Sloan
Never Hear the End of It (Yep Roc)
By Emily Becker
Published: January 22nd, 2007 | 4:36pm
Question: What do you get when four Canadian singer-songwriters self-produce a 30 song record? Answer: Sloan’s eighth full-length Never Hear the End of It. Clocking in at well over an hour, the CD is packed with rock songs that still pop, recalling everyone from the Beatles to Squeeze to ELO. While not overly original, the band has nearly perfected the two-minute-forty-five-second pop song, and the results are well worth a listen for any fan of the genre.
And don’t even think about filler; there is not a bad song in the bunch. Of course, I have my favorites. “Everybody Wants You” recalls early Elvis Costello and thankfully is not a Billy Squier cover. The band also excels at storytelling. “Fading into Obscurity” addresses the end of a career and a marriage, while “Set in Motion” tells the story of an ill-fated movie being made of the singer’s life. The band may use familiar hooks, but the sheer volume of consistently catchy songs on the record along with clever lyrics and the range of vocal talent (all four members sing) keep them from sounding like retreads.
Never Hear the End of It is as at home as a party soundtrack as it is accompanying a solo car trip. Even though the writing isn’t always sunny, it is impossible, or at least unadvisable, to be unhappy while listening to these songs. Just be sure to join in on the chorus, and sing as loudly and as off-key as you like.
Issue #25
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