PAVEMENT – RANGE LIFE
(BIG CAT)
I bought this on
twelve inch from the Time Records stall in the covered market of Clacton-on-Sea. It sat as a rare righteous release in a bin
of dross vinyl. Obviously I would have
preferred on CD but I just wanted some Pavement. And it’s a track so long that it takes up an
entire side of twelve inch vinyl.
Some people I know
dismissed this as country rock. I guess
there is where you will find people out on the range. However beyond the rinky dinky playing, the
words of Steve Malkmus sat bitched
very much in the now of alternative rock.
This feels like a song
about being on tour. It sounds weary and
as a result feels tiring as the desire of the words do not necessarily convince. Some might say this is actually the yearn of
a young man soughting early retirement.
“Range Life” could easily be a Neil
Young song.
Of course the song is
also best known for its vocal/verbal dismiss of Stone Temple Pilots and Smashing Pumpkins. Malkmus describes the first band as “elegant bachelors”
while stating the second “don’t have no function” concluding “I don’t
understand what they mean and I could really give a fuck”. Somebody had to say it.
Upping the assault
“Raft” offers tuneful distortion on the flipside. The complaint is “stop criticising me” in the
knowledge that “I’m on a raft, can’t turn back”. It’s a laidback titanic which exhibits
occasionally lapses in operation as it overdrives off a cliff. “Coolin’ By Sound” is less stressed mumbling
affair that glides and glows in twinkling fashion. Pavement warmth.
You want it, you got
it.
Thesaurus moment:
traverse.
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