The Contraband

Issue date: 11/3/04 Section: Entertainment

Two of the most influential, independent rock bands ever, Pavement and the Pixies, have recently released merchandise reminiscent of an earlier time. Singer/songwriter of the holiest of holies, the Pixies, Frank Black released FrankBlackFrancis, and Pavement released a reissue of its genre-defining Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain. Both are two-disc sets with old material as well as new, unreleased and reworked material making them both essential elements to any uberfan's collection.

Indie rock was at first channeled into the underground music scene as early as the 1980s, attributed to bands such as Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine. This newfound genre built its foundation on a total lack of regard for corporate pop radio, into which the world of music was starting to fall. In this world the decisions about production, song structure, lyrics and everything about the music was dictated by a panel of judicial economists, making evaluations on how well the music would sell.

Independent artists thought it a better idea to sketch out their own groove in rock history and completely disregard the corporate agenda, funding and releasing their own albums. In this regard, the term "indie" is not necessarily an explanation of style but rather an explanation of the attitude surrounding the music and its makers.

At the forefront of this strange brewing of rock 'n' roll was none other than the Pixies. For a number of you, the Pixies has been one of those names that reached a certain mythological proportion that no one could possibly live up to. But for some others, this is a name that has just recently come to light because of the band's massive reunion tour and ridiculous amount of publicity. Since the demise of this rock empire, frontman Frank Black (known as Black Francis during the Pixies' initial existence) has continued to make a copious amount of records (nearly 10), solo and also with his band Frank Black and the Catholics.

Black has just recently released an assortment of recordings that give both stripped and overly experimental versions of the songs that inspired the songwriters of our generation. With two discs, Frank BlackFrancis, released on independent label SpinArt, is an introspective look into the work of this master songwriter.

The first disc is a remastered demo tape from 1987, shortly before the Pixies recorded its debut Come on Pilgrim. This demo disc contains 15 solo versions of songs that made up the first couple of Pixies records. These renditions are very good; Black is just beginning the prime of his career, so his voice is nice and crisp, while the structure is regimented and solid even with only one acoustic guitar.

The second disc, referred to as the "Treated Disc," is a collaborative effort with Two Pale Boys. Disc two is an experimental rendering of many Pixies classics. These digitally avant-garde Englishmen loop and echo Black's operatic vocals while creating a very English approach for the template of these songs. Within the CD, Black writes that he "went down to the Hackney section of London and belted out the numbers and let the boys do their thing."

The Two Pale Boys are Andy Diagram (trumpet and electronics) and Keith Moline (guitar, violin and electronics), and additional editing was done by Pixies guitarist Joey Santiago. This recording could go either way for a hardcore Pixies fan. For those who are completely interested in the collaboration of the Pixies, then this may not quite appease you. But for the staunch Black fans, this will probably not let any of your expectations down. These are beautifully reworked songs that Black was content to release.

On the zanier side of the indie world was that of Pavement, which accidentally created an entire sub-genre of indie rock in the early 90s with its studio art project Slanted and Enchanted. The band's approach, which came to be known as "slacker rock," was exactly that. They had a total disregard for elements such as tuning guitars and structure. But instead of taking away from the song, as you think this might do, the slacker reasoning worked out in the band's favor, creating moods and elements that might not have been construed otherwise.

Pavement has recently been compiling old unreleased material from old tapes and b-sides, as well as old shows and documentaries and songs released on compilations and singles. The band is releasing them in sets attributed to the eras in which its albums were released. The first of these was the reissue of Pavement's groundbreaking debut Slanted and Enchanted, which incorporated a live show and the EPs it released around that same time. But last week, Pavement re-released perhaps its most influential album, dubbing it Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain: LA's Desert Origins, also a two-disc set.

The first disc, entitled Back to the Gold Soundz (Phantom Power Parables), is the originally released version in addition to b-side tracks from EPs, compilations and 7" records. Most of these tracks are typical of Pavement's unreleased material, very unproduced and raw, while holding the same sense of neuroticism. But for some reason, the official records tend to be more controlled and zanier.

During the preparations of this record, Pavement went through a lineup change involving its drummer. The band's previous drummer, Gary Young, who also acted as production coordinator in the Slanted and Enchanted sessions, was asked to leave due to his continually drunken state. Meanwhile, the addition of drummer Steve West was one of the best decisions that Pavement could have made. West drove the band into a direction that Young could never have imagined. So, Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain was recorded with West, and it created a much more rounded structure of rhythm, not the two or three basic beat patterns that Young played.

The second disc, entitled After the Glow (Where Eagles Dare), involves several Young demos, which make for an interesting listen in comparison to West on the first disc, as well as 12 never-heard songs and a session from the John Peel Show on BBC. This second disc is definitely the gem inside this illustriously packaged release. Pavement has made it a point to adequately present itself artistically as well as musically. With a giant CD book containing all types of abstract art and explanations of songs and their meanings, there is no reason why any fan should not own this release.

Both the Pixies' and Pavement's releases are quite nostalgic, a good trip back to a time when good and bad were well defined, and you had to search for the great. It truly does not get any better than this. But one must keep in mind that these two bands were the ground breakers, and they preferred to break this ground while underground. There was no need for corporate sponsorship, although it soon came, but it was the last thing on their minds. The influences that both Pavement and the Pixies had on this flailing generation go beyond any direct influence that is recognizable. The bands that influenced the masses were first influenced by the Pixies and Pavement.

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