Brighten The Corners (Nicene Creedence Edition)

Village Voice - Ranked #10 in the Village Voice's 1997 Pazz & Jop Critics' Poll. Rolling Stone - 4 Stars (out of 5) - "...reaffirms what was likeable about Pavement in the first place: their angular but graceful melodies, their languorous anti-anthems and, of course, Malkmus' labyrinthine--and often funny or poignant--lyrical turns..." Spin - 8 (out of 10) - "...these tunes want you and they're not shy about it. They catch you up, charm, rouse, and freak you, and don't often ridicule....BRIGHTEN THE CORNERS is a guitar-rock album invigorated by hip-hop, in the same way MARQUEE MOON was a guitar-rock album invigorated by reggae..." Q - 3 Stars (out of 5) - "...Pavement have fallen into a more straightforward emotional gush on BRIGHTEN THE CORNERS....It's like Husker Du playing lo-fi pop punk with a spiked, almost newsworthy literate prosemaster, high on Pixies-flavoured twists..." Alternative Press - 3 Stars (out of 5) - "...The licks are still crispy, and the hooks are still catchy. Toe-tappingly catchy, in fact, to the point that [BRIGHTEN THE CORNERS] is likely to appeal broadly..." CMJ - Included in CMJ's list of "Top 25 College Radio Albums of All Time" NME - Ranked #24 in NME's 1997 Critics' Poll. Melody Maker - Recommended - "...melodic, accessible and...Sixties-influenced....In the same way Pavement's early material could've been seen as a loving tribute to the off-kilter eccentricity of The Fall, their fourth album is Britpop seen through a trans-Atlantic cultural prism..." Spin - Ranked #11 on Spin's list of the "Top 20 Albums of the Year." Entertainment Weekly - "Curbing their smarty-pants indulgences, these wiseacres get down to business, crafting indie guitar rock that ebbs and flows with delicate power....BRIGHTEN proves there are still signs of life in this otherwise moribund genre." - Rating: B Rolling Stone - 4.5 stars out of 5 -- "In 1997, these slacker romantics slowed things down and serenaded their fans, delivering an album short on noise and long on artfully dissonant ballads." Entertainment Weekly - "[A] trove of effortless pleasures, from the pogo-party frolic 'Stereo' to the rickety, fuzzed-up gem 'Date w/ Ikea.'" -- Grade: A Clash - "[With] some of Pavement's finest moments; from 'Shady Lane' to 'Stereo,' it's a welcome revisit to one of the most 'indie' bands ever." Record Collector - 3 stars out of 5 -- "[Pavement] could breathlessly churn out melodies and riffs." Q - 4 stars out of 5 -- "Moments of melodic pop genius such as 'Shady Lane' and Byrds-influenced 'Date w/Ikea' sit snugly next to the quieter likes of 'Transport Is Arranged' and beautiful 'Starlings Of The Slipstream.'" Blender - 4 stars out of 5 -- "This 1997 set showcases the band at its breeziest...as singer Stephen Malkmus muses slightly less cryptically than usual over loose-limbed guitars and honest-to-goodness hooks." Mojo - 4 stars out of 5 -- "BRIGHTEN THE CORNERS remains the indie subersives' sturdiest selection of songs, with a slight return of the Gen X anthem in the switchbacking, Geddy Lee-invoking 'Stereo' and a resurgence of mainman Stephen Malkmus's needling wiseacre persona..." Billboard - "[T]he singles 'Stereo' and 'Shady Lane' are among the band's best..." Rolling Stone (p.98) - 4.5 stars out of 5 -- "In 1997, these slacker romantics slowed things down and serenaded their fans, delivering an album short on noise and long on artfully dissonant ballads." Q (3/97, p.110) - 3 Stars (out of 5) - "...Pavement have fallen into a more straightforward emotional gush on BRIGHTEN THE CORNERS....It's like Husker Du playing lo-fi pop punk with a spiked, almost newsworthy literate prosemaster, high on Pixies-flavoured twists..." Mojo (Publisher) (p.122) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "BRIGHTEN THE CORNERS remains the indie subersives' sturdiest selection of songs, with a slight return of the Gen X anthem in the switchbacking, Geddy Lee-invoking 'Stereo' and a resurgence of mainman Stephen Malkmus's needling wiseacre p

Continuing the slew of chronologically reissued Pavement LPs, 'Brighten The Corners' is another essential purchase for newcomers and completists alike. Like previous reissues, the bonus material assembled here is exhaustive and far-reaching, detailing B-sides, live tracks and radio sessions. The album itself is notable as the release in Pavement's career that marked their gradual winding down. Though a portion of their early bite is still traceable, the experimentation of its predecessor 'Wowee Zowee' clearly caused the band to become a little more cohesive in craft, resulting in a surprisingly radio-friendly album.|