When it comes to the Top 100 Canadian Albums of all Time, there are a few things that critics can agree on. There are legends you can count on finding every time, like Leonard Cohen, Neil Young, The Tragically Hip, Rush — and Sloan. Made up of Jay Ferguson, Chris Murphy, Patrick Pentland, and Andrew Scott, this four-piece rock band, originally from Halifax, Sloan has historically delivered a sound that has eschewed contemporary tastes for the sound of ‘60s Brit-rock and ‘70s garage rock, but with four songwriters, each with distinctly different styles, it’s difficult to put them into one box.
Each member has amassed his fair share of songwriting credits and, while performing, the band will often reinforce that democratic nature by trading off instruments to accommodate the performance of each other’s songs. Their successful and unique take on band democracy has served them so well that they’ll soon be celebrating 30 years as icons of Canadian music, having created countless radio hits and equally amazing deep cuts.
So how well do you know the work of these beloved rockers? If you haven’t yet delved into their diverse catalogue, allow this guide to help you decide where to start as well as suggest some deep cuts you may have missed!
Commonwealth (2014)
It would be hard to call any Sloan album less accomplished than another, but we’ve got to start somewhere. Commonwealth is an interesting album because it was presented in a deck of cards format, in which each member got their own “side” and “suit” on the album as the respective king. Ferguson (diamonds), Murphy (hearts) and Pentland (clubs) each share a few songs, but the album ends with one sprawling creation by Scott (spades). Scott used the entirety of his side on one 18-minute long mercurial sonic journey, complete with barking and a gnashing of keys. It’s not quite “Revolution 9,” but it seems like it crawled out of the same muddy pool.
Sloan has had no trouble counting on Juno nods for their albums, but Commonwealth was a release that was left out in the cold.
Recommended: “Keep Swinging (Downtown)” (Pentland), “We’ve Come This Far” (Ferguson), “You Don’t Need Excuses To Be Good” (Murphy), “Forty-Eight Portraits” (Scott)
12 (2018)
12 is Sloan’s latest and aptly named twelfth studio album; a milestone the band felt deserved particular mention. If you’re having a rough day, this is the album to turn to. 12 has a distinctly uplifting sound and is filled with themes of hope and resilience. It also showcases some of the rare instances of members singing verses on one another’s songs. While it was also overlooked by the Junos, this album is packed with tracks that hold their own, like “Wish Upon A Satellite,” which features both Murphy and Pentland singing verses. The album, unsurprisingly, includes 12 songs, with an even 3 from each member.
Recommended: “All Of The Voices” (Pentland), “Essential Services” (Ferguson), “Wish Upon A Satellite” (Murphy), “Year Zero” (Scott)
Parallel Play (2008)
Sloan’s Parallel Play is an album that seems to often be forgotten in the shadow of the band’s earlier iconic achievements. There are still so many gems found on Parallel Play that it really deserves a closer look.
The album was seen as a return-to-basics effort following the Abbey Road-esque creative smorgasbord of Never Hear the End of It. Being the band’s ninth album, you could never call it a sophomore slump. Instead, it’s a game-changing renaissance with the band going back to the well for more of what made them great in the first place without falling into the trap of repeating the formula.
It’s also possibly the band’s least collaborative album. The title refers to the social development of children from the ages of 2 to 5, as they first learn to play alongside each other, but not necessarily together, which is how the band also describes their own creative process.
Parallel Play earned Sloan a Juno nomination for Rock Album of the Year in 2009.
Recommended: “Cheap Champagne” (Ferguson), “All I Am Is All You’re Not” (Murphy), “Too Many” (Scott), “Burn For It” (Pentland)
Action Pact (2003)
Created as another radio-friendly attempt at reaching an American audience, Sloan made the decision to hire a producer Tom Rothrock (Beck, Elliott Smith) and handing over the reins of song selection. As a result, Action Pact is very Murphy- and Pentland-heavy, leaving the album to resonate solely with fans of Sloan’s harder-hitting tracks. Variety has always been Sloan’s forte, and this album simply avoids showcasing it. Instead, they’ve favoured big, stage friendly hits, built from spare three-chord riffs that might have fallen out of the pockets of AC/DC and Aerosmith.
Although there are some notable tracks on this album, it can’t be placed any higher on the list since it includes no songs by drummer Andrew Scott and only two by Ferguson on this album. “False Alarm” and “Fade Away” aren’t the characteristic slow ballads we’ve come to know and love from Ferguson, but they are impressive contributions nonetheless.
Action Pact is also the last album Sloan recorded live off the floor.
Recommended: “Gimme That” (Murphy), “Reach Out” (Pentland), “Fade Away” (Ferguson)