Spiral Stairs -The Real Feel

It’ll be hard, ten years after their break-up, for Pavement fans to get excited over the release of Scott Kannberg’s (aka Spiral Stairs) solo debut.

Kannberg’s post-Pavement group The Preston School Of Industry failed to ignite the music world while Malkmus’s Jicks became slacker rock’s best-kept secret weapon. It’s been all quiet on the Preston front since 2004’s lacklustre ‘Monsoon’, but 2009’s ‘The Real Feel’ is the sound of college-rock’s most undervalued valedictorian bouncing back with a never-before heard conviction.

It might not be a million miles away from his previous work, but done much better. Never mind the real feel, there is real fire in this record.

7/10

Words by Charlie Frame