Sloan the band - a thread

[gregpolard]

Been playing the first couple albums especially, but they're all good from what I gather.

Let's chat about 'em

[scannest]

Oh man...
An all-time favorite of mine. Been on board since the second record. I've said it plenty of times - they've never put out a bad record. My short hand notes for each:

Smeared - shoe-gaze pop with a heavy MBV guitar obsession

Twice Removed - incredibly dry and immediate sounding (they chose the producer cuz he engineered Matthew Sweet's Girlfriend and it sounds like it). a 180 degree switch from their debut. Amazing songs.

One Chord to Another - the beginning of a half decade run of some serious chart hits in Canada. Drums famously recorded on a four track in one afternoon. More 'classically' traditional pop along the lines of Zumpano (soon to be New Pornographers).

Navy Blues - Big production, great tunes, first of Patrick's fantastic run of AC/DC by way of Slade gems ("Money City Maniacs")

Between the Bridges - Kinda gets lost in the shuffle for me, but when I look at it there are a lot of classics (Losing California, Marquee and the Moon, The N.S., Take Good Care of the Poor Boy)

Pretty Together - sounds like a big commercial rock record. Maybe my least favorite outside the fist one. Features my least favorite Sloan song, The Other Man (which they've described as their 'THE FLAME').

Action Pact - Their hard rock record. Almost all Patrick and Chris (one Jay, no Andrew). No keyboards, lots of crunchy guitars and loud percussion. Highly underrated. An easy fave of mine.

Never Hear the End of It [/b]- Here's where they start to settle into the band they are today. A balanced mix of songs by everyone. Recording on their own at their rehearsal space. Keyboardist Greg Macdonald becomes an full-time 'auxiliary' member of the band. 30 freakin' songs, not a single dud. Amazing stuff.

[b]Parallel Play - Kinda like BtB, it gets lost by just having a more 5 or 6 standout tracks. Maybe Andrew's best bunch of songs. I love Jay's song Witch's Wand.

The Double Cross - Stone cold classic. One great song after another, terrific production. "Unkind" is prolly my favorite Sloan songs, if forced to choose one.

Commonwealth - A tough one. Each member got a side to themselves, rather than their usual mix. Jay's side has some of his best songs. Easily the best of the batch.

12 - Reminds me a little of Navy Blues, or Double Cross. Great songs, terrific production. Everyone doing what they do best.

Did I mention they are a fantastic live band? Can't tell you how many times I've seen them.

So, yeah.... SLO-OAN....SLOOOOO-OOOOAAANN.

[xxxMidgexxx]

IDT

[gregpolard]

Oh man...
An all-time favorite of mine. Been on board since the second record. I've said it plenty of times - they've never put out a bad record. My short hand notes for each:

Smeared - shoe-gaze pop with a heavy MBV guitar obsession

Twice Removed - incredibly dry and immediate sounding (they chose the producer cuz he engineered Matthew Sweet's Girlfriend and it sounds like it). a 180 degree switch from their debut. Amazing songs.

One Chord to Another - the beginning of a half decade run of some serious chart hits in Canada. Drums famously recorded on a four track in one afternoon. More 'classically' traditional pop along the lines of Zumpano (soon to be New Pornographers).

Navy Blues - Big production, great tunes, first of Patrick's fantastic run of AC/DC by way of Slade gems ("Money City Maniacs")

Between the Bridges - Kinda gets lost in the shuffle for me, but when I look at it there are a lot of classics (Losing California, Marquee and the Moon, The N.S., Take Good Care of the Poor Boy)

Pretty Together - sounds like a big commercial rock record. Maybe my least favorite outside the fist one. Features my least favorite Sloan song, The Other Man (which they've described as their 'THE FLAME').

Action Pact - Their hard rock record. Almost all Patrick and Chris (one Jay, no Andrew). No keyboards, lots of crunchy guitars and loud percussion. Highly underrated. An easy fave of mine.

