Since their inception in the early 1990s, Sloan have pursued a path of unadulterated power-pop perfection, even as their general musical approach has changed with time. On their 1993 debut, Smeared (Murder), they evoked a blur of indie touchstones like My Bloody Valentine, Sonic Youth, and Big Star. Those influences have continuously spilled into their music since then, giving them credibility despite their partly tongue-in-cheek excursions into Beatles-esque pop, cock rock, boogie, and glam. A Sides Win compiles 14 singles and 2 new songs and provides a fascinating glimpse into the band's development but fails to recognize individual members' strengths.

With four wildly different singer-songwriters in the band, it's disappointing how bassist Chris Murphy and guitarist Patrick Pentland dominate the track selections. Certainly they are the most consistent composers, but drummer Andrew Scott and guitarist Jay Ferguson have written quite a few nuggets over the years. Furthermore, most of the tunes are barn-burners, painting Sloan as a mere rock band when they have a much wider palette. Finally, the fact that A Sides Win includes only the generic "The Rest of My Life" off the otherwise excellent 2003 album Action Pact (Vik) does that record a complete injustice given its consistency.

Nevertheless, the compilation does extract most of the choice cuts from Sloan's discography, including the McCartney-esque "Everything You've Done Wrong," the strutting "Losing California," and the Machiavellian "The Other Man." At the same time, it dispenses with filler from uneven albums like 2001's Pretty Together (Murder). The new tracks are also welcome additions in the Sloan songbook. Pentland's "All Used Up" comes straight out of '80s glam metal with its slippery riffs and wailing guitar solo, and Murphy's "Try to Make It" casts the band as a new wave act with Cars-style guitars and cheesy synthesizer. (Alex K. Fong)