Pavement
Terror Twilight
Matador
Pavement are probably best known for their earlier lo-fi sound, but on Terror Twilight they show almost no sign of this sound. After Slanted and Enchanted , Pavement moved further into technology (meaning using an actual studio) but tried to hold on to their lo-fi sound. This is what created a problem with their last few records. The self-imposed barriers of what they should sound like instead of what they could sound like held them back from making the uninhibited sound you hear on Terror Twilight . This time out they embrace their need to grow and let go of past expectations, which allowed them to create what is arguably their best album to date. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still Pavement, they just take advantage of the 24-track studio and throw in many layers that weren’t there in the past. It’s almost as if they are playing an Archers of Loaf album. Aside from their usual sound, they throw in more experimental sounds and a broader range styles and instruments (folkish banjo and bluesish harmonica.) It’s what you’ve come to expect from Pavement, but so much more.
Matador Records, 625 Broadway, Twelfth Floor, New York, NY 10012-2319