Never Hear the End of It [/b]- Here's where they start to settle into the band they are today. A balanced mix of songs by everyone. Recording on their own at their rehearsal space. Keyboardist Greg Macdonald becomes an full-time 'auxiliary' member of the band. 30 freakin' songs, not a single dud. Amazing stuff.

[b]Parallel Play - Kinda like BtB, it gets lost by just having a more 5 or 6 standout tracks. Maybe Andrew's best bunch of songs. I love Jay's song Witch's Wand.

The Double Cross - Stone cold classic. One great song after another, terrific production. "Unkind" is prolly my favorite Sloan songs, if forced to choose one.

Commonwealth - A tough one. Each member got a side to themselves, rather than their usual mix. Jay's side has some of his best songs. Easily the best of the batch.

12 - Reminds me a little of Navy Blues, or Double Cross. Great songs, terrific production. Everyone doing what they do best.

Did I mention they are a fantastic live band? Can't tell you how many times I've seen them.

So, yeah.... SLO-OAN....SLOOOOO-OOOOAAANN.

If you weren't the first reply to this I was going to be bummed. You delivered.

I've gotta see them live. I am most familiar with the first three albums but any of the ones I've listened to in the last decade or so since "discovering" them, I have no complaints. Also Chris Murphy is straight edge so that's kinda cool to me haha

[scannest]

Also Chris Murphy is straight edge so that's kinda cool to me haha

I had no idea. I know he grew up obsessed with the Descendents (I think he and Patrick were way into hardcore as teenagers).
Sloan did a 7" of H/C inspired tunes, which was available for awhile with a d/l LP of them covering punk tunes.

https://sloanmusic.bandcamp.com/album/j ... -its-in-me

Don't know if you can still get the covers record, but here's what they did:
1. Gas Chamber (Angry Samoans)
2. Filler (Minor Threat)
3. Gimme Sopor (Angry Samoans)
4. Bully (7 Seconds)
5. Retrospect (Gray Matter)
6. Catalina (Descendents)
7. Fountains (The Nils)
8. This Is the Angry (7 Seconds)
9. Hot Cars (Angry Samoans)
10. Nervous Breakdown (Black Flag)
11. Wasted (Circle Jerks)
12. We're Only Gonna Die (Bad Religion)

[gregpolard]

Also Chris Murphy is straight edge so that's kinda cool to me haha

I had no idea. I know he grew up obsessed with the Descendents (I think he and Patrick were way into hardcore as teenagers).
Sloan did a 7" of H/C inspired tunes, which was available for awhile with a d/l LP of them covering punk tunes.

https://sloanmusic.bandcamp.com/album/j ... -its-in-me

Don't know if you can still get the covers record, but here's what they did:
1. Gas Chamber (Angry Samoans)
2. Filler (Minor Threat)
3. Gimme Sopor (Angry Samoans)
4. Bully (7 Seconds)
5. Retrospect (Gray Matter)
6. Catalina (Descendents)
7. Fountains (The Nils)
8. This Is the Angry (7 Seconds)
9. Hot Cars (Angry Samoans)
10. Nervous Breakdown (Black Flag)
11. Wasted (Circle Jerks)
12. We're Only Gonna Die (Bad Religion)

Yep! I have had the digital files for this but not the vinyl (did it come on vinyl?). Chris Murphy was on "Turned out a Punk" before and talked about being straight edge. The whole episode was a cool listen, if you haven't heard it.

[scannest]

I have had the digital files for this but not the vinyl (did it come on vinyl?). Chris Murphy was on "Turned out a Punk" before and talked about being straight edge. The whole episode was a cool listen, if you haven't heard it.

Nope, no physical release of the covers. I will check out the interview

[gregpolard]

A lot of their vinyl goes for $$$ - I have basically all of the readily available LPs

[scannest]

A lot of their vinyl goes for $$$ - I have basically all of the readily available LPs

I just checked - I don't have a single SLOAN release on vinyl (my collection goes right from SLINT to the SMITHS). Which I guess makes sense for a band I discovered in '94. They have done very elaborate vinyl box set reissues of 3 of their releases. Super expensive and sold out quickly. I passed on all of them. Bought the downloads. I'm sure those go for a small fortune on Discogs.

