On the past few Sloan albums, the Canadian rockers came off a bit anxious about aging into an elder statesman role, turning out a few too many songs about feeling old and irrelevant. This time around they seem less worried about being has-beens and more eager to embrace their legacy of impeccable, if not especially hip, songcraft. On The Double Cross  – the title is a sly reference to their 20 year career — they play to their strengths with a succinct set of tunes that seamlessly blend the sensibilities of the band's four distinct songwriters. They're not breaking ground, but they've at least found the perfect balance of fist-pumping riff rockers ("Unkind," "Shadow of Love") and classy formalist pop ("Your Daddy Will Do," "Beverly Terrace").

 Listen to "Unkind":

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“Is It True”

As the British Invasion reached its peak in 1964, Brenda Lee went from Nashville to London to record one of her hardest-rocking hits, her perky vocal backed by a stuttering, squalling guitar. That guitar was played by session musician Jimmy Page, yet to skyrocket to fame with first the Yardbirds and then Led Zeppelin. "She said to me, 'I've come here to make a record with the British sound,'" remembered producer Mickie Most. "She felt she wouldn't get the same sound in Nashville because they're only just catching up on the British beat group sound of about six months ago."