Sloan's Patrick Pentland on their 14th studio album 'Based on the Best Seller' + cross-Canada tour

Canadian rock band Sloan have released their fourteenth studio album, Based on the Best Seller, available now via murderecords / Known Accomplice. The JUNO Award-winning quartet continues its tradition of creative equality and timeless power-pop craftsmanship with a collection that blends diverse songwriting voices into one unmistakably Sloan sound. SWOMP caught up with guitarist Patrick Pentland to discuss the album. “It's not a challenge to make a 14th album, but sometimes it's a challenge to think of a new overarching theme or a way to present a 14th album,” said Jay Ferguson. “Our band has the capability to perform different styles within the rock-pop sphere, but it's often hard to harness the group to adhere to one particular style or theme. That's okay though. With four songwriters, we tend to make music that perhaps doesn't always naturally hang together under one (opened) umbrella but that's our style, and that style is continued on Based on the Best Seller.” The record was previewed earlier this year with the melodic single “Live Forever,” co-produced by the band and long-time collaborator Ryan Haslett. The harmony-rich track explores the humorous and bittersweet sides of immortality through Sloan’s signature pop sensibility. The follow-up single “Dream Destroyer,” now at radio, features fuzzed-out guitars and infectious hooks. “Combining my/our love of glam, shoegaze, and power pop, the song is an ode to lost love, past mistakes, and the recklessness that has been the blueprint of my life, for better or worse,” Pentland said. “Worse in terms of relationships, better in terms of fodder for hit songs. A door slams shut, a window smashes open.” Last month’s release, “No Damn Fears,” brings a different energy. Sung by Andrew Scott, the track fuses garage grit with poetic surrealism and protest spirit. More than three decades into their career, Sloan remain one of Canada’s most influential and enduring bands. Known for their democratic approach—with each member contributing as singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist—the Halifax-born group continues to evolve while staying true to their roots. Sloan will support the album with their cross-country “Tour de Force” which began October 16 in Sudbury, with stops across Ontario, the Maritimes, Western Canada and Quebec through spring 2026. For more information, visit www.sloanmusic.com. Photo credit: Calm Elliott-Armstrong