Wowee ZoweePavement
More adventurous that their breakthrough album, Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain, 1995's Wowee Zowee is the Pavement album I'd listen to forever if necessary. There's plenty to keep one's attention here: "Fight This Generation," "Kennel District," "Serpentine Pad," "Pueblo," "Father To A Sister Of Thought". Basically, the entire album.
The fractured melodies, odd time shifts and obtuse lyrics were way more exciting than the boiler-plate second wave grunge that was being served up on 103.5 - the Edge (totally xtreme name, dude!) - at the time. And it's still more exciting than most, it's a classic, timeless album. Listen to 90% of anything else released in 1995 and I can guarantee you it'll sound like it was released in 1995. Not so here. It's an underground gem.
As great as the two albums that came after this are (Brighten the Corners and Terror Twilight), Pavement never quite matched the oddness displayed on this album. This is an album for defying whatever Number One has planned for you on this seemingly benign but ultimately devious little island paradise.
*******
Okay, so this has been fun. I'm sure I can do it again five years from now with an entirely different configuration, and if the Internet (not to mention America) is still around by then, maybe I will. Sound good? Mmmkay. It's a date, then.
Be sure to head over and check out Rose's list. Has anybody else given this any thought? Leave yr comments below or you can always start a discussion over at the Big Red Forum. Until next time, my fellow castaways.
3 comments:
i waited and waited...
and waited!
and NOT ONE DAMN RAMONES cd was to be found on thjt whole damn island a yours!
Jason, I'm sorry. Really I am. But - and I'm going to get docked hipster points for this - I honestly don't think I could listen to The Ramones every day for the rest of my life, over and over, forever.
Sorry. I hope we can still be friends.
eh! no sweat!
ya heard one ramones riff...ya heard em all!
OOOOOOOHHHH! SICK BURN!
p.s.-you are so right about the "1995 sound" point you made. almost EVERY CD i bought in the mid to late 90's has been deemed unlistenable to me now. i wish i could travel back in time and tell myself,"hey man! don't buy that cd. ten years from now it'll SUCK!"
ida saved soooo much money!
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