Customer Reviews

Parallel Play

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In another time (maybe 1976) or a parallel universe, this album would instantly become the hit it deserves to be. For the uninitiated, this is the same kind of smart, catchy pop-rock that you'd find on Revolver [UK], mixed with the proto-cruch-rock of Cheap Trick (Heaven Tonight) and a dash of classic punk (Ramones Mania) in a perfect, lump-free blend. It's the kind of stuff that is never exactly popular but continues to exist just under the radar (other great and fairly recent examples include Grand Prix, Crashing the Ether and Utopia Parkway). It's truly timeless music, and I am sure that I will still be listening to these albums years from now while stuff like Vampire Weekend winds up in the used bins at whatever record store still exists.

Up until last year my favorite Sloan discs were One Chord to Another and Action Pact, each representing a different side of Sloan. One Chord To Another was a pure pop record, with punchy horns and catchy tunes (ie, it leans more heavily towards the Revolver side of the house). Action Pact, on the other hand, was crunchier and louder (ie, it leans more heavily towards the Cheap Trick side of the house). However on last year's masterwork Never Hear the End of It, the band brought all of its influences together in an unexpected way. Echoing the grand, loosely-conceptual approach of Abbey Road and tossing in a dose of Queen (a la A Night at the Opera), the band stitched together 30 songs and song-fragments that tied together virtually all the threads they had pursued throughout their long career while transcending the subgenres to create pure rock n roll. This was the first really divisive album in Sloan's career, repelling some of the critics and fans while attracting some new listeners to the fold. It was a bold move for a band reaching the early stages of middle-age, and proved that the band wasn't about to go soft around the middle.

So where to next? One year later the band has produced a more conventional rock album with only 13 songs. The songs do lead right into each other at times (this is nothing new however; the band used this trick on Between the Bridges years ago), but there is nothing overtly conceptual about the album. However, the band seems to have benefitted from the work that went into creating NHTEOI, sounding revitalized and full of energy. Like NHTEOI, the band's influences are blended seamlessly. What makes this such a captivating listen however are the songs. The band seems intent on accepting middle age ("Down In The Basement" and "I'm Not A Kid Anymore" are reflective of this) while still rocking and obviously enjoying doing so. Each band member also plays a vital role in this album, revealing a band that is democratic and functions well as a unit. After all these years toegether, that is saying something.

I don't have a track-by-track commentary to provide, as it takes time for songs like these to really sink in and reveal their meanings and relevance to my life. A cursory listen makes clear that this certainly will happen. This is a high-quality rock album made by people who have stuck to their revolvers (hee hee) for years and are oviously doing so for love rather than money or fame. This will certainly be one of the best albums of the year (even against stiff competition, see for example Blame It On Gravity) and my guess is that it will stay with you much longer than that. Excellent stuff.

Fifteen years into their recording career, Canada's Sloan has pulled back from the White Album length, breadth and experimentation of 2006's Never Hear the End of It to craft this tight set of thirteen guitar rock tunes. While the thirty track sprawl of Never Hear the End of It wasn't as disjointed as the Beatles' magnum opus, it offered a similar summing of parts, pulling together threads that had been woven through the bands earlier albums. In contrast, this shorter set is more focused and integrated, including second-side-of-Abbey-Road song-to-song segues that help knit together the multiple songwriter's works. Though it may not be as intellectually impressive as their previous release, the constricted space amplifies the emotional impact of the band's energy, pouring terrific pop hooks on top of powerful electric guitars, multipart vocal harmonies, stomping rhythms, and neo-psych production touches.

Beneath the sunshine-pop melodies and textures, the lyrics are surprisingly philosophical, with particular attention paid to the changes wrought by growing up and aging. The two clearest statements, "I'm Not a Kid Anymore" and "Down in the Basement" survey personal and band histories with diametrically opposed viewpoints. The former gazes longingly at a youth free of responsibility and bemoans the singer's current adult circumstances. The latter, a Dylan-toned electric blues, follows the band's youth-bound four-track fantasies of stardom into middle-period studio excess, and finally to the surprised and satisfied realization that music actually begat a stable career and family. Elsewhere the lyrics contemplate the need to accept change, the petulant impulse to simply move on, and the complacencies of middle age.

