Slanted And Enchanted

I was a big Pavement fan back in the day. This holds up pretty well. Nice blast from the past right here.

decent stuff but not particularly memorable. pavement is certainly ahead of their time though i always assume they’re 2010s not 90s

I'm more of a 'Crooked Rain. Crooked Rain' fan, but I appreciate this for what it is...noise rock mixed with some catchy songs and riffs. 3/5

07/03/2026 1. summer babe (winter version) - already know and like this one :) nice! *2. trigger cut / wounded kite at :17 - really liking the start... really like the guitar. like the ending. *3. no life singed her - already love this one! 4. in the mouth a desert - twinkling effect? liking the guitars in this at the start. loud drums are nice in this one... kindof 60s. 5. conduit for sale! - saw a review comparing this to the murder mystery and can definitely see it. his delivery is also very mark e smith. really nice! 6. zurich is stained - like the slide(?) guitar. really like it! 7. chelsey's little wrists - love the sitar-esque guitar *8. loretta's scars - already really love this one <3 probably my favourite pavement song i've heard (along with flame throwa).... *9. here - more dreamy.... really sweet :) 10. two states - like the guitar solo, but not as big on this one so far. *11. perfume-v - immediately liking this one.. love the guitar near the end! 12. fame throwa - already love this one!! lovelovelove the chorus <3 *13. jackals, false grails: the lonesome era - really liked this one!! *14. our singer - love the drums. love the guitar aswell. reaaallly nice! always felt halfandhalf on pavement, but listening to a full album made me appreciate it more! flame throwa is great!!!!

I wanted to like this album more but I couldn't. It's indie rock/noise but there are bands who made better albums in the early 1990s. A generous 3 stars.

I like this kind of rock, but no so much

Didn’t get to listen to much but solid; like Pixies but noisier and a bit sluggier.

didn't stand out

Pavement are one of those bands that I've always liked, but never got real into them. This is one of their albums I've heard before, and enjoyed. Not a five-star for me, but a good album.

This wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. But I am sure after another 700 albums on this list, I will completely forget about it. Favorite track Conduit For Sale!

I’d never heard this album all the way through but when I listen to it for the first time, it sounded like a whole lot of 90s all at once. Sonic Youth begat Pavement, Pavement begat Modest Mouse.

If I want to listen to indie rock/ grunge, say for old times' sake, I'd rather go Pixies or Sonic Youth. But it's not bad. It's just a bit well behaved for me, and lacks a bit of raw energy.

Never been a massive pavement fan. Fave song: Conduit for Sale!

Just finished, maybe one to return to. 3/5

If I heard this live in someone’s garage with a keg of cheap beer, I’d quite enjoy it. As a recorded album, it kind of feels like the most nondescript indie rock. It’s ok, but feels almost generic

not memorable

Was looking forward to it, only having a passing recollection of the band. Didn’t do much for me, won’t revisit.

was a fun listen

A bit of a headbanger

++: Trigger Cut / Wounded-Kite at :17, No Life Singed Her, Conduit for Sale!, Chesley's Little Wrists, Loretta's Scars, Jackals, False Grails: The Lonesome Era +: Summer Babe (Winter Version), Zurich Is Stained, Perfume-V +-: In the Mouth a Desert, Here, Two States, Our Singer -: Fame Throwa 6,7/10

Would’ve been perfect for whiteboy wednesday but alas it is only Tuesday. These guys kinda sound like if you took all the huge melodic guitar passages and post sfx away from Hum. There’s moments that show a clear penchant for a good melody, but Pavement often chooses to subvert those expectations for something a bit more challenging. I think there’s a nuance to that which should be respected. All that being said, this is a classic case of good not great for me. Some highlights are “Trigger Cut” and “In The Mouth A Desert”. Solid 3/5

I remember Pavement from my youth, but outside of the band name, I didn’t remember any song from them. This album doesn’t really remedy that, as it’s just a decent 90’s rock album, nothing more, nothing less.

A good album, I liked Zurich is Stained and Here the most.

Don't get me wrong, this isn't a bad indie album, but it's not great either. There are other bands that did it better IMO.

While I don't love this, I love that it had spunk and something different. It wasn't as amazing as I thought it could be. There was energy maybe not as much as I want but it is a start. Maybe it is just the slog that has been coming out lately but I appreciate they have a point of view that is a little different and a good early alterrock sound. Do I love it, no but I don't want to immediately turn it off either.

This was decent. I wasn’t blown away by any particular song but I liked their sound. I do wish the vocals weren’t so quiet in some of the songs. That was kind of annoying.

Its like grunge punk. I like it, but I don't love it.

eh, not a big fan

No takie przyjemne, ale niezapadające w pamięć

2nd Pavement album! ‘Summer Babe- Winter Version’ is a nice gritty intro. The second track ‘Triggercut/Wound Lit At: 17’ is a track that makes me think of someone with a nervous disposition, coupled with the odd lyrics from Malkmus. A revealing example is from the track above, “Fruit-covered nails. Electricity and lust. Won't break the door. I've got a heavy coat. It's filled with rocks and sand” . ‘Loretta’s Scars’ and ‘Perfume-V’ were also good tracks! This whole album lyrically and sonically provided me with a lot of slacker rock-energy with the quick drums and guitar from Malkmus, Kannberg, Ibold and Young. Nice little 3.5-5-GEMV (3.02.2026)

Light 3! I enjoy Pavement but one entry on this list was probably enough. BUT, I cannot deny their sound and style is/was extremely influential to a slew of later musicians.

3.5

This is like 90s Velvet Underground. That's not a bad comparison but they give off the vibe of a knock-off rather than a band on their own. In The Mouth a Desert sounds like a Pixies cover band now. Maybe they just really love their influences but they are playing it too close to the originals. Their other album on the list is better. This is a thoroughly mediocre album.

