Confession time: I don’t own any other Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks albums. Okay, fine, I admit it. I’ve never heard a Pavement album in my life. Skye has already lambasted me for this unforgivable lapse in my musical knowledge, and yes, I feel suitably chastened. So if you’re eager to find out how “Mirror Traffic” stands up to Stephen Malkmus’ previous work, I can’t help you. Go read something else. Nothing to see here.
Anyway, is this record any good? I say yes. It kicks off with the chirpy guitars and summery vocals of “Tigers”. “I caught you streaking in your Birkenstocks / A scary thought” is one of the more memorable opening couplets I’ve heard. Good choice of single, Mr. Malkmus.
Pat Duffy, formerly of Pop Tarts Suck Toasted (RIP), checks in for us!Sunday night, with nowhere left to be, the entire 20,000 fans attending Pitchfork this year invaded the space in front of the main stage. There was no place to move, nowhere to go, and unless you had to pee, you probably didn’t care much about it. We were all about to see Pavement, the band that had inspired this Pitchfork nation and influenced just about every act that played the three day festival. They were back and they were bringing their legendary songs with them. Following a prolonged introduction by a former Chicago shock jock (which received nothing but boos and thrown bottles from the eager fans), Pavement took the stage. There was Stephen Malkmus, Mark Ibold, Bob Nastanovich, Scott Kannberg, and Steve West in the flesh, standing before us and strapping on their instruments. The crowd was going nuts, photographers were elbowing for an angle, even the other artists that had played the fest were rushing to see this band. “This is called ‘Cut Your Hair’”, Malkmus said and we were off and running on the band’s most successful song, the one with the music video that actually got played on MTV. From the front row to the very back of the field people were singing along and loving every moment of it. Every song was introduced by either Malkmus or Scott Kannberg and every song received a cheer so thunderous it almost blocked out the opening notes of the songs. Pavement was rolling along, and to the surprise of anyone who knows anything about the band, it appeared they were actually enjoying it. Even Stephen Malkmus cracked a couple of smiles during the band’s hour and a half set. Mark Ibold bounced across the stage and Bob Nastanovich played his weird little instruments, introducing us to his mini vuvuzela and the rest one at a time. Song wise the set had a bit of everything. The band spread the love through all of their records, cranking out at least a tune or two off each. Every song was a highlight to someone in the crowd and every song came off sounding as fresh and as exciting as when they were released up to 20 years ago. More than a year ago, I purchased tickets to the first Pavement reunion show that was announced, more than a year away at Central Park. Thankfully I didn’t have to wait the full year to see Pavement, and now I truly know how much I have to look forward to when I see them again in September! SPTR: 9.9.
View another photo & download a Pavement tune AFTER THE JUMP…
1 Gold Soundz
2 Frontwards
3 Mellow Jazz Docent
4 Stereo
5 In The Mouth A Desert
6 Two States
7 Cut Your Hair
8 Shady Lane / J Vs. S
9 Here
10 Unfair
11 Grounded
12 Summer Babe (Winter Version)
13 Range Life
14 Date With IKEA
15 Debris Slide
16 Shoot The Singer (1 Sick Verse)
17 Spit On A Stranger
18 Heaven Is A Truck
19 Trigger Cut/Wounded-Kite At :17
20 Embassy Row
21 Box Elder
22 Unseen Power Of The Picket Fence
23 Fight This Generation
