Reviews (page 2 of 8)
reorients away from the Mark E Smith By Way Of Hazy Watercolor of the debut towards something even more eclectic but fundamentally a prototypical "slacker" vibe...clearer and less dreamy, while still being rickety and understated. it's an approach that historically hasnt been my bag, but its impossible for me to not love this for a couple reasons. (1) while i might still prefer slanted and enchanted as of right now, its hard to argue crooked rain isnt an escalation in pure genius-per-second songwriting ability...comprehensible without being formulaic, gangly without being imprecise, eclectic without being incohesive, and a deeply comforting melodic sensibility i just cant get enough of. (2) the delightful shots of jazz and psychedelia continue the feeling from slanted and enchanted that there is no meaningfully constricting Limitations on their music...every idea works so effortlessly with each record's specific production style, perfect demonstrations of how much untapped space there is coloring inside these particular lines. (3) there is still something implacably potent ab this as an emotional object, tho i'd need to put in a lot more effort to articulate it any better. (4) malkmus is autistic okay.....he's Not Like The Other Gen Xers.......
A giant record in small circles. I feel like Pavement are low key underrated up to this day and can't figure out why. This has me hoping for a Silver Jews record on this list as well.
One of my favorite albums by one of my favorite bands. If you don’t know Pavement you should get acquainted
I owned and loved Slanted and Enchanted, so I am not sure why I never bought this one. I guess I just couldn't be arsed, which is probably in the spirit of the thing
Maybe one of the other Pavement albums has a stronger claim to this list but there’s still some real classics on this one.
Number: 95 Date: 04/07/2026 Artist: Pavement Album: Crooked Rain Crooked Rain Year: 1994 Genre: Lo-Fi Indie Rock Rating: 5 Notes: Before: ======= Nice, Pavement! How the heck did I leave this out of my favorites of 1994 list? During: ======= 4 Silence Kid 4 Elevate Me Later 3 Stop Breathin 5 Cut Your Hair 3 Newark Wilder 5 Unfair 5 Gold Soundz 4 5-4=Unity 5 Range Life 3 Heaven Is A Truck 4 Hit The Plane Down 4 Fillmore Jive ----------------------------------------------------- 4.06 WEIGHTED AVERAGE (accounts for song lengths) After : ======= Really close to a 5 but not quite. I give out very few 5's. Well, I listed to this a few days later and decided it's five. 5 my personal rating 5 suitability for this list 4 impact ----------------------------------------------- 4.7 composite rating
This is an instant classic to me. Great discovery
slacker rock my ass, these guys were doing anything BUT slacking (literally who gets up and decides "yeah im gonna make the indie band version of This Is Spinal Tap")
Hard to praise this enough. The typical lo-fi, slacker rock interpretation seems lazy and misguided. They are totally on top of their game, expressly calling the confines of polished, manufactured rock into question. Wry, cheeky, satiric, but not lazy, never misguided. By playing at the edges, they highlight that edge. Seems they are having fun, great fun. The 5 isn't evaluative--it's how much I love this.
Yeah, this is a great one. This one hit me at the right time and definitely influenced my songwriting and listening. It's more of a 4.5 for me because it peters out at the end there, but damn, the rest of those tracks are incredible. great lyrics.
気だるくも聞こえるけどその中で深い感情が伝わってくる最高のインディーロック。
PEAK INDIE ROCK. ÁLBUM ABSOLUTAMENTR FORMATIVO PARA LA HISTORIA DEL ROCK DESDE LOS 90 EN ADELANTE.
Listening to this after getting into Silver Jews really opens it up.
Probably my favorite Pavement album. Not sure I'd give it a 5, but it's closer to a 5 than a 4.
Studied shagginess, pop gems buried in layers of warm fuzz and disjointed tempos, ironic detachment and drawling vocals. The songs feel on the verge of collapse, stumbling forward, barely coalescing at the last minute, then finally settling into some thrilling, moody, dramatic passages that build and build until clattering apart.
My boys
One of my faves, like visiting an old friend
Bangerparade. Jeg gav også Slanted & Enchanted 5 stjerner, men den her er bedre.
Feels like a "best-of" album. But then I remember that Slanted and Enchanted also exists, which is also great. Can't justify giving this less than 5 ⭐️
rate your music loves this album. and they are right. 5/5
Very nice, ir jazziuko ir country ir t.t., luved it
LOVEDDD
One of my favorites
5 just for Cut Your Hair
You don't have to listen that closely to detect the melodies thru the noise, nor does it take much to locate the noise in the sweetness of the melodies, which spells out mastery to me. Like The VU, Pavement commands what can only be called sincere irony, that is, they're ironic about their insincerity - they actually care, they're only slackers in image. Stephen Malkmus is a bad singer in the same way that Lou Reed can't hold a note: it's a genuine ineptitude. And yet, he tries his ass off to carry a tune, thereby creating a climate of unwonted effort/labor. And when they're obscure, they're also funny: 'And I wouldn't want to shake their hands / 'Cause they're in such a high-protein land.' So what do you get? - light, heavy, funny, serious, jazz.
I don't have much to say. I loved this album
Complicatedly uncomplicated. This album is a perfectly realized amalgam of Pavement influence including The Fall (See Hit The Plane Down) Meat Puppets (See Elevate Me Later), Replacements (See Fillmore Jive and Range Life), Nirvana (See Unfair), classic rock and eighties indie rock. Somehow it all works. When this came out in 1994, I was already a fan. Like its predecessor Slanted and Enchanted, it took a few spins in order to catch the groove in this record. Cut Your Hair was immediate as was Gold Soundz. Unfair with its Nirvana sound and Range Life with the clear Westerberg influences were next. Those two songs unlocked the rest of the record. Quickly you begin to realize that it’s not the influences that catch your attention but that Pavement is something unique capturing a west coast vibe that permeates the record, leaving you feeling enamored with the whole thing. You also begin to understand that playing this record would make for a different live experience suited to small clubs and not stadiums. This was underground outsider music for people with short hair and glasses. Lollapollooza demonstrated that. I recall this record being huge on college radio and my playing the CD endlessly in my car. This record has aged beautifully, and on this listen, there are certain tracks that hit me differently than in 94. Elevate Me Later, Range Life and Unfair now standout. I have played this over the years at various points some more than others. This will begin the cycle again. As Young, the original drummer said: That idiot Malkmus is a complete songwriting genius. 5/5
#238 Crooked Rain Crooked Rain ~ Pavement By the end of the decade, Pavement was considered the most consistent band of the 90s as well as one of the obscenely greatest bands ever, talked about in the same lengths as the Talking Heads and the Velvet Underground prior. And this monster of an album was the gold mine. And as always, this was because they stopped their noise rock shenanigans, unlike their friends Sonic Youth and Hole, and instead embraced a more direct, Dylanesque, poppy fuzzy folk rock that spawned a million imitators from the White Stripes to Wilco to the Strokes to Blur to Courtney Barnett to Animal Collective to Broken Social Scene etc. etc. etc. Basically every indie band from then on sounded like this. Alongside these folk rock freakouts is the songwriting drawl of Stephen Malkmus, a not so serious lyricist who has a playful use of words. His songs absolutely rejected professional standards, being recorded dirt cheap with second hand equipment on a measly budget, something picked up later on by the 2000s rock bands. And these songs were steeped in sarcasm, caustic wit and a acidic indifference to mainstream trends. Some were subtle in approach like Cut Your Hair, which made fun of the commercial nature of rock and pop music at the time. Others were mocking callouts to specific bands, how you really couldn't give a fuck about anything the Smashing Pumpkins said, or how the Stone Temple Pilots looked a little bit slutty and foxy. But most of the time, these songs were about himself, and how he just really couldn't give a fuck about anything, cause he just wants to have fun. A mix of the Beach Boys, Bob Dylan and the Fall. This was the sound of Pavement.
I'm rounding up because it was so good.
Love. Another band I discovered at the exact right time. Gives me a great feeling, like a couple of my best friends came over with their instruments and we were just having fun drinking beers and making our own music after work.
Terrific songwriting
I like 90s alt music. Listened to this twice, liked it even more the second time.
Oh look, it's the exact kind of music I like! I can't speak to whether this is a 5-star album in ~music history~ or whatever, but it's an easy 5 stars for me. God it just feels good to listen to. Really can't overstate how much Cut Your Hair is my jam. DID YOU SEE THE DRUMMER'S HAIR?!
Very cool albums, with deeper songs and other ones that are more playful like "cut your hair". I was very happy to have a deeper dive in this band's music.
To be honest, I really didn’t like Slanted and Enchanted and wasn’t excited at all to jump into another album. But wow, this completely blew my expectations away. What a great opening track. “Silence Kid” immediately sets the tone with those cool, distorted, slightly crooked sounds that feel both loose and intentional. Their music fits the artwork perfectly, like it all comes from the same strange, half-broken world. Pavement has such a unique and experimental sound. It feels like a mash-up of genres that shouldn’t work together but somehow does. This was a genuinely fun album to listen to front to back. There are a couple of minor duds near the end, “Heaven Is a Truck” and “Hit the Plane Down.” If those were cut, this would easily be a 10 out of 10 for me. Still, this album is iconic, distinctive, and clearly built to last. I’ll be coming back to it again and again. 9.5/10
For my birthday, 1001 albums generator got me one of my favorite albums by one of my favorite bands. It’s a flat out classic banger. Probably not to everyone’s taste but definitely to mine. Thanks 1001 albums generator!
