Apologies for the lazy nature of this post especially re: the videos, but I don't have either song on the hard drive and it's half time during the United- PNE game.
Pavement. Box Elder. Ragged and slack with the Malkmus drawl.
The Wedding Present. Box Elder cover version. Tighter and more trebly with the Gedge growl.
Take your pick.
I choose The Wedding Present. Have never *got* Pavement. On more matters of more import, I say this as one of those 'long distance' United fans, but they were bloody lucky and quite shite (again). I agree with Paul Scoles - they are so bloddy boring now. How much did they pay for that lot? Falcao is a joke. Remember. Moyes was given a bum deal - no money and still did as well/badly as Van Gaal. Ok, we're third in the league but this is not Man. Utd. These mercenaries couldn't give a toss about wearing the shirt - just looking to the next payday. Makes me weep. One off-side goal - Rooney must have been 'interfering with play' and non-penalty and Van Gaal is happy? Oh, sorry, I'm shutting up now.
ReplyDeleteSorry about all the typos. I really should check these things.
ReplyDeleteI sense that Erik might chime in any second now....Just for clarity (so I'm not banned from Low Cotton...again), the Weddoes demonstrate excellent taste, but Pavement storm it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything you say about United. LVG arrived with a reputation as a tactical genius. The only tactical change he makes is to lump it up to Fellaini. They're no better than they were under Moyes, they just have more expensive players.
ReplyDeletePavement for me. I think.
Swiss Adam
Yeah Swede...Singing Bear is banned for the next 10 minutes...official...on his permanent record. Not because he prefers the Wedding Present or even, as suspect, he might not like Pavement. It's because he says he doesn't "get" Pavement. He's calling me a failure as a blogger.
ReplyDeleteStay tuned Bear...the next installment of the greatest releases ever will be coming up soon and before it's all over you will "get" Pavement...you might hate them but, you will no longer be able to claim i'gnance. You can tell people with confidence that you hate them. Banned.
Wedding Present have to be given credit here for covering the song when they did. Pavement only had the one 7" release, Slay Tracks, self distributed on their own label. The cover brought the band to the attention of John Peel.
They do a damn fine job with it too but, it's no contest. My favorite version is the original but thing I love about this live version is the waaaa waaaa waaaa after he sings he's got a lot of things to do.
Is United suffering some turmoil...so is Alabama. All Empires, especially the evil ones, have their dark moments and the sun has to shine on the asses of dogs and the little people every once and a while.
It's The Wedding Present in this household. As for LVG, it looks from this distance that he does not really know what he is doing. I read every time they play that they have been lucky/poor/dull/shoddy, yet they still somehow win. Admittedly against fairly lowly teams.
ReplyDeleteOf course George loves the earnest big budget take...he's still holding out for a U2 cover.
ReplyDeleteHere's the outside take you want...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_A4PFUa768
Erik: I'm looking forward to being re-educated and I really will try.
ReplyDeleteThe original, of course! Imho the best thing Pavement ever did ...
ReplyDeleteCan't we all just get along? Hell no. I'm going with the original.
ReplyDeleteI'm gonna glide down the razors edge here. I have equal time for both. When a band like TWP choose to actually cover a song, they aren't going to make a wreck of it. And they certainly don't. The original has all the Pavement/Malkmus hallmarks - which include a huge reverence for Northern English Post Punk. Pavement succeeded because they didn't fit into the American Alternative Rock sound. The Wedding Present succeeded because they had a raw power backing up their jangle.
ReplyDelete