Search - Pavement :: Spit On A Stranger [EP]

Continuing a tradition of great EPs

08/20/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Pavement had a reputation for being lazy, but I'm not sure if I buy into that; especially seeing as they released so many quality B-sides and showed such dedication to fans. When I first picked up the Spit on A Stranger EP my initial thought was "man, this is better than the album that it's supporting." A little time and a lot of listens changed my mind about Terror Twilight (which is an excellent album) but this is still one of my favorites. Spit on a Stranger was probably Pavement's prettiest single, and it's followed by two excellent numbers which embody the rock-oriented side of Pavement during their final years. The final two tracks are much more experimental; well written songs played like they are demos from a jam session led by a keyboard. Tremendous fun. In short, this consistent EP sums up everything that was great about Pavement; great songs, an experimental ethic and music that really, really rocks."

Show me a word that rhymes with Pavement

josefp | 06/22/1999

(3 out of 5 stars)

"You already have "Terror Twilight," right? You may or may not embrace the single "Spit on a Stranger," which despite a little ambiguity (that "bitter stranger" stuff) is about as close as Steve Malkmus has dared get to a song sans irony. In any case, here it is as a single...no different from the album take. But the four bonus tracks are why you really bought it. And two are wonderful: "Harness Your Hopes" is a laugh-a-line rocker with some of S.M.'s funniest stream-of-consciousness lyrics, including the priceless couplet: "Show me a word that rhymes with Pavement/And I won't kill your parents/And roast them on a spit." Then there's "Roll With The Wind," which is about as close to boogie as Pavement will ever (I hope) get--but it's great nonetheless. This song is proof that Malkmus is willfully obscure on purpose and could be a big star if he wanted to...no "classic rocker" on earth would find this catchy, guitar-solo rich rocker objectionable. He or she would be digging the music too much to even catch the quirky lyrics. Interestingly, these two songs are *not* outtakes from the new album, but actually date back to the "Brighten the Corners" sessions in 1996.The last two tracks are less thrilling (the title "The Porpoise and the Hand Grenade" is the best thing about that song); both sound like demos, and may in fact be S.M. solo rather than the whole group--the acoustic guitars, cutesy keyboard sounds, and light drums don't sound much like Pavement. It would be interesting to hear them performed by the group live, but otherwise they're just minor tracks.Not an absolute must-have, but fans should pick up this extended single."

Harness this cd, then yer hopes

josefp | Danbury, CT USA | 10/14/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Yes. Harness your hopes is the "no tan lines" for this album's single collection. Yes. All the songs are good even if you already own the first one from the album. Yes."