Customer Reviews

Goodbye To The Edge City

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Initially, I wasn't too sure about this cd. I listened to it once and didn't think about it for a few days. Then I put it on again. Then again. And now I can't seem to get that little horn thing from Somethings Happen Always out of my head. PSOI/EP wasn't exactly what I expected but, as the previous reviewer mentioned, I don't want what I expected. Songs on this ep are surprising and sort of funny and doesn't take themselves all too seriously. It's interesting also that everyone I've talked to has a different opinion about what are the "stand outs" and the throw aways. It's not necessarily cohesive rather it's all over the board. Personally, my favorite it the title track. This is where I press repeat (again and again). Also, I enjoyed the way the whole ep starts out sort of clear with lots of lyrics and just sort of slowly disappears into a low-fi instrumental (makes me think it's working it's way backwards in time?).

I think Spiral sounds liberated and like he's having fun. I've also listened to a few of the LP songs available for download on Matador and Domino websites and am amazed at how Spiral appears to be gleefully exploring different directions while hanging onto his roots. I'm looking forward to hearing more on the LP.

This is a solid EP. The full album is even better. Expect great things from Spiral Stairs. Ignore the sceptics and Pavement/SM elitists. Before you know it they'll all be on the Spiral Stairs bandwagon. So, pick up this record and the full release due out in Aug.

Escaping from under the tyranical thumb that SM kept over Pavement, Spiral uses the freedom to explode musically in all directions. While the constant shifting of musical styles destroys the "flow" of the EP, the individual songs are fun and bright. The Keepers: 'Somethings Happen Always' is the acoustic jangle sing-along with Spiral's "Peter Brady-ish" singing providing a perfect frailed voice for the harrassed suburban dad. 'The Spaces In Between' presents 80s New Wave fun out of control. 'Where You Gonna Go?' is a gentle ballad of remorse and pain. The Rest: 'How to Impress the Goddess pt. 2' a morbid psychodelic freak out wouldn't seem to impress a Goddess. 'Goodbye to the Edge City' = instrumental noise jam attempts to find beauty.

Where SM's solo debut was a loose tossoff, Spiral's new EP is definately a stretch to new musical era. Only 4 stars because the EP could use a bouncy-guitar-pop song like Spiral regularly contributed to Pavement, but perhaps thats what we will find in "All This Sounds Gas."

FINAL NOTE: I've had this EP for weeks and I've yet to hear any EXPLICIT LYRICS. Hope that doesn't disappoint any minors.

Goodbye To The Edge City is the debut EP for ex-Pavement member Spiral Stairs' solo project, predating the 'All This Sounds Gas' album by a few months. The EP is a 5-track sampler of the bands sound in a way, mixing jangly lo-fi pop with shades of alt. country. However, unlike most 'samplers', this EP contains tracks not included on the album, which further enhances it's collectability. Despite it's price, this EP is a little gem and I loved it. If you liked Pavement, you probably will too.

I always liked Spiral Stairs better than SM. That said, I had high hopes for this record...but its not what I had hoped for. Stylistically, its all over the map. Sometimes the sound is much like New Zealand's Tall Dwarfs; other times are similar to the most generic of indie rock. The two highlights of the record are "The Spaces In Between", which is a distant cousin of Pavement's "Date With Ikea", and "Goodbye To The Edge City", an instrumental worthy of Spiral's former band.

Man, I'm trying not to be a "hater". Two good songs outta five... It's nice to hear from Spiral and his new band, but I hope his full-length is a bit more tuneful and substantial.

This is a sorry state of affairs. Once a member of one of the greatest bands ever, Scott Kannberg (AKA "Spiral Stairs") has stooped to releasing of 5 song EP that is nothing but a constant barrage of explatives and profanity layed over brainless, chugging metal riffs. Parents take heed of the [EXPLICIT LYRICS] warning, as this is one of the most profane records I've ever heard, and a sad final chapter in the story of Pavement.