More than a week late. Again....yikes.
My introduction to this week's tune came when it first was released from one of those cheesy TV music channels--the ones where they play random songs (often from a similar genre) and show a picture of the album it came from while it plays. My second introduction came during the pandemic when taking my youngest son to his Tae Kwon Do lessons. Once the restrictions had eased his school only allowed the students in and I had to sit in the parking lot until his class was over. Started listening to tunes to kill the time, and eventually remembered this one. I spent months listening to it after rediscovering it....
Pavement formed in Stockton, CA (that hotbed of rock and roll) in 1989, and never had so much as a modicum of commercial success in music sales (they also chose to not sign with a major label which may or may not have hindered those sales). Nevertheless, they are considered by some to be one of the best indie bands of the nineties, as well as being critically acclaimed and having developed a loyal following. They broke up in 1989 (not without much animosity--frankly band leader Stephen Malkmus comes across as quite the asshole) but had the obligatory reunion in 2010 resulting in a successful world tour (but no new music). It lasted a year before they went their separate ways again until 2022, at which point they did another successful world tour only this time they have remained together (still no new music). For their career, Pavement released five studio LPs, ten EPs, and thirteen singles. They are scheduled to perform in Sao Paulo next month.
"Spit on a Stranger" was the first single released from their frighteningly named final studio album, Terror Twilight. The single did not chart, while the album reached #95 on the Billboard 200.
I would be hard pressed to name a song I've listened to in the past few years that I've enjoyed and been amazed by more than "Spit on a Stranger." A love song (of sorts? not 100% sure exactly sure what the line "spit on a stranger" is trying to convey), it's got a stunning melody, wondrous vocals from Malkmus, and makes use of some fine wordplay (whatever, whenever, wherever, however). I don't think that whatever I write can do it justice--it's just three minutes and five seconds of genius, brilliance, and a pop sensitivity that climbs into an ethereal realm occupied by the gods and angels of pop music. Absolutely heavenly.
Lyric Sheet: "However you feel, whatever it takes/Whenever it's real, whatever awaits/Whatever you need, however so slight/Whenever it's real, whenever it's right..."
Enjoy:
Republicans = Nazis
Peace,
emaycee
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