Pavement - Wowee Zowee: Sordid Sentinels Edition

This is the best and funniest of the Pavement offerings. I never tire of this sprawling set. I love "slanted" and "crooked rain" but this one never fails to reinforce my opinion in Malkmus' particular genius. This is more in line with the more experimental leanings of their early stuff a la "westing". Lots of hits and misses but all interesting.

FOUR great albums? i think you meant to write five, as neither terror or brighten can justly be considered less than great.

I agree with averyisland. 'Terror Twilight' is vastly underrated.

I think "Terror Twilight" has a few good songs but isn't as consistent overall as "BTC". In my opinion. But "Folk Jam" and "The Hexxx" and "Speak, See, Remember" kick ass.

i used to think they had 4 great albums, but after a few more jicks and preston albums i'll probably up it to five. silver jews remain the best pavement related band, or rather, pavement remain the best silver jews related band.

This swell of Terror Twilight rah-rah revisionism is bizarre, particularly when discussed the context of Wowee Zowee. Whereas WZ succeeds with the forced spontaneity of those "throwaways" (carefully placed to break the determined flow of the mid 90s alt/indie record), TT suffocates in its composure. It may be a carefully crafted swansong with some "mature" songwriting and presumably a better editor, but those are hardly the elements that drew me to Pavement in the first place.

Well said Sebastian, I stand by three great records and fall off after WZ. Hell, SM's solo records are a lot more fun than those last two, although there are tracks I love like stereo, shady lane and the undeniable blue hawaiian. Furthermore, tracks like type slowly and major leagues find SM at his most wistful.

terror twilight is definitely hit and miss to me, but it seriously breaks my heart everytime someone hates on Brighten the Corners. I love that album so much.

A+? Pavement sucked in 1995 and they suck now.