Demolition Plot J-7

Last updated
Demolition Plot J-7
PavementDemolitionPlot.jpg
EP by
Pavement
ReleasedJune 1, 1990
RecordedOctober 16–17, 1989
StudioLouder Than You Think Studios (Stockton, California)
Genre
Length12:03
Label Drag City
Producer Gary Young
Pavement chronology
Slay Tracks: 1933–1969
(1989)		Demolition Plot J-7
(1990)		 Perfect Sound Forever
(1991)

Demolition Plot J-7 is the second EP by American indie rock band Pavement, released on June 1, 1990. The EP was the band's first release on Chicago independent label Drag City, and its first release that was not self-issued. Demolition Plot J-7 shared many of the same indie and punk rock influences of Pavement's 1989 debut Slay Tracks: 1933–1969 , but also diversified the group's sound by incorporating keyboards.

Contents

Many of the songs on Demolition J-7 were written while Scott Kannberg and Jason Turner were in their short-lived band, Pa. After Stephen Malkmus heard demos recorded by Pa, the songs turned into a Pavement project. The recording session for Demolition J-7 was more difficult than for Slay Tracks due to tension between producer Gary Young and Turner. The EP received favorable reception from critics and fans, and solidified the band's cult fanbase.

Background

Pavement had attained a degree of success within the underground music scene with its 1989 debut EP Slay Tracks: 1933–1969 . [1] While Malkmus was traveling to parts of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, Kannberg managed Slay Track's release on the band's self-owned label, Treble Kicker. [2] Slay Tracks caught the attention of Dan Koretzky, an avid record collector working at Reckless Records in Chicago. [3] Koretzky ordered 200 copies of the EP for the record store, and asked Kannberg to sign to his newly started independent label, Drag City. [3] At the time the members of Pavement anticipated no further releases beyond Slay Tracks, [4] and Kannberg initially expressed reluctance to sign to any label. [3] Kannberg later said "I started talking to [Koretzky] and in our conversations he said 'I'm starting this label. Do you want to do something for us?' I said, 'Well I don't know if we're even a band. Steve is off in Europe.' He said, "Well if you want to I'm up for it.'" [3]

While Malkmus was still abroad, Kannberg moved in with a friend and his roommate Jason Turner in Sacramento, California. [5] Turner and Kannberg formed a new band called Pa, with Turner on drums. [5] Kannberg said, "I didn't know if Pavement was going to do anything so I just said, 'Let's start another band.'" The duo frequently jammed, and considered a future release on Drag City. [5] Pa recorded a series of instrumental demos, including new songs "Two States", "Forklift", and "Collapse", at Young's Louder Than You Think studios during a trip to Stockton. [5] After Kannberg and Fawkes had returned to Sacramento, Malkmus visited and the group decided to turn the Pa songs into a Pavement project. [6] Malkmus wrote lyrics to "Forklift" and presented the band with "two or three other songs" he had previously written. [6]

Recording

Demolition Plot J-7 was, like Slay Tracks and the Pa demos, recorded by Gary Young at his Louder Than You Think studios in Stockton. The recording took place on October 16 and October 17, 1989. Malkmus was influenced by the rehearsal style of jazz musicians as significant to the EP's recording, saying "When we start recording, we're really focused on what we're doing. We know how it's going to sound in the studio. We don't have to worry if it's sounding good in the rehearsal space. We take those prescriptions from the great jazz people and applied them to our own framework." [7]

The addition of Turner to the band created tension with Young. Young had served as the primary drummer on Slay Tracks, with Malkmus and Kannberg drumming on a few songs. Young did not play any drums for the Demolition Plot J-7 sessions, and expressed jealousy towards Turner, openly mocking the new drummer. However, Turner ultimately only played drums on the EP's opening track "Forklift", and Malkmus and Kannberg performed the rest of the songs. [7]