Loved this listened to the whole thing
Perfect musical manifestation of 90s indie culture.
Pavement remains one of the most underrated rock bands of the 90s.. or (I'd argue) any decade. There is an unappreciated brilliance to Malkmus' frequently nonsensical lyrics. They manage to carry a weight to them without forcing any particular meaning. The band has always had the Californian "slacker" vibe to them. And while it's maybe not quite as apparent on this album as it was on their debut album, you can tell they aren't aiming for perfection...which makes their sound organic and authentic. Favorite Track: "Elevate Me Later"
hey, I've got this one on vinyl!
Not reading the public reviews for this one. Don't need that in my life. A nearly perfect synthesis of most of the major alt-rock sounds of the early 90s. Malkmus' voice is awesome, affected cool with enough range to hit some delicate emotional notes with guitar work that catches the little emotional nuances in the often distant, opaque songwriting. People call Pavement ironic when there's very much a bleeding heart tucked into many of the songs. Best Tracks: Cut Your Hair, Unfair, Newark Wilder, Hit The Plane Down, Silence Kid, Range Life Best Tracks Off Extended Version (LA's Desert Origins): Bad Version of War, Tartar Martyr, Strings of Nashville, Kennel District, Same Way of Saying, Camera, Ell Ess Two making me pick my favorite child smdh
Listened 5 times today. 10/10. I’ve finally come around to Pavement (at least for this album).
(Been gone too long. I have SO MUCH to catch up on...doing my best!) I've never sat through this entire album despite thinking "Cut Your Hair" is possibly the song that defined the 90s sound. This album is GREAT! I need to get this one into the collection. Just fun, loud, noisy fun. Almost a continuation of the Replacements--if the replacements had brought in new guitarist Nigel Tufnel and stayed around thru the 90s (the analogy makes sense in my head...)
Jeg kom sent til Pavement. Prøvde meg først med Slanted & Enchanted og Wowee Zowee, men det var lite som satt før jeg hadde hørt Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain et par ganger og Range Life plutselig dukket frem fra ubevisstheten på et helt urelatert øyeblikk. Derfra ballet det på seg, og Crooked Rain har blitt et slags comfort album som jeg kan sette på til omtrent enhver tid eller anledning. Perfeksjon med unntak av Hit the Plane Down som er unødvendig slitsom på et album som er ellers ultra laidback og chill.
Burde ikke Pavement egentlig vært favorittbandet mitt? Jeg er overbevist om at dersom jeg hadde blitt frelst på ungdomsskolen hadde livet mitt sett helt annerledes ut. For eksempel hadde jeg nok hatt Macbook med klistremerker på. Hadde "Gold Soundz" eller "Cut Your Hair" vært like kule om et annet band hadde skrevet den? Er låta så god, eller er det soundet som gjør det? Det skranglete lydbildet appellerer til meg og er noe jeg ofte savner i nyere produksjoner. Som om det er bevis for at det er ekte.
A wonderful fusion of lofi, noise, folk, and country that stands with a legacy inspiring many modern creek rock groups like Wednesday. I find this album so easy to adore
I really fucking loved this man. For the most part I was pretty solidly at a 4 while listening -- a perfect example of true indie-rock, and sort of that early Radiohead vibe that I just adore. And then they hit us with "5-4=Unity." Suddenly, this isn't just another indie album. Suddenly, they're trying something interesting and musically different. And it may not be the best song ever, but it's certainly cool as hell. Hence the five star rating: a slam-dunk indie-rock record with a little seasoning to push it above the crowd. Not a huge fan of "Heaven Is a Truck" or "Hit the Plane Down," but I'm giving it a pass.
One of the most important indie records of all time. All killer, no filler. 10/10
Zeitgeist Of the slacker 90s
I kept going to this really progressive jail where I'd meet up with old friends and celebrities from the 80s. The were also doing experiments with lsd
the 90s called, and they love this shit. we talked for hours, it was nice hearing from them.
Pavement's best record. The archetype for all modern California rock bands, with their untuned guitars and equally untuned singer, you really think somebody would've written a better indie tune than "Cut Your Hair" by now (spoilers: nobody has).
My favorite Pavement album.
Not simply slacker rock… whatever that term means… this expands on their first album adding elements of Jazz, country and explorations into a music scene where they are finding success and unease. They explore the stupid teenage allure of Rock stardom and the desire to also make art that is associated with a fading genre.
I just listened to Wowee Zowee the other day, not sure that one made this list but I’m glad at least Crooked Rain did. This album is Pavement at their best, I love their other albums but there’s just something about this album. They struck gold on this one.
The sloppy guitar solo on Cut Your Hair. Stephen Malkmus not even remotely hitting the high notes in the chorus of Range Life. The sporadic 'Ta!'s in Elevate Me Later. The rendition of Take Five that would make Dave Brubeck throw up in his coffin. I don't care what anyone else says, but to me, *that* is real beauty.
Simultaneously lazy, meticulous, sloppy, and masterful, "Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain" is an excellent representation of Pavement itself. The contradictions are the magic. To see the band onstage, the parts don't look like they should work together. Stephen Malkmus projects boredom and abject carelessness, while Bob Nastovich plays the role of hyperenergetic hype man. The guitars, bass, and drums alternate between frenetic noisemaking and stoney shoe-gazing. Either you like it or you don't. It's not for everybody, but I think it's amazing.
I love this album so much!
Marvelous.
Probably the best American band of the 1990s just don't ask The Fall's Mark E. Smith who considered them a "rip off" of his band's mid 1980s work and was once quoted as saying "They haven’t got an original idea in their heads." while no doubt they were influenced by The Fall they certainly are not a 'Fall Worship Band' and have their own sound- so there, Mr. Smith! Definitely THE indie rock band of the 20th Century. There are few bands that can tell you everything there is to know about a genre with one album. Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain is such an album. Pavement is indie rock, indie rock is pavement. Yeah. Perfect soundz forever.
"I'm just a boy with a new haircut" - love Pavement.
**In-Depth Review: *Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain* by Pavement** Released in February 1994, *Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain* is Pavement’s second studio album and a landmark in 1990s indie rock. It marked a shift from the lo-fi, Fall-inspired chaos of their debut *Slanted and Enchanted* toward a more melodic, accessible, and polished sound—though “polished” in Pavement terms still means gloriously off-kilter. --- ### 🎸 **Musical Style & Production** Musically, *Crooked Rain* is a melting pot of indie rock, post-punk, country twang, and art-rock experimentation. The album trades the murky, tape-hiss aesthetic of *Slanted* for a cleaner, more dynamic sound. Guitars jangle and crunch in equal measure, melodies are more pronounced, and the rhythm section—now with Steve West on drums—locks into a laid-back but purposeful groove. Producer Bryce Goggin and the band itself handled production duties, achieving a balance between structure and slack. Tracks like “Gold Soundz” and “Cut Your Hair” shimmer with pop sensibility, while others like “5-4=Unity” and “Hit the Plane Down” delve into jazz-rock and noise-rock territory. The result is a record that feels both spontaneous and meticulously crafted. --- ### 📝 **Lyrics & Themes** Stephen Malkmus’ lyrics are characteristically cryptic, ironic, and littered with cultural references and inside jokes. Themes range from the absurdity of the music industry (“Cut Your Hair”) to suburban ennui, nostalgia, and the disillusionment of post-adolescence. Lines like *“You can never quarantine the past”* (“Gold Soundz”) encapsulate the album’s preoccupation with memory, identity, and the passage of time. “Range Life” is both a laid-back country-rock tune and a sly critique of alt-rock stardom, name-dropping Smashing Pumpkins and Stone Temple Pilots in a way that’s both humorous and pointed. The lyrics often feel like fragmented thoughts or overheard conversations, but they resonate emotionally, especially when delivered with Malkmus’ detached yet expressive vocal style. --- ### 🎶 **Key Tracks** - **“Silence Kid”**: A bold opener with interlocking guitars and a sense of urgency. - **“Cut Your Hair”**: A sarcastic jab at image-obsessed music culture, wrapped in a catchy hook. - **“Gold Soundz”**: Arguably the band’s finest moment—wistful, melodic, and emotionally resonant. - **“Range Life”**: A country-tinged reflection on fame and authenticity. - **“Fillmore Jive”**: A sprawling, surreal closer that laments the death of rock ‘n’ roll. --- ### 🌍 **Influence & Legacy** Despite modest sales, *Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain* became a touchstone for indie rock. It helped define the slacker aesthetic of the '90s and influenced countless bands, from Modest Mouse and Built to Spill to Parquet Courts and Car Seat Headrest. Its blend of irony, melody, and DIY ethos made it a blueprint for indie rock’s evolution into the 2000s. The album also elevated Matador Records’ profile, bridging the gap between underground and mainstream without compromising artistic integrity. It proved that indie bands could be catchy, subversive, and emotionally complex all at once. --- ### ✅ **Pros** - **Melodic Accessibility**: More tuneful and structured than *Slanted*, without losing edge. - **Lyrical Depth**: Malkmus’ abstract poetry invites interpretation and rewards repeat listens. - **Genre Blending**: Seamlessly fuses rock, country, jazz, and punk influences. - **Emotional Resonance**: Beneath the irony lies genuine melancholy and nostalgia. - **Influence**: A foundational indie rock record that shaped the genre’s future. --- ### ❌ **Cons** - **Obscurity**: The lyrics can feel too opaque or smug for some listeners. - **Inconsistency**: The album’s tonal shifts—while intentional—can feel disjointed. - **Slacker Aesthetic**: The deliberate looseness may come off as lazy or undercooked to those seeking polish or technical precision. --- ### 🏁 **Final Verdict** *Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain* is a masterclass in balancing apathy with artistry. It’s a snapshot of '90s indie culture—sarcastic, self-aware, and emotionally resonant. While not universally accessible, its charm lies in its refusal to cater to expectations. It’s a record that rewards patience, curiosity, and a love for music that doesn’t take itself too seriously—even when it’s saying something deeply meaningful. **Essential Listening for fans of:** - Indie rock - Lo-fi aesthetics - Clever, cryptic lyricism - '90s alternative culture A cornerstone of indie rock that remains as enigmatic and enjoyable today as it was in 1994.
