Reviews (page 4 of 9)
I liked this a lot! I actually enjoyed it more than Slanted And Enchanted, even though that has a higher rating than this one A pleasant surprise 4 ⭐️
Intressant att vi får denna nu när vi nyligen haft Nirvana och Pixies. För detta är ju den amerikanska indie motrörelsen, reaktionen på det. En del skulle kalla det LoFi, och kanske kommer det därifrån från början men här har det redan blivit något annat. Jag vill kalla det slacker indie, det är alldeles för uppstyrt och producerat för att fortfarande vara LoFi. Jag har lyssnat en hel del på sånt här, men det är länge sen, och jag får hålla med denna gång det här kanske det bästa albumet i genren. Även om inte allt är bra finns det nåt väldigt sympatiskt med det hela. Det är anti-macho, anti-emotionellt och anti-rock, gärna på ett ironiskt och distanserat vis. Men här finns också bra låtar, "Cut your hair", "Unfair", "Gold soundz" och underbart aparta "Range life" är alla rara indieklassiker. Visst ibland svajar det lite väl betänkligt men det är också en del av konceptet, det här ska inte vara välspelad rockmusik, det ska vara dess motsats. En motståndsrörelse ska alltid premieras och topparna är så höga att den klarar fyran med en hårsmån
Jag läser att den här skivan aldrig slog i USA, men däremot i England. Det förvånar mig inte. Jämfört med det mesta av amerikansk indierock vi utsatts för på den här listan är Pavement något annat. Jag kan inte sätta fingret på vad, kanske melodierna är poppigare och närmare det europeiska uttrycket vid den här tiden på 90-talet - inte helt olikt en del av de svenska banden i swindie-vågen. Jag tror till exempel Popsicle höll Pavement högt. Men visst finns också spår av ett amerikanskt arv, ibland lite åt Lou Reeds nedtonade melodispråk, ibland åt lofi-country, som i Range life, skivans bästa spår. Värda att nämna är även SIlence kid, Elevate me later, Golden soundz och Unfair. En stark trea.
När jag läste min sociologi i Lund (1996-97) fanns det en valbar delkurs musiksociologi. Examinationen var ganska fri. Ett paper där något musikfenomen skulle kopplas till sociologiska teorier. Minns att en kursdeltagare valde att skriva om Lo-fi (för övrigt det enda arbete jag har nått minne av). Han gick verkligen all in genom att inte bara ta upp fenomenet utan dessutom skriva ett paper som verkligen andades Lo-Fi. Det var mest lite om olika band och framförallt vilka han gillade. Där fanns naturligtvis Pavement. Har för mig att arbetet också var handskrivet med en lite halvtaskigt ritad förstasida (men här behövs det källkollas). Pavement är förvisso lo-fi men kanske inte riktigt så mycket som min kursare från förr. Mest är det väl bara vanlig alldaglig amerikansk rock. Det händer inte så mycket förrän på sista spåret som i alla fall sticker ut positivt musikaliskt. Annars är mest enahanda och tråkigt. Inga klatschiga melodier som rycker tag. Enformig sång och ganska styltigt komp. Tvåa i de nedre regionerna.
Ytterligare ett band jag hört talas om men inte tagit tag i att lyssna på. Över lag händer det inte särskilt mycket. Blir väl roligast i countrydoftande Range life och i 5-4=Unity som lånat friskt från Dave Brubeck. Gold Sounds låter verkligen som Popsicle. Ok, men inte mer.
I liked this album, it sounded like a mashup of all the alternate bands from the 90s!
I thought I'd enjoy this more?
I believe this is the second Pavement album we’ve encountered. I’m a fan. They’re a fun band.
Could see myself getting more into it, the times Iistened
Slacker rock is pretty accurate. This album feels more like some high school friends making an album than a professional effort. Not necessarily a bad thing by any stretch as there's something to be said about a down-to-Earth relating-to-their-audience type of work. In mood and theme, it's closer to punk than rock with great "high school energy".
My favorite Pavement album.
Gritt 90's rock
Good rock album, easy listen. 7.6/10
I'm seemingly stuck in a perpetual cycle of mediocre Rock 'N Roll albums. Again, there is nothing too bad, or too impressive with this album. Favorite Track: "Cut Your Hair".
Pues serán ídolos de culto entre el indie mundial y les elogio mucho la actitud ante la fama y el mercado, pero realmente me faltan canciones. O mejor, me falta un cantante, como es casi inevitable en todo este rollo del indie.
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 dig it
Middling grunge punctuated with moments of impressive artistry. This album is very weird. If I was the label, I'd probably try to steer this talent in a different direction, but maybe it seemed right at the time.
Not a fan, and somewhat disappointed when this turned up, but it was better than I expected. That's all I have. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ Average ★★★☆☆ (5/10)
Sacanagem duas horas se album
Low key, post-punk, alternative rock sound. I kind of liked it, maybe would grow on me with more time. But mostly indistinguishable tracks that left no last impression.
All too American.
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.
Forgettable
2-5
Another Pavement album? Another 3.
This was pretty good. I think I've listened to this band before, and while I enjoy them they don't really seem memorable to me.
There is some filler on this album but the heights more than make up for it. I like how it so utterly belongs in its time. It's a special group that can make ironic snark with hidden soul work so well.
