Pavement's second last release, Brighten the Corner, is alot different then their previous albums. Sure, S.M. still sounds like the hurt teenage boy that all the girls had a crush on in high school, and the band still sounds like a more tormented Flaming Lips, but their sound has evolved: from indie revolutionaries, to guitar heavy alternative band, to the current ballad band with rock songs being used as filler. Every song has something to savour on this cd, and seeing as this is my third Pavement review, you probably know the drill: Indie song after indie song, with the occasional rock song. Not on this album. Every song is pure magic, and unique.
Pavement, this time around, have rather unique songs. Some are indie, some are rock (aka the worst ones), some have huge bursts of feedback and others are just enjoyable. The first memorable song on the album is the first one, as well as the first single.
Stero is a rather spazzy song, complete with feedback and off-key but acceptable vocals singing randomly about pigs and infastructure. A very nice chord change keeps you glued to it. Pure Pavement. The second single on the album,
Shady Lane can be paired up in terms of songwriting with
Date With Ikea. Both completely odd songs with irrestable guitar, following bass and proud drums, that irrestable Pavement hum and jokey lyrics, spazzy guitar parts and slacker-type vocals that further expand the Pavement feel. Both songs are equally enjoyable, and often inspire sitting back and sucking in that sun. . The better is defintly
Shady Lane, with it's beautiful rhythms and itriguing lyrics about nothing inparticular, but defintley allows your mind to think about it. The next notable song on the album is
Old to Begin is a rather enjoyable song with a quite different guitar riff in the chorus, with an almost hard-rock feel to it. It's the verse though, that reminds you that it's a Pavement song. With a harmonic-inspired guitar solo and a repeat of the chorus, it's another Pavement song with a touch of difference from the other stuff.
The next songs,
Type Slowly and
Embassy Row are a couple of easy going tunes with a shark-toothed riff occupying their second greatest quality. The first quality in the songs are the vocals; pained but easily listenable at the same time. Again, the lyrics are about nothing, but make you wonder, something completely enjoyable. The better is
Type Slowly with it's irresistable hook in the verse and occasional solo, the song takes on a role of being a rather important song on the album: The original '92 era Pavement songs, like Here before them. The ballad style
We Are Underused screams for you to listen carefully, or else you'll miss something inparticulary enjoyable, especially the fierce chorus that is extremely fitting to the song, filling in that "I Need A Bit Of Anger" space in you. A good role on the album: the role of the laid back song combined with a harsh chorus song, like most songs heard on Wowee Zowee.
Passat Dream is an unbelivably real song. Almost like an Oasis-esque song complete with Whoo-whooing backing vocals and the british styled lead vocals, the three chord-guitar and the lazy mini solos. This song is another great song that really hands us a new kind of Pavement. One that sadly, we won't hear again. After this comes a very musical piece labeled
Starlings in the Slipstream. A dreamy song that gives you the feel that you just want to close your eyes and drift off into whatever you're mind wants to focus on, but you don't care because you're listening to an fantastic dark-ballad with rather odd lyrics about... Nebraska and such. The spazzy solo doesn't help the song any, but is rather interseting nontheless. The rather epic finale,
Fin, is appropriatley titled, but the song is probably the best on the album. Never before has Pavement wandered into the musical stylings of Pink Floyd, complete with rather melancollie chords, clean choruses with agile vocals and rhythmic guitars. Eventually, an incredible musical performance occupies about 2:30 of the song, but really are there any complaints? It's something brilliant, and unsurpassed on the album. Minor chords, marching drums and slow but effective lead riffs make this song...just plain epic.
Overall: If you consider Slanted and Enchanted their musical climax, I beg you to differ. This album is as good as S&E, if not better. Pavement really haven't been this beautiful on their other releases, though enjoyable. I deem thee a classic that surpasses their other works in almost every way. A flawless record that is often under-appreciated. No bad songs on here, and if you don't have this album you should be on your way to get this. You won't regret this.
95%, A+, 5/5
Pavement:
S.M.
Spiral Stairs:
Bob Nostanovich
Mark Ibold
Steve West
