Perfect Sound Forever: The Story of Pavement [Paperback]

Rob Jovanovic (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 5, 2004

Perfect Sound Forever is an engaging profile of the band Pavement and their quirkily dark, melodic sound and cryptic, mirth-filled lyrics.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Nirvana may have gotten all the hype, but for ardent indie rock fans Pavement will always be remembered as one of the best bands of the 1990s-until, after five albums and a slew of EPs in a decade, the band's leader, deadpan guitarist/vocalist Stephen Malkmus pulled the plug. From Gary Young's garage studio in Stockton, Calif., Pavement was the most unlikely candidate for rock royalty. But a combination of good timing, great songs and an underlying intelligence rare in rock catapulted the band to success at a time when lo-fi and do-it-yourself had become the defining rock ethos. Eschewing typical rock stardom, spurning commercial success and the media, the band left behind a legacy rich in lore but short on facts. True Pavement fans will already know much of the story. But Jovanovic's (Beck: On a Backwards River) effort is still worthy for detailing some murky key points in the band's history, such as the firing of original drummer and engineer Gary Young, the making of its records and the final, dysfunctional interactions of the band and its dissolution by Malkmus. Although not terribly insightful and thoroughly uncritical, the book is still a fond retrospection. Given the paucity of information about the band, this account automatically rises to the summit. The book's quirky design, scattered with pictures and handwritten notes, can be both annoying and appreciated. With a remarkably comprehensive discography, this volume serves as a useful tool for fans unable to keep pace with the band's myriad releases.
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Product Details

• Paperback: 216 pages
• Publisher: Justin, Charles & Co. (April 5, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1932112073
• ISBN-13: 978-1932112078
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #146,872 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pavement by Jovanovic: The Unfinished Tales, August 18, 2004

By 

E. van Veen "Snootlesvanveen" (Bergen, Norway) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Perfect Sound Forever: The Story of Pavement (Paperback)

First the good news: "Perfect Sound Forever" makes you listen to your entire collection of Pavement records again, maybe even with the same enthusiasm as when you first heard the band, searching for sounds or elements in the music that you didn't notice before. But does it tell the complete story about the band that transformed alternative rock in the 90's? The answer, I'm sorry to tell, must be no. The composition of the story is too unbalanced to ever gain the status as the Pavement Bible. The first serious attempt to write the history of the band was only too welcome, especially since the Slow Century documentary left too many questions unanswered - at times I think of it as a film that was never completed (The DVD is definetely worth purchasing though). Unfortunately, "Perfect Sound Forever", starting of so promising, with the clever and entertaining introductions of the different bandmebers, also seems to lose its direction about half-way through the book - for Pavement-fans meaning somewhere around Wowee Zowee. Where Jovanovic at first was so thorough, and the story was so rich with fine and fun details, he now seems to tell us that this part is not that interesting, or that record was not so important, so let's just cut to the end. As a reader and Pavement-fan, this leads me to think that 1) The author is of the opinion that Pavemtns early years where far more important than the later ones, or 2) He didn't do good enough research to complete his work - or simply got tired of the project and just wanted to finish his book as fast as possible. If the answer is 1), Jovanovic should simply have made a book about Pavements earliest career. My general feelings, though, tell me that the answer is closer to the second alternative. Let me leave no doubt that this is a book well worth purchasing for every Pavement fan. Jovanovics passion for Pavement and their music makes a fun read at most times. But Jovanovic is not a historian, and if you are looking for the full story about your favourite lo-fi stars, the search is not through. I still don't know why High Llamas-member Dominic Mercott playd the drums on Carrot Rope and Major Leagues, or where and when the songs on the Major League-Ep where recorded. Perhaps someday, in a book that finishes the way it starts, I will get the answers. Overall close to 3 stars, but for making me remember why I love Pavements music, it gets 4.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Nice Bookend To A Band., May 13, 2004

By 

"chazily" (Anywhere But Here or There) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Perfect Sound Forever: The Story of Pavement (Paperback)

From a band that started its career with static and ended it with an acoustic guitar, comes a book that does a great job of trying to explain it all.

Perfect Sound Forever does a wonderful job of trying to crack the walls of Pavement. Throughout its 10-year life, many journalists tried to get to S.M., Spiral, et al., but few succeeded. Mr. Jovanovic succeeds where others have failed.

Sure Malkmus is still aloof, but the other band members make up for his enigmatic behavior. Hardcore Pavement fans should read this, even though you may already know the facts. It is entertaining and you may walk away with even more knowledge.

With the reissues, the DVD and the book, hopefully Pavement will continue to inspire people to pick up instruments and make music.

A fine read for anyone.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book ist RAD!, October 8, 2004

By 

Jeremy Williams - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Perfect Sound Forever: The Story of Pavement (Paperback)

If you're a pavement fan then I highly recommend this book. If you aren't a fan, then it probably isn't for you. However, if you are a pavement fan who would like to know more about this band, how their songs and albums came together and the relationship between the members and the band's dynamic and why they split, then I say go for it. If you like quirky sidenotes and memorabillia (IE college radio station playlists from 1989, Drag City newsletters, reviews of everything from early 7"s to all of the full length albums, hand written notes between band members, tour riders, and a comprehensive discograpahy) then you'll dig this.

The reviewer above who called it a "cut and paste job" is way, way off the mark. While it is true that parts of the book were taken from alternative mags of the 90s, these are noted as such and are really cool (like song by song explanations for Crooked Rain Crooked Rain and wowee zowee hand written by SM). I've been a pavement fan since the beginning and have many mags and numerous bootlegs and slow century etc etc and still found all sorts of stuff I didn't know, a lot of fresh information. The reviewer who said it will make you want to relisten to all of your pavement stuff was absolutely right. After finishing the book I found myself listening to live shows and the albums with a newfound appreciation and insight (since they've been a favorite of mine since '91 this is really cool). Worth the price yeah!!!