Reviews (page 2 of 8)
good one, feel some midwest emo bits
Cool, but not my favorite flavor of indie rock
10/10
I always enjoy Pavement but it takes a few songs to get there.
One of my favorite bands currently is violent femmes and if one of them didn’t influence the other I’ll be damn surprised
Some average, some actually irritating.
i likethe way the album cover looks! it reminds meofa remind
why are we glazing this
I listen to this record with great fondness, though it still doesn’t quite fully land. It’s a great little lofi classic in basically every way, but Malknus singing style just doesn’t hook me as hard as I otherwise wish it would.
When I was 22 I listened to this album again and again and again and again. I adored this little record. Still do. And it’s not even their best work.
Pretty dang good. Pavement were never one of the main bands I was into but whenever I do listen I like what I hear.
Has Pavement put out a less than five star album? Maybe Terror Twilight is a four. Anyway this is perfect.
Really good. Pavement has never really caught on with me, although I will pop on an album every once in awhile. They are one of those bands that I want to like more than I do.
I quite like the first 2/3rds of this album, a lot more than I was expecting for some mostly average indie alt rock from the nineties... but man, that last run of songs just straight up stink of blandness, enough to pull my rating down to a 3.
In July 2023, we saw “Louder Than You Think” in the Galway Film Fleadh. It was a brilliant documentary about Pavement, framed around their eccentric drummer Gary Young. It just so happened that Pavement were playing the Galway Arts Festival Big Top the following week, so it was perfect timing. In the doc, Gary describes his role in Pavement: “My job, in a sense, was to wreak fucking havoc. And I think I did a real good job of it.” He did. He would stop suddenly in the middle of a show, and head off to the bar to get himself a cocktail. He’d perform wobbly handstands as Stephen Malkmus tried to play a somber song. He’d randomly run up and grab the mic to give an important speech on the importance of composting your waste. Gary would greet each individual audience member as they queued up for a gig, and started giving out random gifts to everyone. Sometimes vegetables, or ticket stubs, or whatever popped into his head that day. But as Pavement got bigger and started playing to much larger crowds, supporting the likes of Sonic Youth, it became more difficult. But he persevered, culminating in a moment when Thurston Moore helped him to source 50,000 potatoes and a hundred packs of gravy. Bemused audience members were treated to a pile of mash potato as they made their way into the gig. But Gary Young was more than just an anarchic drummer for Pavement. He was also largely responsible for their pioneering lo-fi sound, the sound that made “Slated And Enchanted” such a phenomenon. Stephen Malkmus and Scott Kannberg wanted to record some music, without much budget, and a friend recommended recording at Gary’s home studio. As Scott recounted: “We just showed up at this suburban house in this cul-de-sac. We walk in, and smell pot. There was a chicken cooking in the fireplace. We asked Gary what was going on? And he said, ‘Oh, this is where I barbeque’.” It was a real case of the freaks running the asylum. But it was the looseness of the setup at Gary’s studio that became the key to Pavement’s lo-fi sound. They’re the definition of the “slacker” sound. There’s a lot of distortion and noise, but always centered around catchy melodies. Malkmus has a very relaxed vocal style. Everything oozes with irreverence. Gary offered to play drums for them because, in his words, “they didn’t sound very good”. This was another key moment for Pavement. Gary’s drumming was influenced by 70s psych-rock bands like Yes, while the rest of the band were citing modern influences from the indie scene in the early 90s. It was this juxtaposition of style that gave them such a distinct sound. And that bled through to their performances too. Besides his erratic behaviour, Gary had a real showmanship. He’d throw his drumsticks in the air, stand on his seat and pounce down on his drum set for performance and effect. And he was doing all of this beside a group of cool kids, who were downplaying everything. It gave a real energy to their concerts. He left the band before they became huge, but his influence on their sound, all over this album and in general, is massive. Sadly Gary passed away a month after we saw that documentary. We went to the Pavement gig, where we were highly entertained by the antics of percussionist Bob Nastanovich, Gary’s protégé. He learned everything he knew about drumming from Gary, and he was definitely taking up the mantle of madness with his onstage presence. In the documentary, in a scene where Gary was about to play some of Pavement’s tapes, the tapes that became “Slanted And Enchanted”, he paused for a second before hitting the play button and said: “Let's scare the children”. That sums up this album nicely. RIP Gary Young. A huge reason why this album, and Pavement, have such a unique sound.
legal, mas acho que o som deles evoluiu bastante desse disco pro crooked rain crooked rain
I am usually a fan of really distorted guitars but these didn't work for me. Combined with the slow talk/singing that I often associate with British bands from this era, this was a flop for me. I can hear parts that inspired later bands but all I feel when listening through the album is that I could switch to them instead.
I thought Pavement were supposed to be good?
All in all, quite good! Vocals are a bit of a hit or miss at times, but I loved the shredding of the guitars. Most reasonable!
Sad skater boy indie rock drawing from the ilk of Sonic Youth and Pixies. The voice is very jank, it's probably what's either going to make or break it for you. The lyrics are nonsense but the sound of the instruments hits that delightful crunch in a couple of great spots. So we can forgive that.
Oh... Oh nee... Dit is echt he-le-maal niets... Soms heb je echt na een nummer al zoiets van dit gaat helemaal niets worden. Nou, dat heb ik hier in elk geval, wat is dit voor zanger? Waarom is het zo bizar lastig om een capabele zanger te vinden? Dit is zo'n album waar je na een tijdje bijna medelijden krijgt met de zanger. Ik zeg bijna omdat, hoewel het sneu is dat hij het echt totaal niet redt qua bereik, het nog veel sneuer is dat ik op een mooie woensdag middag hiernaar moet luisteren. Soms vraag ik me echt af wat de criteria zijn voor deze lijst? Is het puur random? Of is deze band op wat voor manier dan ook invloedrijk? Blijkbaar ligt het ook echt volledig aan mij dat ik dit gewoon herrie vind. Pitchfork en Rolling Stones vinden het een meesterwerk met ongeveer een 10. Misschien word ik op een dag wakker en heb ik spijnt van de score die ik het nu geef, maar hier is op dit moment echt bijna niet doorheen te komen. Wat een herrie, en wat een ongelooflijk matige manier om deze woensdagmiddag te besteden. FAVO:
I see the sound & style they were going for here but most of it didn’t land with me. Better that the average 2 so I’ll round up. 2.5/5
I definitely put this in the category of bands like the Silver Jews. And at time there were similar sounds reminding me of early Screaming Trees. I wanted to like this more, but was surprised it didn’t quite hit hard for me. A perfectly fine listen in the end.
Parts of this were really good. Parts of this were not very good. I could see how some people might not like the vocals and that style can be hit or miss for me but I generally liked it in many of the songs. 2.5 but I’ll round up as I generally like it.
Wanted to like this more considering it is apparently pretty influential...but at the end of the day it was just meh. 2.5/5
3.2
I can see how later bands could be influenced by this, however this personally didn't do much for me.
pretty good, you can definitely tell the influence it had on indie rock. my only minor issue with it is the vocals, which are just not quite my style sometimes.
I never heard of this band before but I have heard of their lead singer Steven Malkmus, who I remember had one song featured on MTV2 many years ago called Jojo's Jacket, featuring all kinds of random visuals on its music video such as cats playing instruments, some sort of boxing match and a guy running really fast. It was pretty bonkers. There were some odd quirks in this album but nothing particularly memorable. It was a bit of decent indie rock that didn't overstay its welcome though
nice enough
I appreciate the low production quality, it feels like I'm watching a live band. Although it's definitely an opening band and never a headliner.