That Sloan concert was awesome! Can’t believe you guys walked out! I LOVE this album - so many great songs.
The indie band that started it all.
So so so much better than that last pavement album. And I didn’t think that other one was bad, this one was just great
Wow ok, this was a bit of a revelation for me - did not know this guys before, but it is probably in the better side of 90s music. This album appeals directly to my teenage self, angsty and edgy with some pretty epic song endings.
"So drunk in the August sun And you're the kind of girl I like Because you're empty, and I'm empty And you can never quarantine the past" Will take the reflective melancholy of Malkmus over the nihilism of Cobain any day.
The best of the best mid nineties indie
This album gets better with age.
Underrated band I love!! 5 *
You'd be shocked to hear that as a 35 year old man raised on indie rock who lives in Brooklyn, I very much love this album. 5/5
One of my favorite albums when I was a teenager was completely obsessed with the band . Still played regularly to this day
I love Pavement. I love how they don’t follow any conventional rules and they have some really deep and really wacky music. I think everyone should listen to Pavement at least once in their life. Silence kid, cut your hair, gold sounds, heaven is a truck, and range life are awesome :)
I love the jangly guitar, the dumpy singing, and almost every song on this record with the exception of Hit the Plane Down... too soon. I enjoy the general vibe of this whole album. 5/5
Brilliant, did nothing but listen to pavement all day after this.
Отличный альбом. Даже не ожидал от него такого, про группу ничего не знал, только пару раз слышал название. Все в балансе, эмоциональный и лоуфайный, иногда шугейзовый и шумный, иногда легкий и лиричный, всего в меру и как надо. Это один из лучших альбомов, что я послушал в этом генераторе.
Loved this!
awesomeness
i love this album. hopefully not the last pavement album on this list because theyre my absolute favorite band. this is an incredible album and the first that i got on vinyl in amoeba sf which is a lovely memory. Gold Soundz is definitely top 5 pavement songs it is THEEEEE alexa sterry summer song i wanna be so drunk in the summer sun and the kinda girl i like i love unfair bc go Norcal and its so appropriate for Cal since everyone is from LA but SF and betkeley are so much cooler and grittier and realer in my mind. silence kid is one of the best opening songs kinda ever. range life is so fire fillmore jive is a silly somber san fransisco number god its all so good and heaven is a truck is so beautifuk and lovely and CUT YOUR HAIR is a hit for good reason its so catchy and wonderful and fun and lighthearted but still has a little meaning and commentsry love it!!! god its so good i think gold soundz is the best track but theyre all pretty fuckin perfect and 5 + 4 = unity is probably the most tolerable musical interlude in an album uve heard this isnt even their best album, I thjnk, but its still an EASY 5 like all pavements stuff. love them and love stephen malknus played this on my soundburger annoyed by whole floor but worth it
classic pavement but also some interesting theme changez
vibrant, dynamic, underground rock of the nineties, beautiful melodies, has also folk country elements "Silence kid"/"stop breathin"/"cut your hair"
I should listen to more Pavement
pavement<3
ok fine yeah good
Perhaps the most important indy record of the 90's, bringing the alt / lo fi movement to the masses, and (speaking personally) changing the way I thought about rock music ever since ( and I was almost 30).
They did more of what worked on the debut. This is fantastic. Appropriately named band, this DOES sounds like pavement. The four track run to start the album is just “chefs kiss”.
a classic indie band album. I love this album. And of course it's hilarious too.
one of the greats
Having spent the last 30 years putting Cut Your Hair and Range Life on just about every mix tape and playlist I’ve made, it was nice to hear these songs in their natural habitat again. Slanted and Enchanted cropped up on this list the other day - both albums have served to remind me just how much I like Pavement.
Excellent album!
Pavement are one of the most consistent bands out there. If you love this album you will probably love their whole discography. Personally my favorite album by them is Brighten the Corners, so it is a little sad that one didn't make the list, but their early records are the most important so I understand why it was cut. There is something that is just so perfect with the simplicity of their music. High 5.
A masterpiece
I only knew one Pavement song before this so I was pretty happy with today’s pull. True indie rock here for the slacker generation. Seemingly all over the place, but they have a lot more skill than they seem to let on.
range life
Very weird, but in a good way.
Solid lo-fi album. This is a good combination of hooks and weird. I like it.
Loved it.
this is a cool album and i feel cooler for having listened to it. B) it's effortless, quintessential indie rock that rewards repeated listening and new discoveries. the lyrics are baffling in the best way. and unlike their contemporaries weezer, these guys HATE beverly hills. what a breath of fresh air! favorites: silence kid, elevate me later, stop breathin, cut your hair, gold soundz, range life
Top 5 from the 90s… Not everyone’s cuppa but works perfectly for my brain.
Such a great record, probably one I'll go back to over and over but somehow not their best, although their best changes from day to day or hour to hour
Another classic of indie rock. Pavement really have a remarkably consistent discography.
Somewhere between dinosaur jr and the replacements. Melancholy melody.
Very compelling album. I wish I never overlooked this one when I firdt listened to it ages ago.
Probably their best, at least, the most singular in its vision. A jazz album, almost, an alt country album, almost. An slacker anthem and defining message of its time. Utterly brilliant. Goodnight, to the rock and roll era.
I don't know why, but I associate Pavement with springtime. Perfect album for today.
Nirvana if they were chill
When I first heard this album years ago I think I hated it except for Cut Your Hair and Unfair. And now I think it’s a masterpiece.
One of those albums that you get prompted with and say to yourself “this looks like shit and so its going to sound like shit” After Silent kid and Elevate Me later, I thought this was Dinosaur Jr. By track 3 (Stop Breathing) I was hooked. By track 4 (Cut Your Hair), I thought I was deep in a Wilco album (how didnt that song top the alt charts back in 94?) 5-4Unity kind of pushed me over the edge with this stuff - out of nowhere we get jazz alt rock 😂 Range Life solidified it with a solid country twang tune How the heck did I miss these guys? This is up there with Nirvana/Meat puppets stuff for me (theres some Cobain squeaking that comes out of nowhere). And theyre some Stockton boys? Get the fuck outta here 😆 4.5 stars and rounding up. My one gripe is with Hit The Plane Down - 🤮
This is one of my favorites of all time, one of those albums that I can hear the next song in my head before it starts. Reminds me of post-college days living in Chicago, working my first real job, discovering new music and venues around the city. There was probably a several month stretch where I was listening to this album every day, these days probably only once a year, but I love it every time.
The greatest American band of the 90s and this is their best album. Brilliant start to finish. Fav tracks: Range Life, Gold Soundz, Silence Kit
Celebrating underachievement, but this gets an A+ from me: "Out on my skateboard, the night is just humming/And the gum smacks are the pulse I'll follow if my Walkman fades." I've never even been on a bloody skateboard but this conveys the vibe so well. (Also, I miss my Walkman.)
I only knew 'Cut Your Hair' and 'Range Life' before going into this one, but I have to say, I fucking loved it. Poppier and more laid back than its (enjoyable) predecessor, beneath the slacker vibe is some razor-sharp and at times unpredictable songwriting. I definitely think it's time for me to re-evaluate Pavement's catalogue.