[gregpolard]

Oh yeah, those box sets are nice. I have the digital files for "Twice Removed". There's also a clip on YouTube of Chris and Jay (and actually the other two guys make an appearance) doing an unboxing of it.

[gregpolard]

I dusted off the DGC Rarities Vol. 1 (Can't wait for volume 2!) CD and threw it in my car and was thinkin' -

The Sloan song(s) on there are Eric's Trip covers. Is Eric's Trip worth checking out?

[scannest]

Is Eric's Trip worth checking out?

I think Jaygun is a huge fan. Dunno why, but that's ringing some bells for me.

[gregpolard]

That sounds about right. I'll have to ask him!

[JGJR]

Is Eric's Trip worth checking out?

I think Jaygun is a huge fan. Dunno why, but that's ringing some bells for me.

Saw them live in the '90s and enjoyed them and I had Love Tara on cassette; haven't heard them since then, though, but I did see Julie Doiron live once at some point in the 2000s upstairs at World Cafe Live (I think) and enjoyed her set, too.

The Eric's Trip show in '94 (or maybe '93; it gets fuzzy) was at the same cafe sitting area (no stage) at my college where I booked a few shows around that time like Sticks and Stones/Holeshot, Deadguy/Bleed/Human Remains, etc.; also saw lots of indie stuff there like Archers of Loaf (who were incredible in that setting), Codeine (ditto), The Grifters and others there in addition to HC/punk bands; the GVSB/Versus and Bosstones shows I saw there were in the same building (student center), but in the much larger multi-purpose room that held maybe 500 folks.

Can we talk about Jale and by extension, other '90s Sub Pop stuff and The Pernice Brothers if we're talking about that great Halifax scene from back then?

[gregpolard]

Well this thread derailed....

[JGJR]

Well this thread derailed....

Not (entirely) my fault for once

[gregpolard]

Real talk though - no idea how JGJR isn't obsessed with this Jack Rabid approved group

[JGJR]

Real talk though - no idea how JGJR isn't obsessed with this Jack Rabid approved group

Well, I do like them, but have never really gotten the bug. Maybe I just haven't listened enough or heard the right records? They were great when I saw them a few years ago at Bowery Ballroom, though. I'm hard-pressed to think of a band of that style that shows more exuberance and fun on stage.

The only other time I saw them was after Pretty Together came out in 2002. I had it and liked it OK, but maybe if I'd heard an earlier album, I'd have gotten into them. Anyway, they were good and played an unusually long set for an opener (Pete Yorn headlined).

[gregpolard]

I'll have to go see them next time. They actually played here like, right before the shutdown, too.

[gregpolard]

I'm working through the discography in order for kicks again and one thing I thought of was how jarring it must've been in 1994 when "Twice Removed" came out for the people who were super into "Smeared". It's a fairly drastic change.

[JGJR]

I'm working through the discography in order for kicks again and one thing I thought of was how jarring it must've been in 1994 when "Twice Removed" came out for the people who were super into "Smeared". It's a fairly drastic change.

It's very smart in hindsight. They knew that appealing to a core group of power pop freaks and Canadians was going to sustain them much more than the grunge label would. It's also closer to who they really are, etc.

[scannest]

It's very smart in hindsight. They knew that appealing to a core group of power pop freaks and Canadians was going to sustain them much more than the grunge label would. It's also closer to who they really are, etc.

I've read the minutes from the January '94 annual SLOAN stockholders meeting. "Sustaining the Band - Power Pop Freaks and Canadians vs. Grunge" was the second discussion point.

[gregpolard]

It's very smart in hindsight. They knew that appealing to a core group of power pop freaks and Canadians was going to sustain them much more than the grunge label would. It's also closer to who they really are, etc.

