 4 out of 174

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  1. All_ButTrU4
    Nov 24, 2021
    7
    A simply amazing album. It seemed almost average on the first listen, but after putting some time into it, I can't stop listening. Every track is brimming with emotion and the inovation is clear. the nurturing indie rock songs and then the pounding of the drums beating along with a large thud. Wolf Parade is Canada's latest and greatest thing to come out since Stars or Arcade Fire. It isA simply amazing album. It seemed almost average on the first listen, but after putting some time into it, I can't stop listening. Every track is brimming with emotion and the inovation is clear. the nurturing indie rock songs and then the pounding of the drums beating along with a large thud. Wolf Parade is Canada's latest and greatest thing to come out since Stars or Arcade Fire. It is beautiful lyrically in some songs even though the lyrics may not make as much sense you can feel that they wanted to make sure… Expand
  2. harrisonjr98
    Aug 16, 2015
    10
    Whatever happened to the excitement of music discovery? If true listening pleasure is to be reduced to a couple great records a year, it's a damn good thing Apologies to the Queen Mary is one of them. 9.6/10
  3. Vampire25
    Dec 17, 2012
    8
    Took me a long time to delve into what Wolf Parade were all about. Apologies To The Queen Mary is an impressive debut. They make indie rock intricate and awesome again. No one track sound the same. First five tracks are brilliant, and the rest are great. All In All, dan Boeckner is a fantastic musician and a wonderful lyricist, and Wolf Parade are a great indie band, and so is this LP. B+
  4. Delta_Spirit
    Jan 30, 2011
    10
    Based on the quality and originality of the songwriting and the musci itself, Wolf Parade should be known by more people. Arcade Fire were the first indie band I listened to, and so I will always love them, but Wolf Parade are not afraid to go beyond the norm. "Shine a Light" is possibly me favourite song on my mp3 player
  5. JustinB.
    Sep 21, 2007
    10
    It's crazy that is isn't even good enough to be in 2005's top 30. this album is simply breathtaking and great.
  6. HollisG.
    Aug 16, 2007
    9
    So close to a 10. This is one album that has remained in CONSTANT rotation for me over the past 2 years. Unlike some of the negative reviewers on here, I really like that Wolf Parade has two different song writers with very different styles; I think it adds to the sound and makes the album more exciting. My only criticism is that there are a couple songs on here that I skip every time, So close to a 10. This is one album that has remained in CONSTANT rotation for me over the past 2 years. Unlike some of the negative reviewers on here, I really like that Wolf Parade has two different song writers with very different styles; I think it adds to the sound and makes the album more exciting. My only criticism is that there are a couple songs on here that I skip every time, their inadequacy all the more apparent next to some of the great music on this record.… Expand
  7. EricC
    Mar 23, 2007
    10
    Easily one of my all-time favorite cd's. You Are A Runner, Hungry Ghosts, and Shine A Light are my favorite songs of the year. Every time I take this cd out of my stereo, it only finds its ways back a few days later. I found out some people don't like the vocals, and I just insult those people in the best way I can think of. Everything this band does is amazing. They better roll Easily one of my all-time favorite cd's. You Are A Runner, Hungry Ghosts, and Shine A Light are my favorite songs of the year. Every time I take this cd out of my stereo, it only finds its ways back a few days later. I found out some people don't like the vocals, and I just insult those people in the best way I can think of. Everything this band does is amazing. They better roll out another cd soon.… Expand
  8. MarekV
    Sep 29, 2006
    10
    They really come with a new impresive sound!
  9. grayrabbit
    Aug 23, 2006
    9
    I just purchased tickets to see Wolf Parade at Kraftbrau in Kalamazoo, and I thought I'd check Metacritic to see if there was a new release that I didn't know about. Then, as usual, I wandered down to the user reviews for this album. My two cents worth is that this is one of the top five albums that I heard in 2005, and for what it's worth I listen to a rather wide variety I just purchased tickets to see Wolf Parade at Kraftbrau in Kalamazoo, and I thought I'd check Metacritic to see if there was a new release that I didn't know about. Then, as usual, I wandered down to the user reviews for this album. My two cents worth is that this is one of the top five albums that I heard in 2005, and for what it's worth I listen to a rather wide variety of rock, pop, folk, classical and hip-hop music. I'm no musical scholar by any stretch of the imagination, but this is a very satisfying CD. I'll Believe In Anything didn't hook me like it did many reviewers, but this album doesn't have a weak moment in my mind. It is strong throughout and Modern World, Dear Sons and Daughters... and especially Shine A Light blew me away.… Expand
  10. o
    Jun 14, 2006
    10
    Not one of the thirty best albums of 2005? You're crazy or you didn't bother to listen to it a second time. These guys are the goods, their live show wrecked anything else I saw come through nyc, no mistake, this is one of the very best of 2005.
