Topic: Sloan - Parallel Play (Read 9181 times)

Jackie Blue · « **on:** 12 Jun 2008, 12:16 »

I forgot about this album until today. Found it on mediafyre.

This is a fucking boss album. In fact I might even say it is my new favourite Sloan record.

It's truly wonderous how you can actually hear the band getting better as musicians on every new album. It's like they're perpetually young and will just never stop evolving and taking it to the next level. There aren't many bands that have been around for 15+ years I can say that about.

Johnny C · « **Reply #1 on:** 12 Jun 2008, 12:43 »

Buying it right now.

Literally. Leaving the house after this post.

pat101 · « **Reply #2 on:** 12 Jun 2008, 14:52 »

you know, I haven't heard it yet though I will soon change that, and as a Canadian citizen I feel it's my duty to rep sloan when possible, so yes... sloan is generally quite awesome

SleeperCylon · « **Reply #3 on:** 12 Jun 2008, 15:49 »

There are some Sloan singles I really like but I've never gotten into one of their albums.

Money City Maniacs, If It Feels Good Do It, great songs.

The rest of the album those songs are on, average at best.

Johnny C · « **Reply #4 on:** 12 Jun 2008, 18:53 »

Just listened to it for the blog. I actually like it a lot. Not as good as their last one but better than, say, Action Pact or Pretty Together. "Emergency 911" in particular is absolutely phenomenal.

Johnny C · « **Reply #5 on:** 12 Jun 2008, 19:19 »

Oh yeah, they're good records, but they're not career high points. (Although the Pretty Together singles were so awesome - "The Other Man," motherfuckers!)

Jackie Blue · « **Reply #6 on:** 13 Jun 2008, 00:24 »

I'll be honest, a lot of times when I'm listening to any Sloan album post-Navy Blues for some reason I have a hard time telling who is singing, aside from Andrew. Maybe it's the production or something but often I have to really pay attention to say "Oh yeah, that's Jay/Chris/Patrick".

That said, I still maintain Andrew is the best overall songwriter. Patrick, on this album, has returned to his previous ass-kickingness. Chris and Jay are about equal in goodness except the one song I'm not crazy about, "Living the Dream", which is Jay, right?

The first 7 songs are absolutely perfect. I don't know what there is to dislike about "Witch's Wand". "Believe In Me" and "Emergency 911" are probably the best songs in my book.

After a few listens I don't think it's quite as good as Between the Bridges or Never Hear the End of It, but I do like it better than all the others.

To be honest though, it's hard to rate Sloan albums because they evolve so much. You really can't even compare this to Smeared, because they're going for quite different sounds on both. Smeared was basically a shoegazer album. Twice Removed was clever Canadian indie pop. One Chord to Another was still pop, but with more of Beatles slant and bigger production. Navy Blues was almost all straight up fucking ROCK AND ROLL, AC/DC style ("We're still cool and Angus rules") as was Between the Bridges (which always makes me think of the best parts of The Who's discography). Pretty Together and Action Pact were kind of treading water with the same styles they'd done before. Never Heard the End of It was just all kinds of random, in a totally fucking awesome way.

I wouldn't say this is a bad Sloan album to start with at all, though I suppose it depends on how much you like classic rock stylings.

Johnny C · « **Reply #7 on:** 13 Jun 2008, 07:16 »

Chris is a tad more nasal too.

Johnny C · « **Reply #8 on:** 13 Jun 2008, 07:17 »

also, HFNSHXC!

Jackie Blue · « **Reply #9 on:** 13 Jun 2008, 12:27 »

Quote from: Johnny C on 13 Jun 2008, 07:16

Chris is a tad more nasal too.

Wait, what? On the first two albums Jay is way more nasally.

I'm so confused.

Johnny C · « **Reply #10 on:** 13 Jun 2008, 12:54 »

Oh yeah, on the early records, but Jay's been downplaying it a lot more while Murph has come to fully embrace his kinship with Nardwuar.