This is #day196 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... it's a sunny February afternoon here in my hometown Lviv, the world is crashing down, but at least there's good music out there. Now, give me '90s American indie rock any day. Pavement... they must be one of the most entertaining bands in the genre: unconventional guitar play, offbeat melodies, and totally bizarre lyrics and songwriting all around. I’ve been aware of Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain since when I ran an indie music blog with a friend (which I mentioned in my Orange Juice review), but I’d never actually listened to it until today. Having done so, I can only say: yes, it's absolutely enjoyable. Guess I'll go crazy and give this a 5 out of 5. Can’t wait to revisit Slanted and Enchanted next (because I’m familiar with that one and know it's on the list). Looking forward to #day197.
One of best
A guitar album for people who hate guitar albums, and a whole bunch of nonsensical lyrics that remind me of driving around aimlessly in high school listening to this album.
This is an album and band I’ve listened to occasionally for a long time now, probably 15 years or so (didn’t know them as a kid in the 90’s). Crooked Rain and Slanted and Enchanted always found their ways to lists of albums I’d probably like, and the lists weren’t wrong. Crooked Rain Crooked Rain is a fantastic listen. It’s unmistakably Pavement, unmistakably 90’s indie rock. The jangly guitars leading the way on most tracks is a sound I’ve always been attracted to. Cut Your Hair is the band’s biggest single, and it’s always a catchy fun song. Gold Soundz and Range Life are the other two can’t miss highlights for me. I particularly love the latter: “if I could settle down then I would settle down” is such a great evocative line. So much to love on this odd little album.
As another rater noted, "Every time I listen to Pavement I think 'wow, I should listen to more Pavement.'”
Amazingly for me Pavement and Wilco appeared on this list within a week of eachother, as they were for a short while two of my favourite bands. In fact I’m pretty sure it’s because they both played Primavera one year and I became obsessed. Pavement are the best US indie/lofi/slacker/whatever you want to label them as band. I think they are probably like Velvet Underground in that whole thing of not everyone bought their records straight away, but those that did formed numerous bands. Hugely influential. Even listening to this now it’s mental to think it’s 31 year old. Totally timeless, total classic.
Been aware of pavement for ages but the few tracks id heard didn't land for me, think because it's not the sort of music that is made for immediate attention. Enjoyed this more and more as the album went on, it's sort of like the pixies in the sort of ramshackle DIY sounding indie sense but was a bit more eclectic/post rocky. Will definitely repeat this and almost certainly enjoy it more the next time. 4.5
Was looking forward to this when I saw it come up after their last album we've had. I think I enjoyed this more than the last. On paper this should be completely for me, but there is something that is stopping it clicking fully and I'm not quite sure what. Still very good though. Ignore that I've changed my mind.... It's a 4.5 but getting a 5 Highlights: Stop breathing Cut your hair Unfair Gold sounds Range life
An alt-rock indie classic. Angular, odd, white noise splashes, melodies, pop pretentions, funny and strange. Pavement were an important band in the 90s. I can see why people may not like them, but they're wrong. This is definitely an album to hear before you die. Best Tracks: Silence Kit; Cut Your Hair; Gold Soundz
i cravement the pavement
This is a really nice indie rock album. It feels mellow. A lot of music from today seems to feature a similar vibe to this album.
I see now where mj lenderman got it from
Great init
Easy 5 stars. The extras on the expanded edition are a 5 star album. rocks. (⌐■_■)
Pavement rules, this album rules. Apparently they have one more on the list—should be more, that’s for damn sure.
Pavement's Crooked Rain Crooked Rain is a delightfully playful, nonchalant and tasteful mix of catchy songwriting, solid grooves and enticing flow. They perform each song--tongue firmly in cheek--with an endearing laziness that encapsulates the entire album, yet never overstays its welcome. It is obvious that the landscape of indie-rock in the late nineties and subsequent decades pays homage to Pavement's sophomore album time and time again, including many of my personal favourites from those eras, and I will definitely be returning to this project many times in the future.
Very much my sort of thing, I saved some songs :)
Pavement has such a unique sound and vibe in the world of indie rock. Talented songwriting and always interesting instrumentals. I first heard these guys on the Mlb 2k6 soundtrack if you can believe that. Thanks game for shaping my tastes. Anyway this album rocks, never a dull moment
<3 Pavement
I've been waiting for this album :)
Strong and consistent song-writing from obviously the best American guitar band from the 90s. All 5 Pavement albums are 5 star and their singles/EPs contain many 5-star songs as well. Their music reminds me of Kevin Ayers albums in the sense that both Pavement and KA make their songs look so effortless.
Excellent songs performed with just the right attitude.
even after 15 years or so, this still gets better with every listen
A concept album about being a cool indie L.A. band.
Perfect record. Zero notes. KOREA KOREA KOREA
So good. So near to gift shop!!! Need to own on CD
Until recently, I had only heard of Pavement and a few of their albums. I’m glad I finally checked them out today! This album sounds great. The production is something to admire. I also love the drums and percussion on this thing; they sound so clean! There are also tons of good songs here, especially “Cut Your Hair,” “Range Life,” and the closer, “Fillmore Jive.” “Fillmore Jive” is amazing! “5-4=Unity” is a fun little jazzy instrumental as well. The piano is a nice touch on it. I like the guitar and bass work on this album too; the guitar tones are clean and distorted when they need to be. A good example of that is “Hit The Plane Down,” which is really raw with its sound and themes. The vocals are cool and memorable, albeit a little iffy sometimes. The lyrics are emotional and abstract, and they can pack a punch sometimes. The album also flies by; it did not feel like it was over forty minutes. Even if the songs can feel the same sometimes, I’m looking forward to listening to more from Pavement in the future. This was a fun listen! This is an indie classic for a reason, and I’d recommend it.
Piste incroyable sur piste incroyable, un album comme ça c'est rare putain :o On remarque une base slacker à la sonic youth, mais avec un effort inconsidérable sur les mélodies et le lyricisme.
Great album. Lots of dynamic range in terms of tempo and feel. Rang life, Gold Soundz, cut your hair, silence kid, and heaven is a truck are all winners. There are a few draggy spots but they set the table for the next course. I've been a Pavement listener for years and years but never really listened to whole albums undistracted and pointedly. I think I'll work my way through the catalog now. Very enjoyable experience.
It starts to sound remarkably like Wilco towards the end.
When I think quintessential Indie bands, Pavement along with Modest Mouse and Built to Spill are the bands that immediately come to mind. Stephen Malkmus earnestly guides us thru Crooked Rain, his distinct, slightly out of tune vocals work so well here. The music sounds murky and loose, I absolutely love the fun vibes on display here and I understand they're notably labelled a 'slacker' band but there is absolutely nothing slacking in Malkmus' guitar work, things can be floating along and suddenly he just rips into a frantic riff. This is awesome, Pavement is great. 5 stars
what can i say. i love da pavement. it took me a while to get there but i did eventually. i think this is their most listenable and cohesive album. fav tracks: well all of them actually. but specifically newark wilder; unfair; cut your hair; range life; fillmore jive; silence kit/d
Sigh. Peak indie music. Glorious!
I really loved the other Pavement album on this list from two years prior, Slanted and Enchanted. But I wasn't sure I was happy having this in the penultimate position on my 1001 journey. My doubts were unfounded. This album is even better than the previous. The songs are musically and lyrically wonderful - shambolically exquisite songs. I don't know how I lived without Range Life, but now that I know it it is one of my favorite songs! Totally terrific!
Of the garage bands, these were the best. And this was their best album.
It put my crying infant to sleep with no fuss, for that it gets 5 star
Always reliable. Just some of the best to ever do it.
We can talk about great 90s bands all day, and I'm not here to dispute that Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Nirvana, etc. were all great bands, but THIS band, Pavement, saved rock and roll. More importantly, they made it acceptable for thousands of bands to feel safe in making the music they wanted to make, without feeling like it needed to be professionally produced or polished. Pavement made it okay to just DO IT, which in turn, kept the genre not only alive, but moving forward. Plus the music itself is fucking great.
Not many bands can claim to be both one of the best bands ever and one of the coolest bands ever; Pavement can.
I'm glad my mindset is always that I haven't listened to enough Pavement.
This was fantastic. A really great indie, punk, experimental band to cleanse the palette. Really enjoyed
Great!!!
The best Pavement album? Probably. What a run of absolutely brilliant tracks.
Truly a masterpiece. Blew away the cobwebs of a Thursday morning. Amazing.
Maybe their best album -- certainly "Newark Wilder" is among their top three songs.
