Sloan share second song from new LP, 'Commonwealth'

--taken from: Brooklyn Vegan

by Bill Pearis

As mentioned, Sloan return this fall with Commonwealth, their 11th album. It has a playing card motif with each of the four members getting their own suit and side to the double album. You may have already heard Patrick "Shamrock" Pentland's riff-rocking "Keep Swinging (Downtown)" and now we get a track from Jay "Diamond" Ferguson's side. "Cleopatra" might be the album's standout cut, cramming in a crazy amount of hooks into its 2:42 length. Stream it below.

Commonwealth is out September 7. Pre-orders are on sale now, including a deluxe edition that includes a signed print and a deck of Sloan playing cards.

--taken from: Brooklyn Vegan

RETRO/ACTIVE

--taken from: Toronto Star

by John Sakamoto

Finally, some new music from Sloan. “Keep Swinging (Downtown)” arrives a couple of months ahead of Commonwealth (out Sept. 9), the band’s first studio album in more than three years.

Written by Patrick Pentland, who plays all the guitars on the track, the single reminds us of Mott the Hoople, the Stones and David Bowie (there’s a definite “Boys Keep Swinging” feel to the thing).

Band mate Jay Ferguson put it this way in an email: “One could perhaps say it references late ’70s/ post-Berlin-era Bowie in the title, but kinda sounds a bit more like 1973 Bowie circa Aladdin Sane. The outro sounds a bit Johnny Marr style to me, but not sure if that was (Patrick’s) intention.”

As for Commonwealth, it’ll include 15 songs.

In its double-vinyl configuration; one side is devoted to each band member.

“Though it’s set up like 4 mini solo LPs,” Ferguson explains, “we still play on each other’s songs to varying degrees (just like any other Sloan album). Sometimes it’s only 2 of us or 3 of us on a given track. For example on my side, Andrew (Scott) plays some guitar as well as drums, Chris (Murphy) drums on a couple as well as playing bass, Patrick also sings some backups. Our piano man, Gregory Macdonald, is also a great resource for harmonies and musical ideas.”

Sloan will back up the release with a fall tour.

--taken from: Toronto Star

Sloan To Release New Album 'Commonwealth' On September 9, Shares First Single [LISTEN]

--taken from: Music Times

by Joey DeGroot

Canadian power-pop quartet Sloan has announced its 11th studio album Commonwealth and shared the album's first single "Keep Swinging (Downtown)," which can be heard below. The album, which will be released on September 9 through Yep Roc Records, is a double LP, with each member of the band getting an entire side of the album for their own songs, essentially making Commonwealth four mini-solo albums in one. Commonwealth can be pre-ordered on iTunes right now.

According to a press release, Commonwealth's four sides are named after "the four playing card suits" of diamond, heart, shamrock, and spade, and "allow for all four members' work to at least be heard through the prism of individual identity." Guitarist Jay Ferguson's side is described as "symphonic pop," while guitarist Patrick Pentland's is "psych rock" and bassist Chris Murphy's is jangle pop. The album's final side is dedicated to drummer Andrew Scott's 18-minute song suite "Forty-Eight Portraits."

Formed in 1991 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Sloan is a famously democratic band, often switching instruments and featuring songwriting contributions from all four members. Commonwealth will be the band's first album since 2011's Double Cross.

Check out Commonwealth's first single, "Keep Swinging (Downtown)," written by Patrick Pentland:



Here's the album's tracklisting:

Diamond Side (Jay Ferguson)
1. We've Come This Far
2. You've Got A Lot On Your Mind
3. Three Sisters
4. Cleopatra
5. Neither Here Nor There

Heart Side (Chris Murphy)
6. Carried Away
7. So Far So Good
8. Get Out
9. Misty's Beside Herself
10. You Don't Need Excuses To Be Good

Shamrock Side (Patrick Pentland)
11. 13 (Under A Bad Sign)
12. Take It Easy
13. What's Inside
14. Keep Swinging (Downtown)

Spade Side (Andrew Scott)
15. Forty-Eight Portraits

--taken from: Music Times

Sloan Announce 'Commonwealth' Double Album, Share New Track

--taken from: Exclaim!

by Alex Hudson

Over the last couple of years, Sloan have discussed their plans for a new double album containing four solo sides (one for each band member) while also digging into their archives for reissues, live releases and punk experiments. Now, they've finally announced that aforementioned double LP.

