Review Summary: Pavement's eclectic, polarizing third LP shows the band leaning closer to balladry while still expanding their noise rock roots.
Stephen Malkmus aka S.M.-Vocals, Guitar
Scott Kannberg aka Spiral Stairs-Guitar, Vocals
Bob Nastanovich-Percussion, Various Other Instruments, Vocals
Steve West-Drums
Mark Ibold-Bass
Since it's release in 1995, Wowee Zowee has been splitting Pavement fans into two distinct groups, those who love the album for its eccentricities, and tend to agree that Pavement were at their best when they were writing catchy, quirky pop songs, and those who wish Pavement had stuck with what made them so great in the first place, atonal melodies, questionable production values, and a healthy dose of feedback now and then. But Wowee Zowee was never intended to be Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain Revisited, just as it wasn't meant to be Slanted & Enchanted Part II or a full length version of Perfect Sound Forever. It exists as Pavement's transitional album, bridgeing the noise (Brinx Job, Flux=Rad) and the ballads (We Dance, Black Out). White Album comparisons aside, Wowee is Pavement's most experimental and genre hopping album, covering many sides of the coveted rock spectrum (unfortunately, you won't find their attempt at surf music on this or any other album that I know of).
Following the opening acoustic number We Dance, Rattled by the Rush shows that the band hasn't abandoned its roots completly, giving us a taste of Nast's skill with the harmonica, and a guitar solo that would make any fan of Slanted proud. Grounded gives the listener a taste of what Pavement sounds like writing big, introspective rock tunes that could have made a dent in the charts if it had come from a band that hadn't insulted the Smashing Pumpkins through song a year earlier. Pavement goes country with Father to a Sister of Thought, which includes a great slide guitar riff, and stands as one of the bands prettiest ballads. Nast gets a chance on vocals in Best Friend's Arm, which alternates often from fast to slow and keeps the experimental pace of the album flowing. Grave Architecture is a cryptic jazz offering, continuing the band's genre hopping. AT&T reminds us that this is a Pavement album, and is a good example of the aftermentioned catchy, quirky pop song. The band then dips into blues, punk, and indie guitar wizardry, all in one song, with the excellent Half A Canyon. The real suprises here are the songs penned by Spiral Stairs, the fun and fast punk of Serpentine Pad, Kennel District, which is one of the best pure pop songs Pavement performed, and my favorite track off the album, Western Homes, which features an amazing vocal from Spiral. He is in top form here, providing great contrast to S.M., who would take on most of the writing load himself following this album.
On the Sordid Sentinals Edition, a large selection of B-sides, soundtrack cuts, and other rarities from the Wowee era were assembled by Spiral himself, for our listening pleasure, including a new version of Box Elder, one of Pavement's best early EP tracks. For the price, it's well worth it.
Wowee Zowee will forever be known as an oddity in the Pavement catalogue, never catering to either side of their noise and ballad syles completely, instead opting to branch out and experiment. That's why it's Pavement's best album, it balances the two extremes while still managing to bring in genres that wouldn't have fit properly on Slanted or Terror Twilight. Although not seen as a classic in many fans eyes, Wowee Zowee stands as a great example of how far the boundries of indie rock go, and deserves a spot in any indie lover's collection.