YOU GOT YA SELF A 5 MALKMUS. Here is ace as is summer babe. As is loretta. And trigger cut. Love em xxxx
3.5 very good
Jangly,Meaty,Distorty. Lo-effort Ive got 'Brighten The Corners' at home Decent. Summer Babe and Fame Throwa good 'In The Mouth A Desert' really good. Think that pushes it to 3.5
summer babe + conduit for sale ++ Zurich for sale + (1979 beta-version)
Some more middle-of-the-road rock that is very skippable on this list
This album was a nice surprise. It definitely felt like being transported back to the 90s and offered the kind of slacker rock that Weezer would offer up in a slightly more polished and nerdier package a couple years later. At the same time, it's noisy and raw enough to fit in with the grunge scene without really being a part of it. My favorite cuts were probably Summer Babe - Winter Version and Here, though the entire runtime goes by without a true dud. My only complaint is that a few of the songs run a little short... or fade out when they should end with a bang. I'm confident this has a shot at becoming a 5/5 for me with repeated listening but I'm not quite there yet. I'm definitely down to sample the rest of their discography.
I had never listened to pavement other than their top tracks before but I’ve loved all of it. I usually struggle branching out from pop and my limited amount rock music but this felt new and still comfortable. Fave tracks were summer babe, trigger cut, conduit for sale, here, perfume-v, fame throwa, and our singer
rocks as hard and irreverently as possible without compromising some of the catchiest pop hooks of its decade. could make a 5 star album out of the extra tracks on Luxe & Reduxe. music: appreciated. (⌐■_■)
It’s not my favourite Pavement album, but any Pavement album is gonna stand out on the list in a good way. When I’m done this list I’m going to be like the guys who submit a Tool album to the secondary list because they think it’s so fricked up there’s no Tool on the main one. But instead of a Tool album it’ll be Wowee Zowee.
just fuckin love this band
I guess I feel like it falls off after the first few songs. Do we really like the screeching jazziness that’s happening in the back half? …
I’m a Pavement fan in small doses. Was much more into Sonic Youth and Dinosaur Jr. at the time. Still, gave me some nostalgia on a Friday… 3⭐️
I didn't think I really liked Pavement, but I enjoyed this album. You can so clearly hear their insane influence on future indie bands.
Not something that really clicked with me, the songs didn’t really appeal to me me and I thought the overall sound of the record was less than stellar.
Totally fine album. The album art stands out to me more than the music. It reminds me of an art piece I saw at the Centre Pompidou in Paris called Chopin's Waterloo. It was essentially a deconstructed piano on a red background.
Some good tunes in here! Very ahead of their time with their sound. Gives 2000s to me, clearly just doin their thang at the time. I got a bit slanted, maybe even a bit enchanted at times. Overall way too long, trim er down and this could have been a real golden nugget.
Kinda like Sonic Youth, but not as cool. Probably deserves 2/5, but there were a couple of songs I liked.
I never really got into Pavement, despite the fact that I think they're good and I love a lot of Pavement-adjacent bands (like Sonic Youth). One time (almost 20 years ago) a friend told me my band reminded him of Pavement; he meant our best shows were the ones that completely fell apart. I kinda know what he means. The best thing about this record is how sloppy and bad it is at times. But the whole band are "bad" in the same way and they are all rowing in the same direction. I'm still not a Pavement freak, but I think this record is very fun, cool, funny, and lovely.
indie rock
I had a friend who thought Pavement were singing that they wanted Two Steaks rather than States, which I think is more relatable. As for the music, I found it kind of irritating when it started, but it grew on me as it went along.
drums were cool! not super memorable album but did enjoy mostly
This is just the right amount of weird. No notes Highlights: In The Mouth A Desert, Here
loud jangly dudes having some beers and a good time. i love pavement, how messy and loose they are. this is no crooked rain, but it is still top notch.
Unmemorable
Already know this one. Classic indie rock essential album. I completely understand why people dislike Pavement. Stephen’s voice can feel a bit too grating at times, and the fuzzy guitar noise can feel like nails on a chalkboard to some, but the rest of us crave the delicious unrefined fuzzy distortion. The melodic arrangements are great as well. However, some songs clearly stand out more than others, like Summer Babe and In the Mouth of the Desert, while others are a little less memorable. Having said that, we can’t deny how influential this record was. They’ve influenced some of my favourite bands, like Broken Social Scene. 3.75/5, rounds up to 4/5
Užas, teški užas. 1/5, 1/10
I’m a Pavement fan, but in small doses.
It sounds like shit, but I'm sure they'd take that as a compliment. While not really my thing, I can tell this album has clearly resonated with a ton of people. So that's pretty rad. But personally I'd rather listen to Dinosaur Jr's 'Without a Sound' if I need a fix of some 90s alt/noise rock.
This was not too bad. There were a couple songs that were solid.
Це може бути не погано. Цікаво послухати. Прослухав кілька треків і мені подобається. Гарний альбом. Буду слухати ще.
own
I don’t get pavement
Moody headbangers tune after tune
Solid early indie/alt rock. A little sloppy but that’s part of the charm!
Boring indie rock. They don't live up to all of the hype I've heard about them.
Pavement are highly underrated among the big grunge bands.
Definitely some enjoyable aspects to it. Not that I enjoyed any of them, but they are there.
They try, they try, they try, they try... And they still can't really cash my interest. Probably would have liked it better at the time, but today it sound generic and weak to me. Standard indie rock, even if they kind of invented it.
I can’t seem to find what’s so good about this one.
Just didn't grab me
Here is definitely an all time banger, the rest was hit or miss
There were times when I couldn’t hear the lyrics over the instrumentation but that sort of worked ?? I can’t remember any of the song titles as a lot of them were quite wanky but I DID enjoy this a lot more than I thought I would !! Melancholic in the best way but quite a few songs that weren’t for me - three stars!
Pavement are one of those bands I feel I should like but I'm not quite enough of an indie hipster. This was nice - kind of a more accessible version of Sonic Youth.
Better than I remember!
life affirming, majestic, the stuff that dreams are made of
Ugh, have enjoyed Pavement in the past but this was too abrasive for me. They have the elements here for something I would have loved, but it pushed me away every time I started to feel close to it.
It's like the Pixies met the Replacements and then met Weezer
I wonder how these bands get their lead singers. Is it nose goes? 2.
Interesting. Sounds like Lou Reed, but more consistent. This album shows that there is an arc from the Velvet Underground to the Spin Doctors (I don’t mean that to be an insult— Pavement is quite good). But in the end, I’m not a huge fan of their sound — a little too rambunctious for me. A 3+.
Tout n’est pas fondamentalement mauvais, mais juste on dirait un groupe de rock d’adolescents qui fait de la musique dans le garage de papa maman.
I somehow slept on Pavement for more than 20 years. I suspect this album would rate higher for me if I'd discovered it when it came out.
So that was "Slanted and Enchanted" -- the album I've heard about for years by "indie" "darlings" Pavement. Man, I don't know. That was a rough listen. I guess at my advanced age the noisy discordant guitars and half-sung lyrics don't hit as well as they did decades ago. I'd probably not choose this again.
aquele rock que eu nao gosto, muito sintetizador, muito sujo o som, nao é minha praia. nota 2
eh
Never heard of Pavement before. Not horrible but a little too punk for me
No no no I cant hear it anymore
Decent punk album.
went on a real journey with this album. At first I kinda hated it, then I noticed it growing on me, then I kinda hated it again, then I decided any affection for it is probably from other bands I like better that sound kind of similar. Maybe? I don't know. Probably gets a three if it ended ten or so minutes sooner. Unfortunately I had time to ride the cycle again and wind back around to finding it irritating.