A little too grungey for me, but had some fun moments

Ok indie rock but not worthy of the critical praise in my opinion.

I know James is gonna hate me but I really didn’t care for this. It was just so harsh sounding. While I’m sure this was a massively influential album and that’s not nothing, I can’t say I love the type of rock music it inspired. “In the motuh a desert” was the highlight for me. High three because it was not forgettable.

Can’t remember fully

Never really understood the hype on this album.

Struggling to place this one. It's decent in parts and there are some enjoyable indie rock tracks, but it's just too noisy & raw, almost as if it's lazily produced and not incredibly well written. I can't say it's one I'll remember or come back to over and over again. A solid 6/10 for me on this one.

Enjoyable without really grabbing me. A bit too buzzy throughout for me to get fully into it.

i think i'd fw this so heavy if i was 16, but unfortunately i'm not,, it's more down my alley than most of these other albums tho. it's kinda giving weezer (and don't get it twisted, i like those guys), and i know the kind of ignorant vibes are presumably on purpose, but it also just kinda feels like the lead singer can't really sing. i do actually like the instrumentation quite a lot but if i'm being honest the vocals kinda ruin it for me,,

O álbum começa com, talvez, a melhor música das 14 (Summer Babe - Winter Version). Loretta's Scars e Here são os outros destaques, para mim. É um album que que podia ser melhor se tivesse menos músicas. Achei que algumas músicas não acrescentam nada ou quase nada ao álbum, mas talvez seja um daqueles "primeiro estranha-se e depois entranha-se". Penso que depois da Here podia ter mais 1 ou 2 e não 5. Na minha opinião, o álbum morre depois da Here o que é irónico tendo em conta a letra da música. Podia ser um 4/5 mas é um bom 3/5. Se alguma vez revisitar pavement, talvez ache a experiência melhor. Outra nota: não sei se a banda Geese tem influências de Pavement, mas parece. Especialmente a música Bow Down tem uma bateria igual ao praticamente igual à da Fame Throwa.

I remember the name of this band, but no songs by them. I like the opening track so far. For 1992, this is pretty loose. But maybe that’s right? I have to say I really like the overall sound. It’s sounds live in a room. The groove on the drums is loose and barely holding things together and I like it. Nothing was a huge standout on this album for me, but I could listen again. I don’t know if they are touring, but I could be persuaded to see them live.

100% what you can find on any indie college radio station. 3/5

Not heard this band before , it ways ok but did not blow me away

Think I’d like to revisit this one, as didn’t get a chance to really listen closely but enjoyed what I heard!

Yeah, quite enjoyed it.

This pavement album has been pretty hyped up but it really doesn't do too much for me. Some good moments but also a bit forgettable. Not bad all and all. 3/5

Okay. Started strong but faded in the second half.

I had heard Pavement was the GOAT a long time ago, and this album was my first exposure to them. I think the idea that they’re the GOAT is a little overrated. I did appreciate the rawness of this album though and listening to it now, I think I may have a better appreciation than I did when I first listened to it. This album, unlike their others, feels a little bit more polish, more cohesive than other works. Key songs for me are Jackals, and Here. I get why this one’s on the list.

this was enjoyable, also wouldn’t care if i never heard it again

Fine. I really didn’t care for Chelsey’s Little Wrists, but there were some enjoyable songs on here.

Ragged, loosely tangled grooves built from wobbly, distortion-frayed guitars, slack but melodic bass lines, shuffling drum patterns, and offhand vocals folded directly into the instrumental haze move this indie rock album like a scribbled, half-finished zine. Full of personality and grit yet so casually assembled that it flips past your eyes quickly, leaving only the impression of its crooked charm.

ok

Not very memorable at all but some worthy songs on here, somewhat enjoyable.

On this record Pavement vocalist Stephen Malkmus pulls off the neat trick of being able to sing with conviction *but* without sounding earnest. I haven't the slightest idea what he's singing about (given the obtuse nature of the lyrics) but whatever it is, he sounds 100% committed to it. The music is tightly-structured (even though it appears scruffy on the surface) and is full of hooks and riffs that are integral to the songs.

Certainly not bad, but really didn't grip me the way I was expecting it to - after a pretty strong opener it just kind of blended together and I didn't really care for it. That said, the tracks Conduit for Sale! and Here bumped it up a bit. 6/10, 3 stars.

I never got into Pavement but an old girlfriend used to like them. I have actually seen them live once or twice (at festivals - without said old girlfriend though). They are ok, but I probably wouldn’t go out of my way to listen to them.

Not heard of them before - liked the punk vibe

Noisy, songs are kinda catchy. So 90s slacker DIY vibe. Def see how this was influential at the time.

That ain't pavement on the cover, it's a piano. Silly indie band misplacing their nouns

pavement again; the last time i heard their work was in early 2024. this album here is their debut. grungy, sludgy and fuzzy indie rock music. a lot of the time the vocals sound annoyed to me. it's like i'm being whined at and lectured to as they play the hell out of their instruments. it's a sound that i still can't really get into, but at least there's a few tracks among most of the other stuff that kept me at least a little interested. seems like my opinion of these guys hasn't really changed with time, oh well!

Not very relaxing - like a slightly more accessible Fall album - not something I'd want to listen to regularly.

Some good tracks

not a massive pavement guy but theyre fine ig

Decent grungy sound

Not bad but not really memorable for me It reminds me of mixing amateur bands at bars

I quite liked here Some parts were ok but it never got going a lot of the time

A high 3 for me, I had never heard of the band before I enjoyed the album

Best Track - "Summer Babe - Winter Version"

This is EXACTLY what a garage band sounds like. I don't hate it.