Composition and lyrics

Gnome-mime-sound-openclipart.svg
"Forklift"
"Forklift", the opening track of Demolition Plot J-7, features fuzz guitar effects like many of Pavement's early material, as well as overdubbed electronic keyboard in the chorus.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Stephen Thomas Erlewine and Heather Phares wrote in Allmusic's biography of Pavement that, with Demolition Plot J-7, Pavement "had begun to forge [their] influences into its own signature sound." [8] A review in the Baltimore City Paper likened the EP's sound to "a cross between The Fall (circa Frenz Experiment ) and Half Japanese". [9] A review in LA Weekly stated that "The guitar on 'Internal K-Dart' and 'Fork Lift' is patently similar to Big Black and Dinosaur Jr., but Pavement steer clear of the former's pretentiously bleak posturing and the latter's dreary self-pity". Malkmus noted the influence that jazz musicians had on the EP's recording, [7] and acknowledged jazz albums Interstellar Space by John Coltrane and Andrew!!! by Andrew Hill as two of his favorite records. [10] The EP is Pavement's first to incorporate keyboards.

The first song on the album, "Forklift", features fuzzy guitar effects, like much of the band's early material. "Forklift" also incorporates what Pavement biographer Rob Jovanovic calls "almost Kraftwerk-sounding" overdubbed electronic keyboard sounds in the chorus. "Spizzle Trunk" is a punk-influenced track with "thrashy guitars", but it also includes "barroom Jerry Lee Lewis piano buried in the mix". The next two tracks, "Recorder Grot" and "Internal K-Dart", are both heavy and guitar-oriented songs. "Perfect Depth" is, according to Jovanovic, a "gloriously messy sonic assault", and "reflects a more considered Malkmus attempt at lyric crafting, even if they are nonsensical and almost impossible to hear". [7] The EP ends with "Recorder Grot (Rally)", a 21-second instrumental of guitar feedback.

Release and reception

Between the release of Slay Tracks and the recording sessions for Demolition Plot J-7, Koretzky formed Drag City with Dan Osborn. The first release from the label was the Royal Trux single "Hero Zero", which sold well. Despite the new label's early financial struggles, Drag City used the profit from "Hero Zero" to press and release 1000 copies of Demolition Plot J-7. [11] Kannberg designed the cover of the EP, as he had done previously with Slay Tracks. [7]

Demolition Plot J-7 was met with favorable reviews upon its release, though most of these reviews were from underground music zines. One of the few reviewers from a major periodical to review Demolition Plot J-7 upon its release, Robert Christgau of the Village Voice , gave the EP a two-star honorable mention, citing "Forklift" as a highlight. [12]

Demolition Plot J-7 was ranked as the fourth best EP of 1990 in the Village Voice Pazz & Jop Critic's Poll. [13] Demolition Plot J-7 helped define the early "messed-up, art-steeped guitar noise" sound of Drag City, which would become a seminal independent label. [14] Donna Freydkin of CNN.com wrote in a 1999 retrospective of the band's history that "it was with the release of the 1990 EP [Demolition Plot J-7] that Pavement secured a devoted following." [15] Village Voice writer Michaelangelo Matos noted Demolition Plot J-7 and its follow-up, the 1991 EP Perfect Sound Forever , as "epochal to ... sloppy early-'90s undergrads." [16]

Track listing

All tracks were written by Stephen Malkmus and Scott Kannberg. [17]

No.TitleLength
1."Forklift"3:27
2."Spizzle Trunk"1:23
3."Recorder Grot"2:18
4."Internal K-Dart"1:51
5."Perfect Depth"2:43
6."Recorder Grot (Rally)"0:21

Personnel

Pavement

Additional musicians

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pavement (band)</span> American indie rock band

Pavement is an American indie rock band that formed in Stockton, California, in 1989. For most of their career, the group consisted of Stephen Malkmus, Scott Kannberg, Mark Ibold (bass), Steve West (drums), and Bob Nastanovich. Initially conceived as a recording project, the band at first avoided press or live performances, while attracting considerable underground attention with their early releases. Gradually evolving into a more polished band, Pavement recorded five full-length albums and ten EPs over the course of their decade-long career, though they disbanded with some acrimony in 1999 as the members moved on to other projects. In 2010, they undertook a well-received reunion tour, followed by another international tour in 2022-24.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Trux</span> American alternative rock band

Royal Trux was an American alternative rock band active from 1987 to 2001, and again from 2015 to 2019 consisting of Neil Hagerty and Jennifer Herrema (vocals).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Malkmus</span> American musician (born 1966)

Stephen Joseph Malkmus is an American musician best known as the primary songwriter, lead singer and guitarist of the indie rock band Pavement. He performs with Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, Pavement, and as a solo artist.