Always an excellent listen, I came away with the realization that while I like this record a lot, I’m not sure it clicks with me as a masterpiece it’s often described as. Maybe that’s in part because I was 4 years old when it came out and heard more music that it influenced in my formative years and it doesn’t sound as groundbreaking to me as it would have if I discovered it in 1992. It’s still a killer example of “slacker rock” and belongs on lists of best rock albums of the 90’s, just not at the top for me.
Superb.
Seems like this band is just a drop in the ocean of 90s alternative rock like Weazer, Blink-182, Jimmy Eat Wood, etc. Granted "Summerbade" may have influenced "Brimful of Asha" by Cornershop with its similar guiatr cords. Cornershop at least picked up the beat to make it catcher tune. The spoken prose of "Conduit for Sale" had it's creative moments, but as the lead singer states over and over, "I'm trying, I'm trying, I'm trying" leaves me wondering could this album have been better if it didn't try so much. The disonance and out of tune guitar riffs in "Zurich is Stained" and "Chesley's Little Wrists" made me wonder if it would be over soon. I really wanted to like "Two States" with it's solid drumbeats, but vocals and the experimental guitar tracks changed the feel of the song. "Perfume-V" was whiny and "Fame Throwa" returned to an off putting spoken prose matched by a jumble of instruments not complimenting each other, but maybe that's what they were going for. Overall, Slanted And Enchanted fell short of putting me under its spell and is best described as meh.
Sorry, not special
Bland
Yesterday, I got *Slanted and Enchanted* by Pavement (1992). It’s another one of those albums that completely passed me by. I know the band, but not really all that well. Now I’ve listened to the record. It seems like I need to listen to it a few more times. It’s good indie rock. 4 stars.
good
Not for me 1/5
Based on my usual taste, Pavement are a band I should really love, but they never really clicked for me, even after numerous attempts. Well, I'm glad to say that they finally won me over this time. There are still plenty of slacker rock bands I prefer, but I really enjoyed this listen, to my surprise. Still, it's a somewhat inconsistent album, a couple of songs in particular feel borderline redundant. Favourite track: Summer Babe - Winter Version
Es ist ein schrammeliges, bewusst unpoliertes Indie‑Debüt: einflussreich, aber nicht durchgehend stark. Rau, charmant, manchmal einfach unfertig.
Slacker indie rock that starts strong and fades out towards the end.
I've never listened to Pavement before, and a few tracks in I was wondering how I had overlooked them. They're at the intersection between post-punk, shoegaze and grunge, which is a great place to be. The second half does tail off a bit, which drops it from a 5, but I definitely want to explore them further.
I actually really enjoyed this. The 90s grunge was a welcome change from what we’ve had recently which was starting to feel repetitive
Перфекшн. Сражается за мой любимый альбом Pavement. Аутичная нация, райз ап!!!
узнаваемый голос и стиль, но особо не цепляет альбом - 3
It was just okay
Early 90's alternative is one of my many weaknesses, and I never gave Pavement enough of a listen but I really did enjoy this album.
Kind of an impossible record for me to consider as anything other than perfect. I wonder how the lo-fi production has held up for future generations? That was part of its charm and immediacy in the early 90s (alongside bee thousand and Sebadoh). Malkmus and co didn’t lose much upgrading their sound even as soon as Texas Never Whispers, although the shift to a wider range of melodies on Crooked Rain and beyond still leaves S&E as some kind of paradise lost. It has to be understood that this technique was intentional, not the product of budgetary concerns, and nothing is more revealing about this choice as listening to their live show (included on the Luxe and Reduxe version) - this was a pretty big-sounding rock band. Do the Harness Your Hopes fans hear this as a dashed-off curio, a band that hasn’t found its true self yet?
Pavement has been one of my favorite discoveries of this project. I like how the manage to have melody in their industrial sound.
i understand that this kind of music has fans. good on ya. this album is like a cheesegrater on my brain
Two Pavements in 2 weeks! To be completely fair, there's almost nothing that serves as a better representative first impression of a band than Summer Babe does. Slanted and Enchanted is rougher around the edges, but Pavement as a band is already pretty defined from those specific chords and the idea of a girlfriend “eating her fingers like it's just another meal”. It's maybe just a shred less pointed in its cynicism, too, but I think any band would kill to have an album like this introduce them. I've always been partial to “Two States,” a bouncy little shout along gem that feels like it could only exist here. The album on the whole? It's a symbol of promise. By the second full album, that's fulfilled (although by the end of the year, we get Frontwards, one of their best songs, on an EP of all places). I bet this was exciting when the right people heard it in 1992. It holds up well in 2026, but exists intrinsically in the realm of what comes next, in the world of a completed Pavement catalog. I'd say that ends up like ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ½ for me, both gaining and being limited based on it's freshman-outing status.
Unimpressive
Okay
Yeah, it's good. It's not better than the other stuff I've heard from them, but for what it is, pretty damn good. They've always been a band with great humor and style, just peep Fame Throwa or Conduit For Sale. I'm bogged down (8/10, 4/5 on this scale)
75/100 Sometimes debut albums will just be like this man it’ll just be an album that really doesn’t do anything for you like none of this appeals much to me at all or sounds all that cool (although I did dig Zürich & Here a lot). It’s rock with detuned and distorted guitars that try to fill in for the band not having a bassist for a while and I don’t really know what else to say. It’s got cool song titles like they look like they belong to a much greater set of tunes but instead they’re on this pavement album right here. I tried putting this on in many different situations at work, like I tried reading with it, working outside with it, probably even fell asleep with it on at one point because it was a bit boring at parts and I just wasn’t crazy about it. But hey guys don’t worry, it’s an “influential” album which doesn’t mean that it has to be really likable or anything. It just lends a helping hand to the bands that would come up and make better albums inspired by it. I’m glad for these guys though they sound like they had a blast making it and that’s all that matters right?
I have a story for this album and presumably many folks out there have the same story. It was the heyday of Napster (though possibly Limewire by then) and there was a rumor that a new Weezer album would be out soon. Then one day it appeared in my downloads, except it was a fake -- it was actually Slanted and Enchanted, which I had never heard before. Weezer eventually released the Green Album, falling far short of what we had all been hoping for. But it was okay, because I had discovered Pavement. I know every word and it is pretty much the standard for what an indie album should be.
Sometime in late 1992 I went to see Sonic Youth at Brixton Academy. The opening band was a band I'd never heard of called Pavement. The next morning I ran to the record shop to by this album. (ok probably didn't run, but made my way swiftly)
Exatamente o meu tipo de som. Tava devendo à tanto tempo, finalmente ouvi eles, e cumpriu todas minhas expectativas. Essa sonoridade meio noisy, alternativo barulhento e desenfreado, do jeito que eu gosto. Posso listar aqui diversas bandas que possuem estilos semelhantes, mas não acho necessário. Cheguei em um ponto da lista que eu estou fugindo cada vez mais da objetividade e só abraçando quem sou, e minhas preferências. Esse é um som que me agrada, simples assim. Banda ótima, disco perfeito. Sujo, bagunçado, caótico, a estréia ideal. 5/5
I hate to be mean, but this is a fairly forgettable album. I couldn't hum a single song from it, and it's just kinda there. Nothing notable, flashy, or innovative to me. But also not like a complete mess so there's that compliment
8.5 / 10
This one is kind of like Black Sabbath's S/T in that I appreciate it more than I actually enjoy listening to it it, and also that it is like ground zero for a lot of other music that I really like. I like the stuff that it inspired more than most of these actual songs. I dig this album a lot, but I always wish it was just a -bit- less rough around the edges in terms of the songwriting.
Look, I play out of tune! I'm so punk... 4/10
Just as dull as the other Pavement album on this list. I get that I may not be aware of how influential they were, but as I didn’t have any interest in those circles why would I care? Holds very little appeal for me.
The his kind of stuff doesn’t do much for me.
