Sloan - Parallel Play - Printable Version

Sloan - Parallel Play - Printable Version

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Sloan - Parallel Play - MattyM - 07-08-2008

Just wondering what the opinion about these guys is? I'm asking only because I reviewed their album last week and prior to that I knew very little about them.

Re: Sloan - Parallel Play - mojo_mattv - 07-08-2008

lol, before I realized that you were living across the pond I thought you were mad. Living in Canada you'd literally have to put forth an effort in order to have no idea who Sloan is. There something of legends over here. Am I wrong?

Re: Sloan - Parallel Play - tigerthelion - 07-08-2008

I wouldn't call them legends. They do have quite a reputation though, especially among publications like Chart Mag. Twice Removed has been voted the best Canadian album of all time in that magazine. I think it's a joke, but, to each his own.

Sloan fans are fiercely loyal, though, and I think I came across more Sloan fans during my high school years than Tragically Hip fans. So, yeah, quite a few people seem to like Sloan in these parts.

Personally, I don't own any Sloan albums. I like some of their stuff, though. Haven't heard the new record yet. The last Sloan song that I really found enjoyable was the one that goes, "One thing I know about the rest of my life....I know that I'll be living it in Canada." I don't know the title of that song but I thought it was pretty darn groovy.

Re: Sloan - Parallel Play - thedarkcanuck - 07-08-2008

....ya gotta be a fool not to think about it...that one? rest of my life maybe? i`m in the same boat where i wouldn`t call myself a huge fan but they do have alot of cool tunes though

Re: Sloan - Parallel Play - Summiteer - 07-09-2008

thedarkcanuck Wrote:....ya gotta be a fool not to think about it...that one? rest of my life maybe? i`m in the same boat where i wouldn`t call myself a huge fan but they do have alot of cool tunes though

Yup, its The rest of my life, Sloan are great IMO

Re: Sloan - Parallel Play - cochise - 07-09-2008

Same here, I don't own any of their CD's but I do like some of their stuff. They have been around quite a while and do have a very loyal following.

I know its very basic, but I love the opening riff to "Money City Maniacs", I always turn up the radio as soon as I hear the sirens........... :thumb:

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3tLtF8kyOQ">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3tLtF8kyOQ</a>

Re: Sloan - Parallel Play - MattyM - 07-09-2008

Cool. I really liked the new one by the way, found it full of almost annoyingly catchy tunes!

Re: Sloan - Parallel Play - The Darkest Canuck - 07-09-2008

One Chord To Another is their masterpiece IMO, i own that one, and 4 Nights at The Palise Royale.

Seen them live twice, once in 98 or 99, and then last year at Summerfest, very enjoyable both times, although the first time i saw them i think i was more excited about seeing Treble Charger haha.

Re: Sloan - Parallel Play - hotmetal401 - 07-09-2008

Sloan has always been one of my favourite bands. There are really few songs where I can say, "I was here at this time on this date when I first heard it." But Everything You've Done Wrong is one of those songs. It really changed my outlook on pop music and introduced me to a world that a kid from the suburbs doesn't always get to experience.

For my money, Twice Removed is the best album of the 1990s. They made a record of songs they wanted to play and told the record company to fuck off. As a collection of songs, there is no better unit. Maybe it's not as experimental as OK Computer or it didn't influence like Nevermind, but I have never skipped ahead a song on this album in the ten years I've owned it.

For as great as they've been with their studio efforts, live has been a struggle. It's gotten better, but they still aren't best live act, which is really too bad. They'd be the total package if it could be pulled off.

Easily, the most memorable moment of my university career was playing hockey with Andrew Scott and Chris Murphy the morning of their show in Thunder Bay in October 2006. Sloan had meant so much to me, and talking about bands like them, bands that I cared about, to other people really is one of the reasons why I started writing and went into journalism. And after all that, here I was with Andrew Scott coming toward me with his head down in the trolley tracks.

I let up. And for once, I didn't kick myself for it.

