My First Time with Sloan: Ranking the Albums of Canada's Greatest Band
When it comes to life, I've often wished for a coconut moment.
Smeared - 1992
One Chord to Another - 1996
Between the Bridges - 1999
Action Pact - 2003
Never Hear the End of It - 2007
The Double Cross - 2011
12 - 2018
Fans of Gilligan's Island know what I'm talking about. Gilligan relaxes languidly against a palm tree, when BAM a coconut hits him on his head. He forgets who he is, who he's with, what he's doing on an island.
Temporary amnesia. An opportunity to experience life again for the first time.
In June 2020, I heard a song by the Canadian band Sloan, a band I knew nothing about. "You Don't Need Excuses to be Good" was so strong, I clicked through to listen to the entire album, Commonwealth. 15 songs of undeniable greatness. Intrigued, I went back to the band's first album, Smeared, which came out in 1992, and then skipped to 2008's Never Hear the End of It. I was hooked.
Sloan is my coconut moment, and now I'm soaking up the greatness of all 12 of their albums.
Since I'm hearing their entire catalog for the first time, and it's so incredible, I thought it would be the perfect time to choose my top songs and rank their albums. Although I have listened to the entire Sloan collection for about two weeks, I'm not an expert on the band. I don't know which band member wrote which song (although I have an inkling after reading up on them). I also don't have any baggage or memories to hinder my opinion, just thoughtful knee-jerk reactions from a music lover and a new Sloan fan. I hope someone enjoys reading this as much as I did "researching" it!
So let's get started. Here are the rules:
1. Listen to the albums in order of release
2. Pick the top songs (again, my opinion, and just because I didn't consider it a Top Song doesn't mean I didn't like it)
3. Rank the albums
Back in the day I would have purchased this CD at Best Buy after reading a snarky Rolling Stone review. Smeared strikes me as peak 1992. Very college rock, very alt. There were many albums like this in the '90s that had some good ideas, near melodies, loud droning guitars. A good start, but not much sticks with me. It would have been in short rotation.
Top song:
- Underwhelmed - The lyrics alone make this song worthwhile.
Twice Removed - 1994
If Twice Removed had been Sloan's debut album, I would have been all over them. The sludge has been stripped away and they sound like they're enjoying themselves. It's a completely different band now focused on melody and musicianship. The album is front loaded with some strong songs, but the middle and end kind of just lay there. I hear elements of Fountains of Wayne (Bells On), Uncle Tupelo (Worried Now) and indie grunge (Snowsuit Sound, which has a great chorus) in the songs too.
Top Songs:
- Penpals - the opening guitar riff and the actual words from international penpals are priceless..."My first name is Amal and I'm a girl." "I worship all your handsome words, to me you seem giant."
- Coax Me - The exceptional guitar solo backing Coax Me is a standout, as is the chorus, "Coax me, cajole me." Extra points for the use of cajole in a rock song.
One Chord to Another is Sloan's wake-up call. It rocks and they've got one thing in mind...blow your face off. I've read several stories about Sloan and I know they were on the DGC record label for the first two records. The label dropped them before OCTA came out, which is ironic because this sounds like a grunge record DGC would have pushed them to do.
Top Songs:
- The Good in Everyone - 2:20 of grunge bliss. A fast punk start, a sharp swerve into Nirvana, capped off with a killer chorus. Love the live intro...straight from the mosh pit. My fave Sloan song up to this point.
- Nothing Left to Make Me Want to Stay - Oh my, the melody on this one.
- Autobiography - Extra points for nicking licks from You Never Give Me Your Money and Dream On.
- G Turns to D - Another ripper complete with a self-referential chorus..."It's another song in this key but this one's about me." The opening chords remind me of Don't Look Back by The Remains.
- Everything You've Done Wrong - Who came first, Spoon or Sloan? Either way, the horns here are a terrific addition and very Spoony.
Navy Blues - 1998
Navy Blues is the sound of Sloan on their own, free to explore their Sloan-ness. The result is a varied album with great melodies, broader instrumentation and a strong current of organic creativity. I don't know what was going on behind the scenes, but it sounds like a positive experience for the band. It also sounds transitional, like they're trying to find their way to a new Sloan. Regardless, Navy Blues strikes me as the sound of the full band.
Top Songs:
- She Says What She Means - I love the opening riff and the crashing cymbal.
- C'mon C'mon (We're Gonna Get it Started) - nice shuffling beat with a melody straight from the '60s songbook.
