2006's NEVER HEAR THE END OF IT was Sloan's longest album. While I haven't checked the timings, I would be willing to bet that PARALLEL PLAY is their shortest. I absolutely don't understand previous reviews that identify only a couple of great songs. There are a couple of bland songs (in particular the final track, "Too Many"), but most of the rest are either good or extremely good. For instance, "Emergency 911" is a very good song, but I would rate at least six songs better. Even by Sloan's admittedly exceptionally high standards this is a very good album. I might rank it below TWICE REMOVED, ONE CHORD TO ANOTHER, ACTION PACT, and the aforementioned NEVER HEAR THE END OF IT, but I would put PARALLEL PLAY next, maybe alongside NAVY BLUES. But Sloan is one of those bands like Sleater-Kinney or Spoon that just seems to be capable of spitting out an unending number of remarkably fine discs. Anyone unfamiliar with Sloan getting acquainted with them through this disc would be amazed to learn that they have several that are better.

Since people here are mentioning their favorites, I'll add mine. "Witches Wand," "Burn for It," "Believe in Me," "Cheap Champagne," "Down in the Basement," and "I'm Not a Kid Anymore" are all, in my opinion, first rate songs. Others are merely good. But even so I also like "The Dogs" and other cuts. The only pseudo-complaint that I think someone could make about the album is that it doesn't cut new ground. But so what? Even if it repeats previous successes, they are great repeats.

I did get a huge kick out of "Down in the Basement," intended as an obvious rip of Bob Dylan. Sometimes the guitar playing puts you in mind of HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED with Michael Bloomfield on guitar, sometimes the Basement Tapes, with fellow Canadian Robbie Robertson. But if you are a fan of Dylan, the song is a delight.