Pavement
Slanted And Enchanted
1992, Matador Records
In a strange way I almost feel like I don't need to try to describe this record. If you haven't heard it (WTF have you been doing?) then just look at the cover. THAT is what it sounds like. It's sloppy. And lo-fi. And kind of musically wrong at times. But it's also thrilling. Wonderful. And freeeeeee.
There is no question that this was a pivotal record for my ears. But I certainly wasn't the only one. Pavement seemed to be a band that served as a line in the sand. You either caught "Cut Your Hair" on MTV and then swore off corporate rawk (oohhh the fucking irony!) or you listened to some foxy, elegant bachelors. That's just how the 90's were, kids.
So let's travel back. Pretend we have never heard anything post-92...
The opening lyric to the record is "Ice Baby"... deadpan reference to Vanilla Ice? No matter, as "Summer Babe (Winter Version)" is maybe the closest thing that the indie crowd got to their own "Boys Of Summer."
"In The Mouth Of A Desert" is, I think, the official Sonic Youth Tribute song? A fucked up fumbling guitar intro into a paean about keeping this shit underground/outtasight.
"Conduit For Sale!" okay by this point -- 5 tracks in -- you have a new favorite band. Sure it's sort of a Fall ripoff, but I've never loved a Fall song quite this much.
"Zurich Is Stained" is so sad and I don't know why...
"Perfume IV" is so fucking rock, but rock like we weren't allowed to hear on the radio anymore. Ah! Fuck! This album is tooooo muccccch!
And there's so much to pick apart on this record. But the main thing I want to point out is that this record is the biggest example of what I've always thought made Pavement so great. THEY NEVER LET ON TO HOW TALENTED THEY WERE. What I mean is, the sort of played in a way that sound off the cuff, or sloppy, or sort of "we'll wing it while we record it." But it was never that way it all. They knew exactly what they were doing with each note. Each supposedly nonsensical word. Maybe back then we thought it was naive and impromptu. But looking back now, it's easy to see they were recording Perfect Sound Forever.