Another nineties masterpiece. Lively, messy, sarcastic, heartfelt, filled with lots of endearing details and downright elegiac *all* at the same time. Very American, conveying a feeling of wild open spaces only matched in older classic rock, but also winking at a lot of more recent influences from both sides of the pond. This records also abounds with lots of instantly memorable songs. "Silence Kid" is a lovable opener. "Elevate Me Later" has a killer, multilayered guitar riff. "Stop Breathing" is a lovely ballad under the guise of a topsy-turvy pile of disjointed elements -- rarely have awfully detuned strings on guitars sounded so frigging *right*, as can be heard in the suspenseful instrumental outro of this song. "Cut Your Hair" is the ultimate slacker anthem, hilariously making fun of indieheads while slyly paying tribute to them (and its "ouh-ouh-ouh-ouh" hook is infectious). "Gold Soundz"'s harmonies are the stuff indie-rock dreams are made of, thus creating a great "meta" song. "5/4=Unity" is a nice little tribute to Dave Brubeck, adding even more varied textures to the whole shebang. And "Range Life" is a folk-rock / country-rock masterpiece about life on the road when you're in a band, also poking fun at Stone Temple Pilots and the Smashing Pumpkins--who said only rappers could write diss tracks? Crucially, it takes someone with the genius of Stephen Malkmus to do it. As it takes someone like him to cover so many grounds and lyrical modes in the space of one album--not to mention one song. Finally, there's the epic closer "Fillmore Jive", conveying homesickness, nostalgia and fatigue in a manner that makes the whole thing sound like the ultimate transcendent experience. At heart, and behind the apparent slacker pose, Pavement were cunning and conniving romantics, if that turn of phrase makes sense (feel like Malkmus would approve its poetic / nonsensical / surreal flavor, at least). And the noisy, heartrending, abrasive, delicate, fragile and orgasmic climax of this wonderful cut proves it. Number of albums left to review: 197 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 347 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 202 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 255
Me encantó.
I really liked this album. I know few Pavement songs and have listened to them on shuffle, but this album was a really cool listen, will definitely return to it. Loved that it had the early 90s vibes but also some experimental vibes too.
Fillmore Jive, the album closer, just came on, and I'm grinning like I just found out I had a surprise party coming. This whole album, most of Pavement even, didn't come across my player when I was younger and they were working. Damn shame. I would have been such a fan. I'm listening to it now, though. And I'm now a fan.
Pretty good. I like the singles especially, and it has a good vibe while being more accessible than its predecessor.
Love this album. Something so effortlessly cool about it.
Never listened to a Pavement album before and this one has "Range Life," which of course caused a beef that neither Billy Corgan or Stephen Malkmus would contend was an actual beef. I guess they didn't hear that is how you are supposed to sell records, but of course, that song is about the entire intent of music is not to sell records. I really enjoyed this album and it feels like I had heard these songs before, as they were all familiar to me in some way. That's not a criticism, just an acknowledgement this fits in well with my current (and past musical tastes). It's R.E.M. for slackers and I enjoy it.
This one I really enjoyed, absolutely banging 90s alt that I love
Genius level stuff, lyrically and musically. Genre defining.
Good stuff
Na Funkadelic vinden we aan het andere uiterste einde van het weirdness spectrum de band Pavement. Nouja, ze waren eigenlijk zo extreem normaal dat ze de buitenbeentjes van de 90s rockwereld werden. In een decennium dat alternatieve rock de mainstream ging domineren, lieten bands als Nirvana, Pixies en Nine Inch Nails een vacuüm achter dat opgevuld diende te worden. Pavement deed dat met verve, en werd het vlaggenschip van de alternatieve tegenbeweging op alternatieve rock, if you follow me. Hun DIY ethics, rommelige lo-fi sounds en slackerige houding was wellicht net zo sturend voor de indie-boom van de zeroes als de prestaties van de zojuist genoemde bands. De down to earth frontman Stephen Malkmus connecte eigenlijk beter met de normale jeugd (vooral de witte suburbanites) dan dat de larger than life bands die MTV domineerden dat deden. De ''beste slechtste zanger'' van de 90s liet daarnaast zien dat een ieder met stembanden en een beetje humor de lead van een band kon worden, al doe ik zijn pen game daar te kort mee. Ik was zeer verheugd toen dit album op ons bordje kwam te liggen, als groots fan van Pavement. Om ze live te zien optreden was een mooie ervaring, maar eigenlijk moet je een album als deze luisteren op een kapotte, haperende Walkman. De intenties van Pavement om niet te conformeren aan radiovriendelijke richtlijnen zijn direct hoorbaar in de eerste chaotische worstelingen met hun instrumenten. Je kunt mij niet vertellen dat dit album niet in één stonede sessie is opgenomen in een benauwde garage in een Californische suburb, het druipt er vanaf. Maar 'Silence Kid' laat ook onmiddellijk de magie van deze groep ordinaire jongens zien, wanneer uit de ruïne van dissonantie opeens een aanstekelijke riff oprijst. En dan direct weer de wanklanken van Stephen eroverheen. Het is het thema wat dit album zo belachelijk interessant maakt, de spanningen tussen chaos en orde. 'Elevate Me Later' is 90s nostalgie verpakt in een song van 3 minuten. Het nummer bevat een overheerlijke The Fall-achtige gitaartoon, maar in plaats van de doom & gloom van de UK, wordt de teenage angst & melancholie van suburban USA bezongen. Met 'Cut Your Hair' komt Pavement het dichtst in de buurt van de publieke faam die verscheidene Amerikaanse tijdgenoten oogstten. En dat is geen verrassing. Het is by far het meest catchy nummer uit hun catalogus, maar blijft toch dichtbij de cynische ondertoon die de band zo kenmerkt. 'Unfair' is een persoonlijk favorietje, een vleugje Sonic Youthy noise rock die echt perfect het album doormidden breekt. Daarna gaan we van de ruige Golf van Californië naar de sea of tranquility genaamd 'Gold Soundz'. Zonder twijfel één van de meest elegante melodieën die alt rock te bieden heeft, gecombineerd met het ronduit briljante ritme van de vocalen, die in de verste verte geen moeite doen om op de maat te blijven. Daar heb je hem weer; de tensie tussen orde en chaos. Later op de plaat neemt de magie ietsjes af, en lijkt de voorraad creatieve energie in die garage in Stockton te slinken. De country rock van 'Range Life' zorgt voor een welkome genre switch. De song staat symbool voor de haakse positie van de band in het alternative rock universum: Nul intenties om mee te gaan met het luide grunge ethos, en ondertussen de gek aan steken met collega's die dat wel deden. Ik doe kantje twee overigens wel erg tekort als ik niet benoem dat 'Fillmore Jive' een sublieme afsluiter is, die de band weer langzaam ziet desintegreren in de jeugdige ordeloosheid waarmee het ook opende. Die tegenstrijdigheden maken dit album zo fascinerend, en bovenal een plezier om naar te luisteren. Tal van iconische momenten die exemplarisch zijn aan het feit dat de legacy van de West Coast alternatieve muziek scene in de jaren 90 zoveel verder gaat dan Nirvana en Red Hot Chili Peppers. 9/10 Highlights: Elevate Me Later Unfair Gold Soundz Fillmore Jive
Pavement is dé belichaming van Indie Rock. Afzetten tegen de grote platenlabels en het commercieel aantrekkelijk moeten zijn van de muziek. De slacker-vibe (trage riffs, potjes, pannetjes en een verveeld klinkende zanger) van Stephen Malkmus is meteen helemaal aan in Silence Kid, wat een heerlijke opener is van de plaat. De song komt langzaam op gang maar zet het Pavement geluid perfect neer. Het album bereikt met Crooked Rain bereikt vervolgens meerdere hoogtepunten bij Pavement-pareltjes Cut Your Hair, Gold Soundz en Range Life. Tussendoor zijn songs als Stop Breathin en Newark Wilder minder 'raak' dan deze indie-classics maar passen wel heerlijk in het valse repertoire van Pavement. De gitaartune in de tweede helft van Stop Breathin is echt fenomenaal en zou nog minuten kunnen doorzinderen als Cut You Hair niet plots zou instarten. Met 5-4=Unity en Hit the Plane Down heeft het album twee nummers die uit de valse toon vallen. Dan ineens besef je je dat er ondanks het gerommel toch een lijn in het album zit. Juist daardoor zijn deze nummers zo waardevol. Ze duwen je even van het (toch al niet zo rechte) pad, om daarna weer door te kunne viben. En waarop beter dan Fillmore Jive, een unieke Pavement-track die perfect is als albumafsluiter. Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain zit zo onwijs goed in elkaar. Het suggereert een rommelig album met wat in elkaar geflansde tracks, met is het tegengestelde van dat. De opener en afsluiter passen fenomenaal (en daar hecht ik waarde aan) en de volgorde van de nummers is perfect. Geen twijfel over de score. 9/10 Highlights: Silence Kid Stop Breathin Cut You Hair Range Life Fillmore Jive
sooooo good omg i love incel male manipulator music 5/5
I really liked this, gruff, raw, laid-back 90s indie rock
A perfect example of post-grunge indie/alternative rock.
Perfect album in general. I love Stephen Malkmus’ voice, and it fits the instrumental so well. 5/5 Favs?: “Elevate Me Later”, “Cut Your Hair” Least Fav: None
Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain stands as Pavement's pinnacle, a brilliant concept album capturing the nuances of approaching 30 with a West Coast flair. This release tightens their rhythm and serves as a slacker's guide to navigating optimism and melancholy. Considered their most accessible and commercial work, the album remains a personal favourite, growing in appreciation over time. Pavement's unique blend of lyrical complexity and irreverent charm makes this album a crucial and dynamic cornerstone of indie rock. From the catchy hooks of Cut Your Hair to the introspective beauty of Gold Soundz, each track contributes to the enduring brilliance of this '90s gem. Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain is not just a relic of its era but a vibrant piece of indie music history, solidifying Pavement's legacy as a crucial force in the genre. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 9 STAND OUT TRACK - Gold Soundz
Love Pavement. A lot. Like maybe in my top 10 favorite bands. And I was just thinking the other day how this might be their best album. Easy 5 for me. Almost every song is a hit.
