Album Review: Parallel Play by Sloan

If Spoon is the current king of indie pop, Sloan, which formed in Nova Scotia in 1991, is the band that would be king. Far too excellent to go as underappreciated as they have been in the States in the last decade (though they're almost as famous in Canada as Led Zeppelin is), the band have taken more risks and demanded attention since signing to Yep Roc, a label often considered an alt-rock graveyard. The band's eighth album, 2007's Never Hear the End of It, is a pop album that's remarkable for its creative structure -- a collection of mostly sub-two-minute songs that recalls both the medley of Abbey Road and the inspiration of Double Nickels on the Dime.

Full Review >>

From Big Star to beard-era Beatles, Sloan’s sprawling Never Hear The End Of It hit all the classic pop touchstones and more over the course of 30 songs. Two years later, the 13-track Parallel Play is a decidedly less ambitious effort, but it’s no less brilliant in its execution. Once again, all four band members have a hand in the songwriting, yet the Nova Scotia group’s ninth album is a surprisingly cohesive display of power pop’s key attributes.

Full Review >>