4 Nights At The Palais Royale
Canadian power-pop superstars Sloan celebrate their dominance with this double-live-CD set, recorded largely during a multi-evening stand at a Toronto theater. Most of4 Nights of the Palais Royale's meaty performances at least equal their studio versions, with a stripped-down "Everything You've Done Wrong" and a cranking "Money City Maniacs" among the highlights. The single most impressive moment, though, may be when the band adapts the noisy psychedelic extravaganza "Anyone Who's Anyone" to the requirements of the stage. Throughout, Sloan is likable, smart, and tough-minded, deserving of the enthusiasm that radiates from the audiences.--Rickey Wright