  11. mr.hankey
    Jun 3, 2006
    8
    Was it one of the best of 2005?.... Yes, it was because of the nurturing indie rock songs and then the pounding of the drums beating along with a large thud. Wolf Parade is Canada's latest and greatest thing to come out since Stars or Arcade Fire. It is beautiful lyrically in some songs even though the lyrics may not make as much sense you can feel that they wanted to make sure the Was it one of the best of 2005?.... Yes, it was because of the nurturing indie rock songs and then the pounding of the drums beating along with a large thud. Wolf Parade is Canada's latest and greatest thing to come out since Stars or Arcade Fire. It is beautiful lyrically in some songs even though the lyrics may not make as much sense you can feel that they wanted to make sure the lyrics represented their personality in some way. Apologies to the Queen Mary had many high points that were really a foundation for the album. The album really balances itself when it comes out with the music for instance the first few songs are good and then it starts to become average then after that around the middle of the album everything is nearly perfect. It amazes me how they can come up with such melodies and sound as if they were just creating their own mess. Wolf Parade is a huge success and deserves all the good reviews it can get. Modest Mouse may have sort of sold out ( not really ) but Wolf Parade doesn't in my opinion resemble them at all and that is one of their highest qualities.… Expand
  12. Alan
    May 4, 2006
    7
    A better-than-average album--you can tell there are excellent songs under there, but the production has made the band Modest Mouse-tified, which doesn't really play to their strengths. A good start--but this band isn't the second coming of anything as of yet. And ditch Issac Brock, that would be a good start next time around.
  13. GioS
    Mar 31, 2006
    9
    One of the best albums of 2005. Canada has had an all-star lineup this year!
  14. Wayne
    Mar 28, 2006
    10
    Stunning, brilliant, and over all one of the best albums of 2005. As one reviewer called them a more reserved Frog Eyes, they are so much more than that. Wolf Parade goes straight for the heart and keeps on pulling at its strings.
  15. Chupacabra
    Mar 12, 2006
    10
    wow
  16. dans
    Mar 9, 2006
    9
    It's a great album. Jack, you are the hippest of hipsters. Frog Eyes are pretty conventional themselves.
  17. PatW
    Feb 3, 2006
    10
    This is one wicked album. Gets better everytime i listen to it. This heart is definetly on fire....
  18. Bob
    Jan 28, 2006
    10
    Great album the lyrics are greats and it is so easy to listen to the high quality of music from this talented band. This is made better when out alone in the dead of night listening to it while walking alnoe.
  19. colinm
    Jan 11, 2006
    10
    the arcade fire were but a voice crying out in the wilderness wolf parade are our rock and roll messiahs
  20. laurene
    Dec 21, 2005
    10
    lyrics drums flawless
  21. MartyY
    Dec 20, 2005
    9
    The album lacks a tad of the despairing emotion from their pre-Sub Pop EP, but the album still rocks hard. Great songs, great arrangements, great vocals. Every time I listen to "Dear and Sons and Daughters..." and "I'll Believe in Anything" I forget whatever I'm doing and I get lost in the music. Why I haven't been in more car accidents is a miracle.