I've read the minutes from the January '94 annual SLOAN stockholders meeting. "Sustaining the Band - Power Pop Freaks and Canadians vs. Grunge" was the second discussion point.

I'd love a recording of that meeting if you have it...

[JGJR]

It's very smart in hindsight. They knew that appealing to a core group of power pop freaks and Canadians was going to sustain them much more than the grunge label would. It's also closer to who they really are, etc.

I've read the minutes from the January '94 annual SLOAN stockholders meeting. "Sustaining the Band - Power Pop Freaks and Canadians vs. Grunge" was the second discussion point.

Fake news. They didn't decide on this policy officially until the Navy Blues era. Get with the program, ya hoser.

Seriously, would it bother you that fucking much to admit that I might be onto something or to just say nothing at all? I don't get this game, but to each their own.

[JGJR]

It's very smart in hindsight. They knew that appealing to a core group of power pop freaks and Canadians was going to sustain them much more than the grunge label would. It's also closer to who they really are, etc.

I've read the minutes from the January '94 annual SLOAN stockholders meeting. "Sustaining the Band - Power Pop Freaks and Canadians vs. Grunge" was the second discussion point.

I'd love a recording of that meeting if you have it...

Lost in storage; wish I did.

[gregpolard]

Another fun Sloan related sidenote:

I've been chatting about them back and forth lately with Jeff Caudill from Gameface who is a huge fan and we are both talking about how much money a lot of their vinyl goes for. I think I now have all of the readily available stuff, but there's a bunch of albums that are near impossible to find for under $300. Hopefully the band slowly reissues them like they did with albums 2,3, and 4.

[gregpolard]

I mentioned in the Bandcamp Friday thread but will put here as well:

Sloan just put up digital versions of two of their "bootleg" live albums, Australia 1999 and Tokyo 2002

https://sloanmusic.bandcamp.com/

[gregpolard]

This last week I've been able to listen to the entire catalog front to back. I'm on "12" now. They really do not have any bad records. I was always so stuck on how much I enjoyed the first couple that I missed this.

[gregpolard]

B-Sides Win vol. 2 available now:

https://shop.kt8merch.com/products/sloa ... 9c78&_ss=r

The first one came out really nice, excited for this.

Quote from Jay below:

“And you thought the beats slowed down?…c’mon!” Yes, B Sides Win…again!!

If you enjoyed the first volume of B Sides Win that covered 1992 to1997, we hope you’ll take the time to check out this second collection of rare tracks that covers the era of 1998 - 2001. This volume contains ten extras, bonus tracks and/or b-sides released during the era that covered our Navy Blues, Between The Bridges and Pretty Together albums. Once again they are songs that were either recorded during the respective album sessions and were elbowed off that album for some reason, or tracks not finished until the album was mixed and out the door, or tracks that made it no further than the demo stage but were still used for promotional reasons. Yet!… the non-LP status should not be a gauge of quality. Even “Revolution” by the Beatles and “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” by the Rolling Stones were on the b-side! Now, I’m not saying “At The Edge of The Scene” will be automatically granted heavy rotation status on classic rock stations in the year 2045, but I like to think that there are still many quality tracks amongst our non-LP songs that encourage second listens.

Volume 2 begins with four tracks taken from the Navy Blues-era including Patrick’s (could-have-been-a-single) “Glad To Be Here” and the second side wraps with the Russian Futurist’s soundtrack-ish reworking of Pretty Together’s “Are You Giving Me Back My Love?” In between, you’ll find tracks such as the fan favourite (and should-have-been-on Between The Bridges) “Summer’s My Season” written (and rewritten many times) by Chris…and the awesome heavy guitar stomp of Andrew’s ode to a wallet guzzling automobile, “Helen”. I like to think that these tracks hang together nicely as an album… perhaps more so than on Volume 1 where the contrast between our sound from 1992 to 1997 was much more pronounced. On this second volume, all the tracks are making their appearance on vinyl for the very first time!

