I'm not sure if this has ever been done before or what type of response I will get, but I think this is something we should do weekly, to spice up the Media Discussion a bit. My tastes are a bit limited to alternative rock, so if someone feels ambitious, go ahead and call dibs to write a review for next week. Here goes.....



Featured Album # 1
Slanted and Enchanted
Pavement

Pretentious, ground-breaking, overrated, innovative. Pavement have been given many titles over the span of their career, yet it is undeniable that they left a lasting effect on the underground music scene as we know it. Often referred to as the founders of "lo-fi" indie rock, Pavement have influenced a countless number of bands and their effect on the genre of alternative rock is still visable today.

Pavement's innitial release, Slanted and Enchanted, flew somewhat under the radar in a time where the rock scene was dominated by the grunge movement. With their debut release, Pavement captured the angst of grunge using a much more subtle method, combining effective melodies with underproduced, jarring guitar lines.

Pavement mastered the art of combining these "catchy" melodies with overly distorted guitar, as scene in the albums first track, Summer Babe. The album continues with this same formula on its several of its songs, building up to melodic hooks using up front lyrics. In the third track of the album, No Life Singed Her, Steven Malkmus (Pavement's frontman) lets loose with the angst and attacks with his harsh scowl. This is where Slanted and Enchanted really shines. A sense of urgency is apparent in Malkmus' edgy voice. We see this same urgency in the albums fifth track, Conduit For Sale!, as Malkmus shouts "I'm tryin'" repeatedly over distorted guitars. The album goes on shooting back in forth between sweet melodic lines and "noisy" guitar. A true gem is found in the album ninth track, Here. Malkmus croons over balad-esque guitar and drum rhythms, creating the albums most eloquent song.

Many would say that the hype surrounding Slanted and Enchanted far out-weighs its actual significance. Yet it is undeniable that bands ranging from Weezer to the Thermals have all been influenced by the innovative album. Slanted and Enchanted will always be a topic for debate and will go down in history as one of the classic albums of alternative rock.


Suggested Track Listening:

Summer Babe
No Life Singed Her
Here

Related Listening:

Weezer
My Bloody Valentine
The Pixies
Guided By Voices
the Thermals
Steven Malkmus (solo project)


Well thats about all I have. A bit short, I know. Leave some feedback reguarding whether or not you think this was a good idea. And like I said, if someone desires to write a review for next week, go ahead and call dibs. I think this thread could be a good way to share some of our favorite artists and expand our musical knowledge. Let me know what you think.

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"i think that it's brainless to assume that making changes to your window's view will give a new perspective" -DCFC

Yeah I think it's a cool idea. Myself and others used to do this on some Wrestling forum a while ago. It's good to review albums new, old and in between. Anyways, good review. I'll check them out later.

heya. nice review the only thing i gelt was missing was a release date/year
anyway a good idea that i shall check back on

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Dave

I like the idea alot. I'll make sure I keep up with this one.

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Dibs on next week. Good album to start with, definiatly influential but as far as Pavement albums go, i'll take Crooked Rain any day.

[nerddebate]Also, My Bloody Valentine is definiatly not a related listening.[/nerddebate]

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Pick it up!

Cool idea man. One of my favorite groups Black Dahlia Murder's sophomore cd just came out yesterday, I will write a full review on it when it arrives in the mail.

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I just thought I would throw that in there. I think you can hear a bit of MBV influence in some of Pavement's material and at times they a few common elements in their music (or maybe I am just insane). The Smashing Pumpkins would have probably been a better suggestion (considering the little rivalry between the two bands).

BTW, I would take Crooked Rain over Slanted also, but I thought Slanted was easier to write a review for and maybe a bit more influencial and groundbreaking at the time of its release.

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"i think that it's brainless to assume that making changes to your window's view will give a new perspective" -DCFC

agreed x2.

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Pick it up!