I was expecting to like this more than I did. I know folks who really love this band, but this album didn't do much for me.
Maybe one I should have paid more attention too, as I thought it was decent at the time, but this goes into the nothingness range for me
i liked it!! never got into Pavement, but i like this album!!
I’m not totally familiar with Pavements game, but this was an interesting listen. I’m going to come back to this one because I feel I didn’t allow myself time to really absorb it. Enjoyed what I payed attention to.
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!
I am not enjoying this that much. Not bad by any means, just not my thing.
One area where this list really excels is 90's rock/indie.
Liked more songs then I thought, always an underrated band in the grunge scene
It is worthy of classic status, but personally I have never clicked with Pavement as much as I have tried to.
Kind of a blend between punk and alternative. Nothing outstanding but a good listen. If it came up on the radio I’d listen but wouldn’t look them up
An interesting listen. Not afraid of dissonance, which is cool to hear outside of metal. Not it failed to have a song that really grabbed me
Marvelous.
darling dont you go and cut your hair
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.
I love how nonsensical-yet-biting Pavement can be. it cuts deep for me.
kings of the lo-fi... leuke melodieën, goeie stem, net niet te slackerig...
I never checked them out when they were new. It wasn't really my scene. I was a punk rocker. They were what we called alto. Definitely on the punk end of the alto range though. I would have loved them. Great.
This album has me wondering if I haven't been thinking of this list all wrong. At this point, I'm almost 40% of the way through it, and the most frustrating aspect has been knowing that some great albums that I have loved over the years have been left off in favor of (often multiple) albums from groups and individual artists who seem to me to be far less talented and musically influential than my own favorites. But the list is called "1001 Albums YOU Must Hear Before YOU Die" (emphasis mine). What would a list be like if its goal was solely to introduce ME to albums I have not YET heard. I've already heard the great albums by the most popular groups represented here (The Beatles, David Bowie, Springsteen, The Stones). In fact, a quick review at what I've heard so far indicates I had probably heard roughly half of the albums I've been presented BEFORE I started letting this list tell me what to listen to first thing every morning. Should those albums even count? Hearing them AGAIN was often great, but it added little to my musical knowledge. Looking at the list this way helps me to understand why there are so many mediocre albums by semi-talented British groups from the 90s. I was busy raising three young children in the 90s and didn't have a lot of time to spare for listening to new albums. So the curators of the list had to find a bunch of albums from that era that *I* needed to listen to before I die. Thank you, list curators, for being so considerate! And I'm sorry that the 90s were so bereft of actual good music that you've found yourself having to resort to multiple albums from groups like Blur and The Fall. Now I know it's for my own good. I won't stop complaining, of course, but nobody ever said that medicine has to taste good. That said, I hadn't heard anything by Pavement before, but I found this album to be a lot of fun. I wouldn't be surprised if I listen to it again someday. :-)
I genuinely cannot fathom how this album was released. Some of the most amateurish production, basic song structures, and a vocal performance thay is both screechy and airy as if the songs were written for another vocalist for a higher range. Absolutely baffling how this album fails in pretty much every capacity. Zero redeeming qualities
I was very into music in 1994 and I remember the Haircut song, but nothing else from this album. It’s very indie in the best and the worst way. 2.5⭐️
Peak 90s indie sound. This album really captures the era. They care just enough to sound good, but not enough to sound pretentious.
**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.
som mycket sån här musik så är det en väldigt fine line mellan intressant och bara generiskt.. denna ligger mer åt det generiska hållet..
Not really my jam. Felt rather chaotic.
Enjoyable album, I liked being able to see all the different influences come together for this sound. The tracks started to amalgamate towards the end but i enjoyed the final two tracks a lot so that,s okay
Turns out I don't like an entire album of pavement that much.
Favs - cut your hair Rock, low key though, catchy songs overall.
Un poco estridente y algo denso
Perfectly imperfect. Casual looseness - theyre not worried about hitting every note, more about capturing a feeling. Unpolished charm like the Velvet Underground. Mood and personality over technical neatness. Can also hear where this has influenced 2000s indie bands like The Strokes. Gold Soundz and Range Life are particularly accessible. Almost old school emo with the vocal delivery. They were my favourite tracks. 8/10
What a relief when after seven songs there was finally one with no off-key singing. Are they the American version of Sloan? Once in university I walked into a Sloan show, didn't recognize the song they were playing and left to play Super Mario Brothers 3 with my partner at the time. We spent the hour or so we could have been at Sloan getting killed by this little sun that swooped from one side of the screen to the other. Never did beat that level. Still a better use of my time then going to Sloan, or Pavement if that had been an option. If someone out there is unfortunate enough to have read this review I apologize.
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.
I liked this album, I'm just not really sure how much.
Good.
> The Beatles
Try as I might I just cannot bring myself to like this. It’s lacking in a crucial something to make it stand out. Unmemorable and uninspiring 2.5
Think I’m being abit harsh but I give it 3.5
Did not enjoy, felt mostly loud, obnoxious, and whiney. There were some redeemable songs that I enjoyed which kept it from being one Star.
Enjoyed it more than I initially thought I would, based on the distance in the first song. If pearl jam is sativa, Pavement is indica - it's like grunge for chill chillers.
