Search - Marble Valley :: Sauckiehall Street

I've got the LP and I'll never let go.

geophriegh | Minneapolis | 04/20/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Once again I'm making a statement that will get me in trouble: This album is the second best thing from the Pavement Empire! But if you are a pavement fan, you probably won't like it.Sorry Spin and Rolling stone, Wowee Zowee is Number ONE! Anyway, this is a side project of pavement drummer Steve West... I guess that is the only reason I knew about it. I absolutely love this album; the vocals are of a dark and scratchy flavor, like a voice coming up out of the dungeon. The music is rough and lo-fi, but with very pretty melodies in parts. I like that, music over matter. Looking at the inlay it appears that they recorded it in their home. But I don't really know. Also, you can here the distinct sounds of a BOSS FX pedal being clicked on and off in the cheerful song "Weezer's West." Well you can hear the pedal being stomped on and off, but there really is not change in the sound of the instruments. Freaks. I think there's a definite ... influence here. Or maybe I'm just saying that because I spent the majority of my summer of '99 in a haze, playing pinball and listening to this record. In any event, it does have a deep cloudy feel to it, like a youngster's first..., when the world gets heavy and everything is strange in a very cute way. With song titles like "Bar B.Q. Lungs" and "Fried" its hard not to give the ... props. This album is an absolute trip, but not for the weak or sober minded."