Sloan Introduces Concept Album, Commonwealth

Since its debut in 1992, Halifax band Sloan has scored six Top 40 hits and four gold albums. 1996 album One Chord to Another received the Best Alternative Album JUNO. One of the unique things about the band is that all four members write songs. The latest album, Commonwealth, is divided into four “sides”, each showcasing songs written by one of the members. The album cover shows the four playing card kings representing each musician. By listening to each side, one gets a taste of the different styles of composition.

The first five tracks were authored by Jay Ferguson (the King of Diamonds), tracks 6-10 by Chris Murphy (the King of Hearts), tracks 11-14 by Patrick Pentland (the King of Clubs), and the final 18-minute suite by Andrew Scott (the King of Spades). Jay’s style is somewhat reminiscent of 60s pop in the vein of The Beatles’ Rubber Soul days. Chris blends those vibes with 70s soft rock along the lines of Elton John, although track 10 leads nicely into Patrick’s four indie rock pieces. Andrew’s closer binds a batch of short compositions together in one lengthy suite.  iTunes