Bramble Tamble

The final verdict after one listen of Sloan's Never Hear The End Of It:

OK, it tailed off a little bit just past halfway through. It still knocked most of the dust off Sloan's fading legacy, which had built up over the last five years or so of below-average releases - and really, how would *you* follow up Between The Bridges except by putting out albums that don't quite measure up to that record's sheer excellence?

All in all, if you're new to Sloan, this album's not a good place to start. I love the band, and even I was overwhelmed by the 30 songs on Never Hear ... the songs are really good, by and large, but there's just so many of them. Perhaps my next few listens will be in 5- or 6-song increments, and maybe it will add to the overall experience of hearing the album a few weeks from now.

(See, Captain? I can't write music reviews anymore either.)