Sloan: The Double Cross LP

In 1991 Jay Ferguson, Chris Murphy, Patrick Pentland and Andrew Scott formed Sloan in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. In those days, the band’s sound had a lot in common with the guitar-heavy art rock of bands like Sonic Youth

and My Bloody Valentine. Their first record, the Peppermint E.P., introduced Canadians to “Underwhelmed”, a song that prompted listeners to consider the importance of grammar and spelling in the formation of a successful

Relationship. The success of Peppermint caused Sloan to be snapped up by Geffen records, the label that released the full-length Smeared and promoted the band as Canada’s answer to Nirvana. A rerecorded version of “Underwhelmed” was

released as a single and hit #25 on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks chart. Today, with the Arcade Fire winning Grammy awards and Drake and Justin Bieber being all over television, radio and every other media source, it might be tough to recall a time when Canadian music existed in the shadow of the U.S. and the U.K. But it’s not a stretch to say that Sloan was instrumental – fundamental, even – in creating Canada’s current music scene. Back then, pundits pegged Halifax as “the new Seattle”, when everyone was trying to discover and claim the next big thing. And now, ten studio albums, a double live album (4 Nights at the Palais Royale), and countless singles later, Sloan present The Double Cross. It’s everything we’ve come to love about Sloan. They span genres and styles, from gentle, acoustic ballads to some of the most up-tempo rock songs they’ve ever written. While each song can be attributed to a specific singer, songs like Andrew’s “She’s Slowing Down Again” and Jay’s “The Answer Was You” bring in Chris for the bridge, a signature technique that never fails to elevate their songs from good to great. And this far into their career, Sloan’s influence has infiltrated Canadian music, even in some seemingly unlikely

places. Everyone from Fucked Up’s Damian Abraham to k-os, Broken Social Scene’s Kevin Drew to Billy Talent’s Ben Kowalewicz, has gone on record to acknowledge Sloan’s influence on their music. These aren’t people who set about trying to imitate Sloan or even approximate their sound; they are fans who heard Sloan’s songs and felt inspired to take a chance on their own music. It’s hard to imagine a more fitting tribute to a band that’s written some of the best songs of the past 20 years.

Four men, ten albums, twenty incredible years: ladies and gentlemen, Sloan!