[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Slanted and Enchanted by Pavement (April 20, 1992)"]
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Okay, I've got to be honest. This is the first album that I actually hated on this list. Its brutal. Its the epitomy of music I don't like. There are raging guitars interspersed in various tracks on the album that don't sound properly tuned, the vocals don't match with the instrumentation - the sound is different, the pitch is off, and they just don't mix well.
Track Listing
- Summer Babe (Winter Version)
- Trigger Cut/Wounded-Kite at :17
- No Life Singed Her
- In The Mouth A Desert
- Conduit For Sale!
- Zurich Is Stained
- Loretta's Scars
- Here
- Two States
- Perfume-V
- Fame Throwa
- Jackals, False Grails: The Lonesome Era
- Our Singer
- Chesley's Little Wrists
So this is an interesting challenge to articulate why I dislike this album so much. My instant reaction is just to keep switching over every track (because I think they sound awful). Kind of like the sound that might happen if a 12 year old beginner played guitar with a cat screeching in the background. Oh and the 12 year old's friend tries to play guitar with him, and it just sounds bad and chaotic.
Does that explain to you how much I dislike this album?
The first track that sounds "okay" to me (except for the cheesy cymbal crashes every eight beats...brutal) is 'Here'. And by okay, I mean it doesn't make me want to scream and run through a glass door. Is that too much?
Oh wait, I don't mind "Two States" either, but it still doesn't have a really cohesive sound to it. Maybe that's why this album did so well and was listed on the RS500? Because its sound is unique compared to anything else? I don't know. I never liked alternative music when I was young, so maybe this just sounds like the alternative music of the 90s that I detested. But maybe not, because now I actually do like some alternative music.
I like music that has some sense of cohesion - the elements go together, even if it sounds chaotic, harmony exists amongst the noise. And that is NOT what I hear in this album.
Look, I wouldn't want to piss anyone off or insult the band (clearly if the record is in the top 150 albums of all time, then it can't be that bad...right?) but I wouldn't recommend you listen to this album. Unless you want to be tortured. (Wait, one more song is redeeming this album, just a bit..."Our Singer")
I don't want to talk about this album anymore, so I'm going to finish this post. But if you have thoughts about this or disagree with me, please...share them. I'd love to understand why this is supposedly good enough to be on the list of the greatest albums of all time.
Time to move on from this...oh but wait. First I'll delete this BS from my iTunes library.
Comments (9)
Jeff on January 16, 2016
Yeah, I find some bands are overlooked because of the image and power other have carried throughout the decades (Zepplin, Beatles, Floyd, Doors, Sabbath). All great bands, but the smaller bands such as the Pavements (the Replacements, the Guided by Voices, the Neutral Milk Hotels) on these greatest lists are always misunderstood because their sound is different. But I think this is why they are important, because they started or created a sound significant at a time when no one was interested. Just my opinion. Keep up the good work.
bparon on January 16, 2016
Yeah, absolutely, I 100% agree with you. And that’s why I try to give them more time to listen to them and try and understand them or see the significance. Sadly, with Pavement, I just couldn’t this time. But I’m going to re-try with Crooked Rain!!!
Jeff on January 16, 2016
Just another point for my argument – I noticed there are maybe 5 albums that come for the 90s and that the majority of the albums are proir to the 80s. It could be that RS didn’t feel that time had allowed for these albums to make a significant impact. But I argue that some of the most influencial sounds came from these decades (80s-00s)and that again have been overlooked here. Very to disapointed to see no Neutral Milk Hotel or Joy Divsion in the top 100…and no OK Computer or Kid A!! (although the Bends is my personal favourite. that is within the RS 150 list.
bparon on January 16, 2016
Well I think anytime there is a list of top albums people are bound to be left out. By no means is the RS top 500 albums the be all and end all list. Every organization who makes a list of top recordings, its all subjective (unless its based on stats, which really wouldn’t necessarily make an album GREAT). So its fun to see people’s reactions and compare lists and opinions.
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