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Pavement

Slanted and Enchanted
1992
Matador

Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted (Cover Artwork)

Review by: ngs091
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Published on January 6th 2009

Pavement was probably the “it’ band in the indie rock underground in the 1990s. Not only did they set the groundwork for that scene as well as the slacker rock / lo-fi craze, they also made some damn good songs. Their first album was Slanted and Enchanted, a record that may be, more often than not, indie rock, but has a dazzling energy to it not unlike punk rock. This is especially true on the song “Two States,“ in which they sound like the mighty post-punkers the Fall, complete with a truly good vocal impression of Mark E. Smith.

The album’s pinnacle comes at songs four and five with “In the Mouth a Desert” and “Conduit for Sale!”. The former is a catchy rocker with singer/guitarist Stephen Malkmus vocally smug (in the good way), augmented by bursts of feedback. "Conduit" is the opposite, and is a stellar example of Pavement at both their most experimental and hardest. The track features whirling guitars and Malkmus screaming the chorus, “I’m trying!” over and over, with ranty spoken word breaking up the swirl of infused instruments whipping around each other, like two goldfish in love swimming fish eyes and fish eyes locked onto one another while swimming around the outer rime of the fishbowl.

“Summer Babe (Winter Version)” and “Loretta’s Scars” are stellar examples of the band in a poppy mode. However, it's not generic pop; rather, the songs have a genuine sense of melody that it earns, unlike many mainstream acts that just seem to force the hooks onto the listener with their ritzy production. "Perfume-V" is another rocker that sounds like a combination of both of these noisy and poppy types of Pavement molds.

The rest of the songs may not be as good, but whether it be the rising-to-stop-to-rise-again “Fame Throwa” and “No Life Singed Her,” to the blazing “Jackals, False Grails: The Lonesome Era,” and quieter songs like “Zurich Is Stained,” Slanted and Enchanted barely stumbles.

However, on the track “Here,” despite having Malkmus’ crisp vocal work, the listener will want the hooks to emerge more pronounced, and the same can be said about the closing track, “Our Singer.“ Despite the good singing, the subtlety on this last track is too obvious, as it has never been unusual for bands to put a soft song last and this song in particular really doesn’t add much to Slanted and Enchanted; it defines it in the way that this record will often leave you mystified when it’s about side-stepping the clichés with its fun attitude. When it doesn’t, it may still be slanted away from being even average, but you will still want that ingenuity to shine through.

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Posted by whopperforthecopper on 2009-07-04 02:37:43

summer babe might be my least favorite song on the album.

but its definitely a 5-star album

Posted by ollywood on 2009-01-08 19:31:44

I thought RET was alright, I didn't think it was great. Archangel, Never Mind The Bollocks is also a universally praised album but I can't really say anything good about it, should I drop out of music. It's comments like that which kind of make me lose respect for people. Score is for Archangel

Posted by billnye on 2009-01-08 18:32:43

archangel kind of came of as a douche but I can kind of see where he's coming from. Real emotional trash is fine for what it is. Malkmus just jamming out and shit. What do you guys like so much about it?

Posted by i-type-poorly on 2009-01-08 18:13:03

Real Emotional Trash is awesome

This album is not awesome. I understand what it is doing, but I don't find it enjoyable to listen to under any circumstance.

Assume about my character all you like, but that is what I think.

Posted by Ollywood on 2009-01-08 13:36:21

So much for having an opinion.

Am I right?

I must say, Archangel you really come off as a douche

Posted by ngs091 on 2009-01-08 07:15:47

2md P.S. Sorry for some of the grammer errors in the last post, but archmesiter isn't even worth any more of my time, until he actually, well, thinks logically and nicely.

Laters.

Posted by ngs091 on 2009-01-08 00:38:30

“First of all, Real Emotional Trash is a very good album. Pointing this out doesn't save you: You clearly suck at music.

I know the old formula is "Take something everyone recognizes is perfect and say it SUCKS" for INSTANT CRED but you are not qualified to award this anything shy of 5 full stars.

And if you seriously think RET is better than S&E, just drop out of music”

All right, I can’t say all I want to, as I actually have a conscience, but your are truly a patented moron.

Your name calling, not making any true points, and you sound like a jerk off, good luck with that first of all. It’s called constructive criticism, genius. So. I “suck at music,” and I am trying to get “Instant creed,” it’s called honest opinion. I don’t have to like it at all and 4/5 is a good score. Art is always subjective. If I wrote a review, for instance, saying The Backstreet Boys were the best band on earth, and makes your music look like shit, I would actually have more cred than your uneducated, insipid, and unliterate ass.

Ya, I’ll drop out of music all right, if you drop out of the face of the earth, fuckface.

