Pavement - Crooked Rain Crooked Rain

[joshthevegan]

 

For years, Pavement was an experimental recording project, showcasing the unique song-crafting of Stephen Malkmus and Scott "Spiral Stairs" Kannberg.  Angular, occassionally atonal, and always unique, if Pavement never recorded anything else besides these early e.p.s, their place in the indie rock lexicon would have been slated eternally.  The fantastic blend of two guitars, no bass, and Gary Young's drumming was a great success.  Eventually the three recorded a full-length album, which took a few years to finally see the light of day, and that was Slanted and Enchanted.  With the release of that album, Pavement officially became a phenomenon.  While grunge swept the nation, Pavement's blend of lackadasical slacker rock spoke to a lot of people.  

By the time had come for Pavement to record their second album, a bass player (Mark Ibold) was added, and Gary Young was fired and replaced by Steve West.  It is these two elements that ultimately defined Pavement's second album, and subsequently, the rest of their career.  This band is (slightly) more refined, and melody appears in earnest.  West's drumming, in particular, truly shines on this album and adds excitement at key moments.  In "Fillmore Jive," for example, the huge sweeping builds that come like waves are led by his fantastic fills.  

The instrumentation on this album is what sets it apart from their early attempts.  Huge, fantastic instrumental sections in songs like "Stop Breathin" and "Newark Wilder" are chilling, innovative and just really exciting to listen to.  The interplay of guitar work between Malkmus and Kannberg is quirky, fun and bright.  

Crooked Rain will go down in history as the album that defined not only Pavement's sound, but many imitators for years to come.  The reissue that is available on the market now is particularly great because you get the album, all the b-sides and compilation releases, and a whole CD of demos showing the thought process that led to this masterpiece.

Comments

[affectionjunkie.livejournal.com]

It's always nice to find out people from high school have gone on to bigger and better things. Congrats on the brewing. I have many friends into fermentation appreciation and know how great it is to be able to personalize and control your own brews. Me, I prefer the baking. I hope to master all the vegan baking recipes so I no longer have to go to vegan treats (but I still would to support "local" and humane business practices.

Are you friends with Jordan (lj=nakedvegan?) I know he is into the valley veg*n and music scenes. The last show I went to (that i think you might have been at) was a movieline romance (or something like that) show at the ice house in bethlehem....circa spring 2003 I think.

[joshthevegan.livejournal.com]

I am not yet friends with Jordan, though i may have to look in to it. . .yes, I remember that show at the Ice House. . .Movieline Romantics is (was?) fronted by my very very very close friend Ryan Keller. And yes, Fahler (my old band) was there, and we rocked the haus. (Or so I thought. . .)

In terms of the brewing thing. . .it was actually a very fortunate thing. . .I was looking for a new career, our old brewer was leaving, our new brewer wanted an assistant, and I can pick things up quick. . .and now I can make magic happen with grains, water and hops. Are you still living in the Lehigh Valley? I am. . .if you are, we should sit down and have a beer and talk about fun veg*n things. If not, we should still stay in touch and talk about veg*n things.

josh the vegan

myspace.com/veganbrewer