<i>Slanted and Enchanted</i> 1992 studio album by Pavement

Slanted and Enchanted is the debut studio album by American indie rock band Pavement, released on April 20, 1992, by Matador Records. It is the only Pavement album to feature drummer Gary Young.

<i>Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain</i> 1994 studio album by Pavement

Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain is the second studio album by American indie rock band Pavement, released on February 14, 1994, by Matador Records. The album saw the band move on towards a more accessible rock sound than that of their more lo-fi debut Slanted and Enchanted and achieve moderate success with the single "Cut Your Hair". The album also saw original drummer Gary Young replaced by Steve West. It was a UK Top 20 hit upon release, although it was not so successful in the US charts.

<i>Wowee Zowee</i> 1995 studio album by Pavement

Wowee Zowee is the third studio album by American indie rock band Pavement, released on April 11, 1995, by Matador Records. Most of it was recorded at Easley Recording in Memphis, Tennessee, where some members of the band had previously worked on Silver Jews' 1994 album Starlite Walker. The album showcases a more experimental side of the band, marking a return to the clatter and unpredictability of their early recordings after the more accessible sound of their 1994 studio album Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain. Its eclectic nature ranges from mellow yet distorted melodies to noise and punk rock, while the lyrics generally explore humorous and cryptic themes. At nearly one hour long, Wowee Zowee is Pavement's longest studio album, filling three sides of a vinyl record. Side four was left blank.

<i>Terror Twilight</i> 1999 studio album by Pavement

Terror Twilight is the fifth studio album by the American indie rock band Pavement. It was released on June 8, 1999, on Matador Records in the US and Domino Recording Company in the UK.

<i>Slay Tracks: 1933–1969</i> 1989 EP by Pavement

Slay Tracks: 1933–1969 is the debut EP by American indie rock band Pavement. Pavement—at that time, a duo of just its two founding members Stephen Malkmus and Scott Kannberg (guitar)—recorded Slay Tracks with producer and future member Gary Young (drums) during a four-hour session. Pavement self-released the EP as a 7" vinyl record on the band's own record label Treble Kicker in 1989. The music of Slay Tracks was influenced by indie and punk rock bands such as Swell Maps and The Fall, and many of the lyrics were inspired by life in the band's hometown of Stockton, California.

<i>Watery, Domestic</i> 1992 EP by Pavement

Watery, Domestic is the fourth EP by American indie rock band Pavement. It is their final release to feature drummer Gary Young as a member.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks</span> American rock band

Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks is an American rock band consisting of Stephen Malkmus, Mike Clark, Joanna Bolme, and Jake Morris. Malkmus was the main singer and songwriter behind the influential 1990s indie rock band Pavement.

<i>Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain: LAs Desert Origins</i> 2004 compilation album by Pavement

Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain: LA's Desert Origins is a compilation album by Pavement released on October 26, 2004. It contains the band's 1994 album, Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain, in its entirety, as well as outtakes and other rarities from that era, some of which had previously been unreleased.

Garrit Allan Robertson Young was an American musician and music producer. He was best known as the original drummer of the indie rock band Pavement from its inception in 1989 until his departure in 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Kannberg</span> American songwriter

Christopher Scott Kannberg, known professionally as Scott Kannberg and Spiral Stairs, is an American musician best known for being a founding member of the indie-rock band Pavement serving as guitarist and occasional lead vocalist. He also headed the band Preston School of Industry, and has been a solo artist.

