The band was formed in 1991, when Chris Murphy and Andrew Scott met at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD) in Halifax. Patrick Pentland and Jay Ferguson joined soon after. In 1992, the band created their own record label, called Murderecords, for themselves and other Halifax area bands, and the outfit released the 'Peppermint EP' (the release also known as just 'Peppermint').
According to Sloan's official website, the band's name refers to a friend's nickname. Their friend, Jason Larsen, was called 'Slow One' by his French-speaking boss, which with the French accent sounded more like 'Sloan'. The original agreement was that they could name the band after their friend's nickname as long as he was on the cover of their first album. As a result, it is Larsen who appears on the cover of the 'Peppermint EP'.
Later in 1992, Sloan released their full-length debut, titled 'Smeared', on Geffen Records. Like many indie rock groups before them, the band found that major label dealings were basically as much trouble as they were worth. In 1994, Geffen did not promote their second album, called 'Twice Removed', due to artistic disputes, although it sold well in Canada. Spin named the album one of the "Best Albums You Didn't Hear" in 1994. A 1996 reader poll by Canadian music magazine Chart! ranked it as the best Canadian album of all time only two years after its release. The same poll in 2000 ranked the album third, behind Joni Mitchell's 'Blue' and Neil Young's 'Harvest', while the 2005 poll once again ranked the album first.
After the release of Twice Removed, the band went on hiatus and were rumoured to have broken up, as they had rejected Geffen's offer for their next album. In 1996, however, they released the widely praised One Chord to Another on their own Murderecords label. Following 1998's Navy Blues album, Sloan released their first live album 4 Nights at the Palais Royale in 1999. Those albums were followed by Between the Bridges in 1999, and Pretty Together in 2001.
Sloan made a concerted effort to break into the US market on their 2003 release Action Pact. Songs were recorded in L.A. with Tom Rothrock producing. The glossier, radio-ready sound failed to raise Sloan's profile in the US, though they continued to be highly popular in Canada.
Sloan's first compilation album A Sides Win: Singles 1992-2005, included two new songs, "All Used Up" and "Try to Make It". The Japanese release included two additional new tracks.
Now signed to Yep Roc Records for their US releases, they put out their eighth disc, Never Hear the End of It in 2006. The album contained 30 tracks with all the members of the band contributing new songs. It was met with widespread critical acclaim and became the highest charting Sloan album in the US up to that point.
In 2008, Sloan followed up their longest album with their shortest release Parallel Play.
In November 2009 Sloan added a digital music store to their website. The band released an online-only EP called Hit & Run to promote the store. The EP featured two songs by Chris Murphy, and one by each of the other band members. Murphy's Take It Upon Yourself was released as a free single. In February 2010, the band released another online exclusive, the compilation album B-Sides Win: Extras, Bonus Tracks and B-Sides 1992 - 2008.
In 2013, the band revealed plans for a double album, with each of the four sides featuring a solo suite by a different band member. In May 2014, it was announced that the new album would be titled "Commonwealth" and would be released in September 2014. On July 14, 2014, the band announced the official release date for the album (September 9, which turned out to be accurate) and the release of the album's first single, "Keep Swinging (Downtown)". The album cover portrays the band members as four-of-a-kind kings. The suits of these playing cards correspond to the titles of their solo sides: Jay Ferguson's side is called Diamond, Chris Murphy's is Heart, Patrick Pentland's is Shamrock, and Andrew Scott's is Spade.
Traces
Sloan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm still on my hesitator
A lonely big boat calls
And my resistance falls
Until my thoughts drift down to paper
And when I get that feeling
That I can barely contain myself
And then replace them to the upper shelf
(I put my thoughts back up on the shelf)
Seems like time's agin' us
The losses mount to the winners
Another steady dose
Of awful TV shows
Crowing brand new has beeners
And if I seem delighted
I have to get you to check my pulse
It feels low down to the ground and now my money's gone
As I've been paying from some better results
Life goes on and on
Appreciate it
Cause when you're gone
You can't question a trace of how you made it
When you're down and out
Disintegrated
Just keep it in mind all the time that you've dedicated
Summer's moon's on the fader
Another seasonal perpetrator
Cold calls of fall will make me drop it all
Until we touch upon it twelve months later
Sometimes when I'm buying
The shit you're selling in your leather gloves
I get shot down, way down, to where the weather's better
And that the gods that I'm still in love
And when I get that feeling
That any mountain's too much to climb
I open my eyes and decide this ain't the first time
I tried reliving my original prime
Life goes on and on
Appreciate it
Cause when we're gone
You can't question a trace of how you made it
When you're down and out
Disintegrated
Just keep it in mind all the time that you've dedicated
In fresh air country silence
I lose the urban sick, slick violence
On every field of green
There is a silver sheen
That makes me question my own compliance
And when I field the query
I know the answer that I'm gonna give
It's not that one can beat the other in real time
It's just the scenery of how I wanna live
The Sloan song Traces is a contemplative and introspective piece that deals with the passage of time and its impact on our life. The song opens with the singer struggling to confront the challenges in front of him, feeling hesitant and unsure of the direction to take. The metaphor of a "lonely big boat" calling out represents the singer's desire to leave his troubles behind and sail away. The line "Until my thoughts drift down to paper" indicates that writing may be a way for him to clear his head and find clarity.
