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.
smother
Sloan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
At my friend peter's house I wish you'd slow it down
I thought you'd listen to me
I wish you'd try to stop and show me
But you couldn't even slow it down a bit
At least for me
You still wonder if you understood the way I felt about the stove
I thought you'd listen to me I wish you'd try to stop and listen
There's other ways I could get it you know, that don't you
You know that don't you
You know that don't you
You know that don't you
See the colors in your hair
Tangled knots out in your hair
Running fingers as you swear
Looking up with eager stare
Red dots in as black comes out
Who smells so strong, you talk about
The other girls are big or dumb
But colored hair won't make you comb
I watch you sigh and I watch you shout
While you struggle to get your colored mess out
And won't you help me dry my eyes
You mother tries to comb the knots out
You cry and yell while you cut your knots out
I watch you hair fall past your eyes
I saw your hair slowly die
I saw your hair slowly die
I saw your hair slowly die
I saw your hair slowly die
In the song "Stove/Smother" by Sloan, the singer is addressing someone he's had a relationship with. The song is about communication, and more specifically, the lack of it. The repeated line "you still wonder if you understood the way I felt about the stove" highlights the disconnect between the two people. The singer seems to be frustrated that his partner doesn't understand him, despite being around him regularly. The reference to the "stove" is unclear, but it could represent a source of comfort or warmth that the singer has and wants to share with his partner. However, she doesn't seem interested in slowing down and taking the time to understand him. In fact, the second verse seems to indicate that the singer wants space from his partner, saying "I wish you'd leave me be."
The second half of the song takes a slightly different turn, but the theme of misunderstanding and lack of communication continues. The singer describes the physical appearance of his partner, including her colorful hair. It seems like he notices her efforts to maintain her appearance, but he also acknowledges that it's not enough to fix their relationship. The chorus, "you know that don't you," is directed at his partner, as if to say "you know you're not really listening to me." The lines "I watch you sigh and I watch you shout" and "you cry and yell while you cut your knots out" both suggest that the relationship is in turmoil and neither person is able to find a solution. The repetition of "I saw your hair slowly die" is a metaphor for the relationship slowly falling apart.
Line by Line Meaning
You still wonder if you understood the way I felt about the stove
You're still unsure if you really understood the importance of the stove to me
At my friend peter's house I wish you'd slow it down
When we're at Peter's house, I want you to take things slower
I thought you'd listen to me
I expected you to pay attention to what I had to say
I wish you'd try to stop and show me
I wish you would take the time to demonstrate to me
But you couldn't even slow it down a bit
You refused to take things at a more relaxed pace
At least for me
Just for my sake, if nothing else
See the colors in your hair
I notice the bright colors in your hair
Tangled knots out in your hair
Your hair is full of tangled knots
Running fingers as you swear
You're trying to run your fingers through your hair while cursing in frustration
Looking up with eager stare
You're looking up expectantly, hoping for someone to help you
Red dots in as black comes out
The dye is coming out of your hair, leaving blotches of red
Who smells so strong, you talk about
You're complaining about the strong smell of the dye in your hair
The other girls are big or dumb
You feel like the other girls around you are either physically bigger or intellectually inferior
But colored hair won't make you comb
Having colorful hair won't make it any easier to comb or take care of
I watch you sigh and I watch you shout
I observe you as you sigh and yell in frustration
While you struggle to get your colored mess out
You're working hard to get the color and knots out of your hair
And won't you help me dry my eyes
Can't you help me wipe away my tears?
You mother tries to comb the knots out
Your mother is attempting to help you get the knots out of your hair
You cry and yell while you cut your knots out
You're crying and yelling as you cut the knots out of your hair
I watch you hair fall past your eyes
I watch as your hair falls down past your eyes
I saw your hair slowly die
I witnessed the gradual deterioration of your hair due to neglect and mistreatment
Lyrics © SC PUBLISHING DBA SECRETLY CANADIAN PUB.
Written by: CHRIS THOMPSON, JULIE DOIRON, MARK GAUDET, RICK WHITE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Thelma
on Everything You've Done Wrong
Thelma I like the title