Needles & Grooves AotM /// Vol. 44 – February 2023 /// Pavement – Wowee Zowee

BjorgenFjorgen said:
I am a really big fan of Malkmus' Sparkle Hard and especially Traditional Techniques. I first heard him through his excellent covers on I'm Not There and Day of the Dead. Have never really bonded with Pavement but will give them another chance now too. Appreciate the insight shared here.
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My favorite Malkmus album is his solo debut. That album has songs about a hippie townie dating a younger college co-ed, Pirates, and Yul Brynner and it all works perfectly.


 
Interlude #6: What Could Have Been (AOTMs that nearly made the cut)

Pavement – Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain

For better or worse, I was raised on classic rock, which guided my listening habits through most of college. Sure, I flirted with a few indie bands here and there, but let's be honest The Who, Neil Young and Dylan were in constant rotation. That all changed when I heard Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain. I was instantly hooked, and it was the door to a whole new musical landscape that I'm still exploring today. In short, an incredibly formative record for me. It was my favorite Pavement album for years, until the day Wowee Zowee finally clicked for me. Crooked Rain is hard to find on vinyl at the moment, but I highly recommend picking up a copy when it gets repressed.

Here is a video of "Range Life" I took during their 2022 reunion tour in Oregon (with some great contributions from Nasty).



 
TenderLovingKiller® said:
My favorite Malkmus album is his solo debut. That album has songs about a hippie townie dating a younger college co-ed, Pirates, and Yul Brynner and it all works perfectly.


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Love love LOVE that first solo record, I think I listened to it every day for six months straight! I also got a flexi disc of Jo Jo's Jacket with the album when I bought it...I hope I still have it somewhere...
 
hatfieldpdx said:
Interlude #6: What Could Have Been (AOTMs that nearly made the cut)

Pavement – Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain

For better or worse, I was raised on classic rock, which guided my listening habits through most of college. Sure, I flirted with a few indie bands here and there, but let's be honest The Who, Neil Young and Dylan were in constant rotation. That all changed when I heard Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain. I was instantly hooked, and it was the door to a whole new musical landscape that I'm still exploring today. In short, an incredibly formative record for me. It was my favorite Pavement album for years, until the day Wowee Zowee finally clicked for me. Crooked Rain is hard to find on vinyl at the moment, but I highly recommend picking up a copy when it gets repressed.

Here is a video of "Range Life" I took during their 2022 reunion tour in Oregon (with some great contributions from Nasty).



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Ugh, I was supposed to go this concert but we ended up having a scheduling conflict. Edgefield is such a great venue I bet you had a blast!
 
TenderLovingKiller® said:
My favorite Malkmus album is his solo debut. That album has songs about a hippie townie dating a younger college co-ed, Pirates, and Yul Brynner and it all works perfectly.


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Love that one too. That said, my favorite is Real Emotional Trash. Some of Malkmus' best guitar work, and Janet Weiss on drums.

No bandcamp for this one, but here is a wobbly video that I didn't take.

 
4080 said:
Love love LOVE that first solo record, I think I listened to it every day for six months straight! I also got a flexi disc of Jo Jo's Jacket with the album when I bought it...I hope I still have it somewhere...
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Ah Yeah, I remember spending most of the Spring/Summer of 2001 cruising around Peoria IL in my 1991 Mercury Topaz with this CD living in my after market CD player. When that album dropped I probably had it just below Crooked Rain and S&E as my favorite Malkmus related album. Over the last 20 years Brighten The Corners and Wowee Zowee have supplanted it but I would probably still put it in front of Terror Twilight.
 
mgp said:
Did any of you all see Malkmus on that Groove Denied tour? It was really something.

Wowee Zowee - just the normal pressing on the Matador site, or is there another one I should be looking for?
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That is the copy I own and I'm happy with it. On a related note, I have a brand new copy that was intended for the winner, but of course @TenderLovingKiller® already has it. As such, he has given his blessing to the idea of getting it in to the hands of someone who wants a copy.

Several pages back, we agreed to give it away PIF style. I was supposed to send a reminder out yesterday morning, but the day got away from me. As such, let's close the hat at 6 pm PST today, and a winner will be drawn. @avecigrec is already in the hat, but there is room for more. If you're interested, just reply to this post (or the earlier one).
 
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hatfieldpdx said:
That is the copy I own and I'm happy with it. On a related note, I have a brand new copy that was intended for the winner, but of course @TenderLovingKiller® already has it. As such, he has given his blessing to the idea of getting it in to the hands of someone who wants a copy.