The opening title track “Silence Kid” has the same melody as Buddy Holly “Every Day” - is that intentional? Pavement is decent indie rock, used to be more of a fan but sometimes it still borders on too noisy and out there. They made a sound that a lot of people continue to copy, even if they never caught on big time Love “Cut Your Hair”, sounds like a theme song to a Nickelodeon show.
Much like the other Pavement we did this was good, ragged, quirky indie that is pretty easy to like.
No big hair.
crocked brains
Irgendwie postiv überrascht. Mochte die Gitarren sehen, könnte beim mehrmaligen Hören wirklich was gutes draus werden.
yuck. didnt know what i was listening to - and no cohesion
I liked the lo fi sound. Overall it was okay
It was alright
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
This is the Pavement album to listen to. Peak witticisms, peak hooks, and some weird stuff like the Dave Brubeck homage 5-4=Unity. Fave Tracks: Silence Kit, Cut Your Hair, Gold Soundz, 5-4=Unity, Range Life 4.2/5
Track 1 needs more cowbell. Didn't relish this one at all on the whole. Listened before? N Saved to library? N Favorite track(s): None ⭐: Ambiguous on this one
It's fine, but it's not really for me. This project is showing me how much my enjoyment of an album hinges on the vocals. These, I do not care for. 😬 Listened before? N Saved to library? N Favorite track(s): N/A ⭐⭐: Didn't like it, didn't hate it. Saved no tracks.
13 in een dozijn indierock uit 1994. Blijkbaar iets dat ik echt minstens 1 keer heb moeten horen in mn leven, maar heel eerlijk? Ik vind het een ontzettend mwah album. Geen sterke emoties tijdens/na het luisteren van dit album. Als je me had verteld dat ik dit album al eens had gehoord had ik je ook geloofd, merkte alleen wel dat ik een ontzettend nare reactie had op de zanger in de eerste paar nummers. Wat was dat matig zeg. Gelukkig word het daarna wel ieets beter, maar het zegt denk ik wel weer genoeg dat mijn lievelingsnummer een instrumentaal nummer was. N E X T Hopelijk nu iets vernieuwends of bijzonders in plaats van het zoveelste mwah indierock album. FAVO: 5-4=Unity,
i hear another way too over-hyped album, in the same vein as Jeff Mangum's In The Aeroplane Over The Sea .... life's way too short for Pitchfork-promoted hipster rubbish. maybe it's me and i just don't get it, but all i hear is a dull, uninteresting, badly performed, atonal cacophony fronted by a singer who cannot sing. if i'm in the mood for Slacker Rock (not so often), then i'd much rather be listening to Will Toledo. i'm not the slightest convinced that if i persevere, there will be a eureka moment where everything suddenly clicks, i don't feel any time spent getting to know the songs is time well-invested. There isn't a rush of excitement, no elevated pulse, no rush of dopamine; just the tedium of wondering how soon it'll be over and i can put on something enjoyable. There's an abundance of fantastic music out there, so why waste time on this ? it's a 1.5 star rating which i will downgrade to a 1 (no half stars possible). just who the fck compiled this 'revered' 1001 albums list ? most of my assignments/recommendations thus far have been average at best.
Fine.
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.
Japidi takie 3.5
Nie ma tragedii, ale nie mój klimat. Jest jednak parę ciekawych momentów, ale w jednym numerze gitarzysta ma rozstrojoną gitarę XD
Głos wokalisty mnie z czasem coraz bardziej denerwował, struktura utworów trochę chaotyczna, ale muzycznie niezłe.
At first I felt like I might actually like this but it's just too low key, bordering on boring. I think that's kind of the idea but me no likey.
Giong middle of the road. Mostly as a nod to CK.
This album contributes little to the pantheon. It almost passed me by by a couple of Thrills type bits and a decent closing track saved it from being completely without merit.
I couldn't really get along with this. I wanted to but it just felt like all the songs were the same. Fine background music.
"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
Nothing to really distinguish it from hordes of other shoe-gazer albums.
This album gets better with age.
I like this one much better than "Slanted..." as I feel this album has many more song structures that feel whole and complex while still giving satisfying melodies. I may personally give it a 3.5, but there's part of me that could potentially see it growing to a 4.5 as I do want to revisit it in the future (which is not how I felt about "Slanted...").
ja, wurmt sich immer mehr ins ohr hinein. „gmögiger“ indierock.
Hat was aber irgendwie zuwenig.
I was impressed by this - interesting guitar work, nice vocals, some memorable songs. I'll come back to this again in the future. 3.7/5 - 4/5
I hesitate to give it a 2 star but man some of it annoys me.
Indie is hit and miss with me, and this one hits on my scale. I think Malkmus takes some adjusting to for the uninitiated, though not going to be everyone's cup of tea.
6/10 Highlights: Range Life Fillmore Jive Stop Breathing Silence Kid
I didn't realize who pavement was at first, but when I heard the vocals I knew immediately. I enjoyed this, it was pretty decent.
This album is excellent. Some of the best 90s rock I have ever heard. There are so many catchy songs on this record. It's wall to wall bangers, but the standouts are "Unfair" and "Elevate Me Later".
Fairly listenable but somewhat forgettable.
And that’s a pretty nice haircut! 😙
Nice find!
Say didn't listen
Quite good
Underrated band I love!! 5 *
Love when an album is not what you expected. Their most pop tuned "Cut Your Hair" wasn't even the best song on the album
I kinda get it, its like grunge, but I have no palette for it.
Meh
Pleasantly surprised by this album. I loved it from start to finish and I’m definitely gonna spin (stream) it again in the future. Nothing like a good indie rock album to start the day!
This was alright, but I didn't love it. I heard a lot of Meat Puppets in their sound, and I started reading a little bit about their history on Wikipedia as I was listening, and after reading how much praise they're received over the years for their music (not to mention being included on this list), I was really expecting more than I got from this album. Like I said, it was alright, but maybe just not for me. Two stars.
Interesting music even if the vocals were sometimes ragged and some of it started to repeat itself
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
Not sure how this band avoided my radar, since I like so many sounds in here. I usually try to steer away from artist comparisons, but I can’t help but hear Wilco, modest mouse, the pixies, and even weezer in here. All of which I have had long standing listening relationships with. I love the sound they capture in “range life”. Good stuff.
One of my favorite albums when I was a teenager was completely obsessed with the band . Still played regularly to this day
Solid album. Like more tracks than I recall. Favorites include "Silence Kid," "Cut Your Hair," "Gold Soundz," "Range Life," and "Heaven is a Truck." Ultimately went with "Cut Your Hair" and "Range Life" for the playlist..."Silence Kid" almost made it though!
Pretty good. Normally not a huge fan of the genre but I was digging this most of the time.
eh
Ohh the 90s...
I never really liked Pavement, from the first time I listened to them on some "most essential" list, and I still don't like them. This sounds like Hudson Bell to be, or in fact vice versa, but without the cool, drawn-out fuzzy guitar riffs, instead replacing them with bits from Spinal Tap's Jazz Odyssey or boring garage band music.
This was bollocks. Bland indie rock. I’d heard the name previously but never ventured into listening to them. Not for me.
This was, what, the 2nd or 3rd Pavement reset, which largely continued until Terror or possibly BtC depending on where you stop the clock. It’s simply not the same band nor vibe as Slanted and the earlier EPs. The songwriting started to change with Frontwards, but the sound and production value was still rooted in Stockton and Gary Young. CR, CR not only lost Gary’s unique drumming with Steve West’s introduction, but this version of the band had a wider mix, a range of guitar sounds, a much fuller drum sound, actual bass guitars, etc. And Malkmus started writing, well, different songs, the wacky or noisy moments became more deliberate or obligatory, even rehearsed sounding, but gone were the Fall-inspired tangents and in were Pavement The Rock Band Songs. Which is roughly the sound that Pavement and Malkmus fans have known ever since. Is that a bad thing? Would we give up CR, CR through Terror Twilight and the various Malkmus solo projects if it meant staying with the Stockton sound? I became a fan via the Trigger Cut EP, finding it sometime shortly before CR, CR’s release and whenever S&E got big distribution. As such, my Pavement fandom has always skewed just a bit towards what came before 1994. But, that’s when I first saw them live, weeks before I even had this album, and that was a transformative experience for a young KPH. I vaguely knew you could get away with playing guitar “non-traditionally” but watching SM shamble his way through a set was very much having a lightbulb go off: a ha, I can do that, and I can probably not care about how I like doing it. This works! Sidebar, man that dude grew up so fast in the next 6(!) years. I went from seeing what still looks like a boyish figure (there’s a video of the concert at the Batschkapp in Frankfurt on youtube) to An Adult by the time he was playing solo at the Middle East. 6 years! Anyhow, the parts that worked for me as a teenager still largely do the trick, but there’s a bit missing from this now and that’s not because of my own problems with SM. I still loved Pavement’s music into the early 00s but I dunno, it’s...blocked off or something.
3.1 2x
I hated this tbh. The vocals are whiny and put through some filter, I couldn’t stand them. The instrumentation was better but this a solid 1 star for me.
Pavement seems to want to make Indy rock music with punk rules and it just doesn't work for me. Cut Your Hair is worth a second listen. 2 outta 5.
Just a bit lack lustre
I love this sound. Of course I do. It's mid 90's!! I like the grunge sound in it.
pretty non de script but fine
I remember the days in the late 70ies, when I went to the local music store to check out the latest fuzz pedal. It sounded exact like this. After 15 minutes the guy at the desk asked me to leave the store (and he was ansolutely right - I knew just 3 chords) Who the hell had the motivation to create a record from this noise?
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 want to front load this, Stephen Malkmus's vocals are anywhere from horrific to exactly what the song needs on this album. It is such an inconsistent performance. Like Newark Wilder is such a strange performance and then immediately after unfair is one of the best songs on this album. Somewhere around track 2 or 3 I realized this is so similar to Jeff Rosenstock's career output at times that it just clicked and I loved it. It's not perfect, there are some average songs, but this will be a high 4. I think I will be returning to a good amount of this record.