To everyone else:

Sorry, I swear I’m a nice guy, but if anyone wants to have a “real” constructive argument about why it’s not 5 stars, I’m all for it. I know the review on the short side, but I can expand on my opinion for sure!

I hope I don’t look to much like an idiot, I just don’t have to take this stuff, sorry.

Edit:

P.S.

Back to archy,

And if you actually think the Killers album you reviewed is 4 stars and I Would Set Myself on Fire for You is 4 1/2, you are truly an idiot.

It works both ways, huh.

Posted by ngs091 on 2009-01-08 00:23:27

“First of all, Real Emotional Trash is a very good album. Pointing this out doesn't save you: You clearly suck at music.

I know the old formula is "Take something everyone recognizes is perfect and say it SUCKS" for INSTANT CRED but you are not qualified to award this anything shy of 5 full stars.

And if you seriously think RET is better than S&E, just drop out of music”

All right, I can’t say all I want to, as I actually have a conscience, but your are truly a patented moron.

Your name calling, not making any true points, and you sound like a jerk off, good luck with that first of all. It’s called constructive criticism, genius. So. I “suck at music,” and I am trying to get “Instant creed,” it’s called honest opinion. I don’t have to like it at all and 4/5 is a good score. Art is always subjective. If I wrote a review, for instance, saying The Backstreet Boys were the best band on earth, and makes your music look like shit, I would actually have more creed than your uneducated, insipid, and unliterate ass.

Ya, I’ll drop out of music all right, if you drop out of the face of the earth, fuckface.

To Everyone else:

Sorry, I swear I’m a nice guy, but if anyone wants to have a “real” constructive argument about why it’s not 5 stars, I’m all for it, I know the review on the short side,, but I can expand on my opinion for sure!

I hope I don’t look to much like an idiot, I just don’t have to take this stuff, sorry.aA

Posted by Archangel on 2009-01-07 22:05:50

First of all, Real Emotional Trash is a very good album. Pointing this out doesn't save you: You clearly suck at music.

I know the old formula is "Take something everyone recognizes is perfect and say it SUCKS" for INSTANT CRED but you are not qualified to award this anything shy of 5 full stars.

And if you seriously think RET is better than S&E, just drop out of music.

Posted by ngs091 on 2009-01-07 18:07:59

Has anyone heard Malkamus' newish solo album, Real Emotional Trash?

Honestly, I like it better than this, even!

Check it out if you haven't!

Posted by xote on 2009-01-07 16:13:04

Awesome band/album.

Posted by etwiels88 on 2009-01-07 14:07:03
My Score:

Why is this not 5 stars? Jesus Christ...

Posted by leecorsoisapenis on 2009-01-07 13:33:20
My Score:

"How does Brighten The Corners compare? as I've considered purchasing it."

Do it now! Double disc edition just got released. It is phenomenal. I would rate it their second best album behind "Wowee Zowee" but my opinion changes about once a month.

This might be my favorite band of all time.

Posted by i-type-poorly on 2009-01-07 06:46:39

I love this band, but can't get into this album at all. I like heir last two albums the best.

Posted by ngs091 on 2009-01-07 06:27:32

"Review gets a zero"

Opinions are opinions man, christ.

Posted by marcusd on 2009-01-07 01:00:47
My Score:

Score for album. Review gets a zero just because this is one of the few albums ever that actually deserves a perfect score.

Posted by mattramone on 2009-01-07 00:52:42
My Score:

One of the best albums ever.

Posted by warmchords on 2009-01-06 22:12:24

such a great album

I agree with defiance, Summer Babe is one of my favorite songs of theirs

Posted by billnye on 2009-01-06 20:38:42
My Score:

one of my favorite albums.
this and crooked rain are the tops. wowee has a bunch of good jams. brighten and twilight are ok.

Posted by defianceohioequalslove on 2009-01-06 20:36:02
My Score:

Score's for the song 'Summer Babe', one of my all time favorite songs.

Posted by ollywood on 2009-01-06 20:29:48
My Score:

Zurich is Stained is one of my favorite songs ever. This album, Crooked Rain, and Wowee Zowee are amazing, I didn't like Terror Twilight. How does Brighten The Corners compare? as I've considered purchasing it.

Posted by ngs091 on 2009-01-06 20:13:52

"Perceptive," I mean, damn i'm as uneducated sounding as you now.

Posted by ngs091 on 2009-01-06 20:02:45

"Four stars!?

FUCK YOU"

Very insightful and persceptive, lol !

Posted by TraumaSponge on 2009-01-06 19:23:46
My Score:

Score is for the balls required to give this universally fellated album less than a perfect score.

Posted by Archangel on 2009-01-06 19:22:33

Four stars!?

FUCK YOU.

Posted by Martholamew on 2009-01-06 17:53:49

I listened to this a little while ago and really didn't like it. Maybe I'll give it a second chance.

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