Pavement is known for a lot of obtuse lyrics, with many different meanings gleaned depending on how you hold it up to the light, but ‘you can never quarantine the past” has a pretty singular meaning. And, one that Stephen Malkmus has increasingly ignored over the last few years. Yeah yeah, the Pavement reunion was a big (and hugely successful, on a number of levels) look back but since Malkmus effectively put his band The Jicks in cold storage after the scintillating Sparkle Hard in 2018, with a long-simmering solo project Groove Denied finally released the following year, and then he assembled The Traditional Techniques band and released that eponymously titled record at the cresting dawn of the pandemic.
And now he’s back with yet another configuration, drawing veteran heavy hitters from the indie rock world. Matt Sweeney has been involved with a million projects (and until a few years ago, I didn’t realize that Skunk also included future Ween drummer Claude Coleman Jr) and was part of the Trad Tech band. Sweeney also played with Emmett Kelly on the last Superwolves tour helmed by Will OIdham, and the Pete Frame connect-the-dots diagram yields another crucial link to Jim White, the premier Australian drummer whose vast resume also includes stints with Oldham.
Their debut hit last October, and it became clear from the lead single “Rio’s Song” that this wasn’t going to be a project dominated by Malkmus. This is pure conjecture on my part but the fact that Steve doesn’t have to do the heavy lifting in the songwriting, singing and guitar playing roles seems like it’s freed him up both mentally and physically, and he relishes his position as just another member of the band rather than being the sole focal point.
Kelly’s work in Ty Segall’s Freedom Band immediately sprang to mind when the band ripped into “Earth Hater,” the monstrous and heaving riff propelling the song; that he played bass while Malkmus sang underscored that the band collectively are listed as songwriters, not individual credits. White is a marvel to watch at the kit, with a light and fluid touch to steer the songs and a martial snare when sharper control is required. He even got a short bit at the mic when Malkmus unspooled his from the stand and ambled over to Jim.
Sweeney is on speed dial when a band needs a critical hole filled and has done stints with wide-ranging artists such as Iggy Pop, Guided By Voices, Billy Corgan’s Zwan, Current 93 and others. For a good reason! Throw a part at him and he can sing and/or play it. “It Suits You” was a clear example of his versatility, a gentler song nestled in the middle of the set.
Known for his insouciant wit, Malkmus didn’t disappoint with a couple of classic, off the cuff moments of between song banter. Acknowledging the comfortably full room on a Sunday night, he noted that there were no Bruins or Sox games competing for entertainment value but that the Catholic hockey team played. “What are they called? The Fluties?” Later on, after “Gripping The Riptide” he noted it was their most Martha Vineyard-esque song. “Is there a difference between Martha’s Vineyard and Cape Cod? I don’t think so, like there’s no difference between Portland and Seattle. Or France and Quebec.”
For those yearning for more of a Pavement sound, it’s not like Steve completely reinvented his songwriting, and there were strong components present both lyrically and musically in “Hey,” “Heel Highway,” and “Six Deaf Rats” – does anyone else think there’s some obtuse Steely Dan reference mashed up in the “Why are you sleeping in those high heel shoes?
Where is the logic in that?” couplet?
Though the band has only the LP and a recently released digital single out, I applaud their decision to keep the set list entirely Hard Quartet-related, with no Pavement or Chavez or Cairo Gang or Dirty Three songs to dilute the performance (actually, I would love to hear them tackle a Dirty Three song). Here’s to hearing more from this quartet.
Chicago’s own Sharp Pins took opening duties for the East Coast run and if there was a British Invasion equivalent of Nuggets you could bet they wore out the grooves. Showing flashes of early Who and Beatles, the trio also worked in the wonderful harmonies of The Byrds and The Hollies to their sound. Seriously, these fresh-faced kids who don’t look to be older than 23 must have taken musical and singing lessons since the day they could talk, impressive skills on display. Closer “Bye Bye Basil” has a chorus that would make Bob Pollard stand up and applaud.