Listened Before? N Another Pavement album, another shoegaze/alt rock 90s soiree. It was pretty good. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist? Zurich Is Stained

I don't know. I guess. 3.5

OK, kind of generic 90s rock

Good. Fine. Not great. But I enjoyed it.

Some songs had me and others not so much. A pretty decent listen I probably wouldn't seek out but I wouldn't object to hearing it again.

not much for like get hype about

It’s indie rock! Had some fun listening to it but not blown away.

Pretty good, classic 90s rock feel. 3 stars is fire

It's very OK. Even bordering on pretty damned good at points. I never really connected to Pavement, what little I heard of them, but it was different than I expected. Very much a bridge between punk and indie/alternative/shoegaze. Sort of like Weezer before Weezer - and with a much harder edge. Also they don't suck as hard as Weezer. 3.5 stars.

Raw & grungy, has its moments

Meh

That's not my taste in music - But ok

This band was always lauded as a touchstone for indie music, and i can completely see why. The importance and influence is clear. Still… always been in the three star zone for me.

Räväkkää indie rokkia, mikä ajoittain menee sinne noise puolelle mutta oli kyllä hyviäkin kappaleita jotka yritti olla hyviä. Parhaat: Here, Summer Babe

It's fine. Just all a bit same, same.

PAVEMENT i respect these guys

So 90s

Never heard this before. Can see so much modern music influenced by this style of grunge with riffs and talking vocal

J’ai passé un bon moment en écoutant cet album, mais il ne m’a pas spécialement marqué!

Acceptable rock 'n roll, although I have to ask myself why this trend of talking over the band endures - monologues are for another form. And there's nothing to make thus stand out from the crowd while, 3/4 of my way through this list, several superior groups have yet to appear.

It’s ok. I understand that it’s early or first. But there’s better sounds for my tastes.

I've honestly never listened to pavement before. I liked it fine.

I can see the foundation pavement laid for similar bands in their genre, however that doesn’t mean a whole lot when I’m not too fond of the bands that were inspired by Pavement in the first place. Nonetheless, kind of cool to see the launch point. I just don’t think this is something I’d listen to again.

Surprised by how this sounded. Pretty good

Thought I would hate this since I had a preconceived notion that I really disliked this group, but it was better than I thought. Some catchy songs and the vocals were intriguing.

Feels like a «you had to be there» kind of record. I can see why this would have been appealing had I been in my teens in the early 90’s, but I wasn’t, so I guess it doesn’t hit me as hard. Summer Babe was cool, but most of the album feels quite mediocre to me. I remember really wanting to like Pavement a few years ago, but I didn’t and stopped listening. I feel like there is something there, but I think I still need some more time to figure out what that is.

Pretty good but the album mostly stresses me out. Best songs was Here, by far in my opinion.

I like Pavement, I do. But I'm not sure why they are deemed so "influential"

Like it but didn’t love it

A mixed bag. You get good songs like Zürich Is Stained with some great guitar work & Fame Throwa is a real jam, but then you also get straight up annoying stuff like Conduit for Sale!. That balance makes the record uneven. It works in places, but it also drags. Bonus points for some great album cover art. 7.5/10.

Sometimes it rocks sometimes it sounds like they’re throwing rocks

Solid

A estos sí que me los perdí en los 90. Recién vendría a escucharlos en los dos miles, cuando los artistas que estaban escuchando música en lo 90 empezarían a crear sus propias obras artísticas. El ruido y la actitud están ahí, tal y cual como eran en aquellos años.

This sounds like a pre-grunge band hammering out music in a low ceiling club with sticky floors……and i like that. I dont think there is anything that necessarily stands out about this album but that doesn’t stop me enjoying it.

I was quite excited to see this turn up. I really loved Cut Your Hair as a teenager in the 90s but never listened to anything else (despite being a big fan of early Weezer - in reading about this album, I saw someone describe Weezer as Pavement for people who like Elton John instead of David Bowie and this is disturbingly accurate in my case). I really liked Trigger Cut/Wounded Kite At :17, Conduit For Sale! (the spoken word parts reminding me of a weird combination of REM and Will Wood), Here and In The Mouth A Dessert. I think this is another artist where I like the music more than the vocals though - it just feels too raw and unpolished for me most of the time. I realise that's probably a big draw for their fans, but I think I'd enjoy that far more live than listening to a record in my own home. All in all, I like a lot of but I didn't love it, so... 3/5

3/6

No soy especialmente fan del slacker rock, aunque este álbum fue bastante disfrutable. Instrumentación potente de principio a fin. Favs: Summer Babe - Winter Version, Loretta's Scars, Here, Jackals, False Grails: The Lonesome Era

Love their sound and have heard Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain a bunch and love that album, but this one didn't do it as much for me. 3.5

I nice bit of grunge to wake you up in the morning

At first, I thought, I do not like this. But then I kept listening and kept hearing things I liked better.

It’s the anti-Appetite for Destruction, I'd give it 3.5

what if we wrote good songs and then played them bad? but very good.

Pretty good. I will look at their other albums

Not half bad. A bit in the samey department.

This was alright. Didn’t love it, didn’t hate it. Did enjoy it more than Crooked Rain, which I got awhile back. I definitely understood more this album being on the list than that one. Doesn’t have much replay value for me, but I think it deserves its place on this list.

How did this album miss me as a kid? It must not have been widely available. I listened to weezer and the pixies. Seems like this should have made it to me. I like the album enough, they keep it moving.

It’s fine, inoffensive indie rock. I guess I never listened to Pavement, always thought they were some mix thrash, hardcore & metal.

It was fine, I’m feeling jaded by daily rock albums.

It was alright. Nothing too notable. I didn’t hate it though.