Prachtig
Bloody brilliant.
29(!) years ago, I remember skipping school classes so I could buy "Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain" on cassette and listened to it all afternoon. I was 16 and I’m confident it altered the trajectory of my life. I can still remember the feeling of turning over to side two and being met with "Gold Soundz" and it hitting me like a shotgun shot to the soul. Because you’re empty And I’m empty And you can never quarantine the past This is when Alt Rock became Indie Rock and the too cool for school kids pontificated about Midwestern rock bands from California like it was a secret only to be whispered on street corners. You can never quarantine the past!
To me this is the peak Pavement album. I loved this one in the 90s. It still holds up and has a freshness to it. It’s likely because it tried so hard to not sound like grunge. Anyway, if I’m listening to a Pavement album, this is it for me.
Pavement are good
Este es el sonido que me gusta. Y tiene Range Life.
pavement really is good. need to listen more
One of my favorite albums of all time. Absolutely a 5 star rating from me.
Este es el sonido que me gusta. Y tiene Range Life.
I don't know how Malkmus got essentially a new band to see his vision, but it speaks to his songwriting that they understood how to execute. The perfect blend of art and chaos. Meticulously produced madness.
a pet sound
More "Pavement" (lol). On the list of the "Top Albums Ever Owned on CD and Kept in Charlie’s Car Back When He Used to Have a CD Player in His Car," Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain will forever hold the top place.
What an album. Eclectic mix of jazz and indie guitar rock. My favorite Pavement album as it balances their noisy guitar blasts with their unique but accessible melodic genius. Some of the most interesting and satisfying music made in the 90s 5 stars
i love pavement so much. this was a joy to relisten to
WOW. Far, far better than I expected. I thought Pavement were supposed to sound like Tortoise and Blur’s eponymous album. I love Blur’s fifth album but… it really had to grow on me and I only put in so much effort because Blur are my favourite band. However, this record is filled with accessible indie rock (my favourite genre) alongside just the right amount of more unconventional singing and production. 5 stars!
One of the best albums of the 90s, imo. I can hear a mellowing and maturity in the band's sound since Slanted & Enchanted, a trend that will continue through their career. So many great songs here and there are no tracks I would ever skip. I think this album has the most consistency and continuity of any Pavement album.
Pavement is one of those bands who I should be familiar with judging by the music I listen to, yet I've never intentionally listened to them until this point. This is a neo-psychedelic indie rock album with a heavy folk influence. The lyrics aren't terribly deep, but as a northern Californian, I quite enjoyed (all in good fun) the digs at southern California in 'Unfair.' In certain parts, the vocal delivery against the musical backdrop reminded me of the Velvet Underground. There are some really gorgeous moments on this album, including the closer which was perfectly placed.
This album is like wine, get's better as it ages.
One of my favorite records of all time. So many great tunes: starting with Cut Your Hair of course, but how about Gold Soundz and Range Life, and Stop Breathin’, and just about every song?? There’s a lax, loose composition combined with bouts of mad energy and nonsense (or what I haven’t been able to decipher). Brilliant record I have listened to lots and lots and never tire of.
Great from start to finish. Watch the video for the singles off this album, it's worth it.
This is a great album. Have listened to it many times and will continue to do so. I always go back and forth between if I like this one or Slanted and Enchanted better.
Eines der besten Alben, nicht nur im Indie-Rock Bereich.
angst loved it
Amazing album
Incredible album! Just recently listened to this whole thing! Still enjoyed it the second time around! Pavement is such a great band,, so many incredible albums as well as this one! Really cant say anymore than what has already been said but a 10/10 album
weeeeooo
One of the worst concert experiences I have ever had was seeing Pavement last year, but that had nothing to do with the band. Since then I have been working on regaining my love for them. In short, men are monster but Pavement rules and this album is one of their best, if not their very best.
Bästa albume nånsin? Nä, Pavement har ju andra skivor 😀 Men de e hullu bra, alla låtar äger utom Hit the plane down, sorry spiral stairs.... och det börjar med heat, har heat sprinklat genom hela skivan fram till en fantastisk closer.
"Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain" is the second album by American indie band Pavement. The album is noted as being more accessible than their debut "Slanted and Enchanted." I would say they're very equivalent. The music is also categorized as slacker inie and alt rock. I also heard elements of folk-country, jam band and at least one hard rock song. The themes are varied but several focus on the music industry with lyrics mentioning skateboards, plane crashes, girls and mocking The Stone Temple Pilots and Smashing Pumpkins. It's about time. The album had moderate succes. "Silence Kid" sounds like the band is setting up during rehearsals and then kicks into slow driving rock. The melody is brought in. Lead singer Stephen Malkmus with laid back vocals. I have no idea what this kid is about. Innocence? Drummer? Ecstasy? Interesting fact: Due an ink error, it appears as Slience Kit on the album cover. Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh and we're off with one of the catchier 90's songs in "Cut Your Hair." A pop melody. A break going into a great brief guitar solo. Malkmus is sarcastically attacking the importance of image in the music industry. Speaking of great 90's songs, "Gold Soundz" continues the wealth of catchy melodies. Malkmus is actually singing and showing emotion. The song builds with tremendous overlaying guitars. I think well deserving of Pitchfork naming it the best song of the 90's. The band goes slacker country-folk in "Range Life" with the guitar. And of course dissing STP and The Pumpkins. The albums ends with one of my Pavement songs in "Fillmore Jive." At the time, I didn't know they had jam band and Neil Young "Cowgirl in the Sand" in them. This is more of what Malkmus would do in his solo career. The songs starts slow and then alternates lyric verses with extended guitar solos three times. It tells the story of partying individually at like a frat party and then partying in the music industry. I recommend all five Pavement albums to some extent. Some more than others. I'd put this one in the middle but it has just some outstanding songs, some of their best. An overrode of great melodies. Highly recommended.
De la nostalgie en intraveineuse ça n'a jamais tué personne
Only a couple week spots. Not a fan of the slower songs but the rest holds up. Classic.
Perhaps the biggest jump any of my ratings has taken upon re-listen, while this album may not be as blistering and aggressive as its older sibling, Slanted and Enchanted, its melancholic take on slacker rock verges on alt-country at points, but its folksier sound only adds to this album's sense of pure teenage unbeknown-angst. It's stripped down, and for that feels all the more earnest, with a driving guitar-drum 1-2 combo that keeps every song trucking along, and the lyrical beats also follow this same sense of thought-provoking, though never halted too long sense of anxiety that is the perfect embodiment of trying to escape a bittersweet feeling you don't understand the meaning behind. It may not be the loudest, or the angriest, or even the most thought-provoking album of the 90s, but it is exactly what the era needed, especially by the mid-90s. The time for anger and rage had passed, and while the mainstream still hadn't fully realized it, Pavement was right on the money right away, and that's not only impressive, but mildly humbling. Unsure why I had so many issues getting into this over a year ago, but I completely understand it now.
To me, this is nothing less than the quintessential 90's album. They've toned down their The Fall influences from the last album and mixed them with that slacker approach that they've come to embody. Malkmus' lyrics, which often sounds like they are improvised, are more concerned by how the words sound than by what they mean, yet he manages to deliver them in a way that makes them sensible and evocative. This is one of my favorite albums of all-time and listening to it never fails to make me happy.
Such a unique and enjoyable album by a great band. Fav song: Elevate Me Later
Classic
Supreme
This was awesome
Incredible sunday arvo nu dad rock. Loved the Dave Brubeck nod.
no puedo escribir sobre este disco con objetividad simplemente porque lo amo. silent kit te introduce estilisticamente en lo que vas a escuchar y la cosa se pone melanco con una de mis favs, stop breathin. cut your hair es el unico hit que metio pavement, esta bien. que se yo gold soundz es un tema super nostalgico en el que cualquier persona que tenga una historia especial con la musica se puede sentir identificado, y range life tiene esas refes a los pumpkins y los stone temple pilots que son un refljeo de epoca: ellos, las estrellas, y nosotros los fracasados. el indie es uno de mis generos favoritos porque cuando saca un disco como crooked rain es imbatible. las canciones estan escritas por hombres adultos con problemas de hombres adultos: no hay pelados con voz de rana o rubias suicidas. vivir en el capitalismo tardio es soportar la sobreoferta, el estímulo constante y a la vez necesitar mas. es sentirse vacio incluso estando lleno. i wanna range life, if I could settle down....
I forgot how much I like Pavement.
