Real, real, real hard to explain to anyone who grew up in bigger towns and had access to college radio, MTV, older sibilings with cool albums, or any semblance of punk culture the importance of hearing Slanted and Enchanted at a super crucial age (14? 15?) out in the actual sticks. Imprinted on my brain right alongside Dinosaur Jr, MBV, and a buncha others.

Pavement was the outlier, though. Something far diff going on there that I didn't have the language for then (or now, maybe?). Epochal band.

A band that has a little more boogie than they're given credit for, too.

Big fan. Last album wasn't for me. Love everything else almost without reservation.

Isaac wrote: Real, real, real hard to explain to anyone who grew up in bigger towns and had access to college radio, MTV, older sibilings with cool albums, or any semblance of punk culture the importance of hearing Slanted and Enchanted at a super crucial age (14? 15?) out in the actual sticks. Imprinted on my brain right alongside Dinosaur Jr, MBV, and a buncha others.

Man, I was 16, right in the middle of Manhattan, and 'Slanted' hit me like a lightning bolt.
Nothing really hit me like that before or since. So I do kind of get it.
Being a teenager is wild, yes, but there is something about that album.
SO MUCH happened to me that summer (including 2 nights of Pavement with Gary at Maxwell's) and that kind of summer only happens to you once.

Teacher's Pet wrote: Tue Apr 07, 2026 11:13 am SO MUCH happened to me that summer (including 2 nights of Pavement with Gary at Maxwell's) and that kind of summer only happens to you once.

I was at one of those shows. Late July or early August '92? Band was in fine form and (I think) played one or two of the weirdo tunes that got lost between the first and second albums.

There was an even better gig at the Khyber Pass in Philadelphia a night or two later. (Had to sneak in, as I was not yet of age.)

Reworked early Silver Jews "covers" were not uncommon during that same tour. These were especially nice to hear b/c the "studio" recordings were usually pretty rough and taped on a boombox or a Walkman. So it was all much clearer and fleshed out, since the Jews were still a home-recording thing that had not yet played live at that stage.

Isaac wrote: Real, real, real hard to explain to anyone who grew up in bigger towns and had access to college radio, MTV, older sibilings with cool albums, or any semblance of punk culture the importance of hearing Slanted and Enchanted at a super crucial age (14? 15?) out in the actual sticks. Imprinted on my brain right alongside Dinosaur Jr, MBV, and a buncha others.

Man, yeah. I'm from Gainesville, GA. The other Gainesville. Poultry capital of the world.

The year was 2000. I was in 7th grade. I had rediscovered Beck (loved Odelay as a, uhhhhhhhh, 3rd grader?) and found his K records album, "One Foot In The Grave." I don't know how I stumbled upon allmusic.com, but I stumbled upon it all the same. The review for "One Foot" labeled the record as "lo-fi." That tag took me to a list with Pavement's Slanted and Enchanted, and the accompanying review. I found a used CD copy at my Recycled CDS. "Here" made me feel deeply 7th grade.

I wonder who sold the CD? Some kid coming back from college? Very thankful for the transactions.

I love Pavement, and it's taken me a while to get here. I loved the tunes, but sometimes the lack of "trying" bothered me. I don't hear it the same way now. I think a song like "Frontwards" doesn't just magically appear. There's effort, There's work. You don't accidentally write songs that stand up through the eons.

Anyways! Pavement! Not Crap!

I liked them back in the day but never enough to bother to see them live. (Or even to bother leading many of the names to their songs. When I click on links to some of their songs, my reaction is, “Oh yeah! That one!”) Maybe I assumed that their shows sold be half-assed? My loss.

(Built to Spill was and remains my favorite of the quote-unquote “indie rock” bands.)

It’s funny and surprising to think of how good time has been to Pavement. What at the time came across as lackadaisical and ironic now seems to have captured something essential and that doesn’t exist anymore. Some of those songs get me right in the heart now—way more than their so-called “earnest” peers do.

Always loved the lyric “this tunnel is a Texas mile.”

Wood Goblin wrote: Tue Apr 07, 2026 3:28 pm I liked them back in the day but never enough to bother to see them live. (Or even to bother leading many of the names to their songs. When I click on links to some of their songs, my reaction is, “Oh yeah! That one!”) Maybe I assumed that their shows sold be half-assed? My loss.

(Built to Spill was and remains my favorite of the quote-unquote “indie rock” bands.)

It’s funny and surprising to think of how good time has been to Pavement. What at the time came across as lackadaisical and ironic now seems to have captured something essential and that doesn’t exist anymore. Some of those songs get me right in the heart now—way more than their so-called “earnest” peers do.

Always loved the lyric “this tunnel is a Texas mile.”

I think everything they did was a fantastic little magic trick. You gotta be pretty good to sound that lazy and sloppy so accurately. There is a surprise in every song. It all totally works for me.

I don't know how you can hear "Stop Breathin'" or "Grounded" or "Father to A Sister of Thought" and think that Malkmus didn't know what he was doing vocally and lyrically, or that every song is an ironic joke.

tallchris wrote: Tue Apr 07, 2026 5:26 pm “Stop Breathin'"

This song is like a top ten favorite of mine ever in the history of music.

The guitar arpeggios during the verse… I don’t know how better to explain… imperfectly perfect.

tallchris wrote: Tue Apr 07, 2026 5:26 pm I don't know how you can hear "Stop Breathin'" or "Grounded" or "Father to A Sister of Thought" and think that Malkmus didn't know what he was doing vocally and lyrically, or that every song is an ironic joke.

These songs, "Zurich is Weird," "Rattled by the Rush," "Grave Architecture," "Range Life" - all solid. The later Grateful Dead turn, eh.

When they were a weird band, they were great. When they were a beige band, they were less exciting than a Superchunk b-side. I've never understood the "cultural moment" talk, maybe you had to be exactly 14 1/2.

It's not hate, I love Malkmus' leads with the Silver Jews. Pavement is just a very unexciting band.

Props for bringing Guerilla Toss on tour after Malkmus saw them in Portland. It was weird to see him in the crowd in a smaller venue, respect.

gotdamn wrote: Tue Apr 07, 2026 7:45 pm Pavement is just a very unexciting band.

YAWN YAWN YAWN