This collection is the second in a series of remastered b-sides vinyl collections that we’ll be releasing over time and is a limited edition of 1200 copies. This edition is housed in a heavy-duty tip-on jacket with lyrics and commentary on the inner sleeve and pressed on to purple translucent vinyl!

Thanks for listening!
Volume 3 will be good too,
Jay F

[JGJR]

This last week I've been able to listen to the entire catalog front to back. I'm on "12" now. They really do not have any bad records. I was always so stuck on how much I enjoyed the first couple that I missed this.

"Spin Our Wheels" is a jaw-droppingly great power-pop tune. I don't think they plan to ever release another best-of, either career-spanning or a follow-up to A-Sides Win, but if so, it should be on there. They were also really great/fun on that tour for 12.

[gregpolard]

This last week I've been able to listen to the entire catalog front to back. I'm on "12" now. They really do not have any bad records. I was always so stuck on how much I enjoyed the first couple that I missed this.

"Spin Our Wheels" is a jaw-droppingly great power-pop tune. I don't think they plan to ever release another best-of, either career-spanning or a follow-up to A-Sides Win, but if so, it should be on there. They were also really great/fun on that tour for 12.

Such a great opening song.

[gregpolard]

Some Sloan updates:

1) they're working on a new LP. I'm excited.
2) When I was in Jersey over the weekend I got a handful of their albums on CD for dirt cheap that I kept in the car since (see 3)
3) their vinyl is so hard to come by (hoping for more reissues) that I decided to grab the albums that I don't have on vinyl on CD and (see 4)
4) I feel sorta stupid since I famously sold all my CD's years ago but I never had any Sloan on CD

[gregpolard]

The more I dig in the more I realize that Jay has some songs that give me huge Beach Boys vibes, especially "Cmon Cmon" & "Don't You Believe A Word". These tracks remind me so much of "Wild Honey" era BB

[JGJR]

The more I dig in the more I realize that Jay has some songs that give me huge Beach Boys vibes, especially "Cmon Cmon" & "Don't You Believe A Word". These tracks remind me so much of "Wild Honey" era BB

Indeed. "Cmon Cmon" is virtually a rewrite of this.

[gregpolard]

I picked a hell of a time to finally become obsessed with this band considering I have no idea when I'll get to see them
Just saw they cancelled their Canadian tour in November - hopefully they just continue working on the new album and I see them next fall

Having said that, I've been crushing it on obtaining their vinyl. Managed to get a really good deal on a "lot" of stuff from a friend and also managed to snag a sealed, with hype sticker, copy of "The Double Cross". So at least i've got that going for me.

[gregpolard]

new episode of Murder Records Podcast with Patrick & Chris talking hc/punk in honor of their newly pressed to vinyl 12" of the above mentioned HC covers (and two originals)

[jaybird]

new episode of Murder Records Podcast with Patrick & Chris talking hc/punk in honor of their newly pressed to vinyl 12" of the above mentioned HC covers (and two originals)

Just received my copy yesterday... the two originals are excellent and the covers are pretty fun.






They should have picked a different Nils song though - not that it's not one of their best songs, but fuckin' everyone does "Fountains".

[JGJR]

new episode of Murder Records Podcast with Patrick & Chris talking hc/punk in honor of their newly pressed to vinyl 12" of the above mentioned HC covers (and two originals)

Just received my copy yesterday... the two originals are excellent and the covers are pretty fun.






They should have picked a different Nils song though - not that it's not one of their best songs, but fuckin' everyone does "Fountains".

Agreed on all counts except I wonder who elsse has covered "Fountains." I'm probably forgetting someone obvious, but it seems like "Scratches and Needles" is the Nils songs of choice to cover, but I could be wrong there. I'd have preferred they do "Buzz" from this collection, but it was unreleased until the 2000s.