Didn't love, Didn't hate.

#681. Decent shoegazey alternative rock. 3/5: acceptable

Initial thought was of how much I enjoyed the sound of this record. The drums especially have a, kind of, nostalgic punch to them. Most of this records feels surprisingly open, despite the grungy, distorted tones in the guitars and vocals. But this didn’t really scratch any musical itch for me. Not bad or irritating, just not anything I’ll reach for again. And I really do like the vibe of this record. But beyond the production being pretty cool, not much for me to grab a hold of. 5.5-6/10 Standout(s): Zürich is Stained Here Jackals, False Grails: The Lonesome Era

Reminds me of some of the Sonic Youth I've heard. The production/mixing drag it down a bit for me, but this one makes me wish there were half star ratings here.

I really, really enjoyed Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain. I did not think I would like a Pavement album as much as I did. Slanted and Enchanted is "rawer" and doesn't have quite the polish in the vocals and instrumentation of their second album. It's a different sound on this one and I did not enjoy it quite as much. Conduit for Sale! is a song I feel like I should enjoy but it has speak-singing on the verses, which is a turn-off for me. This isn't an album I think should be in the book, just because Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain is a much better representation of the band. The inclusion of this album feels like the book trying to put an artist's first album in the book, just as an introduction. Not bad but I will not revisit it.

ну дуже непоганий альбомчік, нічо так, пару тречков додала б собі.

An uptempo but overall mediocre album Highlights: - Trigger Cut - Two States - Zürich Is Stained

Never been much of a fan of Pavement but this grew on me a little in places.

Pavements start into the world of albums and it is exactly how you want it to go. This album has some sore spots but the heart of who pavement will be.

I didn't hate this album. A few months back I called Pavement the American Blur, and now I feel bad because I liked this a whole lot more than I liked Blur. Proto-grunge.

average roooock

Little emo, little Sonic Youth. Kinda wants to be Nirvana a little.

This seemed pretty totally fine. Very forgettable, but there were a couple songs I liked in particular.

A lot of the album has "we have Nirvana at home" energy, but to their credit they do a pretty good job at it! The drummer especially is locked tf in. Standouts: Zurich Is Stained • Our Singer

Decent alt-rock, nothing to write home about. 3.1

Pavement has a sound on this album and they stick with it. Not bad, consistent.

Ok. Not my style.

From the vocal school of J Mascis, I present to you the band Pavement. Good album.

Can't decide whether I like it or hate it

Good ol 90s crunch

I bought Crooked Rain when it came out, and was very underwhelmed. Hadn't listened to Pavement since, so I had low expectations. Actually liked this one, particularly the first song.

Better than what i have been listening to lately

Good album; fresh sound. A few songs hurt my ears, e.g. conduit for sale, but worthy of another listen.

It’s an okay album. Missing a couple of real standout songs, but overall it’s good. 3/5 Might listen again

It’s alright.

I liked this one a lot more than their sophomore project that we did earlier this month. Might actually grow on me if I gave it a few more listens

I can see how they’ve influenced basically every band I love

Alt-rock in a similar vein to Pixies. There are moments where melody and hooks shine through, but the band mostly prefers to hide all that under feedback, noise, and shouting. They have a very loose style too. They like falling out of time with one another and creating a little chaos. There are plenty of moments that popped out at me, but overall it isn't exactly my taste. I'm not crazy about those talky-style vocals. A little more singing in the vocals would draw me in more.

There's a real charm to this sloppy, slightly out of tune at times indie rock (during the zenith of grunge). There's a really nice sound created here by the warbly guitars, the raw and dynamic vocals, and witty lyrics. I just started to get into Pavement last year and I'm glad that I'm getting this album after having some familiarity. I think their sound can stretch from soft/subdued, to raw/abrasive rather quickly and it was nice to have a bit of an understanding about what this one would sound like. It's a solid 3/5 for me. Not quite enough to get up into a 4, but great debut.

Not really my thing, but I can see the influence and the style.

Genre defining sound. Stephen Malkmus's voice is an acquired taste though.

This is a weird one to review. I played this literally 4 hours ago, and I remember enjoying it. However, beyond that, I’ve forgotten everything else about it. I guess there weren’t any standout songs that really captured my attention. It’s hard to rate this highly when it’s already fallen out of my brain, but I’m pretty sure I enjoyed it at the time.

didn't love it, didn't hate it kind of album.

Stephen Malkmus is great but I just don't really get Pavement. Like they make decent indie music but there's better versions of everything they do. I guess Pavement walked so everyone else could run?

It was not bad.

well done

I definitely see how this band was influential, and I'm surprised I hadn't heard of them. I didn't really care for this album.

Feels very 90s

A little too much chaos and noise for me

Not sure this list needs two Pavement albums. This one isn't quite as good as Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain for me, but is still quite listenable.

Reminds me of The Pixies. I like the energy, and some of the songs almost hooked me, but not quite there.

This was ok but not exceptional. Like s cross between Jesus and Mary Chain and the Pixies.

Messy in a kinda charming way. There’s a looseness to the playing that feels intentional, or at least confidently indifferent. Garage rock allergic to polish. Spins: 2 Playlist Additions: - Summer Babe (Winter Version) - Zurich Is Stained - Here

Middle of the road grunge, I enjoyed it but having reviewed Nevermind recently it doesn’t stack up that well as a comparison. Felt quite similar to the Stone Roses and I possibly liked some tracks better on this one, but it didn’t really capture me (nor did the Stone Roses album to be fair). Quite liked some of the slower songs though.

