Same here. I like a few of their things, Curious Oranj, Country Click, but for so much product that doesn't impress me and people saying they're better than the Beatles, they must be mad.

More fuel to the fire..

it actually works when the riff is good.. :P

Yeah, them's fightin' words 'round here... :)

What's with the person attacks? I said I had an issue with Malkamus's lyrics, not with any of you. Geez, like this critically revered almost-icon is weeping in the corner and needs you to defend him?


Too late. April Fools was two days ago.

like Ozzy early sabbath?

I am Iron man
Try to catch me if you can

no ones lyrics MATTER

get over that.

"She's Got the Radio active and it makes me feel OK. I don;t feel OK."

means more to ME than any dylan bullshit.

So then you think they're not filled with imagery, and in fact tell a linear story?

I prefer his 2d solo album, Piglib.

I didnt like Pig Lib much. I love the self-titled, and Real Emotional Trash.

SM and the Jicks is my favourite band. All four albums are totally awesome, but 'Pig Lib' is an absolute perfection!

I'm not a firm believer in his contribution to Pavement. I am willing to be proved wrong though.

Okay I know this comment is probably inappropriate, but does a Sonic Youth fan ever have a right to criticize another band's "puzzling lyrics"?

Thurston invented singing the notes you play on guitar. SM doesn't do it that often. Except for Mercy Snack: The Laundromat and Baptist Blacktick, which are both terrible, terrible songs.

I had that first Preston School of Industry album after Pavement broke up and thought it was rather dull what was it called? "All this Sounds Gas", heh the title sums it up to me it sounds like bad gas to me, boring dull uninspired songs though attempting to cross several boundaries (country, rock, electronic) in his dull monotoned vocals, it was alright when he did so in pavement as a kinda nice counter to malkmus' songs but man a full album of that just does not cut it for me. since i haven't bought another PSOI album...

Real Emotional Trash is to me Malkmus most interesting post Pavement album from start to finish and its very well done...his first s/t album is ok, i thought face truth and pig lib were a little difficult to listen though.

Most bands have shitty lyrics. Malkmus not only has shitty lyrics, but the way he SINGS them sucks.

The Jicks are hit or miss but I really do like Pig Lib and was surprised by how good Real Emotional Trash is. I find his songwriting kinda dull at times but he'll always surprise me with some amazing melodic twist. He really is the king of great melodies.

Oh, and the Fall-ah are gods-ah.

Mercy Snack and Baptist Blackstick rule. Westing is definitely my favorite Pavement album. Thurston didn't invent singing the notes, people have been doing that forever. At the top of my head, Black Sabbath's "Iron Man". See every prog band ever doing it at some point. Haha. I think it sounds really boneheaded and ridiculous in that case and some of Thurston's attempts at it are silly (especially since he does it in SO MANY SONGS), but a lot of bands do it well. See Deerhoof for example. It's not some amazing, mindblowing thing (not saying you think it is).

Agreed on both counts.

For Malkmus and Pavement- I am a fan of both, as well as his work in Silver Jews. I have gravitated towards Malk's solo stuff, but I still listen to single Pavement songs now and then. There are about 10-15 Pavement songs that are incredible- "Kentucky Cocktail," "Pueblo," "Frontwards," "Strings of Nashville," "You Are a Light" and "We Dance" to name a few. His solo records are more endearing to me because his guitar work is more prominent and because his songwriting is much better. He has shifted from pure esoteric lyricism (in most cases) to less arcane, more clever lyrics. I dig the Jicks as a band to.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Infinite Spark
Since the Pavement split, a fair share of credit for their sound should be given to Spiral Stairs, cos Preston School of Industry are far better than 90% of Malkmus' solo stuff imho


I'm not a firm believer in his contribution to Pavement. I am willing to be proved wrong though.
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Agreed, Spiral Stairs had a bigger impact on the early pavement material as in the beginning it was only stephen and scott, it becomes apparant as time moved on something happened or changed as evidenced on the live scenes on the slow century dvd that spiral stairs guitar parts on terror twilight are rather dismal, lacking or even absent... definitley the band was in flux at that point.

of the several songs and that first full length album i heard of the preston school of industry... i'm sorry i just don't hear whats so interesting about them. either kannberg brought no material to the terror twilight sessions or those songs he brought to those sessions were bounced back and therfore ended up on that first PSOI album, really without wonder as its just non-catchy, middle-of-the-road indie rock.

Both those songs are good! Baptist has that cool riff going on and Mercy Snack is one of my favorites from around that period.

~Jeremy~