Search - Pavement :: Terror Twilight

If it wasn't any good, why can't I stop listening to it?

07/09/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Is it just me, or is this a REALLY dark album? "Spit on a Stranger" is a wonderful yet melancholy pop song. "Major Leagues" is twangy and sad. "The Hexx" strikes fear into my heart. And my favorite track, "Ann Don't Cry," is the definition of elegiac. I understand all the criticisms of this album--overproduced, irrelevant compared to "Slanted and Enchanted" or "Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain", somewhat dull, almost a Steve Malkmus solo project. I didn't really like it, either, the first time I heard it, and only liked it a bit more the next twenty times I played it--until I suddenly realized I kept playing it. Over and Over. Like standing in the Louvre, staring at the Mona Lisa for hours, caught up in the enigma. "Terror Twilight"--Never has an album been so appropriately monikered. Just like they've always done, Pavement makes concept albums about California without calling them concept albums about California. This one is all about what happens when you're in your early 30s, bored and listless, trying to recapture the enthusiasm of your early 20s (i.e., "S&E"). Instead of skateboarding home from your job at the cafe, now you're driving a Lexus, stuck in rush hour traffic, coming back from your cubicle job at some software company. I don't think I'm wrong about this."

Bittersweet ending

D. greene | Seattle, WA | 04/04/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The best band of the 90's, arguable yes, but many share the same feeling. Malkmus took over songwriting here, as if it should have ever differed on the past albums so it feels more like his first solo album rather than a Pavement record. This album is missing something that all the previous albums had and the strangest thing is that its not missed what so ever. This album is the most endearing work Pavement did in their 12 years of being a band. It's nearly impossible to not give this album anything less than 5 stars because, simply put, this is the album where Pavement sounded like a pop genius rock band. The only thing that is a downer on this album is the fact that it's the fairwell, swan song album. Even with that considered, the material is so wonderfull that you almost forget this is the end of the journey. It's like crying happy and sad at once. Pavement was once sloppy and imperfected which is what made their early records such a treat to listen to and, more often than not, a strange and difficult listen. It's amazing to me how much this is an improvement from the least consistent album by Pavement, which in my opinion was "Brighten the Corners." It wasn't a bad album, just not complete sounding. Terror Twilight is not only a huge rebound, but it's where Pavement shows they were always as good as the Beach Boys or the Velvet Underground. I never understood the "cool kids" who said they liked Pavement's early records and lost interest in the later material. Terror Twilight stands as tall as any of the first three full lenghts and any of the early 7 inches and EPs. The album is so good, that a track by track review is pointless. Take this as a pill and swallow it whole. You won't believe your ears or anything else around you. I'll leave you to it now as S.M. says..

"My Palestinian nephew got his face blown off

in a dusty craft.""

Beatiful record

02/21/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This so-called die hard fans are not what they claim. As a band Pavement had a natural process of evolution wich i really dig. I believe the music has gotten tighter of course and to me Terror Twilight is their best album yet, the most crafted and beatiful. Every album speaks for its period of time and this one does too in an incredible way, too bad fans can't see it that way, What were you expecting?, Slanted & enchanted and crooked rain were great too, in their time, but i would be disappointed seeing the band release this couple of albums forever. Besides that, Hi-Fi is a lot better and makes perfect justice to their music.P.S i just hope they don't split."