Several pages back, we agreed to give it away PIF style. I was supposed to send a reminder out yesterday morning, but the day got away from me. As such, let's close the hat at 6 pm PST today, and a winner will be drawn. @avecigrec is already in the hat, but there is room for more. If you're interested, just reply to this post (or the earlier one).
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For some reason I don't currently have a copy of Wowee Zowee, so I'm definitely interested.

Thanks
 
hatfieldpdx said:
Reserved for cataloguing could have been interludes, and other shenanigans...

AOTMs That Were Almost Picked

1) Destroyer – Streethawk: A Seduction
2) Quasi - Featuring "Birds"
3) Mali Obomsawin - Sweet Tooth
4) The Walkmen - You & Me
5) Richmond Fontaine - Post to Wire
6) Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain
7) The Delines - Colfax (writeup coming)
8) Kassi Valazza - Dear Dead Days (writeup coming)
9) Silver Jews - American Water (writeup ocming)
10) Built to Spill - Keep it Like a Secret (writeup coming)
11) Bill Callahan - Sometimes I Wish I Were an Eagle (writeup coming)
12) Margo Cilker - Pohorylle (writeup coming)
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Going through this thread now. Great picks!
 
hatfieldpdx said:
Pavement - Wowee Zowee

Like many others, I fell hard for Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain, Pavement’s jangly and melodic follow up to the exhilarating lo-fi of debut Slanted and Enchanted. After moving out to the Pacific Northwest after college, I had been reveling in the sheer abundance and quality of indie bands on the west coast. As word of Pavement’s third album hit the streets in early 1995, Pavement was right on the cusp of mainstream success. It felt as though the entire music industry was eagerly waiting and watching, fully expecting them to lay claim to the “alternative nation” throne recently vacated with Kurt Cobain’s passing. Needless to say, Wowee Zowee fell short of living up to those lofty expectations.

When the album dropped, nearly everyone hated it. Pavement fans (including yours truly) were mystified. At first listen, it was hard to connect with this weird and disjointed mess of an album, which sounded like a few catchy tracks surrounded by unfinished demos. Critics reacted with confusion and bewilderment: “a great band trying hard to prove they can suck and half succeeding” (Details); “an album best enjoyed at a casual low volume, paying little attention to the effort and details” (Spin). Only Robert Christgau of The Village Voice defended it: “...if their vocation is beguiling song-music that doesn't sound like anything else or create its own rut, this reinforces one's gut feeling that they can do it forever.”

Not surprisingly, Wowee Zowee is the sound of Pavement eschewing mainstream success and forging their own path. In retrospect, it was the most Pavement thing ever. As Rolling Stone observed nearly 20 years later: in 1995, “so many bands were trying to make their own Crooked Rain. But Pavement had already made theirs, and were off trying something different.” Pivoting away from the commercial success of previous singles “Gold Soundz” and “Cut Your Hair” enabled Pavement to rediscover their own identify. In the process, they forged their most iconic and enduring album, one that encapsulates all the elements that made them such a unique and influential band (sorry, it would take a separate essay to go into all those details).

As with all great albums, it takes repeated listens to uncover what makes this one special. Context in regard to the weighty expectations helps, along with how it fits in with the rest of their discography. These days, revisionist history has been very kind to Wowee Zowee. In most circles, it is widely regarded as Pavement’s masterpiece, their White Album if you will. While I love each of their five albums (and various EPs), Wowee Zowee is easily the one I have listened to the most, and the album I typically reach for first.

All of that said…if you’ve never listened to Pavement, this may not be the right place to start. Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain may be one to reel you in – it certainly did for me. Their final two albums, Terror Twilight and Brighten the Corners, are more conventional albums with plenty of melodic hooks. All good starting points. And don't miss Slanted and Enchanted. If any of these resonate, it's time to give Wowee Zowee another chance.





----

Happy New Year friends! 2023 has been waiting for us, so let's begin...

Very excited to try my hand at this, and to share one of my all-time favorite albums with you in the process.

Yes, I will be your host and guide for this February AOTM adventure. I will drop a general clue today to get the ball rolling, but given that it is a holiday and my youngest daughter's birthday – and we will be skiing most of the day – note that more specific clues, interludes and all other related shenanigans will begin in earnest tomorrow.

You know the drill, but a few related notes specific to this month:
  • Guesses will roll out haphazardly. There is no other way for this album.
  • Via somewhat regular interludes, I will share 10 other albums that nearly made the cut (sadly, many were not currently available on vinyl).
  • For a variety of reasons, I will aim to announce no later than January 15th (assuming you intrepid sleuths haven't figured it out by then).
  • First correct guess gets a copy on me!
We are going to make 2023 another stellar year for N&G AotMs. Let's go...
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This is a really great write-up! That said, there is one section that I have somewhat of a different perspective on.