- Iggy & Angus - A power pop song that echoes "Still the One" with references to Iggy Pop, Angus Young and Kurt Cobain? Two thumbs up!
- Money City Maniacs - AC/DC or KISS? Who cares if "the joke is, when he awoke his body was covered in Coke fizz"? Sirens, great guitar solo, hand claps...awesome tune and a big arena song. Why is this song not on every classic rock station in the U.S.???!!!
Did Sloan record two albums back to back? If so, wow! Navy Blues couldn't be more different from Between the Bridges. I think that of all the albums they've done so far, Between the Bridges is Sloan's most complete. From start to finish it's more consistent, the songs work together but they're still distinct enough and varied that it's a great listen. The perfect power pop album.
Top Songs:
- Beyond Me - Stonesian rock n' roll that flows right into...
- Don't You Believe a Word - Is this a lost 70s disco tune? The backing guitar at :15 sounds like it's straight out of the Chic catalog. Great hook too.
- A Long Time Coming - Another lost 70s song! It comes out of nowhere and sounds like nothing Sloan has recorded before. In the LP days, this would have been the perfect song to open up the B side, and the album benefits greatly from its placement. The harmonies and the intertwining guitars that close out A Long Time Coming leave me speechless. Perfection.
- Losing California - Perfect power pop song featuring strong guitars, a solid beat and a killer hook.
- The Marquee and the Moon - A beautiful, gauzy waltz.
Pretty Together - 2001
At this point Sloan has completed their transition from punky youths to smart rock n' rollers exploring the boundaries of what it means to be Sloan. This album sounds like a day on the beach, right at the moment the sun is about to set. Or maybe I'm just influenced by the '70s-inspired album cover. Either way it feels good from start to finish, another perfect power pop album.
- If It Feels Good (Do It) - "This song is dedicated to you cause this song is for people who know what rock n' roll is about." Canadians can crank it to 11! Extra points for the Aerosmith fixation as Back in the Saddle sneaks its way into the mix. It's songs like this that made me want to play the electric guitar (badly) as a kid, so the air guitar will have to do. RAAAAAAWK!!!!
- In the Movies - Van Beatles. A cool nod to Van Halen's Dirty Movies mixed in with a detour into Beatlesque territory.
- The Other Man - Where do these guys come up with this stuff? Lyrically and musically unexpected and I love it. The creeping guitar line that repeats in the background is inspired. Great hook.
- Dreaming of You - Another perfect power pop song run through the '60s filter. Simple guitar opening followed by an unexpected key change that leads into the chorus. So well done.
- The Great Wall - This song sneaks up on you. Starts with a bar band 4/4 shuffle that builds into a grand, floating chorus.
- I Love a Long Goodbye - The richness of the harmonies and the chord changes in this song are so satisfying. Swirling vocals into the chorus, it sounds just like a languid long goodbye. As it should. Very satisfying.
Can we all give Sloan some recognition for their impressive word play? Action Pact is brilliant! The band continues to rock and delivers another fantastic, complete album. In my opinion, Between the Bridges, Pretty Together and Action Pact are a trilogy of perfect power pop perfection.
Top Songs:
- Gimme That - Sloan knows how to open an album. Raunchy opening guitar lick, and by the time the entire band kicks into the chorus, there's no escaping. Looking back at the rest of the list, this is the 5th opening tune that's made my Top Songs. (I didn't add The N.S. from Between the Bridges.) Impressive run!
- The Rest of My Life - "One thing I know about the rest of my life, I know that I'll be living it in Canada." I'm sure this is a hugely popular bar song, it's a great sing-along with a big chorus. Bring on the poutine!
- False Alarm - Another sugary '60s chorus but with a surprise. Sloan is smart enough to know when to move away from the tried and true and take a detour to new directions. This is the song that elevates the entire album for me. Plus, do I detect a hint of Greg Kihn's "Breakup Song" peeking through the opening guitar lick?
- Hollow Head - Another power pop classic from start to finish.
- Ready for You - Two thumbs up for the AC/DC influence. This song follows the perfect formula for a rock song...memorable guitar lick, two verses, strong chorus, mix and repeat.
- Fade Away - The Sloan manifesto. It has scope, grandeur and something to say..."Everybody seems content to fade away. Ooo you got it, don't shut it away." The guitar solos stand out on this one. It's the perfect closing song.
A Sides Win - 2005
I only included this greatest hits compilation because of the new songs. Plus it's interesting to see which songs were the singles (By the way, I added this to the list after listening to everything, so I had no idea which songs were originally released as singles when I made the list.)
