I Own That CD! - Sloan

In 1994, the Canadian band Sloan shifted their music focus. They created a more melodic sound, a big difference than the grunge sound from their debut, Smeared. In fact, Twice Removed, is one of the most infectious, power-pop recordings from the 1990s - and it’s today’s feature on I Own That CD!

Even though Geffen Records released it, it sounds so independent - not like anything the label was releasing at the time. Geffen had no idea what to do with it. Spin Magazine would go on to name it one of the “Best Albums You Didn’t Hear” in 1994.

“Penpals” kicks things off with a toe-tapping track with a clever twist on the lyrics. The band created them from broken English fan letters to Kurt Cobain, which the band rummaged through when they were signed to Geffen Records in the early 1990s.

The self-deprecating yet charming track, “I Hate My Generation” chugs along at a pleasant pace with dual vocals, which would become a trademark for the band. “People of the Sky” is pure slacker-pop (doing so much better than Weezer ever would), complete with an easy sing-along chorus.

Songs like “Coax Me” show great growth in the band and along with “Shame Shame” act as a real transition between their grunge sound and the solid power-pop sound they would go on to perfect. “Worried Now” is maybe the most straightforward song. It could easily be about the unsure path that the band was about to go on (leaving Geffen, breaking up, getting back together).

Sloan covers all the checkboxes for power pop bands finally with the hand claps on the ridiculously catchy “Snowsuit Sound” with a tight rhythm section driving the song.

Geffen asked the band to record it again. The band refused, so the label didn’t promote it. We should all be glad that Sloan stuck to their guns.