CROOKED RAIN CROOKED POLL

I don't know why it annoys me so when people refer to Pavement songs by names other than the one printed on the sleeve. Is it because you know what it was called in its baby stages? Or how it's referred to on the setlists? Jeezus, that's annoying.

Elevate Me Later (Ell Ess Two or Loretta's Scars II or whatever the fuck) gets my vote.

"Range Life" is one of the few Pavement songs with lyrics I can directly relate to.

You went out on tour with Smashing Pumpkins anbd Stone Temple Pilots?

Naw, I just like the part about settling down, that's all. They are foxy to me. Are they foxy to you?

I need to sleep!

Why won't you let me! (srsly why am I still clicking on this thread it's 12 minutes past my bed time)

"So drunk, in the August sun, and you're the kind of girl I like..."

Top 20 songs ever.

out on my skateboard the night is just humming

Paul, the name printed on the sleeve isn't always the final word! I mean, if you bought CRCR on tape, it lists the songs as "Silent Kid" and "Ell Ess Two," which is how the songs were commonly written on setlists, or referred to when Malkmus mentioned them out loud. There's some margin of error, of course, and it's kinda loose and up in the air for a reason. Personally, I just love the sound of "Ell Ess Two," and think "Elevate Me Later" is far weaker title, so I never call it that. "Silent Kid" is just the name of the song though, no matter what weird pun on it got on the sleeve!

I divvn't nah that Elevate Me Later/Ell Ess Two was Loretta's Scars II.

Also, is "Silent Kid" really that cryptic? I mean, it is a bit inscrutable in parts, but in a really basic way it's about the excitement and brotherhood that goes with being in a small-time rock band. It's not all glamorous, though -- as the song ends, they've played a great show, but he's by himself and masturbating a few hours after the gig.

All I kno about silent kid is that the guitar at the end fuggin' destroys, yo!!!1

The opening sequence of riffs is probably my favorite intro to any album.

RIFFY RIFFY RIFFS BUDDY HOLLY

i think i have to go with gold soundz over ell ess two

after quite some deliberation.

i love this album

I think it probably is kinda weird that "Newark Wilder" has a LOT more sentimental value for me than "Gold Soundz." Man, I wish my life was more like "Gold Soundz"!

The line I love the most in "Gold Soundz" is "we need secrets," which is one of the lines that most succinctly gets across the aesthetic of the band.

dreamin' dream dream dream dream

Different parts of the CD sleeve/inlay have different names for Silent Kid and Elevate Me Later too, as well as differences on each format. No longer teenage enough to remember which is where.

I quite like(d, once) the idea of calling it "silence kid" because then the first song title forms a nice cryptic circular ending to the last lyrics on the album (where he trails out on "their throats are filled with...").

after much deliberation it's 'unfair':

1. the hills of beverly
2. walk with your credit card in the air
3. (best) this is the slow sick sucking part of me

honourable mention to 'stop breathin' for 'dad they broke me' and the long guitar ending.

what a great album. totally gives the lie to the idea of a 'difficult' second album: after S&E's eager to please edginess, CRCR sounded so damned relaxed and easy that I couldn't help but let it take over my listening life. the songs were great live too. loved when they did 5-4 note for note. but 'cut your hair' was worst choice for a first off single.

I always wondered if, when Matador recieved the master tape, did they KNOW it was gonna be a huge indie classic / rite of passage kinda album? Or was it business as usual?

Man I love this album, it's everything I once loved and eventually grew to hate about this band.

but 'cut your hair' was worst choice for a first off single.

Are you serious? It's the most obvious single in the band's entire discography! It actually WAS a hit!

"Raynge Lyffe" for me. But ya know, "5-4=Unity" is that outré of a choice. It's easy the most polychromatic thing on the record - Capt. Beefheart's "Sue Egypt" as performed by The Dave Brubeck Quartet. Fitting, then, that James Carter et al. felt compelled to jazz up their songbook.

"Elevate Me Later" is a great name for a song. I love how it sounds like one massive raised eyebrow.

"5-4=Unity" ISN'T that outré of a choice.

i voted for 'gold soundz'
really lush sounding as far as pavement goes
fantastic record this one. doesn't really strike a dull chord

but 'cut your hair' was worst choice for a first off single.

Are you serious? It's the most obvious single in the band's entire discography! It actually WAS a hit!

-- Mr. Perpetua, Tuesday, 4 September 2007 12:00 (4 hours ago) Link

yes i'm serious. we must disagree on what makes a single obvious because i'd have picked any of the other tracks on the album as a single before that one.....

well, maybe not 5-4

stop breathin.

used to be elev8 but now its plain ol gold soundaz

just put this on ITunes, and while its nice to hear it again after many many years, I'm struck by how old Steve West is so fond of that lil shuffle he does it nearly every tune (the upbeat ones). and my gawd, is he ever sluggish!

as much as I like the songs on CRCR more than any other they done, its had a pernicious affect on indie rock, vis-a-vis most bands don't have groovin' drummers. But then, I'm kinda a single issue voter with drummers…

yes i'm serious. we must disagree on what makes a single obvious because i'd have picked any of the other tracks on the album as a single before that one.....

None of the other tracks have an "ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh" hook, and a hook like that = single.

Malky's tear in the film clip cracks me up. Tried to find a jpg, but couldn't ;_;

It took me a long time to get into Gold Soundz to be honest. I found it a bit cheesy at first, and I hate it when the title of a song is sung within its first line.

it's all good (except for hit the plane down), but i'd like to invite you to a taste of my chalice--it's a special one, it's made of gold

Elevate me Later.

I loved this album to death. I still think it's great.

