SLOAN

'Parallel Play'

Wow. I mean, really...WOW. The Canadian torchbearers of the lost art of guitar/power-pop come from out of nowhere to knock my freaking tube socks off. I've been dabbling in the collected works of Sloan for years now, never quite the rabid fan that some of my most-trusted musical compadres are. After (finally) catching them live last Summer in a great show, I think I finally reached a point of teetering at the brink of true fandom.

Well, it looks as if their impending June release, 'Parallel Play', may just have pushed me over the edge. The previous album, 'Never Hear the End of It', had some decent tunes, but it's ambitious 30-song track listing proved to have just too much filler for me to be able to really get into. This release, however, is a laser-focused thirteen tracks full of both beauteous Beatles-esque balladry and flat-out arena-friendly rock. As they'd say on the classic rock station this album would not at all sound out of place on: 'all killer, no filler'.

Funny thing is, as much as Sloan's sound pulls from the past, it also sounds contemporary enough to find a place on any decent college station as well. The sheer strut of the jumpoff track, 'Believe In Me', is sheer pop rock goodness peppered w/ those vintage AM-Radio harmonies the band does so well. 'Cheap Champagne' wouldn't sound of place of on a Supertramp album, but somehow manages to still retain it's cool-ness. 'Emergency 911' is kind of an unnecessary punk rock pit stop, but gets back on track w/ the badass groove of 'Burn For It' and 'Witch's Wand' does a fantastic job in releasing the ELO fan buried deep inside of me.

For the four tracks thereafter, they channel the Beatles in a tour de force of lush, vintage sounding pop only to pick up the pace again in a barrage of hand claps and more sweet, sweet harmonies that would make Jeff Lynne blush on 'If I Could Change Your Mind'. Then, the track that absolutely sold me on how great this band can be and perhaps the greatest rock ode to the drag of adulthood since TPOH's 'I'm An Adult Now'...'I'm Not a Kid Any More'. I mean, c'mon...

'Once upon a time I was on the scene, an attitude and a jacket of jean.

These days i'm up to my ass in routine, another day another dollar.'

Awesome. Even more awesome, is that even though the album isn't officially released until June...you can check it out LEGALLY and guilt-free in it's entirety at the Yep-Roc records website HERE. Don't know for how long, so get your ass over there and rock the fuck out!

Too lazy, bitches?! You can taste the awesomeness in the sample area if you need further incentive. I'll be shocked if this doesn't reappear on the year-end favorites list...both mine AND yours.