Jackie Blue · « **Reply #11 on:** 20 Jul 2008, 13:03 »

Patrick's clothes look fine to me, but in every video I've seen he always looks like he's doing it on sufferance.

allison · « **Reply #12 on:** 20 Jul 2008, 18:25 »

I bought this album as soon as I could and it's just...amazing.
I've yet to see them since it was recorded/released - I missed their showcase at NXNE - but I can't at all wait to hear it live.

squawk · « **Reply #13 on:** 21 Jul 2008, 01:56 »

I just spent the last two hours watching Sloan clips on YouTube! Here is an excellent vid of "People of the Sky". And here is the band being silly?

Jackie Blue · « **Reply #14 on:** 21 Jul 2008, 02:41 »

"People of the Sky" is possibly my favourite Sloan song. That video is weird though. Andrew sounds like he's singing in a goth band and, again, Patrick looks like the very act of being in the band is pissing him off.

Tom · « **Reply #15 on:** 21 Jul 2008, 02:50 »

I only just started listening to Sloan last week, I now see what I've been missing out on.

Bowers · « **Reply #16 on:** 21 Jul 2008, 07:29 »

downloaded parallel play today,

I'm in love with this band already.

allison · « **Reply #17 on:** 21 Jul 2008, 09:31 »

!!!!
Sloan is playing in Toronto on Wednesday and I have to work. Damn the Man.

mat_mantra · « **Reply #18 on:** 21 Jul 2008, 10:51 »

No offense, but screw Toronto. More bands i listen need to tour F#$%ing GERMANY!!. I mean seriously, Pinback played a few up in Belgium recently, but no dates in Germany. If Sloan would come over here, I honestly would murder anyone who got between me and that show

allison · « **Reply #19 on:** 21 Jul 2008, 16:40 »

You could come here...I'm told we're quite hospitable and rather friendly!

Jackie Blue · « **Reply #20 on:** 21 Jul 2008, 23:38 »

I've lived in Toronto before.

I fucking love that city. If becoming a Canadian citizen weren't retardedly difficult I would so move there.

Tom · « **Reply #21 on:** 22 Jul 2008, 00:00 »

What does it involve?

Jackie Blue · « **Reply #22 on:** 22 Jul 2008, 00:06 »

I never looked into the actual technical details, all I know is when I lived there it was assumed either I'd stay and marry into citizenship or we'd break up. I broke up with her.

But, I've heard that aside from that you have to like, prove to Canada that you will be an asset to the country, by having, I don't know, college degrees and shit or something.

Not like America where you can just show up, take a test and BAM! You're in. (I know it's not literally that simple but the point is, absolutely anyone who wants to become an American citizen can, eventually, and can easily keep getting their visas renewed until they become one; AFAIK Canada, and pretty much everywhere else I'd want to live, doesn't work that way).

Tom · « **Reply #23 on:** 22 Jul 2008, 00:11 »

Canada for some reason is at the top of my "countries to move to after I've finished Uni and shit" list.

mat_mantra · « **Reply #24 on:** 22 Jul 2008, 05:50 »

Meh, if only moving was that easy. Unfortunately, I work for the government, and they kinda decide where i go. So, Germany it is for 2 more years.

And really, no offense on Toronto, I've heard it's a great place. I was just bitching because you guys get the good shows quite often while they are few and far between here. And usually involve crossing borders.

David_Dovey · « **Reply #25 on:** 22 Jul 2008, 06:14 »

My girlfriend went from being a Canadian citizen to Australian... What the hell guys?

Christophe · « **Reply #26 on:** 21 Aug 2008, 11:46 »

Heh, I saw that article in my latest issue of TapeOp. When I saw it and who had done the interview, the first thing I thought was "Doesn't that dude post on the PRF"?

Jackie Blue · « **Reply #27 on:** 21 Aug 2008, 11:47 »

Awesome. Even the band admits that Action Pact is kind of shit.

"There’s less dynamic difference. There are no Andrew songs, which are key ingredients to our records."

FUCKIN' A RIGHT. LET ANDREW HAVE MORE SONGS YOU CUNTS.

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Author Topic: Sloan - Parallel Play (Read 9181 times)

mat_mantra

mat_mantra