There is sort of a Nirvana ish sound to them at time but unfortunately I’ve never been a big grunge fan. 2.5
Annoying to listen to at times, but there’s some cool stuff here and there.
eh not my favorite. here is still the only one i like on this album
3,5
Not bad Wasn't a fan of the vocals at first, but it got better as it went on
Que diferencia entre los cantantes bots de IA y esto. Sí suenan a los reyes del indie y cansan un poco pero tienen buenas rolas cuando viran un poco más pop
Not terrible. If Pitchfork had a national anthem it would be this album.
This did not grab my attention. Like white noise.
Hate this guy's voice. 2/5.
Some good jams and then some really annoying moments. Idk if this band needs more than one album on this list.
Yes please - pretty awesome stuff
Like a well crafted homebrew or a fresh picked garden tomato, Slanted And Enchanted is a DIY indie rock project that actually works. And it works well. Had to listen to it twice; first listen I thought this is good but a bit scratchy and home made. Then I read the backstory and found out that Pavement didn’t have a base guitar so they just loosely restrung one of the existing lead guitars and continued on playing and recording. Second listen I appreciated their homemade approach. You can hear it and it comes across as genuine. (4.2*s) I might actually listen to it again.
Slanted and Enchanted is a good album name but not a good album. Pretty slapped together sound with a few moments of cohesion. I guess this is what the early 90s sounded like. 1.57 stars for noisy Weezer.
I didn't mind this at first, but something about it became irritating by the end of it. Hard to pin down the exact issue but something about this style of music was grating after a handful of songs. What started as an easy listen on the afternoon commute became a bit of a struggle by the end. I feel like this early 90's style of lethargic indie rock just doesn't hold up for me as I feel like other albums in this genre have trended the same way for me. Maybe it's the lack of bass or the de-tuning that makes this music come off as dull or off-putting? I'd heard of Pavement before but wasn't familiar with anything from Slanted and Enchanted. I get what they were going for trying to loop in some simple lyrics and basic riffs to hook the listener but it didn't work for me. There must have been a time in the 90's where this was endearing but I didn't get any personal connection with anything on this album during this listen. 1.48 stars
4.4
Not that great but also not that bad. Not sure I would listen again but it was perfectly acceptable.
Gear: 64 Audio Duo Artwork: 🎹🖍️🟥 Production (Luxe & Reduxe 2002): 😐👍🆗 Music: 🎨🔢🤔 Rating: 🛣️(🛣️)/5
I used to write surrealist, stream of conscious poetry and a lot of it sounded like the lyrics on this album. Which is to say: I dig it. Add the slacker vibe and guitar attack, the Velvet Underground/Lou Reed fixation and it adds up to a great, trailblazing indie album. The sound would be better refined on "Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain," but this is a excellent debut.
I feel like this being included on the list in part makes up for the obscene omission of 90s/00s Modest Mouse. Like MM, Pavement perfectly blended abrasion with melody, also in the vein of Sonic Youth or Dino Jr. This is a lot more experimental than Crooked Rain Crooked Rain, but just as good in my opinion, and you can hear the influence it had on a lot of indie music being made today.
In 1992 I was very disinterested in this Pavement record In 2026 I am only somewhat disinterested in this Pavement record Difference being, there are now some songs I can sit through, even nodding my head & tapping my foot a little Maybe three, out of the fourteen songs in this collection But I wont be rushing back to listen to this again any time soon
It was ok. Nothing special. Meh.
Summer Babe - Winter Version No Life Singed Her Loretta’s Scars Two States
Loretta’s Scars Here Two States Jackals, False Grails: The Lonesome Era
This album oscillates between “slice of white bread” and “this is the most annoying thing I’ve ever heard”. It’s a good thing the mixing is shit because if I had to hear the singer say “AND IM TRYING IM TRYIN IM TRYIN” any louder I would’ve driven my car off of an overpass to make it stop. Seriously why is that a song? Who wants to listen to that? Every single person in this band sounds like they’re intermediate level at what they do. Was it really this easy to be in an alt band in the 90’s? Every time I see alternative 90’s come up I know I’m in for some lame ass bullshit. I was a kid in the 90’s and it turns out I was right all along for never liking the alt music of the time. This list oftentimes feels like it should just be named “a list of 1,001 albums” because I absolutely did not need to listen to this.
Punk for nerds, with some excellent songwriting lurking under the feedback
Huge Pavement fan. Stockton, CA! This album started it for me when It was released. Malkmus is a genius in my book. Love the raw energy.
erggh
I was really looking forward to this album because I love their song cigarettes @ sunset but this album was only ok. I'll give it another shot and I would definitely pick it up if I saw it at the gw. 3/5
Slacker Rock 101. Definitive 90's rock album that, much like The Velvet Underground, influenced so many contemporaries and bands to come (echoes we still hear today), despite never charting. Pavement's always existed like Nirvana and Sonic Youth's little brother; definitely related, but more jocular, fanciful and hopeful. Every time I spin this album, I love it more. Skipping a song on this feels like blasphemy; even something more haphazard and noisy Chesley's Little Wrists is only 1 minute long, shows the band's playfulness, and works in the album's flow. Seems like a fair price to pay to then get to sink into the warm fuzz of Loretta's Scars.
This is a weird collection of songs – if that is a appropriate description. Every cut is equally stupid and gorgeously fantastic from the "ultimate" "postmodern" "rock" "band". I feel like a lot of american alternative guitarband hits from the mid 90s onwards were a carbon copy of some song or other from this album with the edges filed down and made palatable for generic audience. The wild drumming! The talk-singing! The nonsense lyrics that sorta make sense! The cord progressions, droning guitars and the melodies! Summer babe! No life singed her! Conduit for Sale! Two States! Every song is a hit with no chance of ever being a mainstream hit (that's for later records). There's nothing here that I do not love.
Idk not for me
my brother came to my room when I was listening to this and asked what type of music it is because he likes it, so I will have a sentiment for the rest of myy days
I thought I would love this, but this was super hit or miss. Mostly it boils down to lead vocalist Stephen Malkmus. Many of the songs are in the talk-sing style that really irks me. “Here” is a great example of what might have been; that song is phenomenal. But there was too much screaming or talk-singing to give this any more than a 3.
Such a brilliant, complex, unique sound. (DIY recording software has made it so easy for anyone with half an ear to produce something slick and seamless. I really miss the days when going it alone required an over-the-top obsessive drive and a ton of ingenuity, which in turn inevitably produced unique and expressive work.) Most importantly, it is one of those rare albums in which every song insists on being sung along to.
I really enjoyed this. Some great bass and guitar noodling. I like the tempo and Lou Reed esq delivery. Opening track was strongest and it slightly looses its mojo towards the end.
Found Pavement through their hits from Crooked Rain. Wasn't a huge fan, and this is even less polished /good. Sounds like a poorer version of the Pixies.
Pavement is one of these bands that i should like, but for some reason it has never really appealed to me. Lazy songwriting and too many fillers on this album.
Not shit, just bad album
#410 / 1089 Heard before? ❌ Revisit? ❌ My review for their previously reviewed followup album still stands here: "They're too awkward, sounds like sad and shy Pixies, who don't care to learn their instruments." Not my kind of music, at all. Few tracks are mostly decent, but then they go and do the thing and it sounds very farking awkward again. Plain 1/5
Sounded dull until I got into it. Nice ebb and flow. Really enjoyed the back half of this.
Almost want to give this a 5. I guess that says a lot about me. I find Stephen Malkmus’ deadpan … trance inducing? This album a journey that his delivery takes me on. My brother had this album when it came out. He obsessed over it. I couldn’t see much there at the time. But as the years pile up… well, like I said I almost want to give it a 5. Conduit for Sale, which reminds me a great deal of Slint’s Spiderland from this same time, an album I absolutely will be giving a 5 btw, is such a high point for me, made more so by its context in the album as a whole. My issue is that I just don’t have the same feeling about the end of the album. 4 really 4.5 Boolean True, definitely wanted to hear again before I die
I liked it, but I would've liked it more 17 years ago. 3.5 rounded down
Was initially excited for this one, but then it started and I did not really like this one. I like Pavement, but maybe more their later stuff.
