Roygbiv

The pattern so far: Pavement’s second album sounded nothing like their debut, and their third album sounded nothing like their second album, instead sharing the same philosophy and energy as their debut. Brighten The Corners, Pavement’s most underrated album, once again skips influences to sound as refined as their second album, Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain as opposed to its predecessor, Wowee Zowee. This makes the album more accessible, but less dense than Slanted & Enchanted and Wowee Zowee.

The reason why it’s so underrated is due to its derivative approach and mostly predictable moments. I say mostly because nobody will see some of the album’s jokes coming, especially in album opener “Stereo,” hands down Pavement’s most hilarious track, ever. But while Wowee Zowee would consistently keep a smile on your face, slowly unravelling its madness as the years go by, the fun moments in Brighten The Corners are few and far between and insubstantial, making for a very funny first few listens but it just doesn’t hold a candle of longetivity.

Anyways, here’s why I think it’s an underrated album: despite its generally derivative nature, the album is filled with hooks and singable verses the same way Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain was, albeit more prominently, but unlike CR, CR, Brighten the Corners is much, much more cohesive, making for an easier listen-through.

It doesn’t have the lasting appeal that Wowee Zowee has, nor does it have the immediate hooks that Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain has, and it doesn’t sound like Slanted & Enchanted both in terms of production and attitude, so Brighten The Corners sits comfortably in a grey area, allowing the listener to shape-shift it to their liking, thinking whatever they of from it. If it I was a kid in high school it would be a subtly hilarious but mostly shy freshman that is just too nice to fight back the school bullies. It’s a sweet album, but it gets lost within Pavement’s more confident musical statements.

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