Here the fine peeps of Domino present to you "a shadow album" to alt heroes Pavement's beloved 1992 debut 'Slanted And Enchanted'. By "shadow" they basically mean an odds and sods collection of previously released rarities, B-sides, scrapped numbers and Peel sessions from the period. It's a grungier 'Hatful of Hollow' meets middle-aged collectors fever dream. You dig? Then let us begin our 30-track slacker's voyage.
Opening number 'Sue Me Jack' fades out to a brilliant ramble of spoken word making a textured wall of noise perfectly encapsulating Generation X's (and indeed this compilations) apathy with the state of the modern world. Relentless bullshit and distractions = angry young men. 'Summer Babe's lyrical imagery still hits home all these years later and fans are treated to a lovely 7" and live version here. 'Baptist Blacktick' is a fantastic two minutes of stabbing guitar and sneering vocals while 'Mercy Shack: The Laundromat' firmly lands in the for completist only category.
A fine alternative mix of the ever-charming album track 'Here' is a welcome addition to any guitar lovers' library. Some fun experimentation and evolution is seen on numbers such as 'Drunks With Guns', an unholy musical marriage of Captain Beefhart and Buckley-esque guitars. Then we've the live album as it were, a ferocious snapshot of an upcoming band supporting Sonic Youth at their commercial/critical peak in good ol' Brixton.
Highlight 'Angle Carver Blues/Mellow Jazz Docent' really sums up what grabbed people's attention when Pavement first emerged. The combination of rapid-fire drumming, wonky guitars and Malkmus' unique lyrical stylings gave them an edge when every band under the sun used the loud-quiet dynamic.
Overall 'The Secret History (Volume 1)' is a well constructed and complete portrait of an early Pavement, but with the release's main audience being the avid fan (and with all these tracks available on 2002's 'Luxe and Redux' reissue of 'Slanted…') this leaves only the mad and the keen with a turntable who'll truly want it. Ten out of ten for content, not so high for intent.
6/10
Words: Sam Walker-Smart
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