Commonwealth will be out on September 9 through Yep Roc. The album cover, which portrays the band members as four-of-a-kind kings, is above. The suits of these playing cards correspond to the titles of their solo sides: Jay Ferguson's side is called Diamond, Chris Murphy's is Heart, Patrick Pentland's is Shamrock, and Andrew Scott's Spade. (This Spade side consists of a single 18-minute suite called "Forty-Eight Portraits.")

A press release promises, "Ultimately, what makes Commonwealth so special — and so distinctly Sloan — is how the fragmented approach in fact only serves to underscore the veteran band's extraordinary strengths, showcasing the particular ingredients without ever losing sight of the sum of their parts."

At the bottom of this page, listen to the premiere of the glammy, boogie-fuelled single "Keep Swinging (Downtown)." It's sung by Pentland. You can also pre-order the album here and snag the track as a free download.

This is the follow-up to 2011's The Double Cross

Commonwealth:

Diamond (Ferguson):

1. We've Come This Far
2. You've Got a Lot on Your Mind
3. Three Sisters
4. Cleopatra
5. Neither Here Nor There

Heart (Murphy):

6. Carried Away
7. So Far So Good
8. Get Out
9. Misty's Beside Herself
10. You Don't Need Excuses to Be Good

Shamrock (Pentland):

11. 13 (Under a Bad Sign)
12. Take It Easy
13. What's Inspire
14. Keep Swinging (Downtown)

Spade (Scott):

15. Forty-Eight Portraits



--taken from: Exclaim!

Sloan Return With “Commonwealth” on September 9th

--taken from: That Eric Alper

by Eric Alper

On September 9, 2014, Sloan, will release their 11th studio album Commonwealth via Yep Roc Records. The 15 song collection sees Sloan creating one of the most unique and ambitious recordings of their two-decade-plus career. Today, Exclaim.ca premiered the Patrick Pentland-penned, Keep Swinging (Downtown), the first single to be released from Commonwealth. Listen here and pre-order the album today with an immediate download of Keep Swinging (Downtown).

The Toronto-based rock quartet is perhaps the most truly democratic group in the annals of pop, with Jay Ferguson, Chris Murphy, Patrick Pentland, and Andrew Scott all contributing original compositions to each record, equal partners with equal say over every aspect of their work. Where in the past creative lines have been blurred to create the multi-faceted Sloan sound, Commonwealth sees the four bandmates disassociating ever so slightly to create an old-school double album sequenced with each member staking out a single side as their own artistic dominion.

Designated by the four playing card suits, the essentially solo sides allow for all four members’ work to at last be heard through the prism of individual identity. Ferguson’s opening Diamond side showcases his remarkable knack for symphonic pop, Pentland’s Shamrock offers a substantial helping of pedal-hoppin’ psych rock, and Murphy’s Heart is fit to burst with wit, jangle, and eclectic energy. As if the four-sided concept weren’t challenge enough, Commonwealth finishes with Forty Eight Portraits, an ingenious 18-minute pop suite that fills the entirety of Scott’s closing Spade side. Ultimately, what makes Commonwealth so special – and so distinctly Sloan – is how the fragmented approach in fact only serves to underscore the veteran band’s extraordinary strengths, showcasing the particular ingredients without ever losing sight of the sum of their parts.

Song cycles and concept-driven albums are nothing new to Sloan. Over the course of 10 albums and more than 30 singles – not to mention multiple EPs, hits and rarities collections, live albums and official bootlegs released, like all the band’s work, on their own independent label, Murderecords – the band has tackled countless creative conceits while ever forwarding a sonic palette that blends pure pop and radio rock into what is now a truly trademark sound; all big melodies and power hooks, cheeky charm and tearjerking introspection, rich harmonies and idiosyncratic personality.

Commonwealth follows 2011’s The Double Cross, which earned Sloan some of the most glowing notices of their acclaimed career. “(Sloan’s) impeccable power pop has often felt like the apotheosis of the genre,” wrote SPIN. “The hooks and harmonies rarely disappoint.” “An unapologetic celebration of Sloandom,” praised AV Club, “and a safe place for those who believe good dual-guitar breaks are the reason why we’re here on Earth.” Pitchfork summed it up best: “20 years in, they’ve made one of their best albums…That (Sloan) sound this creatively fresh this deep into their career is a real treat for people who’ve stuck with them through the years. If you’ve never given them a chance before, this is a great time to get to know them.”