Noisy and dissonant. I like it. I remember listening like a decade ago and it not thinking it remarkable. I think the contrast between this and Nick Cave makes me appreciate it more. Same year and yet Nick Cave very rooted in an 80s sound where Pavement felt more experimental for the time. Idk i probably just dislike 80s sound
Trigger cut
Didn't love this one.
Can hear how this inspired a lot, will need at least another re-listen.
Ninguna fue shock total creo, la verdad lo escuché hace mucho, no me acuerdo que pensé pero supongo q mid
meh, solo una me agradó y se me hizo eterno
Pre Listen: Never heard of these fellas, but that album cover would look really cool if someone didn't doodle all over it. Lower than usual expectations going in. Notable Tracks: Here - The best track on the album methinks. I don't really love it, but I think it has the best sound compared to the rest, especially from the vocalist. Conduit For Sale | Chesley's Little Wrists - Tied for my least favorite tracks on the album. Messy punk-babble. The vocalist keeps saying "I'm Trying!", but I'M trying to see how. Post Listen: About what I expected. This album really tiptoes the line of Alt Rock, Punk, and Emo Rock. I occasionally enjoy 2 out of those 3 genres, so I have somewhat mixed feelings about the album as a whole. The instrumentation is pretty good overall, serviceable on average, pretty cool at best. The songs are all about the right length for what they're going for, and the melodies are ok. The sound mixing was wack on some songs, but my big gripe with this album comes from the vocalist. The vocalist sounds incredibly similar to Lou Reed in my opinion, specifically from Lou's 'Transformer' album. I gave that album a 1/5, mostly due to Lou's vocals sounding bored, apathetic, or even drunk at times. I feel the same way about this band's vocalist. What's perhaps worse is I *know* the guy can sing, from songs like "Here". Unlike Lou's album, I did like the instrumental works here. The vocals drag it all down, to the point I'd be embarrassed if some of the songs on here played on my playlist. Many such cases, 2/5.
Hey this was good! Haven’t heard of these guys before but there were some really great tracks here. One of the stronger B-sides I’ve heard but it did have some low points I’d avoid listening to again. Not the most consistent album but I really liked Here and Summer Babe, amongst others.
Really enjoyed! Will be listening again
I like the groove - especially the drummer. Not the biggest punk guy but this is good (for me) for that genre.
Maybe it's just me, but I don't get it. There were already a lot of annoying brits on this list. Did you really feel the urge to include Pavement as well? Like, they are not that good. I don't like it at all.
Well that was boring. Not sure what sets these guys apart.
Vocals kind of suck. Like Lou Reed-esque sort of suck. An even poorer man's version of The Velvet Underground, and that is saying something. I remember this coming out in 1992 and it sucked then, as well. Not a good rock album. Among the longest 39 minutes I ever experienced.
good moments but inconsistent
2.4785
Yes! Love this band. One of the best of 90s American alt-rock to my mind. I think Malkmus is a genius lyricist and love how all the punkish guitars just enhance the melody rather than obscuring it. The titles of the tracks are crazy, the songs are insane. So cool but nerdy at the same time, I adore this one.
I prefer Crooked Rain Crooked Rain, but this is still great
not my favorite pavement album but man i love pavement, appreciate how much more loud this one is with some softer melodic high notes
Strong 3
Not worth revisiting
You can hear bits a pieces of al kinds of stuff in here but never really came together.
Þessi plata nýtur þess að vera Pavement plata, ég hefði líklega ekki hlustað þrisvar annars. Hún er fín.
I listen to all these albums on half decent headphones. With some albums this enhances them a lot, with others it seems to show them up. Here the music just sounds at times tinny and empty. I can hear how this band will have been influential on a lot of the indie music that followed in the decades after but for me it is lacking something. It's like a band pretending to be the Pixies but not as good. Still not awful though.
US Fall tribute band. Top low fi slacker music. 4 for effort. Like Here, Two States (40 million daggers!) and Mouth of a Desert. Unfortunately no Range Life on this album.
A little too untuneful for me in parts. Here the highlight
Bit of a Sonic Youth - could/would/should like but on the whole, can't/won't/don't Conduit for Sale = New Face in Hell
Not actively listened to Pavement before and was quite surprised at how much I liked them. Some good old indie, restrains itself from going to the all out guitar thrashing that seemed to dominate American rock of tbis era. A generous 4.
3,5. гитары можно было бы настроить...
Starts of ok, Summer Babe and Trigger Cut are all right. Then the rest of the album just dives. Zurich Is Stained and Here are decent, but nothing else is. Best song: Summer Babe
Nothing special
Solid crunchy alt-rock listen
I must have listened to this album a million times back in the 90s. This was a fun one to revisit. 4.5/5 rounded to 5.
Nor really a fan. Perhaps it has merit in being an influence to it's genre and early on in the development, but it doesn't move me.
A lot like the previous album on this list. Really good but sometimes it didn't flow. Was less then the sum it's parts somehow? These guys are stuck between grunge of the time and some other sound. Still decent. 7/10
I remember not liking Pavement because the vocals really fucking annoyed me. I was hoping I'd softened with age and my previous judgement was too harsh. It wasn't.
Musically simple and uninteresting to me.
Less nerdy Weezer
keep trying to listen to this in full and getting distracted so i don’t know if this is a fair rating, i have enjoyed it but it doesn’t seem so jump out to me
Great
It's okay
I'm tryin, I'm tryin, I'm tryin' I'm tryin' to find fault but, nope. I still love this, rickety songs and crap recording and all.
Pavement pulled off a pretty neat parlor trick by making an album full of irreverent, tossed-off songs with almost dadaist, non-sensical (some would say Fall-esque) lyrics sound important, like a statement. It has a lot to do with the quality of the songs, which marry ramshackle rhythms and structures with raw riffs and melodies, sometimes fierce jabs of distortion or noise and a low-fi, kitchen-sink ethic that showed they were astute students of the rock underground. The formula is a winning and invigorating, and it makes me pine for the days when indie rock still sounded dangerous and exciting.
Came into my life at the perfect time, not sure how it would land for a new listener.
A gamechanger for 90ies indie rock. And they got even better.
Not bad.
I'll take UNKNOWN INDIE ROCK BANDS FROM THE 1990s for $400, Alex. “THIS BAND'S DRUMMER HANDED OUT HEADS OF CABBAGE AT GIGS BEFORE BEING FIRED A YEAR LATER.” What is Pavement? That is correct. Let's go with 1992 DEBUT ALBUMS HARDLY WORTH MENTIONING for $200, Alex. “THIS SCUFFED-UP, RAW-SOUNDING RELEASE WAS RECORDED IN JUST SEVEN DAYS AND INTRODUCED LISTENERS TO LO-FI FUZZ GUITARS, VOCALS SIMILAR IN STYLE AND TONE TO LOU REED MINUS THE HEROIN ADDICTION, AND MUTED DRUMS THAT SOUNDED AS IF THEY WERE PLAYED ON CARDBOARD BOXES. IT HELPED DEFINE AN ENTIRE DECADE OF INDIE ROCK WHILE GOING COMPLETELY UNNOTICED BY THE MAINSTREAM PUBLIC, WHO WERE AT MOST INDIFFERENT TO THE BAND'S DEBUT.” What is Slanted And Enchanted? That is correct. All right, let's change categories. I'm already tired of this one.