Missed this first time around on our group review. Never heard of this band to my knowledge. I find it odd I didnt connect with it as prime for me in my youth to have absorbed this and no reason on listening that I would have avoided it. I guess the main complaint I have is its decent music but it does lack variation. I can see how listening to the album unless I was paying attention it might just pass me by without me wanting to engage. To be this throttles its appeal. I may come back to this band to explore some more mind.

I’ve got nothing, is it generic or am I just at a loss of words, that is the question.

I feel like I “should” be a Pavement fan because they’re a cool 90s indie band with a cult following. I’ve just never been able to get into them beyond the “hits.” This record is the most Gen X slacker thing I’ve ever heard. To its detriment for me… Stephen Malkmus sounds so bored and disaffected most of the time that I can’t get engaged. Also there aren’t enough tunes here for me? But I also didn’t hate it or anything. One thing that’s fun about this 1001 albums project is picking up on the influence between bands. There’s a lot of Sonic Youth in this record. And Pavement influenced Spoon, Sloan, Yo La Tengo (mutual influence I’d say), and Blur’s lo-fi post-Britpop phase. Also when I heard the outro to Trigger Cut/Wounded Kite at :17 it made me think Elastica based a whole song (Line Up) on it. Best songs: -Summer Babe (Winter Version) - That is such a funny title. -Zurich is Stained -Here

I think I finally get Pavement? For a while now, I’ve been a fan of the big songs, but the albums have always alluded me. I know they’re “classics” and on paper they’re right up my alley, but they just never hit for me. I’ve even listened to this very album multiple times over the years and felt nothing… until now. Finally, I get it. They were right. I was wrong. It’s a great record. I actually listened to it 4 times in one night. I love the snarky lyrics. I love the weird catchy humming/whistling/oooo-ing bits. Malkmus is like a more literal, sarcastic 90s Lou Reed and it’s great. The hooks are unconventional but very sticky and it feels like there’s one buried in every track if you’re open to digging around. Writing a catchy verse is an underrated skill, and Stephen does it regularly. His words just have a momentum to them that drives the tracks forward. I love the screechy, primal screams. I love the rumbling, prominent bass lines. They’ve really nailed the neurotic slacker vibe on this album. My main knock against the album is that it’s very front loaded. The first 7 songs are much stronger than the second 7, except for Here which is probably my favourite song on the album. I wish they’d spread out some of the catchier tracks and maybe cut a couple tracks from the back half. There’s no bad songs exactly, just some that are lacking in comparison to the highlights. For this reason, it’s probably a 3.5 for me? I’ll put it to a 3 for now. I think over time it will grow on me even more. I’m definitely going to listen to this album more and dig through their discography again. Highlights: Here - This song is beautiful. Such a sad, pretty vibe. My favourite song on the album for sure. Summer Babe - catchy yet abrasive, fuzzy and warm. Love it. Love lyric: “eating her fingers like they’re just another meal” Trigger Cut/Wounded-Kite - amazing chorus, so catchy. The verse to the pre chorus to the chorus… there’s just so much momentum being built. It’s enthralling. No Life Singed Her - love the weird screams contrasted by the sweet verses In the Mouth a Desert - love the ooooos that follow the guitar lead Weird note: Zurich Is Stained - I don’t understand how this is the most streamed song from this album. It’s a good track, but it doesn’t scream pop hit to me.

fun album.

mid

Visst!

its not as good as i remembered.

Whiny white boy music. Which means I’m going to like it. Except for a couple of songs I don’t find this exceptional but it’s solid. 3/5

Felt like knock off pixies… and I like the pixies, so this was fine

2000s indie rock. Dirty and edgy.

Some primordial grunge sounds. Interesting but not fully baked.

First time hearing Pavement, which is a boring band name. The music just doesn't seem interesting enough to be on this list. I remember one song had some screaming obscenities, but other than that, the singer sounded uninterested, and the music was ok.

The Squid blueprint

3/5

enjoyed the messier tracks more, not too captivating tho

S'ok

Indie-Rock mir stellenweise interessanten Verläufen und leider auch ab und an eher Krach. 3/5

A ’90s album with everything good — and not-so-good — about ’90s rock. Some songs are more charming than others, but overall, many aren’t ones I’d revisit. I really wanted to like “In the Mouth a Desert,” which probably had my favourite instrumentals on the album, but the vocals didn’t quite land for me. Maybe that off-kilter vocal style is part of the charm for some, but it felt a bit too mismatched here. I do enjoy unconventional sounds, but I guess I prefer when it’s the instrumentation that’s offbeat — or if the vocals are slightly off-time yet still tonally strong. If that makes sense. “Conduit for Sale!” is probably my favourite track. It took me right back to ‘90s indie rock and had the kind of nostalgic punch I didn’t know I was craving. The album is cohesive and blends together well, which I appreciated. The first time I listened, there wasn’t a single track I truly enjoyed — but after a few listens at different times, something clicked. What won me over were the lo-fi alternative rock elements. Nothing overly complex, yet still interesting. The album title really encapsulates the vibe: whimsical and off-kilter, stripped down and lo-fi, but uniquely compelling with all its ‘90s quirks. It makes sense why it’s a must-listen. 3.5/5 Standout Tracks: “Trigger Cut/Wounded-Kite at :17”, “Conduit for Sale!”, “Loretta’s Scars”

Really fucking weird album. Even though the vocals are really out of tune and it sounds terrible at times some of the songs have some kind of weird charm. I actually kinda liked trigger cut, in the mouth a desert, and here. Not really that terrible but at first listen it’s extremely odd. I might just be mentally ill that I like any of it though.

Listening to Pavement is like getting stuck in a gray cloud, you keep waiting for the sun to come out, but nope, just more mumbling and guitars that sound allergic to tuning.

Sounded like fairly typical 90's alternative. Nothing really stood out to me.