COMMONWEALTH TRACKLISTING:

Diamond Side (Jay):
1) We’ve Come This Far
2) You’ve Got A Lot On Your Mind
3) Three Sisters
4) Cleopatra
5) Neither Here Nor There

Heart Side (Chris):
6) Carried Away
7) So Far So Good
8) Get Out
9) Misty’s Beside Herself
10) You Don’t Need Excuses To Be Good

Shamrock Side (Patrick):
11) 13 (Under A Bad Sign)
12) Take It Easy
13) What’s Inside
14) Keep Swinging (Downtown)

Spade Side (Andrew):
15) Forty-Eight Portraits

--taken from: That Eric Alper

Sloan Announce They're Dropping A Double Album This Fall & Offer Up A New Track

--taken from: ET Canada

by Dan Macrae

Power pop connoisseurs rejoice! Sloan have a brand new double album at the ready for September.

The latest offering from the never-not-fantastic Halifax rock vendors will feature each member of the group getting their own side. The four compartments of the double album, entitled Commonwealth, operates under its own playing card suit banner. We have the art for Commonwealth below so you can see Sloan in a poker-friendly format.

The album promises to "allow four members’ work to at last be heard through the prism of individual identity." With "Ferguson’s opening Diamond side showcases his remarkable knack for symphonic pop, Pentland’s Shamrock offers a substantial helping of pedal-hoppin’ psych rock, and Murphy’s Heart is fit to burst with wit, jangle, and eclectic energy."

Get a preview of Commonwealth's lead single, "Keep Swinging (Downtown)," below  if you'd like to get a taste of what's to come. The new album appears in full on September 9.

--taken from: ET Canada

Sloan release first taste of solo-sided double album, “Keep Swinging (Downtown)”

--taken from: CHARTattack

by Richard Trapunski

Sloan are putting out a double album with one side for each member. Hear the first taste, from Patrick Pentland.

In retrospect, it's strange that Sloan were ever considered the "next big thing" by the music press (including, of course, Chart Magazine); in the decades since, they've cemented themselves as Canada's sturdiest tentpole band in power pop, that immortal genre that seems to exist outside of time, trends and hype. In the past few years they've taken to shaking up the formula with experiments like the (actually awesome) hardcore 7" they put out last year, but even those are rooted in the past. Their upcoming, long-teased album, Commonwealth - a double record in which each band member is given his own side - is straight out of the KISS playbook.

But this first single, written by ace in the hole Patrick Pentland, is more of a Stones stomper, with all the riffs and "yeahs" you expect to be blasting from a classic rock convertible. Then, in the last minute, the dreamy acoustic jangle comes out. Perhaps they should have released four singles at once (even if Andrew Scott's side is one 18-minute suite), but this is a sweet first taste.

--taken from: CHARTattack

New music project for Oshawa's Wayne Petti

--taken from: Durham Region (read more here)

by William McGuirk

O’Neill is one of the artists who joins Petti on Grey Land’s album. The record consists of eight covers, all songs Petti says are important to him. Other guests include Greg Keelor, Sarah Harmer, Hayden, Tamara Linderman and Joel Plaskett. Songs by Dylan, M Ward, Lee Hazelwood and Buffy St. Marie are made over. O’Neill and Petti take on Coax Me by Sloan.

“I was a big fan of the Murder Records label, which Sloan was the owner of and Mike"s band were a part of. Two very influential songwriters and singers for me were Mike and Chris Murphy of Sloan. It made sense to me that if I was going to cover a Sloan song I should ask Mike to sing on it too,” says Petti.

--taken from: Durham Region (read more here)

The egalitarianism of Canadian rock icons, Sloan

--taken from: Pique

Canada's most prolific pop rock band set to release 11th studio album

by Brandon Barrett

If Karl Marx was still around, he'd probably be a fan of Canadian rock veterans, Sloan.

While one can't assume the father of communism would be hip to the power pop rock stylings of one of Canada's most enduring bands, it's safe to say he'd be aligned with the group's egalitarian approach — a refreshing turn from the narcissism infecting many a modern megastar.

The sharing of Sloan's profits, songwriting and instrumental duties is well established by now. The Toronto-based quartet made up of Chris Murphy, Jay Ferguson, Patrick Pentland and Andrew Scott split everything four ways, and have kept their original lineup intact going on 23 years.

By modern rock standards, their stability is positively boring. You'll never hear Sloan attached to any kind of internal squabble or stint in rehab or celebrity sex tape. They have enjoyed a long career marked by the kind of consistency and prolific output you don't normally expect from a rock band.

And part of that success is based squarely on that all for one, one for all philosophy they've become so known for.