Once Nevermind kicked Michael Jackson out of the top spot on the albums chart there was no stopping it. This album got fully lost in Nirvana's wake. I was in my late teens at this time and fully engrossed in the grunge movement, but this album never entered my orbit at all. It's raw and doesn't have the polish of the other big albums of the time. It's OK, but i don't think I missed anything by having never heard it until now.
Highlights: In The Mouth A Desert, Here, Perfume-V A hot mess. Very messy both sonically and lyrically. Delivered in a half assed tone so I felt like it deserved only half assed listening. Heck, on a good number of songs you can't even make out tf he's mumbling and the instrumentals aren't that hot to make up for it.
I put this off because of the first track name which was at one point the tumblr bio of a friend of ours who died - as expected I did have a little cry, but that’s okay. Anyway, triggering aside! I’ve never really listened to Pavement (although my brother had got me a pavement vinyl but for some reason I need to wait 3-5 years before I can use a nice gift, can someone diagnose what childhood trauma has led to that please? Answers on a postcard!) and I truly have no idea why because they’re so clearly my vibe. I added literally half of the record to my liked songs and already can’t wait to listen to more. I just hope one day I can see/hear/say ‘Summer babe - Winter Version’ without small sobs. Maybe I’m due my period…. Do I use these as diary entries? BASICALLY!! get off my dick.
5/10
I didn't really get into Pavement until Terror Twilight just before they broke up, which I know isn't generally a well-liked record by the fandom but retains a special place in my heart. My favourite track was Jackals, False Grails: The Lonesome Era, not a clue what it's about though
For years, I’d heard about Pavement as this creme-de-la-creme of indie influence. I imagined they’d be the square one to the early 2000’s American scene. I’ve looked into them a few times, but Pavement never delivered enough to peak my interest. If it weren’t for their storied reputation, I would’ve forgotten about them entirely. So, I was excited to get their debut album yesterday. My assessment though- sonic youth lite. Perhaps they were tremendously influential and perhaps I’ll dig into why at some point. Today though, I just am left with meh.
Sonntag, 17.05.2026 In der U3 auf dem Weg in die Uni, im Aufenthaltsraum der Campusbib beim schreiben an der Hausarbeit für Didaktik der Philosophie
I like the album name. To be honest, the singing and playing are both pretty bad, but I can see their influences on many indies. Still mediocre.
Not amazed, not disgusted. Very middle of the road and was expecting more!
A real grower over the years. First listen I didn’t get it, now I really enjoy how unpolished and spontaneous this feel. Also, Mark E. Smith was right: this definitely cribs from the Fall several times.
Leuk idee maar ik voel m nie
Had een beetje boze dag en dit liet me weer 17 jaar en boos voelen. Ja i love pavement!!!
doet het echt niet voor mij :'(
genieten !! ik ben meer van hun eps voor dit album maar dit is een topplaat
Good.
Helt ok.. men inte en 3a
My least favorite indie band of the 90s fails to strike again. Making something that intentionally sucks does not make it less sucky. I might be more charitable if they were not such uncharitable dudes themselves.
Good, but much better Pavement out there
fav songs: here sloppy, lo-fi, rough 30/100
nice sound to this quite meklow
This album to me is not as good as a lot of similar 90s grunge, it seems a little less polished and with more random noises than bands like Nirvana or Soundgarden. I could dig it, but I'm probably not listening to this over other more "mainstream" grunge albums.
What a great album. It makes for an accessible Fugazi and foreshadows a sound that Weezer would capture and take advantage a few years later.
I can appreciate this album because of this impact it made on indie rock but I don't want to listen to it again. 2.5
I feel like Pavement is another band I was supposed to get into when I was younger and I just missed it.
I understand historically this is an important album that paved (pun intended) the way for the indie rock genre but nothing here really grabbed me. Just kind of sounds like early generic alt rock.
2.75 - This was a band that I’ve been curious about, but never listened to. It wasn’t awful, but I was disappointed.
- I might not have been fully in the mood for this today, but I still like it. It doesn't have as many hits as Crooked Rain, but the songs are high energy, and the instrumentation is full and surrounds you with sound. I don't find the songs very memorable, though. - I definitely like that the songs and album are short and sweet. There isn't a whole lot of filler on here, which I appreciate. - I don't think I'll ever love the out-of-tune singing, but it's not grating like it can be. That said, I have a hard time making myself pay enough attention to know what he's singing about.
Terrible noise. Do not recommend.
I liked about half of it, then it became kinda tiresome.
They had their moments, they also unhad their unmoments
From Sophie Harris’s review for ‘Slanted And Enchanted’ for the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die book, “Having rehearsed for a week, Pavement recorded Slanted...in seven days in Young's garage studio, at a cost of $800” …and you can really hear it. It’s a wildly inconsistent record, but it has enough flashes of brilliance (especially on the second half) to warrant your attention.
I remember a Pavement vs. Smashing Pumpkins chapter in the book Your Favorite Band Is Killing Me but I never actually took the time to go back and listen to Pavement. Based on this album, I honestly don't see the comparison at all. The Pumpkins had way more muscle, melody, and presence. This mostly sounded like a band that couldn't decide whether it wanted to sing, mumble, or just yell off key for 40 minutes. There were a couple decent songs, especially the opener, but most of the album just got on my nerves.
Not for me. 1/5
I do not care about this. I kept wanting to skip songs which is something I promised myself I wouldn't do while doing this "challenge". All the songs - the instruments, the singing, the mix felt small. I cannot explain it better. I kept waiting for the songs to exit the old radio effect. The only semi-interesting songs were: - Zurich is Stained - Here
if only because it's noisier and more abrasive, i like this more than Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain. does fall off a bit in the latter half but the atmosphere and lo-fi sound are great. deserves to be in the 1001? ya. i guess not asssss much as Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain, but i think it's nice to have this as an example of the link between Dinosaur Jr and Modest Mouse
137. ok
Chique mas parece que tudo do Pavement é meio igual. Eu daria 3,5 pq não é esquecível mas não é bom o suficiente pra um 4
My wife walked by as I was listening to this and said "What is that? It's awful. It's really bad". I feel like this is lesser than the sum of its parts. Ill-concieved. Out on Pavement.
I do find something about pavement's arrogant and superior attitude despite barely being able to play their instruments or sing interesting for about half of a song. But the novelty runs out quickly.
The hate: The Conduit and Chelseys are annoying as alt rock can be 😂 The love: Zurich Is Stained, Summer Babe, Here are awesome tracks and for 92’ they sound about 4 years ahead of the curve Somewhere around 3.5 stars
Crooked Rain is a better album, this one is just not as fun or poppy. A few good tracks though.
Musically, this is really good and the vibe is so 90s (in a good way), but the vocals let it down at times. Some of it is a total copy of Lou Reed. Not that I’m complaining about it. I compare this album to “Doolittle” by The Pixies. Decent music, a few really annoying duds in the middle and the occasional head nodder. Overall, pretty good. I'm not sure it's better than “Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain” though. I think a 4/5 is fair.
Disappointing. I've always wondered what this one sounded like but never ventured in. I don't the sounds contained within. I can't get with the lo-fi production. Some of the guitar playing is interesting and I can hear the influence it had an loads of indie bands, but I think it lacks tunes.
It's fine until the shouting begins. So many bands on this list would be hugely improved by hiring a singer who can actually sing
enjoyed this quite a bit definitely influenced early 2000s indie 3 stars
Middle of the road. Liked some of it, disliked some of it.
I love a good 90s guitar riff. That feedback and reverb just tickle my brain in the best way. That being said, the album didn't really grab me and was kind of forgettable in the end. I don't hate that I listened to this, but I also will likely not remember any of the songs.
Didn’t stand out
Eh bah c’est plutôt bien !