Top Songs:
- All Used Up - I like three guitarists and a drummer playing loud.
- Try To Make It - It's the Cars crossed with The Outfield!
Four years after Action Pact, shouldn't Sloan be living off their legacy, churning out another record that sounds like the same one? Nope. Never Hear the End of It was all about new directions. When I started listening to Sloan (all of a month ago), this was the album that hooked me. It's magical, loaded with hooks, smart lyrics, beautiful melodies, loud guitars...plus 30 songs! Every time I listen to Never Hear the End of It I find something new to like and a new favorite song. I picked 18 top songs from this album! That's impressive and that's why Sloan matters to me. Most bands could only hope for one album like this. By my count that's four complete Sloan albums in a row with listenable material from start to finish.
Top Songs:
- Flying High Again - Great hook, great song...whoa that was short!
- I've Gotta Try - Trippy rock song with a killer guitar line in the chorus.
- Listen to the Radio - Nilsson lives! This tune is AM radio gold.
- Fading into Obscurity - Worth mentioning because of its blatant absorption of the Beatles, particularly the multiple stories sewn together by the chorus and the organ from Strawberry Fields.
- Someone I Can Be True With - This should have been a Squeeze song. Perfect Sloan lyrics..."Someone to watch Gremlins 2 with" is pure genius.
- Right or Wrong - Easy, breezy pop tune.
- Ana Lucia - The musical equivalent of a whiskey-laced sorbet. This song clears the pallet with a shot of sweet, strong guitar. I can't get the "I'm hanging out" background singers out of my head.
- Blackout - Straightforward guitar rock from the '70s rock n' roll songbook, and "There's nothing you can do about it."
- I Understand - Another great singalong song in the vein of The Rest of My Life.
- Can't You Figure It Out? - The Association lives! The way the voices blend together in the chorus...perfection!
- Set in Motion - This is one of those songs I don't think I'll like, then the chorus kicks in and everything changes. It's packed with gauzy, beautiful harmonies which flow into one of the album's highlights...
- Love is All Around - I want to thank the member of Sloan who wrote the perfect guitar line that slinks through this song. As the opening tune builds, it all feels familiar. But once the guitar line reveals itself, the song goes to another level. It's so unexpected and beautiful. Love is All Around is a perfect song.
- Ill Placed Trust - This song is the man among boys on Never Hear the End of It. On any other Sloan album it would have been the first cut. On this album, it's a welcome party crasher and it's 21 songs in! Love it, one of my fave Sloan tunes.
- Live the Life You're Dreaming Of - I didn't want to like this piano ballad but it's so nice!
- HFXNSHC - This song proves you only need 1:10 to rock. New Beat Generation, FTW!
- I Know You - A Beatlesque intro builds into a Who guitar shift at 1:25...who does that?!
- Last Time in Love - There is no doubt in my mind this would have been a number 1 song in another era. The sugar sweet chorus, the final key change, the "Welcome Back, Kotter" shuffle and hand claps are straight out of the 1970s playbook. Great stuff.
- Another Way I Could Do It - I love the crunchy guitars and double vocals that open this song. Hard rocking, thoughtful lyrics about life with closing la las and hand claps. Bring it on home, Sloan!
Parallel Play - 2008
How does a band follow an album of 30 songs? Well a year later, they put out another one! Parallel Play is a bit of a callback to the albums before Never Hear the End of It, and at first blush it sounds thin after the previous magnum opus. The songs gain more depth after repeat listenings. It may be a reset, but it's still a great Sloan album.
Top Songs:
- Believe in Me - Fuzzy opening guitar with echoes of (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction and a rockin' organ solo. Another strong album opener.
- Cheap Champagne - This is legitimately a bubbly bop of power pop. Love the lines about the older woman in the song, "the jukebox predicted her song" and "her hair was a cloud that the sun illuminated."
- Emergency 911 - A Buzzcocks style blast of punk. These guys never cease to amaze.
- Burn for It - T-Rex? Sex Pistols Anarchy in the UK? Whatever, "I've got a barb-wired heart and you can't handle it." Rock n' roll rules.
- Witches' Wand - Another 60s-inspired power pop song. This witch is no Black Magic Woman though, more like the Good Witch from the Hallmark Channel.
- I'm Not a Kid Anymore - You had me at "Styx and Stones...not so much Styx once I heard the Ramones." YES!!!