The next verse tackles the issue of time and how it can be both our friend and enemy. The singer is frustrated by the losses that befall him and the uncaring world, symbolized by the "awful TV shows" and "brand new has-beeners" that seem to dominate the cultural landscape. The line "And if I seem delighted / I have to get you to check my pulse" indicates that even in moments of happiness, the singer is aware of the fleeting nature of such feelings. He is also haunted by the specter of spending his money on something that doesn't give him the desired results, which may represent the fear of wasting his time on something that won't leave a lasting impact.
The chorus serves as a reminder to appreciate life and make the most of our time. The lines "When you're gone / You can't question a trace of how you made it" suggest that we should strive to leave a positive legacy and make the most of every moment. Even when we're feeling down and out, it's important to remember the time and effort we've invested in our lives and to keep pushing forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Ask your questions later
Do not interrupt me, let me finish my current train of thought
I'm still on my hesitator
I am indecisive and unsure about what to do next
A lonely big boat calls
I am being pulled in a specific direction, like a ship responding to a call from the shore
And my resistance falls
I am starting to give in to the pull of the direction I am being called towards
Until my thoughts drift down to paper
I begin to write down my thoughts and feelings to gain clarity
And when I get that feeling
When I start to feel a certain way
That I can barely contain myself
My emotions overwhelm me
To bring them down upon account of the right time
To express my emotions at the right moment
And then replace them to the upper shelf
To put my emotions aside until they are needed again
Seems like time's agin' us
Time is not on our side
The losses mount to the winners
The people who are winning are still losing something
Another steady dose
More of the same
Of awful TV shows
Bad television programs
Crowing brand new has beeners
Celebrating people who were once popular but are no longer relevant
And if I seem delighted
If I seem happy
I have to get you to check my pulse
I need to make sure I am not numb inside
It feels low down to the ground and now my money's gone
I feel depressed and broke
As I've been paying from some better results
I have been investing in something that I thought would lead to better outcomes
Life goes on and on
Life keeps moving forward
Appreciate it
Be grateful for it
Cause when you're gone
Because when you die
You can't question a trace of how you made it
You cannot ask questions about how you lived your life after you have died
When you're down and out
When you are struggling and have no resources
Disintegrated
Falling apart
Just keep it in mind all the time that you've dedicated
Remember all the time and effort you put into your life even when you are struggling
Summer's moon's on the fader
The moon is slowly disappearing as summer ends
Another seasonal perpetrator
Another season that brings change
Cold calls of fall will make me drop it all
The approaching fall season makes me want to abandon everything
Until we touch upon it twelve months later
Until the next summer when we experience it all again
Sometimes when I'm buying
When I am making a purchase
The shit you're selling in your leather gloves
The low-quality goods that someone is selling with fancy packaging
I get shot down, way down, to where the weather's better
I feel a sense of disappointment, and imagine myself in a better place
And that the gods that I'm still in love
Thankfully, I still have hope and believe in better things
That any mountain's too much to climb
That a challenge seems insurmountable
I open my eyes and decide this ain't the first time
I remind myself that I have faced similar challenges before
I tried reliving my original prime
I reminisced about the time when I was at my best
In fresh air country silence
In a peaceful and rural environment
I lose the urban sick, slick violence
I escape the aggressive and chaotic city life
On every field of green
In the vast and open natural scenery
There is a silver sheen
There is a shining and captivating quality
That makes me question my own compliance
That makes me question why I am conforming to society's expectations
And when I field the query
And when I am asked a question
I know the answer that I'm gonna give
I already know what my answer will be
It's not that one can beat the other in real time
It's not about winning or losing in the moment
It's just the scenery of how I wanna live
It's about the lifestyle that I prefer
Lyrics © Budde Music Publishing GmbH, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ANTHONY EDWIN PHILLIPS, RICHARD BERRY SCOTT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Thelma
on Everything You've Done Wrong
Thelma I like the title