Slanted And Enchanted wasn't an album i hated but i didn't really love it either. Typically, i am quite a fan of this rough indie rock style that this album is going for but i just feel it could have been executed quite a bit better. The music is mostly good but sometimes, it could get a little noisy and had a few questionable moments. But the main thing that hampered my enjoyment of this album is the singer's voice. I feel like he gets a little too into it and it makes some of the songs get kinda annoying. Like i said, i didn't hate this album as there were some solid songs but i just feel that too many things hold it back for me. Best Song: No Life Signed Her Worst Song: Chesley's Little Wrists

Naja. Kein besonders guter grunge

This sounds like Weezer for people who think Weezer are too mainstream, with a little hint of punk squeezed over the top like the shitty rotten piece of lemon you get with your fish & chips at the local smoko shop. There was some nice moments on here, but for the most part I found this very generic and forgettable. I'm sure at the time this was groundbreaking, but unfortunately this sound of music has been done to death. In The Mouth Of A Desert seems to be the standout track here for me. Whilst I enjoyed the very obviously 90's rock, I couldn't get behind the shitty lyrics and the singer isn't too crash hot either. I probably sound overly critical here, but I will emphasise that I didn't hate this, it was just too generic and ultimately uninteresting for me to go crazy for. I do reckon I'd have a blast listening to this live at a pub or something, because this definitely sounds like a band you'd hear out at your local.

Second time properly sitting down and reviewing this album and I was really excited cause previously I thought it was "just good" with a couple banger singles I keep returning to. Unfortunately I feel mostly the same this time around but enjoyed the back of the album a whole lot more. It opens really well but the track just quite have the oomf for me to give it a like. No life singed her, Conduit for Sale and Fame thrower are all still great and I have a heightened appreciation for Jackals this time around. But overall still just a good album. Nothing more, nothing less. 7/10

This is ok, if unremarkable. I don’t get why this has been singled out for inclusion ahead of many other identikit indie rock albums that sound like they are from The OC OST.

music for blobs who feel like being blobs

"Can I listen to this and still enjoy it if I like the music but hate the lead singer's voice" final boss. 2.5

We found this a little unremarkable but not unenjoyable.

Pavement is one of these cult following bands before my time. Fame Throwa is cool. Jacks, False Grails: The Lonesome Era is also cool. This is cool garage rock but i don't see how these guys became a phenomenon on this.

This is a fine listen, but I don’t really get the hype. The singing feels low-effort and lazy, which gives it a certain slacker charm, but also makes it hard to fully connect with. The rough, lo-fi sound has its moments, but overall, it just doesn’t blow me away.

One of those bands where it's definitely not for me but I can kind of get the appeal. Sounds a lot like Sonic Youth which is another band I feel that way about. "Conduit For Sale!" has a great example of this where he just yells "I'm trying" over and over again. I found it annoying after about the third time but I can see being enjoying the repetition if you're into it in the first place.

The most 90's album of all time

Good music, annoying vocals.

Ok

-so this isn’t hugely my kind of music so I fear I’m not super qualified to give a review. it wasn’t bad! idk I would prefer to listen to this again because I feel like some of it was underwhelming to me -there were good moments though. Jackals, False Grails was a definitive highlight. I love that guitar -Favorites are Conduit For Sale! and Jackals, False Grails: The Lonesome Era

I’ve heard some of their other stuff during high school. They’re not bad!

Some decent indie music. My first time hearing Pavement. I would check out more in the future.

Pretty classic them. Good sound, fun music, but not exactly the most technically inspiring stuff.

The songs on this album are just short of being very good.

3. So meh

indie

Maybe a sidewalk? Noisey niceness.

I hadn't heard this before, on first listen it's fairly generic early 90s American indie shoegaze grunge rock. It's listenable enough, but no earworms.

Hade kunnat vara en fyra i ett annat universum.

This had me very conflicted. In one way it was everything I should like, but that’s because it seemed to rip off everything I do like. They seem to be trying a little too hard to be the Velvet Underground. I remember them from back in the day, but I don’t think they ever completely grabbed me. They feel too derivative to score highly but there was nothing I objected to. It should be a 2.5 but for the fact that I wasn’t pulling my hair out and actually had to listen a second time which wasn’t a chore.

A musical journey in the wayback machine to the early 90s! I feared this was gonna be heavier than what I heard. I enjoyed this.

Wild, simple

A slacker's review for a slacker's album.

It is definitely in the wheelhouse of things that I would listen to, but it seems like Sonic Youth lite. I have heard them off and on through the years but never anything made me want to buy an album. Always think of their cover of No More Kings from the Schoolhouse Rock ROCKS album whenever I hear them.

Okay, next…

Good! Favorite tracks: - Two States - Perfume-V

In my country Pavement were one hit wonders with the song Cut Your Hair in the late 90's. Never having heard anything else by them I was curious to hear what they had to offer with this album. After listening it's fairly obvious why they only had the single hit, as there is nothing here with the hooks or catchiness that I was expecting. (Although some bits come close to that greatness, In The Mouth A Desert for example.) I guess they were pioneers of this sound, although I'm not sure tbh. This is a decent album but I wouldn't say amazing.

Pavement is well played but I'm just not that big on the vocals or the lyrics. I do enjoy how it's played though. 3-3.5

Enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Don’t judge a book by its cover

I thought this was a decent album. I give it a 3

Jeg gad godt høre et pavement men en anden sanger, for ham her er for mumlende, og stenet desværre.

This is fine. There is a demographic for this kind of rock and I was friends with that demographic, but never a part of it. It never bothers me to hear when I'm passing through but it's never feels as clever as they think they are.

