Canadian power-pop quartet Sloan has announced its 11th studio album Commonwealth and shared the album's first single "Keep Swinging (Downtown)," which can be heard below. The album, which will be released on September 9 through Yep Roc Records, is a double LP, with each member of the band getting an entire side of the album for their own songs, essentially making Commonwealth four mini-solo albums in one. Commonwealth can be pre-ordered on iTunes right now.
According to a press release, Commonwealth's four sides are named after "the four playing card suits" of diamond, heart, shamrock, and spade, and "allow for all four members' work to at least be heard through the prism of individual identity." Guitarist Jay Ferguson's side is described as "symphonic pop," while guitarist Patrick Pentland's is "psych rock" and bassist Chris Murphy's is jangle pop. The album's final side is dedicated to drummer Andrew Scott's 18-minute song suite "Forty-Eight Portraits."
Formed in 1991 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Sloan is a famously democratic band, often switching instruments and featuring songwriting contributions from all four members. Commonwealth will be the band's first album since 2011's Double Cross.
Check out Commonwealth's first single, "Keep Swinging (Downtown)," written by Patrick Pentland:
Here's the album's tracklisting:
Diamond Side (Jay Ferguson)
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
Heart Side (Chris Murphy)
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
Shamrock Side (Patrick Pentland)
11. 13 (Under A Bad Sign)
12. Take It Easy
13. What's Inside
14. Keep Swinging (Downtown)
Spade Side (Andrew Scott)
15. Forty-Eight Portraits
