I was a twenty-something year old zombie Sloan fanatic. All day and all of the night, it was Sloan, Sloan, Sloan. My parents loathed me, my friends hated me, my girlfriend left me. But until Between the Bridges came out, I thought that I was finally back on the right track. I thought all those pills had cured me for sure...

Combining the best elements of the 70s-tinged Navy Blues with the gloriously melodic moments from One Chords Leads to Another, the latest release by this Nova Scotian foursome proves that the band has limitless skill when it comes to writing track after track of amazing pop perfection. The nostalgic "Friendship" rings true with the band's familiar Beatlesque melodies, bringing my sickening musical drooling back to the forefront, while "The Marquee and the Moon" opts for a more passive, piano-tinged approach. Its beauty bites your face like a refreshingly cold winter evening -- a reminder that spectacular, resilient music is still being made. Sloan makes no unexpected stylistic departures on these twelve tracks; rather, the band delicately refines its signature multi-part vocal harmonies and roaring guitar hooks as each tune shines with crafty witticisms and full-bodied musical bursts. Remember when a song could make you shiver with excitement? A solitary listen to the falsetto vocals of "Take Good Care of the Poor Boy" and its repetitively delicious chorus will have your hands uncontrollably grasping the local record store clerk’s shirt as you plead for your own copy of the CD. Let your curiosity be piqued; do yourself a favour and get your muggy mitts on Between the Bridges, for it’s a perfect introduction to one of the most underrated and unappreciated acts of the 90s.