We're a little bit early this month, but BlackPlastic thought that would make a nice change. BlackPlastic has only recently really started getting into Pavement and, having waited so long to do so, kind of feels it has missed out. Don't let the same thing happen to you...
Years ago BlackPlastic heard the sublime 'Shady Lane', taken from Pavement's Brighten the Corners long player and pretty much instantly bought the single, but it wasn't until a few months ago that the sublime Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain found its way into the ears of yours truly. Pretty much everything on this album is great - one song in particular is even better than great, it's magical.
May's song of the month is Pavement's 'Elevate Me Later', a song drenched in an undescribable feeling. 'Elevate Me Later' is the best slacker rock song you'll ever hear, much like a lot of Pavement stuff, listening to this it's a wonder they ever managed to get out of bed, let alone record some of the best alt-rock the nineties saw.
This is a song that makes me quite content to do nothing at all, ever again. In itself, not that huge an achievement, but it sounds so fucking good doing it that you just can't wait for your next opportunity to listen to it. When Stephen Malkmus sings the following it is difficult to know what he's going on about, but all too easy to love him for it anyway -
Those who sleep with electric guitars
range rovin' with the cinema stars
and i wouldn't want to shake their hands
'cause they're in such a high-protein land
because there's 40 different shades of black
so many fortresses and ways to attack
so why you complaining?
Coming on like a crack addiction it is impossible to get too much of this song... So much so that when it climaxes at two minutes twenty the band couldn't help but through in one last refrain. Here's to one of America's greats...
To purchase Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain on Amazon click here.
To purchase 'Elevate Me Later' on iTunes click below:
