Canadian indie-rock royalty Sloan share a brand-new song, “Scratch the Surface,” the latest release from their upcoming studio album Steady, coming out on October 21 via Yep Roc in North America. Fans can pre-order/pre-save Steady here.

“Scratch the Surface” is accompanied by a music video which follows each of the band members through different parts of downtown Toronto. Patrick Pentland taking in the lights at Yonge and Dundas Square, Jay Ferguson stumbling upon free records in Trinity Bellwoods, Andrew Scott spends a night at home with the dogs and Chris Murphy hops on the TTC to Runnymede station, all brought together by stunning drone shots that weave through Toronto’s high-rises. It’s enough to make any Torontonian get out for a walk to remind them, you’re never “alone in the city.” Watch the music video for “Scratch the Surface”:

Of the music video, Sloan’s Chris Murphy describes:

“We haven’t done a video per se since “Unkind” from The Double Cross, which was over 10 years ago and we thought it was time we came up with some new visuals because, let’s face it, we look pretty good. Sloan crew and friend that requires I pay him, Haris Cehajic was bringing his drone to Sloan shows and taking this great footage and I insisted we could make a cool video for “Scratch the Surface” using the drone.”

“The song talks about being alone in the city and I thought we could get some drone shots of buildings downtown and make up the rest on the spot a la the videos from our first record, Smeared.

“I am happy to have this visual representation of Sloan in 2022. If this video doesn’t go viral, it’s the last video I’m ever making. Maybe it will go fungal. That’s my dad’s joke. “Self-producing the video presented a few challenges—the band even lost one of their soaring cameras along the way! —Hey, if you find a drone near the Eaton Centre, contact me.”

The release of Steady will coincide with the 30th anniversary of their debut record Smeared, which came out in October 1992. Sloan are one of the rare bands to make it to their 13th album with all four original members who are equally prolific songwriters and all still working at the top of their respective games, sounding utterly ageless in the process.

The title Steady is reflective of Sloan’s impressive 30-year feat, Murphy explains, “They say if you want to go fast go alone but if you want to go far go together. I don’t know if there are many other bands you can name that are still making records with their original line up 30 years in. Look it up!”