Pavement, oh Pavement! We all know they are touring again and their most recent release titled Quarantine the Past is perfect for their much anticipated reunion. Pavement has a very limited body of album studio releases and a ton of EPs, including last year's major deposit of their (perfect) sounds on Matador that allow the old and new to love and (re) live their sound.
Quarantine the Past is a release of their most stellar and fan favorite songs. There is no chronological order to the tracks, no programmed curatorial picking of what goes where, here or there. It is a magical release of their work that is obviously out for the upcoming tour but nonetheless, perfect.
Every song is positioned perfectly as "an unimpeachable gem". Don't believe my word? Here is a perfect 10.0 Pitchfork review from musical historian and reviewer Matthew Perpetua.
This record reminds me of Malkmus' genius that offers a fine line between the complex and dirty, the melodic and unkept, the intelligent and simple, the poetic and pedestrian, etc...Malkmus is definitely the driving sound and melody of Pavement. Hearing this album only allows that to resonate over and over again.
Pavement to me (and so many others) means indie rock in the 1990's and was the pinnacle and driving force of it. I think Pavement and think of college sounds, naturally. I think of the Volvo wagon driving to endless shows on the east coast to hear them play for $6. I think of the fondest memories and meeting Stephen and talking about Leonard Cohen and feeling like an "insider" and part of a sound that was so young, dirty, pure and innocent. We were all were perfectly naive and reckless back then.
This post is dedicated not only to Pavement but to all of my friends that were part of of those formative years. Thank you very much Bryan Vickers, Slin Jackson, Charley Beresford, Carrie Bollerup (now Beresford), Pat Raison, Justin Craig, et al. I love you all as I hear this amazing album.
Quarantine the Past, released on Matador/Domino is not only a record, but a time in my life that I will always cherish.
As I write this I am singing (in my head) "your cheeks have lost their luster, luster, luster, luster..."
Again, thank you kindly for the songs and memories Mr. Malkmus.
2 comments:
holy hell. this will be the soundtrack to my spring. and summer. yeah. spring and summer. this is so good.
last summer was missing that one special album. best coast was as close as it got.
by the way, pitchfork gives 10s? and to a retrospective compilation?
the blogosphere thanks you for this post.
great post Val- made my morning!
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