Sloan - 12 - Review

A quarter of a century, the same four original members and their twelfth album, which is not bad going for a band that in all honesty are not that well known outside of their native Canada, unless you’re a fan of the classy power pop that Sloan have been masters at producing for just over twenty-five years now. The last we heard from Sloan was 2014’s ‘Commonwealth’, a double album with each member allocated a side to perform their own solo suite (unless you got the CD version in which case the fifteen songs were presented on one disc). For ‘12’ each member contributes three songs each. So,. there’s no seventeen-minute side long epics this time, just short, sharp three minute slabs of (mainly) power pop delivered with the passion and enthusiasm that fuelled the band’s debut way back in 1992. There’s a feeling at times that the band have looked back to their debut for inspiration for this latest set. The harmonies are still as tight as ever, the hooks still coming thick and fast and there’s a general good-time feel about the album even though there are some emotional subjects covered. Andrew Scott’s closer ‘’44 Teenagers’ has a touch of Pink Floyd about it, and name checks Gord Downie of the Tragically Hip who passed away just last year. Rather than just concentrating on this sad loss, Scott homes in on how a teenager (Gord’s son?) would be dealing with such heartbreak. ‘Gone for Good’ is another Scott song that steps outside of the usual power pop formula. Detailing the breakdown of a marriage the song recalls the Beatles more folky excursions; it’s that good. ‘Right to Roam’ is a jaunty Jay Ferguson travelogue. Jangly guitars and those trademark Sloan harmonies make this an ideal summer song. In contrast lyrically are two songs from Patrick Pentland, both of which deal with depression. Pentland has suffered from panic attacks and anxiety as a performer and has used his own experience of this illness to create two of the album’s most stimulating songs. While ‘Have Faith’ is a hook-filled blast of a song that belies the darkness of the illness that informed the song, ‘The Day Will Be Mine’ thunders out of the speakers. Despite its origins it’s an ultimately uplifting song that gives hope. A Chris Murphy song starts ‘12’. ‘Spin Our Wheels’ is cast in the classic power pop mould, giving notice that not only are Sloan back but back at the top of the game. It’s an irresistible opener. Although the album features three songs from each band member, the songs sound like band efforts. There’s enough variety to keep the listener interested but it’s not so easy to guess which member wrote a particular song. They hold together well as an album. ‘12’ isn’t the sound of a band going through the motions; these guys still have something to say through their music, maybe even more so now the years have rolled on. It might not prove to be their finest hour but there’s enough here to keep not only Sloan fans but any power pop follower more than happy. We can only hope that they don’t keep us waiting another four years before we get more new music from these guys who sound as passionate about their music twelve albums down the line as they did on their debut. ‘12’ is a most welcome return.

Track Listing:-

1 Spin Our Wheels
2 All of the Voices
3 Right to Roam
4 Gone for Good
5 The Day Will Be Mine
6 Essential Services
7 Don't Stop (If It Feels Good Do It)
8 Year Zero
9 Have Faith
10 The Lion's Share
11 Wish Upon a Satellite
12 44 Teenagers