"Not surprisingly, Wowee Zowee is the sound of Pavement eschewing mainstream success and forging their own path. In retrospect, it was the most Pavement thing ever."

I don't disagree with that, necessarily, but I've thought a lot about the prioritization and intentionality behind their choices. While something like In Utero showed Nirvana defying the hopes that the mainstream had for them and I agree that Pavement didn't necessarily embrace the expected formula, I've come to interpret the lack of mainstream success as much more of a byproduct than a driving goal or even an intentional "choice."

In preparation to interview Stephen just prior to the release of Wigout At Jagbags, I tried to read or watch as many interviews with him as I could find. I discovered one sentiment that he has repeated over the years is that any rejection of mainstream success wasn't necessarily intentional and, at best, has been overstated. He's actually claimed that he thought "Rattled By The Rush" was going to be the hit, but he's just bad at picking what the public wants. This idea of him as this aloof eternal slacker or of the band as being anti-success is so prevalent that they've been questioned about it a lot, but that also means I've seen them respond to those questions and, ultimately, refute that narrative just as often.

The biggest thing that I got from my research and by conducting my interview was the impression that Malkmus simply doesn't have any desire or ability to conform to any outside narratives. His heroes were artists like CAN. Music media loves the idea of rockstars and when the 2010 Pavement reunion happened, there were upset "journalists" and attendees complaining about them fucking around on stage, as if they didn't know what they were getting into. It seems awkward for him to pretend to be up there playing Eddie Van Halen, so he mocks the idea a bit, but he still has the chops to play amazing. This recent tour feels very different than the one 12 years ago. They know the real fans are there and have nothing to prove. They seem to be enjoying it and playing into it a lot more, free to settle into their own humor and pull out the deep cuts. Nobody's watching.

I also had the remarkable opportunity to interview David Berman right after Silver Jews broke up and to ask him what "Soi Disantra" means when he says it in "Send In The Clouds." Now that I think about it, his answer is somewhat related.

[He responded via email, so I left his grammatical choices intact.]

"Soi-disant means “so called.” the line before it mentions monsters. the singers are calling themselves monsters, but then adding “so called!” . Even in calling myself and Steve monstrous, I had to undercut it, to avoid sounding self-important. It was the tendency of the times."

I initially conducted my Malkmus interview for a print magazine and they wanted to edit my piece up, but I told them to kick rocks. They felt like I was in the interview too much, so they, essentially, wanted to shave me out of it. The problem is that not all interviews are full of fun facts and information. I didn't even get to ask everything that I wanted, but I was trying to get better at just allowing a conversation to flow where it goes rather than controlling the direction through expectations. In the end, what you get with an interview like that is the essence of a person, when they go in that direction. That means that, if you cut me out, it's not like you're left with "just the facts" in that scenario. Instead, you're left with my side of the conversation being very rigid, stoic, and sterile, and Malkmus coming off as some kind of evasive joker that is trying to dodge and sabotage my interview and "journalistic goals." In reality, it couldn't be further from the truth. He just felt a lot more comfortable having a conversation with someone than being "interviewed" as the subject. I think a lot of the interviews out there show people who want him to be one thing trying to frame the conversation in that way, but he's always going to instinctually readjust things for his own comfort and to stay true to his own authenticity. Something like that can simply be at odds with mainstream success. It frustrates and upsets people.

Interestingly enough, this is making think about something else Berman said, when I asked him about his relationship and previous aversion to touring:

"I draw the line between being subject and object. I crossed over the line for a couple of years and didn’t really like it. I think too many people want to be the object of interest as an end in itself. It’s kind of the disease of the age."

Your kids when to school with him, so I'm sure you know what I mean, but when my kid met him, he let my son (wearing giant Incredible Hulk hands) "beat" him at arm wrestling. He seems so much more humble and down to earth than the anti-corporate angsty teen vibes that get placed on him sometimes. Songs like "Range Life" and "Shady Lane" clearly lay out different goals and ideas of success. I just think these guys recognize the absurdity of it all and that's at conflict with any business model that relies on that absurdity and for those who succeed in it to play into that.
 
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Dead C said:
This is a really great write-up! That said, there is one section that I have somewhat of a different perspective on.

"Not surprisingly, Wowee Zowee is the sound of Pavement eschewing mainstream success and forging their own path. In retrospect, it was the most Pavement thing ever."