I listened to this a few times. On paper I feel like I should be a Pavement fan. I like Dino Jr, Modest Mouse, Silver Jews, Elliott Smith, and others that seem to be in the same pool, but I just don't really care about them. For some reason they strike me as shallow. Like they try to hard to make it seem like they don't care. Idk I guess my gut is judgmental about them. I'm positive they don't care if I'm a fan or not. Is that really the correct spelling of judgmental? dgm

Interesting to hear some early grunge. Seems like a proto Nirvana or local H type vibe.

First song is pretty good. Most of the songs were pretty mid. In the Mouth a Desert was pretty good as well. Here is definitely my favorite song, honestly 5/5 for the genre and album. Jackals, False Grails: The Lonesome Era is also pretty good. One chorus with only 12 lines, but really subtle and really good instrumental by itself, 4/5. Our singer is pretty much as close as you can get to a perfect ending to an album. I really want to give this a 4/5, but I can't because of how forgettable some of the songs are, so 3/5 is where it is.

The album starts off with a pretty basic hook. Conduit For Sale! really caught my attention in this album for its uniqueness amongst the other songs and for that I’d give it a 5/5

Lo-fi 90s indie slacker rock with a rough, unpolished sound. Not immediately to my tastes, and it grew on me a little but not by a lot. I knew the song "Here" from a cover by Soccer Mommy, and that was (consequently) my favorite track off the album.

Enjoyed it

I like Pavement alright. No surprises here, I didn't love it, but thought it was some solid music.

3/5

Somewhere in between The Melvins and The Pixies with their own spin on things. Pavement is really good music in a greater scope of 1990's schlop (cough* grunge). Weird and disturbing enough to spark curiosity, artistic enough to facillitate taste, and the production value added makes it very listenable with pop tonalities making punk pretty digestable.

Pretty cool but many of the songs were a bit noisy and didn't hit as much for me.

3 stars

So I completely thought Pavement was somebody else. I'd never heard this before, and it's just OK for me. I guess a 3 so far listening about 1/2 through the album. Nothing has really grabbed my attention yet. Loretta's Scars is alright "Here" sounds a lot like Lou Reed to me Jackals, False Grails is alright I think this is a 3 for me.

i think i need some more time with this one 3.5

Decent 90’s alt that I hadn’t heard before. If you don’t like 90’s alt, you probably won’t like this. But if that is your style this is definitely worth a listen.

Ok

Something new for me. Partly really good. Partly a bit boring. But in total ok.

I think I would have really liked this in a different time of my life or some other context. It reminded me of other stuff I liked in the past.

Not bad but I much prefer Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain.

It was ok

Kinda kooky alt rock/punk, Steven Malkmus has a distinctive voice. I really tried to get into Pavement multiple times and they are just alright for me.

Trigger cut a stand out - listened to a few times and it became better and better each time

good sidewalk music. music for sidewalks

Mostly throwaway trashy vaguely grungey 90s rock, but it had its moments. Zürich Is Stained and Loretta’s Scars were really good. Sort of like Pixies or Smashing Pumpkins but with less oomph and madness.

I was never a big fan when Pavement first hit the scene. I have revisited on occasion since, and Malkmus did quite a nice folky solo thing fairly recently. But ultimately while there is a certain charm to Pavement, I don’t fall head over heels in love with their sort of slacker sonic youth esque sound. Same applies for this album. Maybe 3 tracks grabbed me, Perfume-V was cool, but otherwise it’s not that interesting. It did make me want to wear a checked shirt though, so that’s something.

A lot of this just went nowhere. No hooks, melody, nothing memorable. Jangly noise with someone talking. I can see the influence but the honed version other bands and even other pavement albums put out were better.

I know these guys are important in 90s indie rock (and I liked their other album) , but this was just down the line for me. Nothing amazing.

Not bad. Some of the songs were pretty good.

Honestly had me jamming a bit at times

I always want to like Pavement. And then I listen to them, and never wind up enchanted. Most of the time I just don’t get the appeal of lo-fi rock. “Let’s make it sound lousy and muddled on purpose!” Apparently Paul McCartney is to blame? Just learned that from his debut solo album. It’s weird, though, because modern lo-fi music is chill and relaxed and made on computers so it doesn’t sound like it was recorded underwater or in a closet.

The weight feels good, heavy. Although both the energy and vocals are mid.

don’t mess around in the stockton hood 😡

1/2

I can see why people love this album and it should be one that I really enjoyed but I didn't. I don't know why but it just didn't hit the spot for me. Think it may be my age as am sure I would have loved this if I had bought it when it was released, I was 20 then 52 now.

Decent indie, not super catchy

Favourite track: In The Mouth A Desert.

A great example of early 90s indi alternative. This is a good album with a few good innovative songs on it. I'm giving this a 3 as it may not be accessible to some due to its raw nature. A personal favorite of mine tho.

Not quite my style but I still liked some of it!

Very cool selection. It's not among the best of the grunge era, but it definitely pushes the slacker mentality. Love it's influence on future work but in itself it gets a 3

Quite alright - slightly fuzzy indie rock

Several dear friends of mine love Pavement, so it doesn't really give me enjoyment to not get anything from them. I think this is pleasant enough, but I struggle to retain anything from it. The music, and also the vocals, feel maybe too sleepy/slacker-y for me. I like the song 'Jackals...'

3.5

Mid

I think it's pretty good, but I don't think I'm as interested in it as I was in the last Pavement album my group got. Maybe because I can pin it more to the 90's, whereas they'd achieved something not as easily pinnable on their follow-up? I don't really find myself as interested in interrogating as I did the last time. I'll nod, acknowledge that it had some nebulous good influence on indie that I don't have the experience to figure, and say that there's quite a few moments and a couple of songs on here that I enjoy, but I can't do much more than that. It's a "minimum 3 and no lower" in my eyes.