None of the other tracks have an "ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh" hook, and a hook like that = single.

Yeah, I agree. I'm really baffled as to why someone would pick ALL other CRCR songs (save for "5-4=Unity") for a first single before "Cut Your Hair." If the point of a single is to promote the album with the catchiest cut or to choose a song amenable for a (great) video and for radio, then the only other contender is "Range Life." And it's still not as good a choice as "Cut Your Hair." It may not be the best song on the album. It may not even be a good song at all (though I'm not saying that). But it made perfect sense as first single.

I'd like to hear how the other songs are more singley (and FIRST singley at that) than "Cut Your Hair."

Newark Wilder

followed by Stop Breathing... but that rad outro y'all are referring to is a direct lift from Can's "Sing Swan Song" off Ege Bemyasi.

also Mr. Perpetua, your OCD penchant for singles choices and song names is still rather annoying even after all this time.

those 'oohs' are shite

You still don't get it.

i get the point, thanks. i just still don't like the fckg song all that much.

Will anyone make a case for "Heaven Is A Truck?"

I always thought this woulda fit right in on Wowee Zowee. It sorta pre-empts "Grounded," to my ears...

i just still don't like the fckg song all that much.

Ah ok, that's what it was. Well, fortunately for Pavement, you weren't working for Matador at the time.

Man, you know it's not even the "oooh oooh oooh oooh" hook -- the very first time I heard the song, it was a tiny clip on MTV of just the "I remember lying, I don't remember a line, I don't remember a word, but I don't care, I care, I really don't care" part and I was hooked in immediately.

And also "career-yuh! Korea!" Hook begat hook begat hook. No brainer single choice or no, it's a great song. Even greater video (maybe best ever).

Write it on a postcard...

tough one, but i went range life.
they're foxy to me, are they foxy to you?

this album was my introduction to Pavement, still love it. i was driving back to Los Angeles from San Francisco with five other friends. we were all into music so we each picked a CD (or two) for the ride home. my friend Mike pulls out a cassette, tells us that he just got this album and that we will probably all hate it. it was only about an hour into our ride home but after awhile we stopped talking and just listened, then we played it again.

went with "Range Life"

I had to listen to this album on the way to work today to be able to vote. So so many great songs. It's not an original choice but I gotta go with Cut Yr Hair.

Elevate Me Later

i just still don't like the fckg song all that much.

Ah ok, that's what it was. Well, fortunately for Pavement, you weren't working for Matador at the time.

-- Kevin John Bozelka, Wednesday, 5 September 2007 09:59 (Yesterday) Link

yeah, like i was saying i wished i'd been there choosing the first single off the album........you patronising tosser. fortunately for pavement i still bought their singles even if the a-side was lame, cos i was a fan and i liked their music.

a song's hook alone (e.g. ooh) doesn't make it a good song, let alone a good single.

My questionable opinion is that Spit and Carrot should have been a non LP double A-side single, so that TT could be a darker psych rock album

I also prefer this live version of Carrot to the album one
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7rw07n6gcg

oof the other band members can barely play that

wow ... never seen that video and *never* seen the band in that configuration, with Spiral behind SM on keys and ... who is that playing guitar in the Batman shirt and standing in Spiral's usual spot?

admittedly my memory is not what it once was but i don't remember them ever bringing an extra person on tour until Rebecca in the past couple of years? was this a one-off for a TV show?

That is their guitar tech Andy Dimmack in the video playing 2nd guitar.

admittedly my memory is not what it once was but i don't remember them ever bringing an extra person on tour until Rebecca in the past couple of years? was this a one-off for a TV show?

Pavement was briefly a 6 piece with 3 guitarists (Rob Chamberlin) in the Slanted era but Rob left (!) to start his own band (Sugartime) who put out a couple good singles. Rob was an old buddy of Steve and DCB's from the Ectoslavia/UVA days.

Right, good info, thanks. I guess I was thinking more along the lines of an established band bringing along extra members to help play/sing all the stuff as the arrangements and budgets get a bit bigger. I've been intently paying attn to this band for 30 years and I don't remember ever seeing Andy's face!

Yeah, that video (and the configuration) was a new one for me too...

I might have gone too hard on my hot takes earlier. I listened to the album again with the dog at the beach and it holds up well, but I do still think this is the least interesting album by pavement. Too sentimental at parts, too "MTV" at others. But the least interesting pavement album is still a great album and I enjoyed listening to it. I will underline my filmore jive is pavementxradiohead opinion though.

Fgti so otm about TT, but i can't stand "our singer" slander. That's a perfect closer and a perfect "young man's yearning" song. Yeah whatever, the theme might be juvenile, but juveniles need music too and that's some of the best of it.

Oh no, perhaps I wasn’t communicating well: I LOVE Our Singer. “Bleah-bleah-bleah” was meant to be a compliment

fillmore jive does not resemble radiohead in any way shape or form, i am sorry

Xp Thanks for clarifying, I had all systems ready to go for defence. That's a top 10 pavement song to me

You are a light bridge/outro so damn good
"Button the strippers and quarantine nippers" best sm lyric

Agree to disagree voodoo. First minute? Sure, not radiohead, but not great. Next section? pavement does the pablo honey/ proto-the-bends, but worse. I also think it's got some of the worst soloing sm ever put down.

I'll lay off the filmore negativity now. For anyone that loves it, all the power to you.

the intro—slowly strummed upper-extended guitar chords—could literally be anything

the soloing and fuzzy guitar sounds like the soloing and fuzzy guitar from…”silence kit” and “cut your hair,” which i guess are both songs you said you also don’t like so idk if we will ever approach this album or band the same way