The stories in Sloan's lyrics are not always as memorable as the words themselves, and neither is as memorable as the harmonies in which they're sung, the pop-rock with which they're arranged, or the hooks with which they're strung together. The range of Sloan's pop influences, and the fluidity with which they move between them is especially impressive as they, for example, crank up `70s styled pub-punk on "Emergency 911," drop into glam for "Burn For It," and regress to bouncy bubblegum on "Witch's Hand." You can hear elements of many great pop bands here, including the Beatles, Jam, Sweet, Cheap Trick, Oasis, Greenberry Woods, Fountains of Wayne, and others. Sloan doesn't sound exactly like any one of them, though neither do they have an instantly recognizable sound of their own. [©2009 hyperbolium dot com]

2006's NEVER HEAR THE END OF IT was Sloan's longest album. While I haven't checked the timings, I would be willing to bet that PARALLEL PLAY is their shortest. I absolutely don't understand previous reviews that identify only a couple of great songs. There are a couple of bland songs (in particular the final track, "Too Many"), but most of the rest are either good or extremely good. For instance, "Emergency 911" is a very good song, but I would rate at least six songs better. Even by Sloan's admittedly exceptionally high standards this is a very good album. I might rank it below TWICE REMOVED, ONE CHORD TO ANOTHER, ACTION PACT, and the aforementioned NEVER HEAR THE END OF IT, but I would put PARALLEL PLAY next, maybe alongside NAVY BLUES. But Sloan is one of those bands like Sleater-Kinney or Spoon that just seems to be capable of spitting out an unending number of remarkably fine discs. Anyone unfamiliar with Sloan getting acquainted with them through this disc would be amazed to learn that they have several that are better.

Since people here are mentioning their favorites, I'll add mine. "Witches Wand," "Burn for It," "Believe in Me," "Cheap Champagne," "Down in the Basement," and "I'm Not a Kid Anymore" are all, in my opinion, first rate songs. Others are merely good. But even so I also like "The Dogs" and other cuts. The only pseudo-complaint that I think someone could make about the album is that it doesn't cut new ground. But so what? Even if it repeats previous successes, they are great repeats.

I did get a huge kick out of "Down in the Basement," intended as an obvious rip of Bob Dylan. Sometimes the guitar playing puts you in mind of HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED with Michael Bloomfield on guitar, sometimes the Basement Tapes, with fellow Canadian Robbie Robertson. But if you are a fan of Dylan, the song is a delight.

I've been on board the Sloan express since OCTA, and have to say this record cannot match their epic NHTEOI from last year (2006 for hosers!). While I consider Andrew's cuts on the last release quite a treat, on this effort they inspire me to hit the "next track" button on my CD player. So now we're talking about a 9-song disc, which is too little room for such a talented band. On the positive side, Chris Murphy's songs are pure rock extacy. Makes me almost wish he'd go solo. Still, Sloan provide more rock licks that most bands, which is why I still give 4 stars. OK, west coast tour now...

After several weeks of very enjoyable listening, I'm happy to report that this is another great album and much better to me than Pretty Together or Action Pact. Some of the tracks sound great right off, others gradually, and surprisingly win you over with repeated spins. Is it their best ever? Who cares! Watershed aside, it's miles better than anything else I've bought this year so far. It's going to be a lot of fun hearing this new stuff along with tracks from the last album at the concert in the fall.

I considered this a sub-par Sloan release upon my first few listens. Nothing really grabbed me. Plus, I was still pretty consumed with the ultra-stuffed NHTEOI, as I did not purchase that album until around a year after its release. However, after listening to NHTEOI enough for it to wear somewhat on me, I came back to this album and it has really grown on me. Listen through to the end to reach late-album highlights "If I Could Change Your Mind" and I'm Not a Kid Anymore."

I'm a long-time Sloan fan, although I kind of lost interest after Action Pact. I've just listened to Parallel Play for the first time and I think it's fantastic. It has all of the catchy 70s-esque rock feeling that I have loved on previous albums, and none of the cringe-worthy songs that have marred previous albums.

If you're a Sloan fan, you already know that this is going to be good. So far they haven't made a bad one yet in what - 17 years?!?! Even the Beatles couldn't say that (OK, the Beatles were only together for 8 years, but still, if you count the stuff they did post-breakup, some of that was pretty sketchy). So the good news is it's very good - again. The bad news is - well there really isn't any bad news. Once again they used the collage approach that worked so well on Never Hear the End of It. This time they trimmed the volume of material down to the length of a normal CD, which I actually prefer over the extra long size of the last one. But the quality is still up there. How do these guys keep coming out with such great songs each CD? Whatever it is I hope they never stop!

Music: 9/10 Vocal: 4/5 Lyrics: 4/5 Production: 4/5
Total: 21/25 = B+

Sloan is a blast from the 70's pop past with a hint of early punk. Many songs sound familiar but alas are not derivatives of earlier music. Instead Parallel Play is refreshing and great on the ears. It will keep you humming, clapping, and singing along. Personally, I felt guilty enjoying such power pop fare especially such infectious songs like "Witch's Wand" and "I'm not a Kid Anymore". But I know I'll keep listening.

Well what can I say? The consolidation that Sloan did on "Never Hear The End of It"is still in effect. The shorter album here reduces the fatigue that came from the prior album. This felt like something like "One Chord Leads to Another" run through the "Never Hear The End of It"advances. I was hesitant to get this but now I don't know why. And if you haven't check Sloan before, hop on in! Especially if you like 70s guitar rock with a sense of history and a dash of early punk. They really know how to build on their strengths and add new dimensions to it without obscuring what makes Sloan who they are. If you like robust pop rock you owe it to yourself.