Twenty years of Sloan, the band has the same lineup and continues to put out compelling music. The Double Cross sounds like another transition album to me. The three guitars and drums ethic are there, but there's more production, more orchestral flourishes and strings than I recall from other albums. It's a strong album, especially with the towering greatness of Unkind.
- Follow the Leader - The strong guitar solo at :55 in the song is bangin'. So is the acoustic guitar that picks up the lead in the 2nd half.
- The Answer Was You - I'll take "Who loves Sloan?" for $1,000 Alex. The orchestra is strong with this one.
- Unkind - A straight up rocker. From the opening guitar lick you just know this is going to be a great song. It sounds like a glam classic, complete with lots of head bobbing and choral screaming from the concert crowd.
- Shadow of Love - A dead-on pub rocker that Nick Lowe would be proud to play.
- It's Plain to See - Back to the pub for a Beatles-quality rocker.
- I've Gotta Know - This is a quick blast of quality Sloan, a big riff with manic drumming and a hooky chorus.
Commonwealth - 2014
Ah, this is where Sloan was headed. Production wise, Commonwealth reminds me of the early '80s albums from bands like the Alan Parsons Project and The Firm. However, Sloan has more talent and dedicating a "side" of the album to each member is sheer genius. Commonwealth benefits from the approach. While previous Sloan albums mixed up the tracks, this one sticks with 4-5 songs in a row per member... except the drummer, who decided to do one 18-minute song. What I find interesting about this album is that while you clearly hear each songwriter's style, the sides smoothly transition into each other. Taken as a whole, Commonwealth is another great Sloan album and a terrific listen.
Top Songs:
- We've Come This Far - I really like the vibe of this song. It's the perfect melding of guitar, piano and harmonies. If only it were longer than 1:21!
- You've Got a Lot On Your Mind - This is a lyrically and musically perfect '70s tune. "P.S. I Like You." Paul McCartney would be proud.
- Three Sisters - I wasn't going to put Three Sisters on this list. But the gentle, interlaced guitar work at the end is so subtle, so perfect that it's a must.
- Carried Away - The organ from Rhiannon made its way into the 2000s! Great tune.
- You Don't Need Excuses to Be Good - The first Sloan song I ever heard. The lead guitar part and the drumming are perfect. Gorgeous harmonies, the chorus churns and swirls. It's a terrific power pop song, highly catchy and the end leaves you wanting more.
- Take It Easy - Louder, louder!
The name of Sloan's 12th album with 12 songs on it is 12. After 28 years, we're back to the core of what makes Sloan Sloan. Rich harmonies, killer hooks and bangin' guitars. If Sloan retired now, they could drop the mic and walk off the stage with the most consistently excellent catalog of albums in contemporary music. Besides the Beatles, is there any greater collection of music? Even Led Zeppelin could only muster six amazing albums in a row! Here's to Sloan's 12!
- Spin Our Wheels - Another killer Sloan album opener with lyrics that could only be written by a band with years of experience. "There's only so much time we can kill here before we start to spin our wheels."
- All of the Voices - This one hearkens back to the early days. Mature and grungy with a great chorus.
- The Day Will Be Mine - Carpe diem with crunchy guitars and a killer chorus.
- Essential Services - The harmonies in this song literally bloom.
- Don't Stop (If It Feels Good Do It) - Hey now, I think I've heard this one before. Nope, it's a totally different song with a '70s vibe and Ringo Starr's Photograph piano.
- Wish Upon a Satellite - This is a cool tune with another great guitar solo and an unexpected detour of flourishing harmonies towards the end.
MY TOP 12 SLOAN ALBUMS, IN ORDER
1. Never Hear the End of It - The pinnacle of Sloan, loaded with creativity and new ideas
2. Pretty Together - If It Feels Good Do It launches into Part 2 of the Perfect Power Pop trilogy
3. Action Pact - The sequel to Pretty Together, Part 3 of the PPP trilogy
4. Navy Blues - The original Sloan manifesto
5. Between the Bridges - Part 1 of the PPP trilogy
6. One Chord to Another - Great grunge
7. Parallel Play - A callback to the PPP trilogy
8. Commonwealth - Thick production values make for a unique Sloan album
9. 12 - A compelling album 28 years after their debut
10. The Double Cross - Hey it's still in the top 10
11. Twice Removed - Two great songs that rank high in the catalog, but the overall album doesn't
12. Smeared - Good debut, not much stickiness
So there you have it. Now to rank the songs, but that's a separate post!
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