Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic, 22 May 2006
One of my favourite albums, laid back and relaxing, yet with moments of indie noise and a more `rock' feel to it, in my opinion a pretty perfect balance between the two sides, and full of some of the most irrelevant lyrics I have heard.
A perfect example is the first track, `Stereo' opening with burbling synthy noise, and a back and forth simple guitar line, leading into a quick burst of noise and the bass line of the verses, the opening lyrics being `pigs they tend to wiggle when they walk, the infrastructure rocks, and the owners hate the jocks' three completely unrelated lines together in the song, yet somehow sounding great, happy and somehow fitting, this then leading into the chorus of loud fuzzy guitars, back through another short blast of noise into the next verse, the slightly more coherent `what about the voice of Geddy Lee, how did it get so high? I wander if he speaks like an ordinary guy (I know him and he does)' which almost makes sense as one, but completely irrelevant to the rest of the song. Odd, yet very enjoyable to listen and relax to, without feeling the need to listen to a big message about humanity or politics, just sitting back and listening to some very enjoyable music. This never really detracts from the songs though, as they still flow perfectly, with some excellent guitar playing and musicianship. Which is probably one of the things I like about this band, no need to try and force a view on you or make music that has a meaning to people, but purely music to enjoy playing and listening to, but with some inventive and excellent sounding playing too.
A stunning album from an excellent band.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brightener, 19 Jan 2006
"Brighten the Corners" remains Pavement's most settled, accessable rock record, but the band doesn't eschew their musical sound or their indie roots. Rather, they just polish up the howly vocals and multilayered musical arrangements, and the result is pretty mellow and pleasant.
It starts off with the intermittently bombastic "Stereo," before shifting to the mellower "Shady Lane" and uplifted sound of "Transport is Arranged." A more raw sound enters with the fun rockers "Date with IKEA" and lighthearted "Embassy Road," while a plaintive confusion arrives with "Old to Begin." The remaining songs harken back to their indie roots, with the monotone jazziness of "Blue Hawaiian" and the weirdness of "We Are Underused" and "Passat Dream." It ends on a pretty strong note with the vaguely ominous "Fin," in which Malkmus requests, "I trust you will tell me/if I am making a fool of myself..."
"Brighten the Corners" serves to connect the lo-fi scratchiness of their early work to a more polished sound. Sure, there are some cries of "sell-out." But Pavement's sound transfers to the smooth studio sound without losing its complexity or raw magic.
The guitar riffs are as good as ever, starting and stopping one moment, and whirling around Malkmus's vocals the next; the percussion is a solid backdrop. There are also some coy beepy-bleepy snatches of mellotron, as well as what sounds like a wavery flute, giving a feeling of vague vulnerability to the lost-soul-type songs.
Malkmus will never sing in the opera, but his soulful monotone is wonderfully well-suited to the music. The songs themselves have a certain feeling of confusion, as if the world is bewildering and chaotic. "I heard what you said/the leaders are dead/now they're robbing the skies/you can hear the followers cry..."
Pavement was still in solid form in "Brighten the Corners." While it may not be the best, the mix of complex rock and thoughtful singing is enough to make it another budding classic by Pavement.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wildly erattic joyous mayhem!, 21 Sep 2000
Pavement, the queens of modern American Lo-Fi! This eclectic offering brings a refreshing wave of mayhem from the minute you press play. 'Bighten the Corners opens with the apply named 'Stereo', a song by all contrasts giving the listener a full flavour of the very stuff that is Pavement. With the all time great rhythming couplet - "what about the voice of Gedi Lee, I wonder if he speaks like an ordinary guy; I know him and he does". This wonderful nonsense prevails throughout with the lyrical timbre ranging from the absurd to the absurder! Musically the 3 minute form is stretched out of all recognition, with half finished themes rolling into neatly explored phrases to downright heavinly 'noise'. Lo-Fi has never had it so good, a co-hesive blend of disonance and tongue - in - cheek harmoniousness. The album moves swiftly without peaks and troughs, just one long high ride! If you have not ventured into Pavement territory, this is the album to familiarise yourself with. For those veteran fans, a culmination of anarchistic adolescence metamorphosising into a Utopia of sound and fable. Go Buy It!
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