Music Banter - View Single Post - Pavement Discography Review
View Single Post
Old 03-17-2009, 05:09 PM   #10 (permalink)
Roygbiv
marquee moon
 
Roygbiv's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Posts: 759
Default

Slanted & Enchanted [Matador; 1992]




The culmination of all their weird experimentation up to that point, Slanted & Enchanted is also heavily influenced by noise rock and the then niche lo-fi music scene (some may argue that ever since Slanted, lo-fi production skyrocketed from complete obscurity to underground darling). Realized by now indie rock legend Stephen Malkmus, guitarist Spiral Stairs (aka Scott Kannberg), bassist Mark Ibold, and one time drummer Gary Young (whose antics would inspire Pavement’s third album title, Wowee Zowee), Slanted’s success proved that lo-fi could step beyond its pre-conceived boundaries, that punk didn’t need to be derivative, and that one could be both cerebral and nonsensical at once. By not adhering to the dominant grunge scene that Nirvana accidentally up heaved, Pavement gave voice and shape to a generation of individuals who felt like they deserved more choices than their parent’s classic rock LPs or sharing the grunge sound with the jean jacket wearing meatheads.

Slanted & Enchanted was a punk geek’s dream. It’s piercing guitars and tight-as-hell rhythm section conjure an incredibly powerful platform for Stephen Malkmus to go vocally and lyrically bananas. The lyrics are catchy and singable, unforgettable from first listen, and the rhythms are jump in the air and bang your head danceable. Although the album is predominantly filled with charismatic bursts of energy, there’s some down time as well. “Zurich is Stained” and “Here,” are the two more relaxed and [fortunately] stronger tracks on the album, proving that Pavement had complete control of their craft even in their first full length outing. That’s the reason why Slanted & Enchanted isn’t a throwaway record, because the band never had more fun nor sounded as energetic without sacrificing density and purpose.

The band will later refine their sound, Stephen Malkmus will become more hilarious, and they’ll diversify, but while succeeding efforts are more ambitious, there’s not one album besides Slanted that the fans agree on Pavement having gotten everything right. Slanted & Enchanted provides a worthwhile and sometimes life changing listening experience for fans of jangle heavy music and those who want to be fans jangle heavy music. Pavement will never sound this unlidded ever again.

9.7/10

Prev. score: 10/10

Last edited by Roygbiv; 03-22-2009 at 11:06 PM.
Roygbiv is offline   Reply With Quote