  22. JohnN
    Dec 14, 2005
    10
    Best album of 2005.....I've got to think that those people who gave this a 1 or 2 weren't listening to the same CD as I was. At first listen it did seemlike a modest mouse clone (which ain't half bad), but after 2 or 3 listens you see much more. I would give this a 10 just for I'll Believe in Anything, which is one of the best and most powerful songs I've heard in Best album of 2005.....I've got to think that those people who gave this a 1 or 2 weren't listening to the same CD as I was. At first listen it did seemlike a modest mouse clone (which ain't half bad), but after 2 or 3 listens you see much more. I would give this a 10 just for I'll Believe in Anything, which is one of the best and most powerful songs I've heard in a while.… Expand
  23. seamus
    Nov 21, 2005
    9
    they might sound and be influenced by this or that, but look past comparisons and look at the beauty that is "Apologies to the Queen Mary"
  24. MikeyB
    Nov 19, 2005
    8
    As someone who could give rat's ass about "indie cred" or being in-the-knowier than thou, my criticism might not mean much.... but I have to say, these guy's are good. Even better than good. They were better when they were called the Talking Heads, but WP does a good job of channeling the post-punk spirit. I don't fully get the Arcade Fire references, I do see the Mouse As someone who could give rat's ass about "indie cred" or being in-the-knowier than thou, my criticism might not mean much.... but I have to say, these guy's are good. Even better than good. They were better when they were called the Talking Heads, but WP does a good job of channeling the post-punk spirit. I don't fully get the Arcade Fire references, I do see the Mouse influence, and they aren't all that different from their peers, but not too many bands are. Anyway, just two cents from someone "outside" the indie world.… Expand
  25. KeithR
    Nov 16, 2005
    10
    I've purposely waited awhile to review this fantastic album which has become an indespensible part of my musical rotation over the past month. I've taken in all the too-much-like Modest Mouse critisism and heard numerous people compare this band to Arcade Fire and I'm here to disagree on both accounts. Yes, Issac Brock produced the album, and yes Spencer Krug does sound a I've purposely waited awhile to review this fantastic album which has become an indespensible part of my musical rotation over the past month. I've taken in all the too-much-like Modest Mouse critisism and heard numerous people compare this band to Arcade Fire and I'm here to disagree on both accounts. Yes, Issac Brock produced the album, and yes Spencer Krug does sound a great deal like Brock, but that is where the simlarites end. Not to mention the fact that the other talented lead singer of this band (Dan Boeckner) brings a distinctly different feel to his contributions. The depth of the lyrical content of the songs on this disc shames anything ever done by MM and that's no easy task. I find a deep emotional connection to many songs on Apologies to the Queen Mary including what I consider to be the best song released in many years, "I'll Believe in Anything," which is about an all-consuming need to be emotionally involved in a relationship that builds and builds with waves of guitar, keyboards and distorted wind instruments untill Krug's (and the listener's) soul is laid bare for all the world to see: "Give me your eyes, your blood, your soul and your ghost" and "I'll take you where nobody knows you and nobody gives damn - either way" are pure lyrical mastery and convey the depth of the conviction of the singer's love. I have not heard a musical build up as intense as this since "Untitiled" off of Nuetral Milk Hotel's swan song which leads into the tear inducing "Two Headed Boy Part II" "Dinner Bells" is another haunting Krug piece that is melancoly and forelorn and makjes the listener think deeply about their own mortality and the lives of loved ones who have come before them. "Dear Sons and Daughters of Hungry Ghosts" inspires us to think about our place in life and whether or not we're living up to the expectations, real or imagined, of generations of our forefathers (and foremothers, if their is such a word): "I've got water and I've got holes." is an exceptionally descriptive line. Boeckner's songs tend to be more upbeat in tempo, but equally introspective. The breakdown and subsequent chorus in "Modern World" is catchy and addictive, while one can't help but recall the sounds of Wilco, circa Summerteeth, when listening to "Same Ghost Every Night." In fact, Tweedy's influence is so strong that this could easily mistaken for a missing track off that album. "Ghosts" of ancestors can be found all over this rewarding album, and that is the only connection I can see between Wolf Parade and Arcade Fire (that and the fact that they toured together). Musically, they are entirely different animals. Overall, I can't recommend "Apoligies to the Queen Mary" enough and it's right up there with Sufjan Steven's "Illinois" for albumn of the year.… Expand
  26. AlexP
    Nov 12, 2005
    9
    Sounds like they
  27. Smaz
    Nov 9, 2005
    10
    Everything we can ask for from a modern indie band. Apologies delivers with scintillating vocal synths and catchy guitar riffs, yet at the same time presenting an assortment of songs that can't help but draw references to Modest Mouse and the intricateness of Yo La Tengo.
  28. Evangeline
    Nov 9, 2005
    9
    Amazing.
  29. ColinK
    Nov 1, 2005
    9
    Best band to make it off the Canadian Indi sceen in years.
  30. ac
    Oct 31, 2005
    10
    awesome album. one of the best new indie bands!
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Awards & Rankings

37
#37 Best Album of 2005
31
#31 Most Discussed Album of 2005
54
#54 Most Shared Album of 2005

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
83

Universal acclaim - based on 32 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 32 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 32
  3. Negative: 0 out of 32
  1. Tiny Mix Tapes
    80
    Wolf Parade do what they do better than anyone in recent memory.
    Read full review
  2. Pitchfork
    92
    On paper this all could sound average, but Wolf Parade's true talent is transforming the everyday into the unprecedented.
    Read full review
  3. Stylus Magazine
    100
    They’ve cleaned up their grungy guitar lines (thank you Sub Pop), reworked a few of the best songs from their early EPs, and the result is undoubtedly the best contender for the Arcade Fire/Broken Social Scene-helm of 2005.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »