Sloancast

You like ranking stuff? So does Sloancast. Join us as we each individually rank the 16 covers of Sloan's major releases (13 studio LPs, 2 major EPs, 1 live album) from least favourite to favourite, discussing along the way the merits of each piece of artwork.

Move over, Lennon & McCartney: there's a "new" lead vocal amalgam from the colonies whose double helix harmonic stylings will blow your minds. In this episode, we discuss the iconic lead vocal combination of Patrick Pentland and Chris Murphy, illustrated through ten examples from across the catalogue. 

In this episode, we sit down with Toronto-born, California-based writer, journalist, musician and all-round Cancon renaissance man Paul Myers to chat about his  own overlap with the Greatest Band of All Time, Sloan's place in the power pop canon, and the correlation between comedy and music. Be sure to check out Paul's Record Store Day Podcast as well as his upcoming documentary The Kids In T...

Together with NYC-based writer and podcaster Ben Lindbergh, we tackle 2008's Parallel Play—an album sandwiched between the classic statements Never Hear The End of It and Hit & Run, and which, despite now being chronologically in the middle of their career, in many ways signals the beginning of the latest phase in the band's sound. Ben also takes us through his own personal Sloan story, includ...

In this episode (which has been a Long Time Coming), Rob takes a virtual trip south of the border to sunny Los Feliz, Los Angeles to chat with singer-songwriter/musical multi-talents Ned Brower and Taylor Locke. Find out about the musicians' longtime appreciation of the GBOAT , about their particular admiration of 2001's Pretty Together , as well as about their own personal encounters with the Slo...

In this post-mortem look at the band's "Alive & Alright" concert footage from February 2000, we're joined by Ron Baker (aka Blue Suit Ron), who was present at the taping of the special.

In this emergency episode of Sloancast, we set the time machine for February 4th, 2000 and the filming of a live performance of the entire Between the Bridges album in front of a select group of 40 fans—the result of which will eventually spawn the "Friendship" music video. Prior to the release of the footage on Side Door on this February 4th, we chat with superfan Laura (Q) Mayo, who attende...

Kicking off the 31st year of Sloan, we continue with our hand-picked playlist concept "Sloancast 30". In part 2, we talk through tracks 16-30 of this selection—intended to highlight everything great about the greatest band of all time and convert even the pickiest of (not-yet-indoctrinated) music snobs.

If you had to create a playlist to convince a non-Sloan fan about the band's greatness, what songs would you pick? To commemorate the end of the greatest band of all time's 30th anniversary year, we asked ourselves this very question. The result is the Sloancast 30, a hand-picked selection of tracks that embody the special qualities of the band and helps tell their story. So not our favourite 30 t...

We sit down with Dave Gibson and Travis Kokas from the band Heron & Crane to talk about their lifelong superfandom for Sloan, including reflections on on-stage and off-stage encounters with the band and with other groups in the Murderecords/Sloan-adjacent universe. Plus: why Dave is the real reason why Pretty Voice and Pick It Up And Dial It aren't played live any more, and why Travis might ha...

For this special one-year anniversary episode of Sloancast, we were honoured to have been able to sit down and chat with Sloan's very own Chris Murphy about his early years and his musical upbringing—through to the formation of the GBOAT (Greatest Band of All Time) in 1991. Get the inside scoop on Chris's musical influences, on the carousel of bands he featured in during the '80s, and on the serie...

Ten years on from the album's release, we are joined by regular guest Aaron Pinto to tackle 2011's The Double Cross track by track. In this, the most compact of their 12 studio albums to date, the band established one of its most unique production statement and signalled the beginning of their contemporary sound.

The BPM is about to skyrocket: In our first podcast collab episode, we're joined by Greg Polard—host of the Somethin To Dü and Where It Went podcasts—to discuss Sloan's hardcore influences, and specifically their 2013 Hardcore 7" ( Jenny/It's In You, It's In Me ) as well as the supplementary Hardcore Covers EP.

It was so nice, we talked to him twice: in part two of our discussion with multi-talented multi-instrumentalist Gregory Macdonald, we chat about his contributions to Sloan studio recordings since 2008's Parallel Play , about injuries and spontaneously filling in for band members, as well as about Greg's own solo projects—including 2020's Cola Wars and the upcoming New Age Doom project featuring Le...

He's Sloan's veritable Fifth Beatle, and he's finally making his appearance on Sloancast: in part one of our two-parter, we sit down with musical multi-talent Gregory Macdonald as he recounts his musical upbringing and his path to becoming an integral part of the greatest band of all time.

In our continuing coverage of the 20th anniversary of Pretty Together, we turn back the dials to October 30th, 2001 and tune in together to Much Music for the band's televised "Live @ MUCH" show. Watch along with us on YouTube or just listen in as normal! And don't miss Rob's television debut (even in 2001, he was asking the tough questions).

If you've ever looked into the liner notes of a Sloan album, her name will be familiar to you, and if you've ever picked up a "classic-era" Sloan album, you'll have seen her work: on the latest episode of Sloancast, we talk to Catherine Stockhausen about Sloan (and other bands that you'll know) through her lens.

On the latest episode of Sloancast, podcast regular Aaron Pinto joins us to reflect on the importance and the greatness of Sloan's "One Chord To Another" upon its 25th anniversary. In the first of our anniversary OCTA-related talks, we dote on the album's sonic place within the band's catalogue, on the reason it was the gateway for so many new Sloan fans, and on why Sloan is the Wu-Tang Clan of ro...

Calling all multiverse theorists! On the latest episode of Sloancast, we hypothesize on the direction that the band’s second album might have taken had Sloan/DGC decided to continue in a grungier direction similar to Smeared and the band's '93 material—as opposed to creating what would become Twice Removed. Brace yourselves for the selection of our "Smeared 2" single.

It’s the guest you’ve all been waiting for: join us for our talk with Sloan crew all-rounder Kevin Hilliard (aka Skip Lowe, "Lamps" Hilliard, Kevrock, The Clapper), as we touch upon topics as diverse as MRCH 108.8, setting up and tearing down shows, practical jokes on tour, Bruce Dickinson’s stubble, Black Abba, and Emilio Estevez.

In the latest episode of Sloancast, we sit down for a chat with Halifax music stalwart and producer of Pepperment and Smeared, Terry Pulliam. Get the inside scoop on the Hear and Now contest that launched the band's career, on the recording techniques used during the Pepperment/Smeared sessions, on early band gear, and on the true namesake of Gus' Pub in North End Halifax!

We were thrilled to be able to sit down with Patrick "The Hitmaker" Pentland for a chat on Ripping Convulsions, sobriety, being the band's bassist for about a month, songwriting processes, and why the Jesus and Mary Chain in fact have Patrick to thank for their post-2007 renaissance. Plus: get the inside scoop on a new Sloan album in the works for the near future.

We finally delve into the album that polarizes the Sloan fanbase (both casual and super) the most—2001's Pretty Together. Join us and our special guest Travis Stokl (drummer extraordinaire of The Elwins) as we examine the album's meaning in the oeuvre, the reason why it "sticks out", and why it's one of the most underrated elements of the band's legacy. 2021 is a Pretty Together anniversary year,...

In this all-superfan episode of Sloancast, we chat with artist manager, direct-to-fan expert, music educator and Sloan crew member Jay Coyle (Music Geek Services) about his own superfandom for the band, stories from the tour bus, and the genesis of merch and fan articles. Plus: a sneak peek into the band’s release plans for the near future!

We delve into the musical scene of Halifax in the 1980s and 1990s and talk to guests and 30-plus-year fans and friends of the band Stephen Cooke and Shant Pelley about proto-Sloan band formations, strange bar opening hours, the Peppermint "CD release" show, and a long, lost fan tribute cassette (that might yet see the light of day).