I don't disagree with that, necessarily, but I've thought a lot about the prioritization and intentionality behind their choices. While something like In Utero showed Nirvana defying the hopes that the mainstream had for them and I agree that Pavement didn't necessarily embrace the expected formula, I've come to interpret the lack of mainstream success as much more of a byproduct than a driving goal or even an intentional "choice."

In preparation to interview Stephen just prior to the release of Wigout At Jagbags, I tried to read or watch as many interviews with him as I could find. I discovered one sentiment that he has repeated over the years is that any rejection of mainstream success wasn't necessarily intentional and, at best, has been overstated. He's actually claimed that he thought "Rattled By The Rush" was going to be the hit, but he's just bad at picking what the public wants. This idea of him as this aloof eternal slacker or of the band as being anti-success is so prevalent that they've been questioned about it a lot, but that also means I've seen them respond to those questions and, ultimately, refute that narrative just as often.

The biggest thing that I got from my research and by conducting my interview was the impression that Malkmus simply doesn't have any desire or ability to conform to any outside narratives. His heroes were artists like CAN. Music media loves the idea of rockstars and when the 2010 Pavement reunion happened, there were upset "journalists" and attendees complaining about them fucking around on stage, as if they didn't know what they were getting into. It seems awkward for him to pretend to be up there playing Eddie Van Halen, so he mocks the idea a bit, but he still has the chops to play amazing. This recent tour feels very different than the one 12 years ago. They know the real fans are there and have nothing to prove. They seem to be enjoying it and playing into it a lot more, free to settle into their own humor and pull out the deep cuts. Nobody's watching.

I also had the remarkable opportunity to interview David Berman right after Silver Jews broke up and to ask him what "Soi Disantra" means when he says it in "Send In The Clouds." Now that I think about it, his answer is somewhat related.

[He responded via email, so I left his grammatical choices intact.]

"Soi-disant means “so called.” the line before it mentions monsters. the singers are calling themselves monsters, but then adding “so called!” . Even in calling myself and Steve monstrous, I had to undercut it, to avoid sounding self-important. It was the tendency of the times."

I initially conducted my Malkmus interview for a print magazine and they wanted to edit my piece up, but I told them to kick rocks. They felt like I was in the interview too much, so they, essentially, wanted to shave me out of it. The problem is that not all interviews are full of fun facts and information. I didn't even get to ask everything that I wanted, but I was trying to get better at just allowing a conversation to flow where it goes rather than controlling the direction through expectations. In the end, what you get with an interview like that is the essence of a person, when they go in that direction. That means that, if you cut me out, it's not like you're left with "just the facts" in that scenario. Instead, you're left with my side of the conversation being very rigid, stoic, and sterile, and Malkmus coming off as some kind of evasive joker that is trying to dodge and sabotage my interview and "journalistic goals." In reality, it couldn't be further from the truth. He just felt a lot more comfortable having a conversation with someone than being "interviewed" as the subject. I think a lot of the interviews out there show people who want him to be one thing trying to frame the conversation in that way, but he's always going to instinctually readjust things for his own comfort and to stay true to his own authenticity. Something like that can simply be at odds with mainstream success. It frustrates and upsets people.

Interestingly enough, this is making think about something else Berman said, when I asked him about his relationship and previous aversion to touring:

"I draw the line between being subject and object. I crossed over the line for a couple of years and didn’t really like it. I think too many people want to be the object of interest as an end in itself. It’s kind of the disease of the age."

Your kids when to school with him, so I'm sure you know what I mean, but when my kid met him, he let my son (wearing giant Incredible Hulk hands) "beat" him at arm wrestling. He seems so much more humble and down to earth than the anti-corporate angsty teen vibes that get placed on him sometimes. Songs like "Range Life" and "Shady Lane" clearly lay out different goals and ideas of success. I just think these guys recognize the absurdity of it all and that's at conflict with any business model that relies on that absurdity and for those who succeed in it to play into that.
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Great perspective! And agreed that eschewing mainstream success wasn't necessarily a conscious choice, as much as the intention to be true to themselves. At the same time, and as you suggest, they weren't interested in comforming to anyone's idea of what Pavement should sound like – which is essentially eschewing mainstream success. Hard to separate reality from all of the media narratives around this one, no doubt.

Yes, Malkmus seems very comfortable in his shoes these days, 100% humble and down to earth. He only lives a few blocks away from the school, so he would often walk over to pick up his daughter in flip flops. There was a local bar here in Portland known as Buehlahland – also within walking distance of his house. They had a weekly trivia night, and Malkmus would team up with the ladies from Sleater-Kinney and routinely destroy the competition (all in good fun, of course).

So, do we get to read the interview?
 
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