"I think it's a big reason for sure," says guitarist Ferguson. "We split the money four ways, so if anybody happens to have a single that does well at radio or a song that happens to earn more money than others, everyone benefits from it.

"It's pretty democratic, and I think it's a way to keep a band together because you all share in the failure or success of a particular song or record."

It also helps that the foursome, while still enjoying relative success in Canada, the U.S. and Japan, hasn't amassed a Bieberesque fortune over the years, ensuring that egos get kept in check.

"We're successful enough that this is a good regular job, but it's not like we've all earned $10 million each and we can do whatever we want. If that happened, maybe we'd be like, 'Ah, forget it, we'll make a record in two years,'" says the 45-year-old Ferguson.

"We have to do this because it's our job and it's the way we pay our mortgages and put our kids through summer camp."

The band also gives each member the creative freedom to do whatever they want on a given record, meaning almost every single Sloan album's songwriting responsibilities are split evenly, while still making up a unified whole.

No control freaks allowed.

"You can do whatever you want on a Sloan record," Ferguson continues. "It's easy to manage... I don't know that it's ever frustrating for anybody because we're all free to do what we want."

The band is taking that strategy to a whole new level on their next album, Commonwealth, slated for a September release. Songwriting will, as always, be a team effort, except this time each member gets his own section, or "side," of the double album to call his own.

"The different mode with this record is that everybody gets their own side, so if you imagine a double LP, there's four sides, so we each get our own to do what we want. Not that we haven't been able to do exactly what we wanted in the past, but it's almost like you can segue to songs the way you want," says Ferguson, explaining it's a concept the group has talked about for years.

"This record we've made is something we've often talked about, like 'It'd be fun to make four solo records kind of like what Kiss did in the 1970s,'" he says. "This is an interesting way to do it because it's still united as one album."

So with two decades, 11 studio albums and countless tours behind them, what's left for Sloan to accomplish?

"Something I'd love to achieve is to have that longevity and still make records that are good enough to add to our body of work," Ferguson admits. "There are a lot of bands who reach a certain plateau and stop making good records and just turn into a touring vehicle, but I think we're making records that are as good as we've made over the last couple of years. I'm sure there are a lot of bands who say that, but I actually mean it."

--taken from: Pique

Countdown is on for Colwood rock festival

--taken from: Victoria News

by Arnold Lim

One of the biggest events on Vancouver Island is back.

Thousands of music fans will descend upon the West Shore Parks and Recreation, July 11 to 13 when Tom Cochrane, The Cult, Billy Talent, Sloan, Our Lady Peace, Mother Mother and many more bands take over the lower soccer fields for the biggest local music festival of the year.

“The people on the Island love rock and here we are happy every year to bring that to people of the West Shore,” said Melanie Ransome of Atomique Productions, which runs the festival. “Every year we got the chance to expand, because the people of the Island want to have an event like this.”

Atomique expects 37,500 people to attend over the three days. The event has grown from 12,500 fans for the one-day concert in 2012 to 20,000 over two days last year.

“We seem to have a growing fan base, which is exciting. We have a ton of Seattle concert goers and (Vancouver) concert goers. It is (also) a nice way to show another part of the Island,” Ransome said. “We display downtown Victoria for Rifflandia and it is Colwood’s chance to sing with Rock the Shores. It is a very local event, but it is an awesome way to show people from out of town what it is all about.”

Colwood Mayor Carol Hamilton also looks forward to the new visitors the larger-than-life event will bring to her neck of the woods this weekend.

“It is an opportunity that the West Shore doesn’t see too often. Downtown they have all kinds of music festivals and events and cultural opportunities, so this has been a great opportunity to turn the tables,” she said. “(It) gets the downtown folks coming in our direction.”

Guitarist-vocalist Chris Murphy of Toronto band Sloan, which performs Saturday night (July 12), plans to arrive a few days early and said he looks forward to getting to know the area.

Come show time, he said, as much fun as the fans will have, he will reciprocate.

“I always have fun. I have fun playing greatest hits, have fun showing off our newest songs … I just like to work,” Murphy said.

The multiple Juno-nominated and award-winning quartet make their return to Victoria after playing Rifflandia two years ago.

Murphy said he and his fellow band members not only look forward to the spectacle of performing in front of a big crowd of fans who not only sing along and know the words, but playing for new fans who may not have grown up with their music.

“We are my own favourite band, because as a fan of music I feel like we do everything I want a band to do, except succeed internationally and commercially,” he said, half jokingly. “We make a living and don’t have to deal with fame. It is perfect.”

--taken from: Victoria News