[JGJR]

I found a direct link to "Buzz."

https://thenilsfc.bandcamp.com/album/it ... -something

[jaybird]

new episode of Murder Records Podcast with Patrick & Chris talking hc/punk in honor of their newly pressed to vinyl 12" of the above mentioned HC covers (and two originals)

Just received my copy yesterday... the two originals are excellent and the covers are pretty fun.






They should have picked a different Nils song though - not that it's not one of their best songs, but fuckin' everyone does "Fountains".

Agreed on all counts except I wonder who elsse has covered "Fountains." I'm probably forgetting someone obvious, but it seems like "Scratches and Needles" is the Nils songs of choice to cover, but I could be wrong there. I'd have preferred they do "Buzz" from this collection, but it was unreleased until the 2000s.

Sinkhole covered it on the tribute record... bunch of Canadian bands have done it in their live sets - Punchbuggy, Stand GT, etc. Doc Hopper used to do it live too.

[JGJR]

Doc Hopper used to do it live too.

I love DH and saw them lots between 1993 and I'll say 1995. They were basically a local New Brunswick (NJ not Canada) local band by that point and seemingly played somewhere every weekend. They would always do great covers, too. I remember a particularly rousing rendition of "Fan Mail" by The Dickies and of course "Head Over Heels" (Go-Gos not Tears for Fears), which they put on Aloha. I wonder if they did "Fountains" when I saw them and I didn't recognize it (very possible since I didn't hear it until way later). Lots of mutual friends /acquaintances with Chris/Gobo here, too, including a good friend who's a former bandmate iirc. I should check out his new band School Drugs. I keep forgetting to do that.

Anyway, back to Sloan. Oops.

[gregpolard]

Damn, this thread was on topic until....

[scannest]

Damn, this thread was on topic until....

I came for Sloan and stayed for the wiki entry on Doc Hopper/Chris Pierce. But no Groucho Marxists love?! Gotta say, I'm disappointed.

[gregpolard]

Damn, this thread was on topic until....

I came for Sloan and stayed for the wiki entry on Doc Hopper/Chris Pierce. But no Groucho Marxists love?! Gotta say, I'm disappointed.

Dead off Wiki entry

So as some have seen, I've been playing lots of tapes lately - last night this account I follow on IG called @tapeheadcity got a haul of Canadian tapes in and I was able to grab "One Chord To Another". Stoked.

[gregpolard]

scanny - here's a question for you specifically, but anyone can chime in.

Lots of people have a favorite Beatle...do you have a favorite Sloan dude? Is that sacrilege? Do tell.

[jaybird]

Damn, this thread was on topic until....

[JGJR]

Damn, this thread was on topic until....

Hey, at least I pivoted back in the last sentence/paragraph of my earlier post, thus acknowledging the temporary topic change.

[JGJR]

Damn, this thread was on topic until....

I came for Sloan and stayed for the wiki entry on Doc Hopper/Chris Pierce. But no Groucho Marxists love?! Gotta say, I'm disappointed.

Dead off Wiki entry

So as some have seen, I've been playing lots of tapes lately - last night this account I follow on IG called @tapeheadcity got a haul of Canadian tapes in and I was able to grab "One Chord To Another". Stoked.

Somewhat Sloan related since we're talking about another Halifax band here, but I had Love Tara (Eric's Trip) on cassette back in the '90s; wonder if it's on there.

[JGJR]

Damn, this thread was on topic until....

I don't get the reference, but in this thread and others....

[gregpolard]

Damn, this thread was on topic until....

I came for Sloan and stayed for the wiki entry on Doc Hopper/Chris Pierce. But no Groucho Marxists love?! Gotta say, I'm disappointed.

Dead off Wiki entry

So as some have seen, I've been playing lots of tapes lately - last night this account I follow on IG called @tapeheadcity got a haul of Canadian tapes in and I was able to grab "One Chord To Another". Stoked.

Somewhat Sloan related since we're talking about another Halifax band here, but I had Love Tara (Eric's Trip) on cassette back in the '90s; wonder if it's on there.

I just got that album on vinyl recently (along with albums 2 & 3)