I’m at a 3. It’s not a bad album, but there’s just nothing super appealing about it to me; there’s good tracks here, but it’s very hard to get a real sense of a defined style and tone of this album. I’m a sucker for variety, but sometimes this album switches really harshly in terms of its tones, going from softer acoustic-driven stuff to harsh electric that’s really oddly mixed on a dime, and that leads to a real lack of cohesion that just sort of sours the album as an experience. I don’t think there are any bad tracks here, but I just think the structure of the album in terms of this track order doesn’t work very well, and as far as the songs themselves go, I just don’t think many of them were as captivating as they could be. Obviously, this is their debut album, so I’ll go easier on them, but from what I remember of Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain, all the “flaws” (decisions I disagree with, really) were a lot more ironed out on that record, and it just made for a much tighter album that felt more cohesive. Ultimately, this is fine, and it’s really solid 90s rock. Someone will get more out of this than I did, and I can easily see someone giving this a 4 or a rather generous 5, but I don’t think it’s any lower than a 3. I liked a lot of what’s here, it just wasn’t THAT good to go any higher than a 3. It’s way fucking better than Haute de gamme, at least.

It's ok, can definitely see it's influence on other bands. Enjoyed it more than I thought I would. 2.57

This album is an indie rock staple, but I’m honestly not that crazy about the songwriting here, even if the raw sound is inviting

3/5

Legal. Alternativo

This is undoubtedly a great album, and I do like it, but I feel like I need more time with it. I've heard it five or six times before and as much as I like it, it never hits that higher level for me. After I pulled it here I listened to it three times and gave it a couple extra days just to be fair. Every time I'm just waiting for it to "click" with me and it never does. Maybe one day. *Heard before

There were a couple of good indie rock hits, but the album itself lacked the coherence to be an enjoyable listen.

The floor for 90’s alt rock starts at 3 stars for me. Haven’t heard of these guys but they seem to be pioneers. A couple moments of screamo I didn’t appreciate, but overall solid album. Kinda had a Cake vibe.

A little punk rock soft grunge. Can always get behind it as a 90s kid. That said, it isn’t standout by any means

Listenable, but not amazing.... 3 out of 5 stars would not listen to again

This album defines good not great. It sounds like any radio rock song from the 90s/00s. Maybe if I was coming of age in that era and desperate for stuff like this I would like it, but it just seems unremarkable to me.

So I did get a chance to listen to this album twice...and it was worthwhile. Wiki calls this album a forerunner to Indie to come in the 90's. I can see that in the songwriting and instrumentation. But the crappy vocals hearken to a more Punk sensibility. However, it is a product of the grunge era and yet I feel none of that. Sometimes it feels forced and contrived. But despite being a bit of an oddball, it somehow works well a lot of the time.

Sometimes I forget this list is supposed to be enjoyable.

Classic shoegaze

Kinda reminded me of Marc Bolan and like a 90s T Rex. Which I liked!

Better than the first listen years ago.

Mukiinmenevä indielevy! 3/5

better than you

Pretty solid early indie rock album. Nice sound, not much to complain about. Could listen again

A culmination of style. Vocals and instrumentation bathed in 60’s sensibility. True Indy rock with a wild and fun sound

7/10 I knwo of Pavement as a concept but don’t really know their music, so this was fun. Pretty nice This album/time is clearly at an interesting nexus musically - it draws upon punk, rock, indie, noise and spits it out into a melodic thing that clearly evolves into genres like grunge, indie etc. in the 90s. Clear to hear this DNA in lots of stuff after I’m a big fan of late 90s/early 2000s Blur, and this is clearly a key text for them Vocals are good, almost a Lou Reed quality at some points Drumming is nice and really well recorded on this record Sometimes it ends up a little bit too much noise and not every song is a complete idea Best: Trigger Cut / Wounded-Kite at :17

Kind of gritty noisy rock, I liked some tracks, others not so much. Stand-out: Trigger Cut

Never really listened to this band but love 90’s and some indie/alt rock. Was like a breath of fresh air after listening to a run of serious albums. Not sure if this an essential album but still good nonetheless. Will be listening again.

Pretty interesting. Shannon might like

Def enjoyed this way more this time around. A lot more saves. Conduit for Sale continues to be absolute bopperoni n cheese. Some lows tho so we’ll toss her a 3

Decent 90s indie stuff

fairly middle of the road early 90's alt rock grungey sound. also, fairly forgettable

Very 90s here

Yup this one sounds a little like a toned-back Sonic Youth

'Summer Babe' & 'Here' are really great and I love the unpolished lo-fi slacker sound. I do find with any left-field or experimental music that not everything lands with me, but that's ok. When it does land it's totally worth it. 3 Stars (8/15)

01) Summer Babe (Winter Version) - 7,5 02) Trigger Cut / Wounded-Kite at :17 - 7,0 03) No Life Singed Her - 7,0 04) In the Mouth a Desert - 6,5 05) Conduit for Sale! - 6,5 06) Zurich Is Stained - 7,0 07) Chesley's Little Wrists - 5,0 08) Loretta's Scars - 7,0 09) Here - 7,0 10) Two States - 6,5 11) Perfume-V - 6,5 12) Fame Throwa - 6,5 13) Jackals, False Grails: The Lonesome Era - 6,5 14) Our Singer - 6,5 TOTAL: 6,64 (66/100) It started interesting, continued boring.

Never could get into Pavement. Not sure why, really.

I didn’t enjoy this one too much.

I've often heard Pavement (and this album specifically) listed as one of the biggest influences of some of the 90s/00s indie bands I really like. I can see where those influences lie, and there's a couple songs on here I do really like, but the album as a whole is just too uneven with a couple legitimately awful tracks.