AWmusic

I’ve followed Sloan since I was about eleven, falling madly in love with Twice Removed (1994), indulging in their nifty power chords and quirky lyrical stories. Ever since then, I have entwined myself to this group, savouring every drum beat, every guitar chord, every lingering vocal note. This awesome Canadian power pop band has topped Canadian charts and hearts since their formation in 1991.

Parallel Play (2008) is quite consistent with the band’s eight previous albums: it’s what you’ve always known Sloan to be; a warm familiarity. The band still manages to allow each individual member have their own style incorporated into the album, which I’ve always appreciated about Sloan. This might debunk the idea of consistency, but this is how Sloan has always been. You can tell a little bit of each members’ taste in style, whether it be Andrew’s more mellow, psychedelic nature, or Jay’s tremendous love for that feel-good pop. That being said, I think Parallel Play definitely includes every genre Sloan have ever covered from day one. It’s sort of like the “Essentials”, letting the listener dip into every album in an entirely new sequence. (Here’s a thought: maybe that’s why the album’s named Parallel Play? *dun dun dun*).

In terms of instrumentation, Sloan are really your typical rock band, with no particular instrument dominating the other. There’s always a good bass riff coupled with nicely laid out power chords, with an appropriate drumbeat that’s never too over the top. Sloan’s always been known for the quirky lyrics–it’s one of the things that hooked me in. Lyricism is something Sloan’s always had, and it definitely doesn’t falter in this album.

As a long-time fan, there’s no doubt I enjoyed this album. It’s reminiscent of the awesome two decades that Sloan have been rocking, never losing that sound that’s theirs and never faltering in it, either. There is such thing as being too familiar to the point of expectation, which sometimes equals to tedious; you know, overplayed to the point of boredom. However, I never get that feeling listening to this album, and that should mean something, especially after their 30-track album released last year (Never Hear the End of It, 2007). Again, it is probably because every band member contributes the album, and rather than being categorized as just one type of sound, they make many.

I’ve been reviewing more post-rock music of late, so it’s nice to just sit back and enjoy some diverse lighthearted music for once from a band that I really enjoy.

MP3s:
Sloan – Witch’s Wand

Sloan – All I Am Is All You’re Not

Sloan – The Dogs

Buy from:
Amazon / CD Universe / Insound