Sloan (Photo by Corbin Smith)
Power pop quartet Sloan released Sloan 12, the band’s 12th studio album, on April 6 via Murderecords/Yep Roc Records. Following its release with a tour, the Toronto rockers will perform at Rock and Roll Hotel on Friday, May 11.
All four original members remain active in Sloan, and all four contributed to the songwriting process of the new album, neatly writing three songs each to spark more collaboration in their music. Generally, this allows each member to shine where they are strongest: Patrick Pentland with soaring rock anthems; Chris Murphy with playful, participatory singalongs; Jay Ferguson with jaunty prog-pop gems; and Andrew Scott with whimsical innerspace explorations.
Guitarist Jay contrasted the new album to their previous, 2014’s Commonwealth, saying, “That album was more of everyone retreating to corners to produce and sequence a side of their own material, this one would potentially have more collaboration than usual.”
Watch the official lyric video for “The Day Will Be Mine” by Sloan on YouTube:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fhKeAJp1o8]
Vocalist and guitarist Patrick wrote “The Day Will Be Mine,” and he channels the anxiety and panic attacks that have plagued him as a performer in the song and another, “Have Faith.”
“Depression and anxiety were definitely on my mind when I was writing those songs,” Patrick said. “Both are basically about desperation—something has to change or this is not going to have a happy ending.”
Of course, the songs of Sloan remain as buoyant as ever since their first performance in 1991. Over the course of 27 years, Sloan have produced more than 200 songs in their catalog and more than 30 singles with airplay at Canadian Rock Radio. Sloan have received nine Juno Award nominations, and won for Best Alternative Album in 1997.
Sloan
Rock and Roll Hotel
Friday, May 11
Doors @ 7pm
$20
All ages