<i>Major Leagues</i> (EP) 1999 EP by Pavement

Major Leagues is the final EP by American indie rock band Pavement. It was released on October 12, 1999, on Matador Records. To date, it is their final release of original material excluding reissues.

<i>Westing (By Musket and Sextant)</i> 1993 compilation album by Pavement

Westing (By Musket and Sextant) is a compilation of the early EPs and singles by American indie rock band Pavement. It features all the tracks from their first three EPs, Slay Tracks (1933–1969), Demolition Plot J-7, and Perfect Sound Forever, as well as the single mix of "Summer Babe," its B-sides, and two compilation tracks.

<i>Perfect Sound Forever</i> (EP) 1991 EP by Pavement

Perfect Sound Forever (1991) is the third EP by American indie rock band Pavement. It was released as a 10" on Chicago's Drag City recording label. Its songs were later made available on the Drag City compilation Westing .

<i>Sticking Fingers into Sockets</i> 2007 EP by Los Campesinos!

Sticking Fingers into Sockets is a compilation EP released by Welsh indie pop band Los Campesinos! in 2007. It collects their two previously released 7-inch UK singles onto one CD. It was released through Arts & Crafts, being the band's first release with the label.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pavement discography</span>

The discography of Pavement, a Stockton, California-based indie rock group, consists of five studio albums, five double-length reissues of the albums, one compilation, ten extended plays, and thirteen singles. This list does not include material performed by members or former members of Pavement that was recorded with Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, Silver Jews, Preston School of Industry, Free Kitten, The Crust Brothers, or any other associated solo or side projects.

<i>Quarantine the Past: The Best of Pavement</i> 2010 greatest hits album by Pavement

Quarantine the Past: The Best of Pavement is a compilation album released by Pavement on March 8, 2010, to coincide with the band's reunion. The title of the compilation references a lyric from the 1994 song "Gold Soundz", which is the first song featured on the compilation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Summer Babe</span>

"Summer Babe", also known as "Summer Babe (Winter Version)", is the debut single by the American indie rock band Pavement. It was first released as a 7" single (listed and described as an EP at the time) by Chicago's Drag City Records on August 23, 1991, titled Summer Babe. It was their only single on the Drag City label before the band moved to New York–based Matador Records. The songs on the Drag City single would later be included on the Drag City compilation Westing (By Musket & Sextant), and on Matador's Slanted & Enchanted: Luxe & Reduxe. The song didn't enter the U.S. Billboard charts.

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Jovanovic (2004). p. 72
  2. ↑ Jovanovic (2004). p. 67
  3. 1 2 3 4 Jovanovic (2004). p. 73
  4. ↑ Jovanovic (2004). p. 61
  5. 1 2 3 4 Jovanovic (2004). p. 76
  6. 1 2 Jovanovic (2004). p. 77
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Jovanovic (2004). p. 78
  8. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas and Phares, Heather. "Pavement > Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved on January 5, 2008.
  9. ↑ Jovanovic (2004). p. 81
  10. ↑ Jovanovic (2004). p. 129
  11. ↑ Jovanovic (2004). p. 82
  12. ↑ Christgau, Robert. "Consumer Guide Feb. 26, 1991". Village Voice , February 26, 1991. Retrieved on January 2, 2007.
  13. ↑ "The 1990 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll". Village Voice , March 5, 1991.
  14. ↑ Wolk, Douglas. "Slanted Enchantments Archived 2007-10-19 at the Wayback Machine ". The Boston Phoenix , July 17, 2000. Retrieved on January 6, 2007.
  15. ↑ Freydkin, Donna. "Pavement's Stephen Malkmus: Viva la anti-diva". CNN.com, June 21, 2007. Retrieved on October 22, 2007.
  16. ↑ Matos, Michaelangelo. "'My House' Is Not a Home". Village Voice , March 30, 2005. Retrieved on January 6, 2007.
  17. ↑ Charlton, Lauretta (August 3, 2015). "Pavement Guitarist Scott Kannberg Picks His 10 Favorite Pavement Songs". Vulture.


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.