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Format

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  YEP2392CD  £12.00

Label

Yep Roc

Sloan

Commonwealth

America Canada This 15 song collection sees Sloan creating one of the most unique and ambitious recordings of their twodecadeplus career The Torontobased 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 multifaceted Sloan sound Commonwealth sees the four bandmates disassociating ever so slightly to create an oldschool double album sequenced with each member staking out a single side as their own artistic dominion Designated by the four French 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 pedalhoppin' psych rock and Murphy's 'Heart' is fit to burst with wit jangle and eclectic energy As if the foursided concept weren't challenge enough Commonwealth finishes with 'Forty Eight Portraits' an ingenious 18minute pop suite that fills the entirely 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 partsnbsp

Tracklist

• 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
  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
  11. 13 (Under a Bad Sign)
  12. Take It Easy
  13. What's Inside
  14. Keep Swinging (Downtown)
  15. Forty-eight Portraits