Pavement: Crooked Rain Crooked Rain

     So, I've immersed myself in Crooked Rain Crooked Rain (CRCR) for a few days and I'm not sure why I was conflicted between this album and Slanted And Enchanted. CRCR is by far my favorite Pavement album. It's like a greatest hits album. Silence Kit (my second favorite Pavement song). Elevate Me Later. Stop Breathin'. Cut Your Hair. Gold Soundz. Range Life. Unfair. Heaven Is A Truck. Stephen Malkmus turns in one of his best vocal performances on the track "Newark Wilder". Throw in the Dave Brubeck-ian "5-4=Unity" and you have a masterpiece. To me, all the promise of Slanted And Enchanted is realized on CRCR. I love it right from the jump when it sounds like they're warming up for the first 20 seconds then they lock into that groove that begins "Silence Kit" (or Silent Kid or whatever the real title is). After listening to CRCR several times I hear the influence on early Centro-matic.
     The great thing about the 2004 Matador reissue, besides the packaging, is all the fantastic bonus tracks and alternate takes. Not only is there the R.E.M. cover "Camera", but there's a whole song about the Reckoning album called "Unseen Power of The Picket Fence". When I listened to the alternate takes of "Range Life" and "Stop Breathin'" I was struck by a couple things. One is that I like the music better on the alternate takes. Second, the lyrics were much better on the album versions. This was especially true of "Range Life". I enjoyed the playing more, as well as the fact that they didn't have the verse about Smashing Pumpkins and Stone Temple Pilots. Not that I'm bothered by it, I just think it was unnecessary. However, the lyrics on the album version are far superior. For instance, the line "you gotta pay your dues before you pay the rent" has the word tolls instead of dues on the alternate take. There's also a track from a Peel Session called "Tartar Martyr" that is an awesome, T Rex-y jam. And there are several fragments and instrumentals and songs that would end up being on Wowee Zowee. It's an amazing set. If my kids only listen to one Pavement album, this should be the one.
     I plan on tackling Wowee Zowee next. This is the Pavement album I've listened to the least, so I need to give it several good listens. In other words, it might be awhile. Plus I have to get back to Robert Pollard...and the new MBV...and the new Bowie. Peace.