Monsoon

Charm is not a trait that can be manufactured or falsely produced into artistic endeavors, a fact which celebrities prove this time and time again during various awards shows and interviews. What Pavement lacked in talent and inventiveness, they made up for with an excess of charm. The uneasiness between Pavement’s two leaders, Stephen Malkmus and Scott “Spiral Stairs” Kannenberg, while not much, was enough to send the band into hiatus in 1999 and, in turn, leave “alternative” kids all over the world clueless. 

Soon after Pavement’s demise, Kannenberg released an album of Terror Twilight leftovers under the Preston School of Industry moniker. All This Sounds Gas had a few exciting moments but for the most part became an after-thought due to the success of Malkmus’ excellent self titled debut. While the Pavement sound was very present on both albums, Kannenberg’s effort was top-heavy and uninspired, where Malkmus’ album was a perfect progression from Terror Twilight.

Now, over two years later, the Malkmus-Kannenberg smoke seems to have cleared. Malkmus has released another gem of an album that sounds as fresh as any of his other work, and now, with Monsoon, Kannenberg and his PSOI have continued their consistent musical trek. For many reasons, Gas got away with sounding too much like nothing more than a collection of Pavement B-sides. It was common knowledge that most of Gas was written for Terror Twilight before being cast off into Kannenberg’s basement in favor of Malkmus-penned tunes.

Monsoon starts off with “The Furnace Sun,” a delightful song that sounds exactly like everything else Kannenberg wrote for Pavement’s Brighten the Corners album. It’s becoming evident that Kannenberg has no desire to move away from his “Spiral Stairs” past. But why should he? With Malkmus moving in new directions, PSOI can if nothing else, offer up some Pavement nostalgia every few years. Why not?

Next up is Monsoon‘s prize moment, “Walk of a Girl,” an oddball song about heterosexual admiration towards another man without any hidden animosity - as if that’s possible. “Walk” sets new standards for Kannenberg on the charm meter; too bad he didn’t spread it throughout the rest of Monsoon a little better. Following “Walk” is “Caught in the Rain,” a sure-fire pop song that lacks in creativity but succeeds through its ability to infect the listener by keeping it simple without going flat.

After a strong first half, the trouble with Monsoon begins. I suppose you could say that the tide shifts. The clouds set it. A storm’s a comin.’ Kannenberg’s easygoing, California pop runs dry, goes stiff and, more than anything, gets overshadowed by the potency of the first half of his album. This is not to say that Monsoon‘s second half is bad; “Escalation Breeds Escalation” is as great as it’s title, while “Get Your Crayons Out!” sees PSOI venturing into new territory - with the assistance of Wilco - to interesting results.

Monsoon closes with “Tone It Down,” a mellow, confusing song that makes for a solid, brief ending for a spotty pop album that manages a few huge moments. The real story though, is the “charm” issue. Pavement was a band who made their name through their enchanting, detail-oriented songs plagued with obscure lyrics that never ran dry. Kannenberg keeps reminding us how capable he is of making great pop songs. As the memory of his former band begins to fade, it’s becoming more and more clear that it was Malkmus’ charm and style that made Pavement so great.     7/10

Written by G. William Locke