When Pavement first arrived on the scene I immediately thought that they were attempting to be the Minutemen but they didn’t have Mike Watt or D. Boon. I still feel that way. I have enjoyed Pavement’s recorded output over the years and the recent resurgence in interest with the release of the Pavement documentary makes this revisit timely. Summer Babe and Trigger Cut are still the best tracks on the record but like the Minutemen before them the mix of different time signatures, distortion and detuned guitars makes for a much varied and interesting take on what would become slacker rock. As an anti-companion to Nirvana this journey is most effective on some of the quieter tracks such as the lovely Here. Pavement were always dressed for success and this record really was a launching point for a new kind of indie rock destined to occupy college radio stations forever. Two States could have been a track off of Double Nickels on the Dime. Stockton and San Pedro - port cities and working class rock. The album still is interspersed after all these years and Pavement’s influence carries on today in bands like Parquet Courts, MJ Lendermen, Deerhunter and others. Not perfect but close. 5/5
Like if weezer was a lil more dorky and emo
nah
It's like Pixies, I like it I want to give it 3.5
Another pleasant surprise from this list. Really fun, weird fuzzy alt-rock. Definitely want to explore this album more.
I knew of Pavement in the 2000s, but any time I tried to listen to them I ultimately got bored. No different now. Fine as something in the background, but nothing more.
Decently good ancestor to modern grungey
Just a great time
Correcto
Great
Pavement is just one of those bands that I acknowledge as being good but just makes me feel nothing at all. Favorite track: Here
this is like if nirvana and soad were slightly less fun to listen to but i dont hate it ? conduit for sale kind of goes hard actually
Didn’t really do it for me on a single listen but suspect it may grow on you with repeated listening. I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt
This review is for Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain because when that album came up, I accidentally listened to Slanted and Enchanted: I love this album and it’s my fave Pavement.
the concept of being a slacker is cool to me... i am a slacker
On a near par with Sonic Youth and Mudhoney if you are in the mood for early 90s noise rock/prototype grunge. Which I sort of was today.
The vocals did not put me in a good mood. I was so glad the end finally came.
Slacker rock (Post-punk, garage rock, noise pop, grunge lite, call it what you will) has its fans. I am not one. No offense to fans or the band, but it doesn’t sound professional and that is probably the main attraction for them. I actually enjoy some music with the same aesthetic (I owned “Generic Flipper” for chrissake) but in that case I want energy. A band that sounds like they’ve chugged a beer, not hit a bong.
I’m not a huge fan of this early 90s era indie stuff but it isn’t offensive. Vocals were the low point. Some decent instrumentals. Listened at work and was unbothered but not moved.
This is hard to review. For indie rock, I can see this being a cornerstone. It has a consistent tone and the vocals to instruments to lyrics all build into something. I saw another review mention it sounds like a laid back Sonic Youth and I think that's a great description. Not my favourite genre but it is done well and is a great debut album. 3/5 for me, probably a 4+ if this is your genre.
I'm having a hard time reviewing this. It's just a really solid example of a time and place. It doesn't necessarily wow you on first listen, but it grows on you slowly a little more every listen. I listened to a lot of music like this, but this is my first time with this one.
Classic first album from a legendary band.
Some of the songs are not half bad, some others are just rather annoying
I tried to like these guys in college and it just didn't take. I don't hate it, I just don't see what the big deal is/was. People went NUTS over these guys. I tended to agree with the great philosopher Butthead: "They need to try harder." I bought this CD back then (would have been 1993 or 1994) and I just now realized I haven't seen it in at least 25 years. Did I lose it? Was it stolen? Do I still have it somewhere? At any rate I have somehow survived without it. Listening this time, I think "Here" and "Two States" were my favorite tracks. I don't know if it just wore me down, but by the end of the album everything sounded OK. I don't know, I think I'd give this a 2.5?
This album is kinda on the periphery of what I listened to in this era. I rarely pulled any Pavement but I didn't mind them. I guess that's how I still am, listening to this album. It's good, it's inoffensive, but doesn't stand out for me. It stays out there in limbo, not in my playlist, but familiar enough to feel comfortable.
I don’t know why Pavement was on this list once, let alone twice. Whatever-ness is right.
A trapezoid?
Another example where the music is okay but I can’t get behind the singing. Not really for me.
In The Mouth A Desert // Here // Jackals // Our Singer //
Pavement has always felt a little vanilla to me
What is this doing on a list of only 1001 albums, who is doing this list, also you can’t give less than one star so this album gets way more than it deserves
1. babe - 2 2. cut - 1 3. her - 1 4. mouth - 2 5. zale - 1 6. ztained - 1 7. uuriztz - 0 8. zcarz - 1 9. here - 2 10. ztatez - 1 11. perfume - 2 12. fame - 1 13. jackalz - 2 14. zinger - 1
It's like the lovechild of the first Clerks movie soundtrack and the Velvet Underground. Early 90's "college rock", "independent" (whatever that means), the proto-indie (ur-indie?) band, Pavement. It's got a really unfiltered sound that I dig. I really wanted this to be my bread-and-butter as a kid but I didn't know where to find it. I knew it existed, but I didn't know what rocks to turn over. My hometown's "underground" scene in the early 90s was replete with this stuff. I knew some kids who knew some kids where I could sneak a listen of a track or two, and it all sounded like this - raw, energetic, and very genuine. "Summer Babe", "Trigger Cut" and later "Two States" really stood out. My inner 13-year old really, really wants to give this a '4', but I'm gonna keep it at a '3', because I'm older and wiser. I got into it, but realize I probably wouldn't after some time. It's probably too raw for my older ears. (3/5), leaning towards a 4...
This one missed me in 1992, as I'd heard of Pavement (good things) but never been exposed to them, so I was pretty interested when it popped up. I was immediately put off by the distortion and noise, and the vocalist's odd cadence didn't help. Shades of Sonic Youth or Velvet Underground, which I don't mean as a compliment. But as the album went on it did sorta grow on me. There are things to like in here. And if this is their debut album, how good will they be when they actually learn to play their instruments?
