Customer Reviews

Westing (By Musket & Sextant)

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Is this the first Pavement album you should buy? Probably not. You'll probably hate it. But if you own Slanted or Crooked Rain, or especially Wowee Zowee and liked them, this one will grow on you. Collection of EPs and singles before their Matador signing, its a shotgun blast of dischordant and anarchistic recordings. Definately hit and miss, some of it I will agree is almost unlistenable, but the rest of it, you'll keep coming back to. The first listen will probably illict a 'What the f***?' The second one will be, "Hey, that song is kind of neat...", and after a couple more, you'll be listening to it simply repeating, "Pavement Ist Rad!" Torn between 3 stars and 4, I give it 4.

'Westing' is a collection of all of Pavement's low-fidelity early singles and EP's, which are all a lot more dirtier and less melodic than the bands later material. Infact, this album is so dirty, I really can't imagine anything else that has been recorded so ... badly. Pavement walks the fine tightrope between barely audible and musical genius like never before.

Underneath the dirt and grime lie some of Pavement's best songs, however if you're a stickler for hi-fi quality, you're not going to find anything to like. Myself, while I do like the cleaner sounding stuff, I had no problem with 'Westing' and loved every grit-filled minute of it.

If you jumped on the Pavement train with 'Slanted & Enchanted' or anything after that, you <i>need</i> to buy a return ticket and pick up 'Westing' to see what you have been missing all this time.

This is a great record here. I love nearly every song, even the ones that are just noise. Recorder Grot (Rally) is awesome! It's cool cause theyre not making it noisy with pedals or anything, theyre doin it with the horrible equipment they used to record it. Its great on long drives through Quebec and Vermont.

I've read many reviews about this album (showing my age with that word) stating that its a great album for those who like Slanted and Enchanted, but those who like albums like Wowee Zowee or anything else, will hate it. That cant be further from the truth. Here's the deal. Like most good bands, Pavement grew. They started with a pretty indie/punk sound (which is great) that turned into the amazing Slanted and Enchanted. With that being said, this is the roots of that sound. Very raw, indie recordings that are uptempo and very fun. I love later Pavement albums, and I love this album. If you like the bands full catalog, not just Terror Twilight/Brighten the Corners, then you'll love this album. Get it! The good bands dont sound the same on every album, Pavement included. Yet, there ALL great. Just different. You dont get a completely complex album like Wowee Zowee, without having some roots. These are those roots. Enjoy! I do.

Pavement originated Indie rock, bands like Weezer and Jimmy Eat World claim Pavement to be their early 90's influences. This band isn't for the casual listener. Anyone who appreciates music, especially from the early 90's has to understand that this is where it all began. Pavement made it "okay" to hit the wrong chord and sing out of tune. Steve Malkmus, along with Kurt Cobain, is the premier song-writer of the past decade. This album symbolizes Malkmus and Pavement in its transition from raw punk to Velvet Underground pop. It is essential to buy this album if you ever want to understand where all the bands you are now listening to came from.

I play "Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain" the most and than this. One reviewer mentioned this is for diehard fans only. I couldn't disagree more. There is a lot of experimentation and some is with hardcore structures, but nowhere have I heard experimentation work better or be more enjoyable to listen to. I would actually call this a collection of awesome singles. I would gladly listen to "Angel Carver Blues/Jazz Mellow Decent" than anything off Slanted and Enchanted. This is an amazing record that should be enjoyed by anyone looking for an album filled with a stunning array of tunes.

I love this album, and have since i first heard it. it has some of the greatest moments in music EVER. Im not saying its a very important album, but it is important to me. Westing is not pavement`s best album (thats crooked rain..) but it does contain the original sound of the greatest rock band ever..and i LOVE it.

if you like this, buy westing: velvet underground, the fall, captain beefheart, sebadoh, pere ubu, abba, sonic youth.....

greetings from oslo

Pavement not radio-ready? Listen to "Forklift" and "Debris Slide" and the old 7" version of "Summer Babe" about a hundred more times, chief. This is the type of comprehensive release that makes CDs worthwhile. The last pit stop before "grunge music took over the world" in the form of "Nevermind," the songs found here are the heart of the summer of 1991 in college radio heaven. Listen now, or forever hold your peace.

there are those albums that you listen to, say what the??? and they sit for a year or two. then you revisit them and find a lost treasure. this is one of those albums. i bought this little gem when it first came out, loved a couple of songs and basically shelved it for 2 or so years. grabbed it for a road trip and fell in love . this album, in some cynical produced unproduced way, captures the insanity that is pavement live. go see stephen malkmus... he's still making the rounds and gives me faith that some where great music is still being made... this album ist rad from start to finish. pop it in yer ipod and walk around the city watching people for a few hours.... just make sure it's loud... ...

Following on the heels of Slanted, Westing features a lot of music recorded before the first album and, as such, is a window into the world of VERY early Pavement. Lo-fi, noisy, and a bit all-over-the-place, you'll find tiny track after tiny track of off-the-wall parodies on this-and-that with the kitchen sink thrown in and busted up for good measure. Everything seems to have been disgorged without much revision, which is a plus and a minus, depending on your tastes. Anyone who REALLY follows Pavement should own this... it's roots, baby.