What the record is and where it came from
Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain is Pavement’s second studio album, released February 14, 1994. It follows their lo-fi debut Slanted and Enchanted. It marks a stylistic evolution toward a more accessible rock sound while retaining their fractured aesthetic.
How it sounds, and how it was made
It swaps Gary Young’s drumming for Steve West’s tighter, more propulsive playing. Guitar feedback, fuzz, and wah effects cut through a cleaner mix than Slanted and Enchanted. Cowbells punctuate country-rock passages. The production strips away hiss and fog but keeps the fractured sound intact. It was engineered by Bryce Goggin and Mark Venezia, and produced by Pavement themselves.
What lands
‘Cut Your Hair’ lands with its clipped riff, deadpan delivery, and studio-processed snare. ‘Gold Soundz’ lands with its loping bassline and sudden harmonic lift. ‘Range Life’ lands with its lazy tempo, doubled guitars, and dry, open-room drum sound.
What does not
It does not resolve its contradictions. It does not commit fully to folk-rock, psychedelia, pop, or noise. It does not offer clarity, catharsis on demand, or polished transitions.
The ideas inside it
Urban alienation and irony are present, but vocal harmonies and mood-setting outweigh lyrical primacy. The record does not argue ideas—it sketches atmospheres: desert swoon, two-guitar swagger, eerie chill.
Who should hear it, and who should not
People who want guitar-based rock that refuses to choose between tunefulness and abrasion should hear it. People who need narrative cohesion, technical polish, or emotional directness should not.
Is it worth your time
Yes—if you want a 1994 rock record that balances pop hooks with deliberate abrasion, and treats accessibility as a tactic, not a surrender.
