Sloan
Navy Blues
[Murderecords]
Rating: 6.3
"I thank you all for coming to this month's meeting of Beatleholics Anonymous.
For our new members, I'm Karl Wallinger, formerly of the Waterboys and
currently of World Party. I'm the group leader of the pop music chapter.
I've been a recovering Beatleholic for fifteen years now."
"Hi, Karl," the group responds in a dreary, most unbeatle- like monotone.
"Who would like to start the meeting tonight?"
"We will." Andrew Scott, Chris Murphy, Patrick Pentland, and Jay Ferguson
say, standing up. "Hi, everyone, you all know us as Sloan. Or, at least
those of you from Canada do."
"Hi, Sloan," says Todd Rundgren. "I've heard of you, even though I don't live
in Canada. But I'm close enough to hear the radio stations."
"We've been recovering Beatleholics since 1991," starts Chris. "And it seems
no matter what we do, we just keep writing songs... [sniffle] songs that sound
like... [voice breaks up] like the Beatles!! [loud sobbing]
"There, there now. It's okay," comfort the Gallagher brothers of Oasis,
proudly donning their "five years and counting" buttons.
"That's easy for you to say," retorts Jay. "You guys have been able to make a
living off of it. You guys get drugs, you get booze, and you get adoring
teenage fans baring their breasts for you. We've got... halifax, for
crying out loud!" Which Chris is still doing, embraced by an understanding
Andy Partridge of XTC.
"Look, guys. It's okay to be fixated on the Beatles," offers Eric Carmen. "A
lot of people are. Why, without them, the Raspberries would never have been,
and I would be working in a steel mill in Ohio instead of being Barry Manilow
Lite."
"But listen to our new record, Navy Blues," replies Andrew. "We're really
trying to stand out on our own, we really are. 'Iggy and Angus' and 'Keep On
Thinkin'' and 'Money City Maniacs...' Just listen to them. We are really trying
to be different."
"Oh, yeah," retorts a disgruntled Jeff Lynne. "Instead of the Beatles, you
sound like Badfinger. Or maybe ELO."
"That was uncalled for, Jeff," says Karl with a stern voice and look. "We're
all here to help each other, not throw stones. Remember the whole 'Xanadu'
thing, Jeff? All of us make mistakes."
Karl continues, addressing the members of Sloan. "Listen, guys. The Beatles
were the greatest pop band in the history of rock 'n' roll. I've listened to
Navy Blues several times. 'C'mon, C'mon,' 'Chester the Molester,' 'Stand
By Me, Yeah' and 'I Wanna Thank You' are wonderful setups and plays of classics
like 'Your Mother Should Know,' 'Maxwell's Silver Hammer,' 'I Want To Tell You,'
and 'Penny Lane.' Those songs are nothing to be ashamed about, and neither are
your tributes to them. Your takes on those tracks are memorable little pop
ditties in and of themselves."
"But we want to be known as Sloan," says Chris, sniffling as he quits his
sobbing. "Not as 'those guys from Canada that sound a lot like the Beatles.'"
Andy Partridge poses a question. "And what happens if you do branch out? Do you
want to end up like Elvis Costello, writing symphonies or working with Burt
Bacharach to appeal to the cappuccino- sipping crowd? Or like Robyn Hitchcock,
a seminal but neglected genius?"
"Be content with what you are," Karl agrees. "A band from Canada that sounds a
lot like the Beatles; a band from Canada that turns out some wonderful Beatlesque
songs and makes enjoyable, listenable albums. And if only a small group of people
like you, and buy your records, and go to your shows, then so be it. Rejoice in
making that group happy, and revel in the fact that the rest of the world
brushes you off as Lennon/ McCartney wannabes. It's their loss, after all."
"You're right," agree the members of Sloan in unison. "Thank you all for
helping us through our time of uncertainty."
"Now," continues Karl. "You boys in Verve were going to say something?"
-Duane Ambroz
This review is a work of satirical fiction. The events
depicted above bear no factual legitimacy whatsoever.