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
They make being such a slacker look easy. But for real, there's a reason Pavement are as beloved as they are. For a band that sounds so damn laid back, they have a sound that they dig every fun idea out of, up to and including a jazz number in 5/4. Makes me miss playing in a band with my buddies, and seeing my friends at shifty local dives. Might get back into that now that I've given this a proper listen
This one is a bit of a head scratcher for me. I had heard "Stereo" before, but this album sounds very sloppy in places, and maybe that's the point. But if you have to explain the joke, it's not funny anymore. I didn't hate it, but I felt like I was missing the point the entire time. I would put it right at a 2.5 or 2.6, which rounds up to a 3. Top tracks: "Cut Your Hair", "Silence Kid", "Fillmore Jive"
Tough to love, probably easier to hate though I don't hate it. I feel a bit indifferent to it, which is fitting given the whole vibe of this album and Pavement in general. I enjoyed the opener and closer - Silence Kid and Fillmore Jive. Th opener slowly wakes you up and gives some life to the album. The closer is perfect - from the first few bars I thought "this must be the last song" with how it sounded like they were winding up and bringing you to the end of a journey. Yeah, I really love a great rock album closer and I really loved Fillmore Jive. Too bad the in between is forgettable. I know Cut Your Hair (most probably know it) and it's solid. But I'm not sure I could name another song that stood out. Maybe Elevate Me Later or Unfair.
If someone were to ask me to provide an example of 90s slacker rock - THIS. They're ok. A little noisy sometimes (e.g., the end of Unfair) and Stephen Malkmus' slacker lazy vocal style works sometimes and not others (e.g., the first couple of songs). It was ok, but I'm not a big fan. Tracks I liked: Stop Breathing (especially the guitar line in the latter part of the song), Cut Your Hair, Newark Wilder (nice vibe).
Brilliant, did nothing but listen to pavement all day after this.
I’d never heard of pavement at all - enjoyed it! What this challenge is all about
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.
Good indie/slacker rock ⭐️Cut Your Hair, Unfair, Range Life 84/100
Loved this!
Indie Rock / Alternative Rock / Folk Rock / Psychedelic Rock albym from an American band that wasn't successful in their home country, and having listenrd to it I trying to fathom why it was a top 20 hit in the UK. The music isn't bad, but the vocals are dire, painful to listen to, and I'm being polite.
Not for me, music is ok but lyrics are lazy
Consistently sonically and lyrically interesting. Always love the way they crunch their chord structures so tightly - the guitars weaving and crashing into each other as Stephen Malkmus’ vocals dance in between the threads. Still sounds fresh to me, but that’s probably because I’m over 50
Was never a huge Pavement fan, only listening to them later with their last album, but really enjoy the "hits" from this album-- "Cut Your Hair," "Gild Soundz," and, of course, "Range Life." I really enjoyed the shaggy nature of this album and their ethos in general. Still, a little too melodocially and lyrically unkempt at times which I guess is the whole point. Gotta listen to more of these guys, feel like I missed out on them in the 90's
Love me some Pavement. In some ways they're the perfect example of an indie band with the DIY ethos. Malkmus just can't sing, or at least he doesn't care about doing it "well", and the band is adequate but nothing special, and somehow they still make interesting, catchy, endlessly replayable stuff. Range Life is such a good song, I also love Gold Soundz. Pavement has a strong cult following but I still think they're underrated.
Middle of the road 90's indie rock for me!
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
i get it, pavement is supposed to be the end all be all of indie, but it's just good, not 5 star great.
This band is so crazy Its sloppy in the best way possible. Perfect blend of indie rock and noise rock influenced textures. So cool, will def return
Pleasant surprise! This album was great, I definitely want to relisten.
Hell yeah, Pavement.
I'm not one for lo-fi fuzzy alternative music with bad singing. This is unfortunately one of those things.
This album was pretty fun and varied. I enjoyed it.
Solid
Knew I’d recognize a few. Solid mid 90s
this was a real mix for me! some i really enjoyed, some i just tolerated (i found ‘unfair’ screamy and grating for my tastes, or at least the mood i’m in today). quite a range of tone and sound through the album. experiencing something i’ve experienced before, where it sounds like so many things i’ve heard before - because this was a foundation for those more recent things. wild! favourite songs included ‘gold soundz’ (i like when songs reference their own structure), ‘5-4=unity’ which was REALLY interesting to me. listened to the album twice but still feel medium neutral towards it.
This album was quite fun and easy on the ears. The vocals reminded me of Rivers Cuomo at times. Silent Kid’s chorus sounded suspiciously close in melody to Everyday by Buddy Holly, but I’ll let it off. The album reeks of apathy, which is quite nice - I’m certainly a fan of slacker rock in general. Despite this, I’m not sure it was a strong enough album to make me want to listen again. If I want slacker rock, I’d probably still seek out some different 90’s alt.
Good album, pavement are a goated band, no songs particularly stand out to me tho
Pavement has ALWAYS been someone else's band. Someone who was cooler, hipper, wiser, and just a little more 'in' than me, just a little more ahead of the curve and once I arrived I was way too late. They always felt exclusive to a group that didn't include me, so I never listened. Screw those guys. I like this - quite a lot! I wish I would have swallowed my melodramatic self-pity sooner. The only person blocking the door was me.
Nope
I was so happy to see this on the generator. I really like Pavement and this album was fantastic
Mmmmm
If you don't like pavement, it's your own asphalt
Some interesting things going on here. Was that a sample of Everyday back there? Guitar notes jarring at times but it works somehow. Some good tracks in amongst what sounds like a bunch of surfers mucking around in their garage.