I love this album. It defined a part of my life and it is really one of the the best of the low-fi indie rock genre in my opinion. Although it was never hugely successful, it had a strong cult following and I was 1000% a member of that cult. My friends and I used to parse out Steve Malkmus' clever/ironic lyrics and recite them as poetry to each other. Although I've moved past that degree of lead singer crush/hero worship, this is still a really well crafted album and these guys are great musicians. Now I can appreciate not just the hipster irony (I'm really over that part of it, actually) but the moments of touching pathos ... "Put it on a postcard: Dad, they broke me." Fantastic album and a personal favorite. 5/5
Banger after banger
Go back to those gold soundz
In my collection before recommendation. Love this
Heaven is a truck that got stuck on the freeway…
Este es el sonido que me gusta. Y tiene Range Life.
Great super 90s, angie recommended it to me lol
Nice, a bit rocky, but different Experimental, but not too crazy Wow, it just gets better abd better, nice solos, nice transitions Really awesome find! This is going to my favourites
I’m a pleb, this is by far my favorite Pavement LP
nice! Probably my fav pavement album
An alt-rock classic and one of my all time faves
I do these long lists to hear new stuff. Everywhere once in awhile having an all time favourite is comforting.
Got a Silver Jew's album yesterday and a Pavement album today, interesting...I've known and loved Pavement's singles for a long time but I don't remember listening to this album through many times. I definitely will be again, there's some great tracks on here, apart from the obvious 3. It goes to show that a band doesn't have to take themselves too seriously to produce great music.
So peculiar. I kept thinking that I didn't like it, but then I REALLY did like it. I will absolutely listen to it again. It took me somewhere else.
I like it a lot. Every song is extraordinary and I like the whole album, it is nearly perfect.
I like Pavement. The famous singles here are Cut Your Hair, Gold Sounds and Range Life, all of which are excellent: hooky and lyrically cool. The opener Silence Kid and closer Fillmore Jive bookend the album nicely - Silence Kid kicks the album off with high energy and a good guitar riff while Fillmore Jive wraps things up using a slower tempo and some droning jamming. Some of the lesser-known tracks don't really stand out too much as individual songs, but everything works well together in the context of an album, which is probably the only way I'd really like to listen to this - this is a much better experience as a whole album than if individual tracks popped up randomly on a playlist, which I suppose is the point of the listening project. Other standouts: Elevate Me Later, Stop Breathin, 5-4=Unity for its jazzbo riffing
Brilliant
90s alt rock, kinda felt like a mix of Weezer and Pixies and a few others. Really enjoyed it
Reminded me of Radiohead
I just saw Pavement live in person three nights ago, so this has been very fresh in my mind. Great record, I go back and forth which album of theirs is my favorite, and this one is always middle of the pack. Great to listen to it again a few days after seeing so many of these songs live.
Here's a really nice album by a band I have never heard before. Pavement is an Indie Rock group from California, created in late 80s. They rose to fame as a completely underground band, refusing to give live shows at the beginning, which created a sort of legendary status. This, together with a rather experimental approach to the compositions on the album, was what most likely put it on the list of greatest albums ever. Is it enough? We have seen records here, that didn't even have half of those accolades, yet it is still surprising to see more 'just good' albums. Crooked Rain Crooked Rain has 12 songs, and most of them have a certain gimmick, or a style, by which they are composed. Each song starts as a typical pop/rock tune, that you could hear in a radio everyday, but by the midpoint of it, it turns into a very alternative, interesting and original sequence. As an example, first song of the album "Silence Kid", starts as a sort of soft rock with a cowbell, and then breaks the mold and decomposes itself, together with a vocalist, who clearly doesn't care about clean singing. Yet the song has its charm and stays with you for a while, similarly as the rest of the album. It is a very pleasant surprise and a big candidate for an album I will come back to again.
Really liked, seemed like some Slint influences
Fun indie rock
I was in college when this album came out, and I probably caught "Range Life" or "Cut Your Hair" on the radio at the time. But I never really took the time to get into Pavement's music. I'm happy to admit I was off the mark back then, because this album is pretty brilliant. It fits in perfectly with what was going on in music in 1994, but Pavement has a musical depth lacking in a lot of their peers. The album is musically much smarter than it pretends to be, kind of in the same vein as some of Alex Chilton and/or Big Star's work. There are some nice jangly country rock-ish sounds and hints of a melodic pop hook here and there. But it's layered under a prickly, noisy veneer with strategic uses of dissonance and quiet. Stephen Malkmus' laid back, slacker-y vocals belie some surprisingly poetic and affecting lyrics - musings on war, love, disaffection and self-doubt. This is the kind of album I just want to hear over in over because there's so much in there to hear. I really loved hearing it today. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Range Life, Stop Breathin, Silence Kid, Fillmore Jive, Newark Wilder, Cut Your Hair, Gold Soundz, 5-4=Unity, Unfair, Heaven Is a Truck, Hit the Plane Down, Elevate Me Later
I actually really enjoyed sure, it was really awkward and even a little annoying but they had some really cool stuff in there and I loved those interesting time signatures they did on tracks 7 and 8 9/10
One of my absolute favorites of the 90' indie boom, I also think it's pavements best, with classics like stop breathing, cut your hair, and of course Gold Soundz, Crooked Rain Crooked rain had Stephen Malkmus and gang capture lightning in a bottle.
One of the greats
5 stars
Bought this LP after I was denied getting into a bar to see Yo La Tengo. Loved it. Was later denied getting into a bar to see Pavement. Effing Puritanical laws denied me many good shows as a teen. 5-4 = Unity is super fab.
You can draw a straight line from R.E.M. to Pavement to Wilco. Or to be more specific, from Murmur to Crooked Rain to Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. They're all classics. This is the Pavement album for those who like the Eagles and can appreciate bands like Stone Temple Pilots and the Smashing Pumpkins being taken down a peg. It's also a decent argument that Stephen Malkmus is the Donald Fagan of the indie-rock scene. Pavement's first two albums are both justifiably on this list, and this is the one that I prefer. Don't @ me.
i thought wowee zowee was my favorite but upon revisiting this is by far my favorite pavement album it's so good
Malkmus and the boys make more gold sounds on possibly Pavement’s best album. Quirky, idiosyncratic, Pavement do their own thing and bring others along for the ride. I really love the sound they make, the ambling lyrics, the switches in tempo, the evident ability to make great poppy tunes such as Cut Your Hair and Gold Sounds which they then undercut with shouting or discordant guitar stabs. It’s just them and god love them for that.
When I first heard "Crooked Rain Crooked Rain", I fell in love at precisely 0:40 into "Elevate Me Later". A chaotic drum fill leads into the chorus, another layer of squalling lead guitar joins and then the falsetto backing vocals drift in over the top. It's everything that makes Pavement great: sloppily precise, casually catchy and effortlessly cool. "Crooked Rain Crooked Rain"- Pavement's second of five albums that shaped the face of 90's alt-rock and "slacker culture"- is by far my favourite of theirs, condensing most of their hits into one tight yet oh-so-loose package. The uncharacteristic commercial success of "Cut Your Hair", the laid back country-fied daze of "Range Life", and one of my all-time favourite songs "Gold Soundz" are all here in their jangly beauty. Listen to any number of songs and it's as though the band- and Stephen Malkmus with his laconic vocals- are sleepwalking around, happening upon beautiful melodies like they're stumbling through dreams. It amounts to a desire for simplicity, a yearning for an easier and looser way of life. The lyrics express this too: they spill out over the songs like jottings from a frustrated poetry book, held together by a consistent desire to make sense: "stop breathing, breathe in for me now…" "go back to those gold sounds"… "if I could settle down, then I would settle down." It all finally culminates in the repeated insistence of "I need to sleep" in the transcendent closer "Fillmore Jive". The only duds are "Newark Wilder" and "Hit the Plane Down", for either feeling too nebulous or out-of-kilter with the rest of the album's flow. Still, they're not offensive enough to drop the album below five stars. It's an absolutely sensational, deliciously skewed take on the 90s' return to guitar rock.
Amazing Record. Pavement is getting all 5s from me!
The thing I like most about Pavement is that they are both intelligent and lighthearted at once. They make music that is mostly fun and carefree without being simplistic. They don't take themselves too seriously but they don't come across as a joke or a comedy act. I think it's because Stephen Malkmus uses a really down to earth form of stream of consciousness that is as conversational as it is surreal. I find their music completely relatable. Comfortable like a well worn pair of jeans and a t-shirt.
This is the definitive Pavement album for me. I came to them a bit after the fact, as they were a bit early for me, but yeah, they helped reshaped the way I and I think a lot of the music scene, think about what "indie" music is. They brought that slacker jangle pop to the masses and really perfected that sound on this album, in particular.
😍🥰
garota eu vou p califórnia
In the mid-90s I would have happily have said this album as in the my Top 10 favourite albums. Not listened to it in ages, probably overplayed it a bit in the 90s. Probably not in my Top 10 All Time these days but still a pretty great album. More coherent and consistent than S&E. Saw them on this tour, bought a very poor quality bootleg maroon long sleeve t-shirt outside afterwards for a fiver.
