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07.19.15 Pavement: Retrospective ♦

Pavement: Retrospective
1Pavement
Slay Tracks (1933-1969)

Slay Tracks (1933-1969) - The humble debut EP from one of the most important indie rock bands of the 90's. The band hadn't established a steady lineup or fanbase yet, but at just under 14 minutes, it's already all there: the fuzzy distortion, Malkmus' recognizable voice, and his simplistic (and nonsensical at times) lyrics. It's gritty, raw and loud, there's an undeniable energy about it. From the hardcore punk inspired tunes Maybe Maybe and Price Yeah!, to the indie pop naivety of Box Elder and She Believes, Slay Tracks is an impressive debut and a fantastic addition to a fan's collection. Highlights: Box Elder, She Believes, Price Yeah! 4/5.
2Pavement
Demolition Plot J-7

Demolition Plot J-7 - This is a hard grower. Being a fan of a majority of the band's catalog, I couldn't hide my disappointment when I first heard Demolition. For some reason, almost none of it seemed appealing at first. But then Forklift started getting stuck in my head. And then Perfect Depth and Recorder Grot. And then this clicked. Upon first instance this may sound unlistenable and full of poor production. Well, it almost is. But that's part of its charm ya know, the appeal of the classic lo-fi 'pre-album' Pavement. Hearing Malkmus rambling on about forklift drivers or whatever else he can think of behind his and Spiral Stairs' dizzy guitars is part of what draws so many people into Pavement. Highlights: Forklift, Recorder Grot, Perfect Depth. 4/5.
3Pavement
Perfect Sound Forever

Perfect Sound Forever - Pavement's 3rd EP sees a band becoming more and more comfortable with their style and refining their songwriting skills a fair bit. This sounds more 'tuneful' than their past endeavors, favoring melody more than their trademark abrasiveness, opting not to further pursue the fuzz fest of Demolition Plot. Said abrasiveness sometimes lacks here though, and fans of Pavement's early 'sound collages' may be slightly disappointed at this in places. But this surely hits home every once in a while: From Now On is about as good of a Slanted And Enchanted precursor as you could get, and Debris Slide is a fantastic deep cut. Highlights: From Now On, Debris Slide, Home. 3.5/5.
4Pavement
Slanted and Enchanted

Slanted And Enchanted - Finally fans get to hear Pavement's debut LP. Was it worth the wait? Man, it definitely was. Certainly one of the most influential indie rock records of the 90's, one that inspired a generation of up and coming slacker rockers, Slanted And Enchanted embodies all that is classic Pavement in one record. Its lo-fi production and Malkmus' gentle and unique voice leading the way, the band's debut is the one that probably has the most charm. From the catchy indie pop of opener Summer Babe and Zurich Is Stained, to the tragically beautiful Loretta's Scars and In The Mouth A Desert, Slanted And Enchanted is one of the most well rounded Pavement albums. For many fans, the band's best. Whether it's due to the frenetic vocals, the pounding drums or the buzzing guitars, there's something special about it. Highlights: Summer Babe, In The Mouth A Desert, Conduit For Sale!, Loretta's Scars, Here, Trigger Cut. 4.5/5.
5Pavement
Watery, Domestic

Watery, Domestic - Pavement didn't want to waste time after the underground success of the excellent debut Slanted And Enchanted, and quickly began writing songs again in between concerts. They eventually wrote enough tunes for a new EP, eventually titled Watery, Domestic. Musically this represents a great transition between the raw sound of the debut and the slightly more polished one of its classic successor. In 11 minutes, the classic Pavement sound is always present and highly enjoyable. From the gentle and catchy, distortion-laden guitar riff of Frontwards, to the beautiful vocal delivery in the chorus of Texas Never Whispers, the dazzling Lions and the superb outro of the closer Shoot The Singer, there's not a single dull moment in Watery, Domestic. A must-have for any fan. Highlights: Frontwards, Lions, Shoot The Singer (1 Sick Verse). 4/5.
6Pavement
Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain

Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain - Absolutely fantastic. If I had to describe Pavement's 2nd LP in no more than 2 words, that's what I would say. The sonic transitional period found in Watery, Domestic had now developed into a slightly cleaner sound for the band, after the messy and vile production of Slanted. Few could imagine how amazing that would turn out for Pavement, as it resulted in one of the finest alternative rock records of the 90's. Words don't do it enough justice. It's all there, all there could possibly be to love about Pavement. I can't tell you how many times I've sung along to Silence Kid, Cut Your Hair, Stop Breathin' and, the quintessential Pavement tune, Gold Soundz. Every song is a classic. Even the jazz oddball 5-4=Unity and the often dismissed, dazzling Hit The Plane Down. Classic. Highlights: Silence Kid, Elevate Me Later, Stop Breathin', Gold Soundz, Range Life, Fillmore Jive. 5/5.
7Pavement
Wowee Zowee

Wowee Zowee - Pavement's 1995 effort is probably the band's most unique and strangest album. As much as Malkmus may hate it, it's hard not to compare Pavement's case to Nirvana's. After creating a couple "could've been" alt rock singles with a pop flare, namely the ironic Cut Your Hair and the tragic Gold Soundz, Wowee Zowee had a chance of being the album that landed the band rock stardom. But, as Nirvana deliberately gave a middle finger to the industry on In Utero, Pavement put out Wowee Zowee. Not always as loved by the fans as it is today, the 1995 album is the most baffling, bizarre and hard to describe of the band. But, given a proper listen it's pretty damn excellent. Pavement pulls off a Butthole Surfers, by trying to encapsulate every genre they can think of into one big melting pot. And it gloriously works. Highlights: Blackout, Grounded, Father To A Sister Of Thought, Rattled By The Rush, Grave Architecture. 4.5/5.
8Pavement
Pacific Trim

Pacific Trim - You listen to Give It A Day, the first song from Pacific Trim, and it gives you a clear picture. Showing a resemblance to Wowee Zowee's most mellow moments, Give It A Day is a buried gem. Malkmus' fine lyrics don't mean much but you can somehow relate to him, creating one of Pavement's many memorable moments. In fact, Pacific Trim would do just fine if it had only Give It A Day. The rest of the EP does fine on its own as well, rest assured. You can't help but to laugh at Malkmus' classic one-liners, the most obvious one here found on Gangsters And Pranksters ("I've got all this Harvard LSD, why won't anybody f*ck me?"). Gangsters goes back to Wowee Zowee once more, succeeding in its lack of structure and memorable melody. All in all, Pacific Trim is an enjoyable EP, except for the occasional throwaway (Saganaw being the main offender), and it adds more depth to the Pavement catalog. Highlights: Give It A Day, I Love Perth. 4/5.
9Pavement
Brighten the Corners

Brighten The Corners - One may call this Pavement's "maturity" album. Maybe not quite so, though it is true that the music itself is for the most part a bit more mellow and Malkmus sounds more self-conscious in his lyrics. Pavement, once a youthful band, now becomes suddenly concerned about getting old? Unthinkable. But it does happen here every once in a while. But this is Pavement we're talking about. They may lighten up, but they're still the same band. Opening track Stereo deserves a spot among the band's best, the lovable Shady Lane sees Malkmus at his most charming, and of course, there's the summer classic Date W/ IKEA. This may not be in the same quality as its predecessors, but Pavement still throws in a bunch of classic tunes that remind us they may be getting older, but they're not old just yet. Highlights: Stereo, Shady Lane, Embassy Row, Old To Begin, Starlings Of The Slipstream, Date W/ IKEA. 4/5.
10Pavement
Terror Twilight

Terror Twilight - The 5th and final album by Pavement is the most inconsistent one of the bunch. And it's still pretty great. Fans mostly love or hate it. Some will point this out as Pavement in its most dysfunctional form, while others hail it as an overlooked masterpiece. Whatever your case may be, this is a rewarding if only slightly disappointing listen. The ballads Spit On A Stranger and Major Leagues are a touch of class, Folk Jam and Platform Blues pull out the more fun side of the band, and You Are A Light and The Hexx venture into psychedelic territory never before explored by Pavement. True, this sometimes lacks some of the emotion and energy that made the early Pavement stuff so memorable. But at least a solid chunk of it will have you wanting to come back for more. Terror Twilight is a sad farewell to a band who didn't have a long run, but left behind a huge legacy. Highlights: Spit On A Stranger, Folk Jam, Cream Of Gold, Major Leagues, Platform Blues. 3.5/5.
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