I am as happy as anybody that Pavement got their shit together and have been schlepping their (now) classic songs around the world again. Sure, some of the members have been active individually during the hiatus, particularly Stephen Malkmus (Jicks) and Spiral Stairs (Preston School Of Industry). But to have Pavement back together again, well, it’s akin to how excited I became when the Pixies blew the dust off and hit the stage a few years ago. Unlike the Pixies, though, I was unable to catch Pavement when they were in Toronto this month. Broken Social Scene opened for them, too. Would’ve been a helluva great show.
Anyway, a recent copy of one of the free Toronto papers, snagged on our trip there last week, proclaimed Pavement to be “Your favourite band’s favourite band,” meaning that the entire generation behind us needs to be introduced to these geniuses of slacker rock. Kind of like in the mid-90’s when Dookie-addled Green Day fans had to be dragged by their snotty little noses to the Ramones and Stiff Little Fingers. Fair enough, and this Pavement hits collection would serve our budding hipsters well as the gateway to just buying (or, more likely) downloading the band’s entire catalogue. Not to sound holier than thou or anything, but in my collection I have almost all the original singles and EPs, as well as the albums, just waiting for another spin (and they usually get it, at some point). You should start your own collection! Then again, you’d do just as well to go buy the gorgeous re-issues of the records, which cover all the extra tracks anyway. Either way, you win!
These 23 tracks are largely what I would have chosen were I tasked to pick representative songs for a retrospective like this, although of course I can think of many more that aren’t here, too… Glad they chose Summer Babe (Winter Version), that tracks slays me every time I hear it. The only song that’s been omitted about which I will loudly bitch is Rattled By The Rush. I mean, C’MON! How could they leave off that blast of wondrousness? Yeesh.
Oh well. Kids, if this is your introduction to this band that totally matters, enjoy this disc and then take your skinny little hipster ass to iTunes and buy all of the rest. You can thank the KMA when your eyes are open fully. By the way, to your future you: you’re welcome. Long live Pavement!
keepsmealive 