This was the first Pavement album I heard, when a friend lent me the expanded version and The Velvet Underground & Nico on the same day. I immediately loved this one and they've been one of my favourite bands since. 1969 Live ended up being the album that made me fall for VU, so I clearly have a thing for sloppily played country rock. The early versions of these songs in Gary Young's garage studio with him on drums aren't bad, but they show the band was right to hire a proper mixer (who could also play piano) and to bring in a drummer with a slow swinging style who didn't greet audiences on the door with free cabbages and abandon songs partway through to attempt cartwheels. The early versions of several Wowee Zowee songs show they were right to hold them back and they were thinking carefully about how to make the album flow well as a whole. The weak link is Hit the Plane Down, though it works as a short, sharp shock to take you from the delicate, yearning prettiness of the preceding songs to the mock-epic closer. I like having at least one of Scott's songs per album, but Coolin' By Sound is a better song and maybe it would have worked as well in that position. I love this record, but if I was going to recommend just one Pavement album that people should listen to, it would be Wowee Zowee.
idk yet
Amazing album by an amazing band. Probably not my favorite Pavement album cover to cover (that would be Wowie Zowie), but does have one of the best songs ever (Gold Soundz). Fillmore Jive, Silent Kid, Cut Your Hair...all amazing. 5/5
great album. cut your hair, gold soundz, range life...all bangers.
Despite bands such as Nirvana and Green Day, Pavement was one of the most important bands from the 90's. Crooked Rain is my favourite Pavement album and it confirms that Stephen Malkmus is one of the best songwriters of his generation. A classic record, definitely a must hear!
Gold sounds
Amazing, classic indie album!
This is great. Funky sound, interesting instrumental sections. I didn't follow lyrics closely but greatly enjoyed the sound. Album art reminds me of Flying Dog beer art.
Nearly my favorite album. Don't care for hit the plane down
Know it, love it. Easy listening day for me!
One of the best albums of the 90s. Slightly prefer Slanted and Enchanted. Indie perfection. 9-10/10 1. Gold Soundz 2. Elevate Me Later 3. Cut Your Hair
Альбом по звучанию топ, странно, совсем не знал эту группу
Yes this album rules. Listened to a bunch of the extended edition as well and even a lot of the outtakes are killer songs. It has been way too long since hearing this all the way through.
Already a banger album, I've heard it before!!
false
Probably my favourite band ever
"„I was 14 when Crooked Rain came out. And modern rock radio, at least in Philadelphia, was playing weirder, cooler ’90s stuff on the air, which is where I heard “Cut Your Hair” for the first time. I just thought that song was cool. It’s by no means my favorite song on the record, especially now. But the album as a whole didn’t hit me right away; with every listen, though, it got better and better. I was heavy into skateboarding at the time, and “Range Life” was my favorite song. And I should say before that point Smashing Pumpkins were one of my favorite bands, but when Malkmus name-checked them on that song, of course I switched over to their side. “Stop Breathin’” is another favorite of mine; it’s just so jangly and melodic. It truly was a classic rock record.“ Kurt Vile gibt wirklich genau auf den Punkt wieder, was 1994 meine Feelings und meine Auffindesituation waren: gekriegt haben sie mich zuerst mit der Single Cut Your Hair, die ich total catchy fand - die aber gefühlt in die falsche Richtung zeigte als ich zum ersten Mal ins instantly gekaufte Album reinhörte. Bei dem brauchte ich dann 2-3 Anläufe, bis plötzlich (vermutlich erst NACH dem Kalifornien-Urlaub im selben Jahr) "Range Life" einschlug wie selten was. Und dann war es große Liebe für diese perfektionierten Unperfektion, der ich bis heute treu bin. Malkmus' schiefer Gesang, das Leiern, der ständig verschleppte Beat (bei Konzerten kriegt der Drummer ja auch gerne mal ein Back-Up an die Seite bekommt) - hier haben wir Slackertum und Generation X noch viel greifbarer als Douglas Coupland es aufschreiben konnte. Range Life und Gold Soundz sind immer noch Lieblingssongs, aber Fillmore Jive die totale Geheimwaffe. Naja, so geheim natürlich gar nicht. I need to sleep - lasst euch das gesagt sein.
A great great album
Good album, can feel the influence. Big titus andronicus energy. Will continue exploring other Pavement albums following.
I love Pavement, was great to hear their earlier stuff!
Best Pavement
I've enjoyed Pavement since the early 90's. I kind of forgot about them for a while. So I was happy to be brought back to them through this project. A couple songs didn't hit for me, but for the most part this was a nostalgic blast to my college years... good stuff.
Better than Coldplay
favs: cut your hair, range life
290723 15:27 4
Very interesting sound. Don’t usually listen to moodier stuff like this but it was very good. 5-4=unity was a very unique listen. I love the transitions between 5/4 and 6/8
Really good! 3.5/5
california slacker rock
Really solid. I liked each song but I also feel like song had something wrong with it
Kinda makes you wanna start a band
This isn't what I typically listen to or enjoy, but I really enjoyed it. I can't put my finger on why though...it was just interesting to me???
Wowee Zowee is better.
Greatly preferred to the earlier Pavement - Stop Breathing won me over and the rest kept me interested. A definite "alternative" if I'm in the mood for slack era Beck. Fall tribute song = Hit the Plane Down
Pavement is probably the ne plus ultra of 90s indie rock. Slacker aesthetic, crunchy guitars, too-clever-by-half lyrics and composition. They're as easy a mark to the average music listener as Stone Temple Pilots and Smashing Pumpkins were to them… Malkmus and co were everything you'd want a snobby, thorny, shaggy-sounding group of weirdos to be, and as much as that made them embraced by a certain sort of folks, it also made them easy shorthand for pretension. That, of course, sort of misses the point. This probably shouldn't be music for everyone. Stephen Malkmus was definitely not writing music with an expectation of being loved and embraced by a mainstream, and that distance is part of what makes Pavement feel honest in a different way from the gloomy earnestness of the era they were born from. It's a sardonic check on the more popular side of alternative rock, as put forth from “Cut Your Hair” to “Range Life”. But that doesn't mean these aren't serious songs in their own way. Even the oft-bored and offkey vocals are part of the package, like Dylan or Young or Waits’ voices are imperfect instruments built for the songs they're writing… you couldn't deliver this sort of poetry more sincerely or more melodically and have it still feel the same. And there's the music as well. Songs are often unconventionally structured, the musicians often playing with discord, the sound going from big and full to frail and papery. I sometimes think this is what Sonic Youth had wanted to do… it hits a lot of their hallmarks, but switched it up by actually being good, actually having good songs you'd want to hear. This is a band that has been given the jazz treatment, and while the album (named after the iconic “Gold Soundz”) is a bit too inscrutable for me, taking an outsider catalog one level deeper into the avant, it certainly is something that made me start considering Pavement less as a grumpy group of misfits playing shows with their backs to the audience and more as a completely different facet of 90s rock rebellion. I still like most of those facets, regardless of the snark Old Man Malkmus might be throwing, but it was nice to have this different one open up to me. Is this my favorite Pavement album? I don't know. It might be Wowee Zowee. But this was the first full album that got me into Pavement as more than a collection of songs. Let's say a light ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
lovely
The sound of walking through a college town in the 90's (Honestly, the vibe still fits for college towns today). Don't know if I have a ton to say about it, just that it's good. Reminding me a lot of some of the PNW indie rock bands from around the same time (The Spinanes, Built to Spill, The Pixies, etc.).
Great album.
Crooked Rain Crooked Rain is everything that Slanted And Enchanted should have been. I felt that the latter album, while it tried some good things, was let down a bit by the vocals and the noisy nature of the music. This album however, manages to strike a much better balance between a hard, gritty sound and a more melodic one. The vocals have also gotten a pretty decent step up as the vocalist didn't try to get too into the songs he was singing, i also feel like it was produced much better than that album too and is pretty well produced in general for a lo-fi album. I was thinking about giving this album 5 stars but there were a few tracks that i didn't quite vibe with but there was still enough on offer to give it a pretty high 4 star rating. Best Song: Stop Breathin Worst Song: 5-4=Unity
I’m more partial to ‘brighten the corners’ (‘stereo’ into ‘shady lane’ is great) but this is also a great slice of slacker rock, but not so lackadaisical that it lacks momentum. ‘Gold Soundz’ is my pick from the offerings here and is a song/album that I don’t listen to anywhere near enough. Another comment summed it up well - every time I listen to Pavement I say to myself that I should probably listen to more Pavement.
Another album by indie pioneers that really like. One of my favorite by them though I prefer malkamus’s solo work
Grunge adjacent.
As a child of the era I am embarrassed to say this is my first time hearing this. Not my last though. Great 90s sound, post Seattle. Like early Nada Surf.
RATING: 8/10 HIGHLIGHT: Range Life LOWLIGHT: Hit the Plane Down
Older I get the more I enjoy
Omg COWBELL – Silence Kid rockssss Lou Reed angst (complimentary) with a 90's flourish, divine
The perfect combination of angst, rock, indie harmonies, and skateboarder vibes.