I have always avoided Pavement as music for hipsters and cynics. The beginning of this album did not do anything to dispel my thought. But at 5-4=Unity, the album changed for me and I absolutely loved the remaining songs.
Day 40- First listen- I really liked the first few tracks especially the instruments but unfortunately got a little bored in the middle part of the album. I def need to listen again without getting distracted! (2.5/5)
sh
solid album
Instrumentation was enjoyable but the vocals were not.
Fine.
Boh un po' noioso e monotono. Da riascoltare forse. Il cantante stona.
More refined album by the band. Songs are pretty good and the tone of the album works. Overall, thought this was good. 3.5/5 Probably will listen again
classic pavement but also some interesting theme changez
Good but not for me.
It's ok. I know it is raved about as a classic, I thought it was ok.
vibrant, dynamic, underground rock of the nineties, beautiful melodies, has also folk country elements "Silence kid"/"stop breathin"/"cut your hair"
No mam problem z tą płytą. Z jednej strony wszystko mi w niej pasowało, z drugiej mam wrażenie że już wszystko to kiedyś słyszałam. Zdążyłam się już przyzwyczaić do innowacji lub klasyki klasyk na tej liście. A to ani klasyka ani wielki zespół. Po prostu Indie rock jakich wiele. Mimo to podobało mi się i nie mogę z czystym sercem dać mniej niż 6.5/10 równane w górę.
Ok, it's fine, just dull to me. I want to like Pavement as I understand they were influential in some of the music I like. But this was flat too often. I dug the Jazz parts though.
A fun lo-fi punky rock album that doesn't take itself seriously. It's lyrics are silly and the music is varied and exciting
I was familiar with a few songs. The music was great, not a huge of the off-key singing though.
Meh. Drunken sounding, meandering, half sung indie rock. My buddies LOVE these guys and I just can't seem to get it. 2/5
This just warmed my little grunge heart. I don’t know why, but I never got into Pavement back in the day, and I feel I missed out. While the vocals sometimes feel incongruous with the music, most songs it works. And I was very pleasantly surprised by the jazzy instrumental 5-4=1 Unity that they snuck in the middle there. It doesn’t all hit, I could do without Hit the Plane Down, for example, but all in all it beat expectations.
Bompin and stompin
"Pavement-Crooked Rain" is insignificant, boring crap I've never heard of, as far as I can remember. Every shitty "haircut" is a once-in-a-century event compared to it.
I should listen to more Pavement
meh
Hadn’t listened to this album before, knew a few tracks. Enjoyed it.
Si
Very 90s alternative sound. Enjoyable for the era, 4* Highlights: cut your hair
A little weird, but I dug it. My favourite was 5-4=Unity
pavement<3
Raw. There are a lot of good thoughts and sounds in the music and it's rather eclectic. I can see how there are lots of influencial sounds for other bands to be inspired by. I am a fan of the "5-4=Unity" track. It has a fun jazzy vibe that just keeps progressing and the Piano is refreshing.
Not a bad album, i would listen to a few of the songs
Decent slacker rock - as '90s as it gets! Creative and influential.
Hard rock. Good guitar work, but that’s it.
Rough and polished; blunt and charming.
I feel like I've heard this album done better. Some good songs, but quite a lot of filler.
Some kind of post-punk, proto-emo? Also has some grungey and indie elements, even Cure-like? This album is like a missing link, quite interesting Shame it's more interesting than catchy or fun... Silence Kid has vocal melody similar to Everyday by Buddy Holly? Best track - Silence Kid, Cut Your Hair, Gold Soundz 3 stars? Bump up to 4 for 3 songs I actually really like
This sound just isn't really my thing at all
7/28/25. Not sure why I slept on this one for a long time, very enjoyable listen. A tad quirky, but sharp songs.
It wasn’t bad, but it just… was. Too whiny, too meandering, and nothing ever hooked me in. It felt like the kind of background noise that blends into the hum of a laundromat. No standouts, no offense taken — just not my vibe.
3+ Stars (9/15)
did not like.
4 stars Distorted punk. Good opener. Sound is like an early 2000's album. Yet, still kinda bored by the GenX melancholy of it. Kinda annoyed by lead singers voice, sounds like a weak Jeff Tweedy, out of tune. Best Tune: Range Life (by far) Sounds very Wilco starting with Range Life
Some decent, but mostly not great.
ok fine yeah good
I kinda went back and forth on this album, but I ultimately liked it. Range Life, Fillmore Jive and 5-4=Unity were all standouts for me.
I quite enjoyed this, I think I'd relisten.
Alternative rock. I like the sound of this album a lot more than the execution.
no to jest album ktorego mozna sluchac w konkretnym nastroju - jest to nastroj na gowniana muzyke. ogolem nie takie zle doswiadczenie mysle ze do niego wroce
Not really my thing.
Eén van de coolste bands. Klinkt rauw, klinkt vals, maar dan op een goede manier. 4.3
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).
Drei Plus Range Life
A band I would love to listen to in a backyard in a small party. Not an album I would revisit. 3/5
Great example of indie rock. Didn't do much for me personally but I can appreciate why other people would be into it.
