I just read the Stylus review of this monster double CD reissue, and listened to most of the extra tracks.

It's an odd review, calling it both the best rock album of the 90s, and "non-essential." I guess this bloke has a pretty low opinion of 90s rock.

I too had conflicted feelings about Pavement over the years. Their early EPs and singles weren't special because they referenced The Fall, Swell Maps, Pere Ubu and Sonic Youth, but because an occasional flash of melodic brilliance hinted that they might be the ones to drag that culture into the mainstream.

Like The Pixies' Surfer Rosa, Slanted And Enchanted should have been just the beginning, taking the sounds of experimental post-punk and making them meaningful and moving to more than just a small crowd of music geeks. Instead, it was an early peak. When Doolittle came out, I felt let down. Rather than break new ground, it simply dumbed down and flattened out what made them special, in a doomed attempt to become a commercial success. I felt the same with Crooked Rain. Rather than a progression, it was simply the start of a gentle decline.

With a decade or more of hindsight, those albums hold up better than I thought they would. With the knowledge that The Pixies and Pavement would not shatter any templates (other artists would do that), it's easy to enjoy their remaining albums as fresh, infectious, and pretty damn essential pieces of indie rock. "Cut Your Hair" no longer makes me grind my teeth!

And given how increasingly difficult it is for an adventurous artist to consistently hit the sweetspot of a zeitgeist that unites millions of people (was Radiohead the last?), it no longer seems reasonable to expect much more. The lowered expectations at least make the relative disappointment after the original excitement over bands like The Strokes, Interpol, Libertines, Yeah Yeah Yeahs a bit easier to swallow.

does anyone really give a shit what this hot water bottle posts about?

I quite enjoyed Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain and was my introduction to Pavement. So I couldn’t be disappointed with it because I had no reference. In fact it remains my favorite of theirs, and first listen was in a car ride with a bunch of buddies going from San Francisco to Los Angeles. We all quite liked it and wanted to hear it again and again but didn’t because of other choices. This record kind of open things up for me musically. Before this I would not touch things that were this laid back and mellow, shoegazerish yeah but nothing like this. I’m glad this album came out when it did, as it was refreshing.

I haven’t really looked at the reissue because I have all of the singles but they did add a few goodies. If it’s re-mastered with better sound that might be something to look into as well.

Wow, Chase chill...

this is a good moment to submit that i can't stand you and your pathetic lady-hounding or the even more insipid worship of british bands that you indulge yourself in. frankly, i think that the world would be a better place were you to step back and reflect on who you are, or (if i were feeling selfish) just cram a wadded up ball of socks down your throat and wait for the sweet, blissful light of god's mercy to overtake you.

I love you too. I’m not going to even respond to that.

I’m sure a few people around here like me, though I’m probably not loved.

Like I said chill out, tomorrow will be another day.

I also realize you didn’t like me a long time ago, so there was no need to submit it. Whatever I done to cause this I’m sorry as I try to be a peaceful person but not everyone meshes.

I guess I sort of responded to it after all.

Haq should just close this board down for a couple of weeks. Seriously, I don't want to read this.

edit

What the hell is going on?

I was sticking up for you.

Quit whining or I'll retract my sticking up and join forces with the evil Chase.

Chase is funny and witty?

Damn Bee, you are a comedian!

I read FnB's reviews, but tend to disagree with this one.

Chase, do you need a hug?

off topic: I think that Joanna Newsom has not won me over yet with her carefully crafted guilelessness. i'm trying, but . . .

I was whining and see that now. I still think its bullshit that he said those things and will never understand the hate. Chase, you’re the one that needs to take a step back and reflect on whom you are. I have had plenty of time for that recently and doing just fine. Next time keep it to yourself for God sake, and wish no ill will towards you. Was going to be mean but decided to take that high road.

Just think I was going to pull a Spade Kitty, what the hell was I thinking.

i'm confused?

I've never been able to get into crooked rain, but i always liked slanted&enchanted. i think since they were one of the first bands that i really liked that i had to wait for another album to come out (a lot of bands that i got into when i started to get into different music typically had extensive back catalogs so i could get everything right away and didn't have to wait for new stuff)that the second one never did anything for me.