Variety: 3 Adequacy: 5 Listenability: 4 Uniqueness: 3 Emotionality: 2 = 3.4 rounded down to a 3 "I enjoy stealin', it's just as simple as that/ Oh well, it's just a simple fact/ When I want something, man, I don't wanna pay for it" INTRO Big Pavement fan. But I can tell you now this is not my favorite by them, and pretty sure I went backwards to this from Wowee Zowee, through Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain, so to hear them get less melodic and more inaccessible didn't help. THE TRACKS "Summer Babe (Winter Version)" - This one still has a place in my 5 star list, and always will. In some ways the prototypical Pavment song. There's the lazy delivery to match the lazy guitar, the dedication to melody, the fuzziness, low-fi production that gives this a faux-live feel that works well. Who needs deep lyrics when you can stun them with hooks? Pavement even more than some bands I tend to see their influences. This one had a very Guided by Voices meets power pop feel. "Trigger Cut / Wounded-Kite at: 17" - Another solid track. Not as catchy, but full of dynamic hooks, and enough variation and energy to keep me interested. The contrast between the vocals and the guitar are the attraction hear with Malkmus zigging just when you think he's going to zag. "No Life Singed Her" - Here I think the Sonic Youth influence comes to the forefront. We get some nonsensical yelling, fuzzed out guitars, a driving mechanical beat, and even the seemingly discordant, downbeat melodies lines that course correct mid-line. You can still hum it though. Pavement aren't going to go too far into the raggedness of something like In Utero though, and the pop sensibilities still creep through. "In the Mouth a Desert" - As catchy as most anything on Weezer's Blue Album, and share's a lot of the same DNA with a lot of stuff on there. Nadasurf would later make a whole album that sounded like it was spun from this. "Conduit for Sale!" - Speaking of Nadasurf - can't hep but imagine this loomed large over their hit "Popular" wit the frantic spoken word bit. This is also I think a prime example of where Pavement gets accused of stealing from The Fall ( most vocally from Mark E. Smith himself I think) - you be the judge: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DXBR3oxlr0 . I can definitely hear it, especially in this song, but I think overall too much is made of the comparison. I'm sure they were an influence, but they went WAAAY farther into power pop material later. "Zurich Is Stained" - Slow this down by half and doesn't sound too far from the similarly warbly guitar stuff Beck would have been doing a bit after this. Short and ok, but inessential. "Chesley's Little Wrists" - If they are being purposefully grating on any of the songs here, this is the best example. Some Pixies-warming-up vibes here. Not sure how'd I'd be able to sell anyone on this. "Loretta's Scars" - Weird affect here where we get some Sonic Youthy guitar work over what sounds like the vocals from a completely different song sung to a different beat until the chorus, such as it is. Not enough to hook me here. "Here" - Back in my comfort zone here with a fairly straight forward low-key, Guided by Voices in slow motion sound and some Velvet Underground mechanical drumming. "Two States" - An opening that wouldn't be out of place on a either a Joan Jett or alternately a Gang of Four or The Fall album, but veers sharply into the latter two with what almost sounds like a vocal impression that would be right at home on any number of UK post punk albums. "Perfume-V" - More Sonic Youth meets Velvet Underground vibes here. Alright, but doesn't make that much of a mark. "Fame Throwa" - Back in The Fall territory here. Malkmus's delivery here stands apart, but I'm seeing the argument more and more. This goes off into some electronic territory I don't normally associate with Pavement, so interesting to hear them trying something different. Doesn't quite come together for me. The talk-singing which I am far less forgiving of from other bands, is a bit too much here. Too many ingredients in the pot this time around. "Jackals, False Grails: The Lonesome Era" - Bit jammier than most, with some swirling psychedelic guitar peppered in for good measure. What if the Grateful Dead were way into NY underground noise rock. "Our Singer" - Shambling vocals over a bare bones little number that sounds like an inspiration for stuff like Grandaddy would be doing several years later in a more candy coated way. HIGHLIGHTS - "Summer Babe (Winter Version)" - "Trigger Cut / Wounded-Kite at: 17" - "No Life Singed Her" - "In the Mouth a Desert" - "Conduit for Sale!" - "Here" - "Two States" - "Jackals, False Grails: The Lonesome Era" - "Our Singer" MIDLIGHTS - "Zurich Is Stained" - "Perfume-V" LOWLIGHTS - "Chesley's Little Wrists" - "Loretta's Scars" - "Fame Throwa" FINAL THOUGHTS I think there is a general consensus that Pavement's detached, often nonsensical lyrics, low-fi sloppy sound and general lack of showmanship leave them at a disadvantage to anyone who likes their music to have meaning of some sort. I don't really see this emotional void though because I'm imagining that it does take a lot of effort and a sort of uncool amount of dedication to the craft to put together tight, melodic rock that sounds lazy and disaffected on the surface. The lack of showmanship is their form of showmanship maybe is what I'm trying to say? The emotional comes through in the instrumentation for me I guess is what I mean. I compared them a few times in this to Sonic Youth and Guided by Voices, and the Velvet Undergound, and I think Pavement slots very neatly between those in the Venn diagram of and you get this sort of synthesis of low-fi, noise rock, and hooky melodic pop. Replace two of those three other bands with The Cars and Kiss, and you get Weezer, who I often see as the flip side of the coin. Weezer got seen as the more polished, more emotional version of this sort of thing, and even developed a bit of a try-hard reputation. But I think Pavement is trying just as hard here, they just don't want you to realize it. PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - Keep the highlights only FURTHER RESEARCH - The Blue Album by Weezer - High/ Low by Nadasurf - Alien Lanes by Guided by Voices - Grotesque by The Fall - Goo by Sonic Youth - Under the Western Freeway by Grandaddy
“To sexy rock critics, Slanted and Enchanted might as well be Thriller or the Dark Side of the Moon. Pitchforks Perfect 10 review of the Slanted and Enchanted reissue was so intimate and rapturous the guy wrote it out longhand.” – Rob Harvilla on his podcast “60 Songs that Explain the ‘90s” on the episode for Pavement. Listening to this album made my hand itch for a Sega Genesis game controller. Not because of any associated memories, I didn’t listen to Pavement in 1992, but because damn if the whole of this sound doesn’t instantly transport me back to the early to mid ‘90s. Pavement is the perfect example, the quintessential, indie rock band noodling around in the 90s. They are probably the 90s indie rock band you imagine the slacker love interest to be in. You know the one representing artistic authenticity. They make lethargic slacker rock on indie labels, feud with The Smashing Pumpkins, play Lallapalooza, and get loved by rock critics at every publication. Not to give the wrong impression, I did not listen to Pavement in the 1990s. I wasn’t that cool or underground. I lived in remote Appalachia. They didn’t play Pavement on the radio there or much on MTV. I might’ve had a few brief brushes with them on 120 minutes or something, but have no memory of it. No, I was not aware of them until I listened to Rob Harvilla’s podcast in 2021. And I discovered I love their sound. I truly do. But I still can’t seem to get into them. “I’m tryin’, I’m tryin’, I’m tryin’, I’m trying’, I’m tryin’, I’m trying’, I’m trying’ and I’ll try.” So here I am at the prompting of this project once again listening to Pavement to see if they stick. “I’ve got one holy life to give.” It may all sound the same, but that’s not a complaint when I’m enjoying it. Summer Babe – Winter Version is a catchy opening. The repeating bass contains a decade of undirected malaise in of itself. “Every time I sit around I found I’m shot.” The titles on this album are pure indie rock: “Trigger Cut/Wounded Kite at :17”, “In The Mouth a Desert”, “Jackals, False Grails: The Lonesome Era”. Yep. So maybe this time, Pavement and I will mesh. Maybe I will be that cool. Or not. Whatever.
Interesting album from a band I’m not familiar with. I liked a few tracks, but the over the top distortion that seems to be their signature sound on several tracks was too much for me, creating a bit too much dissonance.
This is very much the Velvet Underground as seen through the lens of early 90s lo-fi shoegaze/proto-grunge. The album was recorded for $800 in a garage but still sounds pretty good to my aged ears, with droning guitars and solid drums supporting lead singer Stephen Malmus’ Lou Reed style vocals. If I have any quibbles with this, it’s that some of the tracks feel a little short - there are 14 in 39 minutes with lots of variation and interesting ideas but too many of them fade out too quickly when they could have easily been expanded into longer freakouts.
I only know through Pavement through Harness Your Hopes, which my siblings play a lot in the house • I like Trigger Cut/Wounded-Kit at :17 (weird title). There are a few discordant sounding chords that are cool • I’m not a fan of the shouting in No Life Singed Her • I dig the instrumental of In the Mouth a Desert, but I can’t get into the vocals. The post-chorus/outro is very nice though. • Conduit for Sale is a similar case, I see that not liking the vocals will probably be a running theme for the album. This song in particular really reminds me of The Fall, with Mark E Smith’s vocals (which I also wasn’t a fan of) • Here is actually a very nice song • What even is Fame Throwa • Jackals has some cool sounds going on I’ll be honest, I was pretty glad when this album finished. A lot of the instrumental content was cool, and with another vocalist I could see this being an album I’d really dig. Unfortunately, it does not have another vocalist, and I’m not a fan of this one. He’s able to sing in a way that I like (Harness Your Hopes and even a few moments on this album), but I can’t get into this. The first half of the album was stronger in my opinion, but the back half did have its moments. Favourite song: Here