Got a lot more into Pavement this year for obvious reasons, but I do love em! This album is great, and though it’s a lot less hit-heavy, it really coasts on vibes and that patented cheeky slacker energy. So many fantastic moments
These guys really should be my favorite band of all time huh? Let's make that happen!
Bands like Pavement are funny to me because like today, I'll listen to an album by them and be like WOW i finally get it... pavement rocks... and then never listen to them again, forget they exist, get prompted to listen to them and have my mind blown all over again lol. maybe its my oogga boogga neanderthal brain ... jk i have no neanderthal dna unlike u knuckleheads haha .. .. .. .
Distortion just how I like it!
I remember liking Pavement more. Still good.
Surprisingly good album
4/10
Too whiny.
Early 90s diy-noise-punk indie rock from the US was SO much better than its 60s-eclecticism-but-Liam-brought-drugs-and-his-sampler UK counterpart but I'm not really warming up to Pavement I'm afraid. Their debut album (#246) managed to squeeze a ★★★★★ out of me, but I don't think this one will. [...] [in which I mull over a comparison with some other bands from that time and US place I enjoyed recently...] [Or will it?] No, I've been staring at this stupid box long enough. It's all fine, some songs I'll keep around (Unfair, Gold Soundz) but there's some sulky and moany, disaffected vibe to much of this album that I don't care much for. Maybe it's an acquired taste. I didn't acquire it. Happy to have had this today, though. A solid 4, will play again.
The vocals are tough to get through but I liked the music
I do not like this album. I do not like this band. It's just not a sound I can get into.
RUIM DEMAIS
Enjoyed it, though I don't remember a single song. Liked the lower power singing.
Meh. 2 stars.
I really like Pavement, and this is a lovely album but feeling a bit stingy today and nothing stood out to me, just consistently good but lots of forgettable ones. I wish we could do 0.5s.
Pavement are very intentionally obtuse, eccentric and rough around the edges, all traits which have seen many an act topple over into the abyss of pretentiousness, but the California quintet manage to pull off the slacker schtick with confidence and swagger. The single selection from this, their "breakthrough" second album was spot on - the three tracks chosen are definitely the best Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain has to offer, but even if the remainder is a little more off-kilter and chart-unfriendly, this album is still somehow more than a sum of it's parts. I never quite understood Mark E Smith's claim that Pavement were just ripping off The Fall - although I disagree, I can maybe hear where he was coming from after reacquainting myself with tracks such as Hit The Plane Down. Unlike many of their peers, Pavement's wonky indie material has aged well, and I enjoyed listening to this again for the first time in a while.
Nothing really stood out for me
More like 3.5. some amazing bits, but more songs that I wouldn't see myself coming back to
i've only been doing this album challenge thing for about 6 weeks and I feel like i've already listened to way too many alt-rock/noise rock/lo-fi albums that just sound like they were recorded by a bunch of 16 year olds in a garage. like the others, this straddles a line between endearing and annoying and I really can't tell what side it ends up on. i'd say endearing since some tracks remind me of early weezer, especially with some of the random lyrical non-sequitors. favorite song: "stop breathin" overall: 6/10
Not a bad album but no song really pulled me in or made me want more.
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”.
Never heard of Pavement, but I ended up really enjoying it. Range Life was definitely the highlight for me.
This was another good 90s album! And had a few songs I didn't really realize I knew them from! But I enjoyed it quite a bit actually!
Into it
This album really grew on me throughout the course of the day. As a whole, when listening to the album completely from top to bottom, it's very good as a full listen, but listening to just a song by itself doesn't really do it justice. Initially, I hated the singer's voice, but around the 5th (seriously) complete listen through, I kind of ended up loving it. Surprisingly that's happened a lot during the course of this challenge. For that reason, I'm glad I stuck with it, because this album really is pretty good. I heard it compared to "Fake Grunge" and I couldn't agree more. At times it sounds like they're just trying to mimic or mock what Grunge is supposed to sound like, for better or for worse. My favorite songs here are "Stop Breathin", "Range Life", and my actual favorite "Fillmore Jive". Curiously, my least favorite song was the hit single "Cut Your Hair", as I found it pretty annoying. Interesting little album they got here, I'm excited to see if I like the first one any more or less, It's supposed to be fairly different from this one.
A decent collection of appealing indie rock
Standard you know for this kinda vibe.
Love this, one of the best albums from a massively underrated band
Sorry, but I found then a bit dreary. A couple of songs on the verge of being catchy. Some almost jazzy elements. I don't know about chords, but I bet they were mostly minor.
Similar to the previous Pavement album we had on the 1001 list, more generic 90s American indie shoegaze grunge rock. Which is great if you're into it.
Cover 6 Heard the name before but never listened. Didn't realize they were more of an 80s hair metal band from the 90s. They came out in the wrong decade for sure. Not bad. I'm no longer into that music but growing up I definitely was a "butt rocker." Now, I rarely listen too this genre and mostly for nostalgia. Otherwise, decent album.
a classic indie band album. I love this album. And of course it's hilarious too.
Garage band vibes
Day529 - i guess one pavement album wasn’t enough
Sounded like I heard it all before, but pretty sure I haven't
one of the greats
It was alright, I'm not against listening to it again but I'm not sure how quickly I'd rush back to it.