Cheers,

Pat

Re: Sloan - Parallel Play - MattyM - 07-09-2008

Cool, I think I'm gonna have to start buying up their back catalogue, I'm intrigued! For reference, here's my review.

Quote:Canadian Rock, we don’t hear nearly enough of it over here in the UK, bands like Wintersleep make minimum impact (though they did play Great Escape this year), Sam Roberts and his band played Trafalgar square on Canada day last year… did you know? I know I didn’t, because they get no publicity. Even The Tragically Hip (and I’m biased here, they’re my favourite band) who can, and do, sell out every arena in Canada time and again are almost completely under the radar over here. Sloan are another band in the same mould, writing some classic rock tracks, catchy and interesting, though as they proved by making their previous album ‘Never hear The End Of It’ a thirty track epic, they aren’t afraid to push the boundaries either. Following it up with an album whose title references child psychology lets you know these guys are both playful and very smart, very much a Canadian musical trait (for this weeks homework see the writing of Neil Young, Gordon Downie and Barenaked Ladies). This is a remarkably cohesive piece, especially so when you consider that at various times all four band members are writing and singing. Stylistically they seem to enjoy touching as many bases as possible too, from the Travelling Wilburys twang of ‘If I Could Change Your Mind’ to the grinning power pop of ‘Believe In Me’. There are obvious comparisons to the more breezy moments In Belle and Sebastians back catalogue too, the elements of whimsy tied down with a touch of Intellectualism. ‘The Dogs’ and ‘The Other Side’ go a little psychedelic and come out rather too Kula Shaker for my liking, but that can be excused when you hear the excellent ‘Down In The Basement’, a beautifully personal moment on an otherwise pretty upbeat disc. This Is power pop at it’s finest, which is why it’s such a pity that it’ll probably go unpurchased in this country!

Re: Sloan - Parallel Play - chris - 07-10-2008

From 'Coax Me' off the terrific album Twice Removed, "It's Not The Band I Hate, It's Their Fans..." has often been directed towards Hip fans although the preceeding line in the song should indicate that it's about the band Consolidated.

Either way, it's a killer record from start to finish. I'd start with it and move chronologically through their catalogue. Sloan were often tagged as the next It Band, and were signed to DGC for a while during this period.

In concert, as Pat mentioned, they're good but never great. Although they are always entertaining. Each member plays every instrument on stage, and they rotate through each position with ease.

'Rest Of My Life' is one of the catchiest pop-rock songs of the last number of years but it didn't do much to bring Sloan into the spotlight again.

Here's another thread about their new album: <a class="postlink-local" href="http://hipbase.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=13255">viewtopic.php?f=4&t=13255</a>

And be sure to read the National Post article that is linked - <a class="postlink" href="http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/theampersand/archive/2008/06/09/murphy-s-jaw-sloan-s-frontman-on-radiohead-feist-crystal-castles-and-finding-the-good-in-everyone.aspx">http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blog ... ryone.aspx</a>

Re: Sloan - Parallel Play - MattyM - 07-10-2008

cheers Chris :thumb:

Re: Sloan - Parallel Play - ryan93 - 07-13-2008

I have quite a few Sloan cds...4 nights at palais royale, asides win: singles 1992-2005, smeared, navy blues, never hear the end of it, one chord to another, pretty together.

I haven't heard the new album yet, but will definitely pick it up sometime over the summer. I liked their last one, it had quite a few good songs, but 30 songs was a little too much IMO. I thought the two singles, "who taught you to live like that" and "ill placed trust" were both great songs, and i also loved "flying high again" and "somethings wrong".

Re: Sloan - Parallel Play - farmerdan - 07-13-2008

yeah, I own A sides win. It's pretty much the only Sloan album I need.....but I may check out the new album

Re: Sloan - Parallel Play - direwolf74 - 07-13-2008

I'm surprised no one's mentioned Between the Bridges, which is one of their best albums in my opinion. I also own Smeared, Twice Removed, and One Chord to Another, which are all amazing. I lost interest in them a few years ago, but I still think they're a good band and I've been thinking of picking up "Parallel Play" just for the hell of it.