Sloan “Based on the Best Seller”

Enduring Anglophiles.

The fourteenth studio album from this Toronto-based rock quartet. First single ‘Live Forever’ reveals a nostalgia discernible on many of the other tracks on this album. One can’t help listening to “Based on the Best Seller” and musing, who does that sound like? An actual line from the opening track ‘Capitol Cooler’ states, “As the future just plunders the past”. 

All four members of the band —Chris Murphy, Patrick Pentland, Jay Ferguson, and Andrew Scott — share writing and singing duties. ‘Dream Destroyer’ is a hugely enjoyable glam rock stomper. On ‘Open Your Umbrellas’, it could be Ray Davies singing, ‘So Far Down’ (an exception), sounding almost like The Cars, while ‘Collect Yourself’ conjures up Lloyd Cole. The album was recorded at The Bunker in Toronto, and it has been well-produced and mixed by the band and Ryan Haslett.   

The changes in direction, whimsical lyrics and layered harmonies might not be to everyone’s liking, but the tracks on this album are certainly tuneful. Sloan are highly competent musicians, too good to be a party band, yet some of the songs on this album could fill a festive dancefloor no bother. There’s some infectious power pop going on. If the tracks are based on previous bestsellers, Sloan have successfully exposed their influences.