The Pavement Revival Continues

Matador Records has gained quite a reputation with independent rock music. The 19-year old record label has been the homes for such important bands as Belle & Sebastian, Yo La Tengo, Cat Power, The New Pornographers, Liz Phair, and now even Sonic Youth (this is just to name a few). One of the most recognizable bands that emerged from the Matador scene was California’s influential Pavement. Matador obviously takes pride in the band by not only releasing every single album of Pavement’s 10 year span, but also releasing frontman Stephen Malkmus’ solo albums (with the Jicks) and reissuing every Pavement album.

So far, 3 of the 5 albums have been re-released as densely packaged 2-disc deluxe editions, all kept in chronological order. In 2002, their 1991 debut Slanted & Enchanted was reissued with the proper subtitle “Luxe and Reduxe”. 2004 saw the reissue of their sophomore 1994 release Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain, which included the indie-rock anthem “Cut Your Hair,” and 2006 saw the rebirth of 1995’s Wowee Zowee.

Now comes along 2008, and the 2-year pattern of Pavement reissues prove themselves ever-flowing with the re-release of the guys’ fourth album Brighten The Corners. Like Slanted and Wowee, Brighten The Corners has been reissued at its 11-year mark, the original release date dating back to February 1997. By this point in their career, Pavement had a steady fan base. They stood out from their ordinary 90s contemporaries, their music being exceptionally more ‘upbeat’ in comparison to the grunge bands of the times. And with a voice like Mr. Malkmus’, how can you even sound ordinary? Malkmus, drummer Stevoe West, Bob Nasatanvich, bassist Mark Ibold (who is, wuddyaknow, currently touring with Sonic Youth) and Scott “Spiral Stairs” Kannberg made up a damn catchy band. Not “Smells Like Team Spirit” catchy, but that kind of catchy that makes you feel happier than you were before, and you continue to listen to it over and over again until you become completely sick of it.

Brighten The Corners: Nicene Creedence Edition (a reference to the original album’s liner notes crediting the band as ‘the Nicene Creeders’) is the latest installment of the Pavement revival series, leaving us now with 4/5 of the band’s studio albums in their deluxe edition makeover. Only 1999’s Nigel Godrich-produced conclusion Terror Twilight is left. The Corners reissue may be one of the shorter reissues in the series with a run time of only 2 hours and 34 minutes (ranging from both discs, of course). Nicene Creedence starts off with the original 12 track album newly remastered from its original tapes and sources. The album itself is worth the buy alone, with it’s classic opener, "Stereo" where Malkmus deservedly and commandingly brags to " (Ho!) Listen to me!/ I’m on the Stereo". And of course there is the fan favorite bass line of "Shady Lane" following right after (talk about 'damn catchy').

Other tracks like "Embassy Row," "Passat Dream," "Starlings of the Slipstream," are all highlights of pure Pavement melodies, and the exceptional sound from what fans and critics alike deem, "The Quintessential Indie Rock Band."

Track 13 acts as the gunshot that starts of the hour and 50 minutes worth of extra material. With more than half of the extra tracks being unreleased, the material is a collection of single b-sides, and numerous radio sessions from ‘97 with alternative versions of BTC tracks such as ‘Date w/ Ikea’ and ‘Fin’. One of the radio sessions that is definitely worth a listen is a John Peel radio session that ends with a cover of “The Classical” by The Fall, Peel’s favorite band. It also includes studio session outtakes, and even a two-track finale of the late night cartoon talk show ‘Space Ghost’ theme song. Both tracks are the most vocal and guitar-effect heavy you’ll probably hear from Pavement.

Along with the cover of The Fall’s, "The Classical", other covers include Echo and the Bunnymen’s, "Killing Moon" (a somewhat confusing pick for the band), "Oddity" by The Clean, and even a stellar version of “It’s A Rainy Day, Sunshine Girl” by 70s Krautrock legends Faust. Like the previous reissues, the supplementary material on Nicene Creedence can be a bit overwhelming for a single listen-through; but when individually listened upon time after time, the charms are as present as the day they were recorded.

Waiting only 10 years to reissue Pavement’s records might seem a bit impatient and premature on Matador’s part, but at least they aren’t waiting too long. We’re living in an age where bands such as Lynyrd Skynyrd and AC/DC get the Special Edition and Box set-makeovers nearly every month it seems. So even if it may seem a bit early, we should be thankful that at least excellent bands such as Pavement are getting the legacy recognition they deserve. I mean after all, they were pretty much the best thing that rock saw in the 1990s.