#41

Saw SM&TJ at Green Man 2012 before Mogwai and they were great.

1 Like
#42

Kennel District would cancel this out though, no?

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#43

Remember in my dour and unsociable teenage years going to sit in my dad’s car while my family were finishing off Christmas Dinner, the first and only time it was in a restaurant.

I stuck on the radio and it was Peel’s festive 50, I think. Shady Lane came on and i’d never heard anything quite like it. Sought out brighten the corners from hmv on Sauchiehall Street as soon as i could - had some acquaintance with me at the time who took the piss for my weird taste.

For a while I briefly thought he might be right because I could not get into that album at all. Weird chords, unpredictable changes of direction and a lack of ‘tunes’ beyond shady lane and stereo. Back in those days cds weren’t cheap and so you persevered and I’m so glad I did. It gradually made sense and became one of my favourite albums.

Slowly set about collecting the rest of their albums, some took a while to click but others I loved immediately, and patiently awaited the release of terror twilight - which isn’t in the same league but is still a great album.

Saw them live, I think maybe 1999, at the barrowlands and it was a great experience being amongst other folk who loved some of the same songs. There had been some unhappy rumblings during the Brixton show the night before or maybe it was the night after the barras gig - I remember malthus holding up some handcuffs at the barras gig and saying ‘this it is what it is like being in a band’ - and I’m pretty sure they split up very shortly afterwards.

Since then I’ve followed malkmus’ solo stuff closely, lots of great stuff there (particularly the debut) and seen him live a number of times. Also saw the reformation gig, again at the barras, but it didn’t quite capture the magic. Also seen Preston school of industry, remember them?, and had a great t-shirt of theirs.

Realise this comes across a wee bit fanboyish but I just love pavement. Been a few flabby excesses on some of malkmus’ solo stuff but overall he comes across as a GBOL.

A stone cold 5.

10 Likes
#44

I’ve got these the wrong way around - Jicks was 2008 at Komedia, Real Emotional Trash tour.

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#45

Suspect I might be the only Terror Twilight voter in the album charts, but I had never heard of them before Carrot Rope, bought the album (and Major Leagues EP) on the back of that and loved it, but took about ten more years for me to hear anything else. I realise most of the other albums are objectively better but will always have a soft spot for Terror Twilight.

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#46

Brighten the corners is my favourite. Think it was the first I bought after downloading CR,CR off a naughty site.

I think it’s packed with tunes tho

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#47

They are really good. Their influences are really obvious (sometimes too obvious) but they rise above that by the quality of their songwriting and by having a slightly shambolic charm that is all their own. I love how it often feels like a Pavement song if about to fall to pieces but somehow it holds together.

That said, I like their more polished songs as well, like this little jewel:

They are a 4.5 for me, but in the end I went for a 4. Great, but not quite amongst the immortals.

6 Likes
#48

Hit the Plane Down

#49

Oh it is, I just couldn’t discern them on the first 15 listens. Once I did though…

#50

Whacked my Pavement t-shirt on today before I’d seen this thread was made, must have been a sign.

Pavement are great, 5.

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#51

I actually quite like htpd…

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#52

Another big ole 5. I think I stumbled onto S&E on iTunes via some “if you like this band then you’ll like …” links, back when that was my main way of finding new music, and it instantly felt like I’d found my music. Offbeat, unexpected, lazy, incredibly melodic, oblique but still with some moments of real beauty and emotional clarity under it all. I keep expecting their impact to wear off, but all the people they’ve inspired just help to reinforce that they had a vibe that no one else has managed to quite capture

I’d agree with this in the best possible way. The first two albums (and the stuff before that) sound like people discovery what they can do and just having a total laugh with it, WZ is some middle ground and then the last two are a path towards maturity and order, without getting dull or repetitive.

Saw them on the reunion tour and while it was clearly just an average gig, and they weren’t in love with the experience, I’m still fully glad I went

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#53

Really cant stand them. Gonna abstain because I actively try to avoid listening to them.

#54

Brilliant record this ^ ! Mates of mine from work bonded over this massively, soundtracking a wonderful summer. Listening to it again now and it’s still glorious such sunny day / bbq music!

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#55

I’ve got to pick one of the first two as my actual fav, but Brighten the Corners is sorely underrated, and might be the album I’ve listen to in full the most. I also think they are my gold standard for b-sides and reissue albums, so many great offcuts in there among all their classics

Never got into SM’s earliest albums but enjoyed the last two a lot, and Preston Industry have some gorgeous sunny folky jangly jams

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#56

If I’m honest with myself, I come on this stupid forum because I want to be around people who love Pavement as much as I do.

Never clicked 5 faster.

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#57

Love them.

Ramshackle in all the best ways, but can go from pissing about to something beautiful in a moment.

Loads of great memories of driving around in the sun listening to them. Wowee zowee is the most fun album, and therefore the best.

Never got to see them the first time, but the 2010 show I went to was great. Really fun atmosphere with everyone up for it.

Bizarrely wearing a Pavement t shirt today.

5

#58

Still annoyed they never finished it with terror twilight

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#59

If you hate them, give them a 1!

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#60

Ok.

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