Le prime registrazioni dei Pavement, nonchè i loro primi album (Slay Tracks 1933-1969; Demolition Plot J-7; Perfect Sound Forever) sono stati raccolti nel 1993 su "Westing", album probabilmente un po' forzato per sua stessa natura, ma allo stesso tempo contenitore dei gioielli più brillanti mai sfornati dall'influente gruppo di Stockton.
E' qui che si ritrovano le trovate più sghembe e bizzarre dei nostri, brani di indie-rock (attitudinalmente lo-fi) dai colori vivacissimi, forti di arrangiamenti fuori di testa che hanno posto le basi per "Slanted" e "Crooked rain". E' sempre qui che si sente tantissimo l'influenza dei Velvet Underground migliori: "She Believes" con gli assoli in perfetto stile reediano e il finale cacofonico, rappresenta una rielaborazione in chiave moderna perfettamente riuscita dei Velvet più psichedelici; lo stesso vale per "Forklift", probabilmente uno dei massimi vertici dell'album, brano di un'intensità straordinaria con una melodia malata continuamente in bilico: è quasi come se l'irregolarità prendesse forma.
In "You Are Killing Me", brano d'apertura, il fruscio presente all'inizio fa da "wall of sound" per tutta la durata della canzone, mentre nelle successive "Maybe Maybe" e "Price Yeah!" troviamo le composizioni tra le più originali e bizzarre della band, stranissime percussioni e phaser interstellari, nonchè spartani rendono gli sgangherati accordi ancor più obliqui; "Spizzle Trunk" è un boogie distortissimo, mentre le successive ricalcano sempre l'anima più sperimentale della band, attitudine che sicuramente è andata via via riducendosi nel corso degli anni, forse anche a causa dei compromessi contrattuali: così ritroviamo lo strano intermezzo pianistico di "Drive By-Fader" per poi ricadere nel limbo lisergico di "Krell Vid-User" e nella melodia da "miele surgelato" di "Summer Baby".
Insomma, in "Westing" c'è il meglio di ciò che Malkmus e soci hanno saputo sfornare, non si può non ascoltare questo album se si vuol comprendere ciò che erano i Pavement prima dei loro successi internazionali: in effetti qui c'è tutta l'anima dell'Indie più originale degli anni '90, melodie da brividi in canzoni per lo più minimaliste, suonate in maniera sommaria ma con con un'enfasi che è andata poi un po' perdendosi nel corso del decennio.
Elenco tracce testi samples e video
02 Box Elder (02:26)
Wasn't the question you asked me
It wasn't the answer I gave
That made me feel like I was on a train
Was a distant voice
Made me make a choice
That I had to get the fuck out of this town
I got a lot of things to do
A lot of places to go
I've got a lot of good things coming my way
And I'm afraid to say that you're not one of them.
Last time I was there
You were out on the couch
Pressed into a little electric 2
It was the way that you smiled
Made me know at once
That I had to get the fuck out of this town
'Cause I've decide to make a stand
And I'm not gonna take your hand
I'm taking the next bus outta here, I'm gonna head for Box Elder, M.O.
11 Recorder Grot (Rally) (00:21)
My space is...
ready to be taken
by the sweat up high
with the fucked up eyes
with the ugly face
the ugly face, the ugly face, the ugly face
the ugly THIGHS!
we all thought you'd lose
to the recorder grot and kick it!
behind my back before you cross
behind my back before you crash
behind my back before you crack
behind my back before you crack
behind my back before you cross
behind my back recorder grot
behind my back recorder grot
recorder grot, recorder grot
grot!
16 Debris Slide (01:56)
maybe she is
maybe she's not
maybe we's
we's hack cough
wheeze hack cough
debris slide
maybe he is
maybe he's not
maybe I's
I's in the socket
eyes in the socket
so i'm gonna sock it
debris slide!
17 Home (02:23)
Fight for felicity for me.
You know i cannot do it myself.
Stick your fingers in my mouth.
Pull my lips back and watch me smile.
Catch me on my troubled portion.
Maybe there is something there for you.
Look below her nylon stockings,
snapped the double notch and left untied.
Some king chooser will wind up with my number.
I'll go to sleep and
wait for my number to come.
Deep pockets may be deeper
and always had a nickel to spare.
Now the blood blister's,
the blister's black
as she washes her hands across her chest.
But if you're willing to call my machine,
flip the coins and watch me light up
hope the time is right for it
when its done
turn your back
King chooser has come for my number.
I'll just roll over on my back
and wait for my number to come.
19 Summer Babe (Winter version) (03:13)
ICE BABY
I SAW YOUR GIRLFRIEND
SHE'S EATING HER FINGERS
LIKE THEY'RE JUST ANOTHER MEAL
SHE WAITS THERE
IN THE LEVEE WASH
MIXING COCKTAILS WITH A PLASTIC TIPPED CIGAR...
MY EYES STICK TO
ALL THOSE SHINY ROBES...WEAR
ON THE PROTEIN DELTA STRIP
IN AN ABANDONED HOUSEBOAT
ILL WAIT THERE, ILL BE WAITING FOREVER...
MINERALS
ICE DEPOSITS DAILY
DROP OFF THE FIRST SHINY ROBE
IVE GOT ALOT OF THINGS I WANT TO SELL YOU
THERE NOT HERE
YOU TOOK IT ALL
EVERYTIME I TURN AROUND I FIND IM SHOT
YOU'RE MY...
SUMMER BABE
21 Baptist Blacktick (02:03)
Baptiss Blacktick
I`m just waiting waiting for the baptist
that sad suck-off left me in Damascus
I`m Just waiting waiting for the baptist
that sad suck-off, that sh*t left me now
I`m just wasting, wasting all the black ticks Queens way`s rockers,
enough to make your ears twitch
I`m wasting, wasting all the Black chicks (tits?)
Some reddish sins, some grey - is it now ???
I`m just waiting, waiting for a black jet
That f**ker...Ahhhhhhh...
That f**ker left me now
that suck left me now
that sun left me now.
22 My First Mine (02:20)
Started in the old south
i brought it to the new west
sold it for a dry claim
i bought it back the hard way
i've got a mine thats fine
isn't it the best one yet?
i bought it in '49
i've got a mine thats fine
heard about your bad fall
i guess its just the rock's fault
i bet you need some old south
i'll sell it for your gold teeth
i've got a mind thats fine
i swear its the best one yet
i bought it in '49
i've got a mind thats fine
she was just a moaner
she was never saved
bruises in my stomach fight
i fed it to my engine
i've got a mind thats fine
i swear it's the best one yet
i bought it in '49
i've got a mine thats fine
i've got a mine thats fine
i've got a mine thats fine
i've got a mine thats fine
i've got a mine thats fine.
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