‘Pavements’ Review: Alex Ross Perry Plays With Passion in a Genre-Defying Ode to ’90s Band Known for Disaffection
Stephen Saito In Alex Ross Perry’s exuberant tribute to Pavement, Tim Heidecker gives a succinct descriptor of what made the band a staple of college radio stations in the ‘90s: “For kids who thought everything was stupid and everything sucked, they were your band.” In an era when rock stars gave up hours doing big hair in the makeup chair to instead wear the flannel they walked in off the street with, the band, fronted by Stephen Malkmus, cultivated a fan base that cared quite a bit when they looked like they didn’t care much at all, standing out in the grunge period for their ironic detachment and a general lack of pretense that belied the sophistication of their songcraft. While passion didn’t necessarily appear to be part of Pavement’s persona, Perry feels obliged to overcompensate, declaring them to be “the world’s most important and influential band” in the opening minutes of his charmingly unabashed celebration — perhaps to curry favor with the uninitiated, but just as intent to convince the band of their own greatness.