Never really liked pavement, as an album it’s okay but loses me for a bit. Good album closer
Liked it
Basic alt rock, nothing interesting.
Is it weird that this reminded me heavily of Weezer, that’s not strictly a compliment, I like Weezer and specifically the blue album but they’re not a band I particularly like the sound of and the sound is pulled off very rarely. This was fine with some good moments
Absolute classic of my teenage years. Probably Pavement’s best record in my book.
Previously rated: Slanted And Enchanted (3/5) ******************************* This band needed TWO entries on this list?! I honestly felt a little queasy by the end of this. Everything being out of tune for 42 minutes can do that, I guess. Best track: 5-4=Unity because it's a little jazzy and doesn't feature the "quirky" off-key singer.
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.
Off the cuff remark: A second Pavement album in a few days!! While it is a great album always felt it never quite lived up to the wonder of Slanted and Enchanted Standout Track(s): Perhaps obviously "Cut Your Hair" but "Gold Soundz" and "Range Life" deserve honorary mentions Revisit?: Absolutely. Well-crafted out-of-kilter-indie-rock what's not to bear repeat listening?
Didn't like them then, don't like them now. The patron saints of guys who want to be in bands but can't sing, play guitar, write songs, or express themselves without unmerited scorn. That said, it has some nice moments.
Not my thing, was kind of bland. 2.5/5
3.5 Some amazing songs! Some so-so
01) Silence Kid - 7,0 02) Elevate Me Later - 6,5 03) Stop Breathin - 5,5 04) Cut Your Hair - 6,0 05) Newark Wilder - 5,5 06) Unfair - 5,5 07) Gold Soundz - 6,0 08) 5-4=Unity - 7,0 09) Range Life - 6,5 10) Heaven Is a Truck - 5,5 11) Hit the Plane Down - 5,0 12) Fillmore Jive - 5,0 TOTAL: 5,92 (59/100)
I knew I should have listened to Pavement's albums earlier in my life. Because this is really good. I can see why Noel Ghallager said it was one of his musical inspirations for his band Oasis. This band is clearly more experimental than the latter tough, which I enjoy a lot. 8,5/10 fav songs : Cut Your Hair & Fillmore Jive
It was OK and I like Cut Your Hair, but not much else.
There's a lot of praise for Pavement, but I found this album to contain a few noteworthy songs, many unremarkable songs and some that sound like the Replacements but not as good. Filmore Jive and Hit the Plane Down stood out. Cut Your Hair was the only one I was already familiar with.
OK, and not a big fan of his voice.
His voice isn't great, but really enjoyed it anyway.
Great. Compelling.
It's like The Thrills took heroin and made another album. Who gave these guys a recording contract? Complete and utter bollox
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.
Early 90s Grunge/Indie Like the melodic stuff the most, like "Cut Your Hair"
15yr old me loved this
4-
Mostly boring, but there are a few really good songs. Mostly it's just kind of droning, mid 902 background "alternative" music. I've been vacillating between 2 and 3 stars the entire album. I'll get a good song, then the next couple start to drain me closer and closer to 2 stars, then I'll get a good one that jumps me back up to 3 stars, and we start the process over again.
Rating: 6.5/10 Better production on this one and good overall, not enough highlights to justify a higher rating.
solid!
Ordentlicher Rock mit gutem Konzept. „cut your Hair“ ist ein guter Song. „Range Life“ ist spannend.
A masterpiece
Weezer heard this band and thought they could tighten it up and give it a little more pop sensibility. Pavement is the dark side of Wilco. There's a Pixies vibe to this album as well. Cut Your Hair was their hit. It's not a Pixies vibe, it feels more like an homage now. 5-4=Unity steals a bar from Dave Brubeck and I'm here for it, it's a nice departure from the rest of the album that is very much one note. There are some things to like about this album...but it is a lot of the same, track after track. Hit the Plane Down is more grunge than the rest of the album and the worst song on the album. And Wilco is the first band up in the "Because you just listened to Pavement" queue.
Not their best Big Fall influence.
Un disco aburrido. Simplemente lo escuché esperando a que se terminé. Nada sobresaliente, ni la voz, ni las letras, ni la instrumentación, ni las progresiones armónicas. Olvidable. Tal vez sea simplemente un estilo que no me interesa. Si tuviese que remarcar algún track serían "5-4=Unity" porque al menos intentan algo diferente con esta iteración de "Take Five", y "Fillmore Jive" que logra un poco más de intensidad emocional para cerrar el álbum.
While I was listening to this, I kept thinking it was really good. But then I noticed that I can't remember anything from it now that it's over. In fact, I am 90% sure I owned this on CD when it was new. But forgot all about it. That makes rating this really hard. It's good, but completely forgettable.
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.
Downer indie rock. Very middle school angst
I'm quite on-board with the garage-rock sound. There's a kind of blasé, casual quality to it. I like his vocal delivery as well pretty much. There's some good tracks in here that stand out, but also plenty of middling ones that kind of merge into one. 3.5 rounded down.
Pretty middle of the road.
I’ve tried to listen to and enjoy Pavement so many times in the past and can never stand Stephen Malkmus’ voice. Something about his lackadaisical slacker intonation comes off whiny and grating.
range life