Out of Stockton, California, came a band in the late 80s that would help shape the sound of alt-rock for decades to come. Pavement blended melody with experimentalism, crafting songs that were equal parts witty and weird. Led by the laconic Stephen Malkmus and alongside musicians like Scott Kannberg and Bob Nastanovich, they became icons of the 90s underground scene.
Now director Alex Ross Perry pays tribute to Pavement in a uniquely unconventional documentary. More than just concert footage or interviews, his movie celebrates the band’s 2022 reunion through a plethora of creative projects. We see rehearsals for their tour alongside scenes from a faux biopic and an off-Broadway musical based on their songs. But this is no straightforward recap—Perry plays with the lines between fact and fiction, mirroring Pavement’s own subversive spirit.
With its blend of archival material, staged scenes, and made-for-the-movie elements, the film takes an experimental approach much like its subjects. But does this multifaceted meta-movie truly capture the essence of Pavement? By fusing documentary with fiction, will it introduce new fans to the band’s pioneering music? Through its one-of-a-kind style, does the film do justice to Pavement’s indelible influence on indie rock?
Pavement’s Indelible Mark
It was in Stockton, California, where it all began in the late eighties. A couple of college buddies, guitarist Stephen Malkmus and Scott Kannberg, joined by an eccentric drummer named Gary Young, started making unorthodox music together. Drawing from punk, lo-fi textures, and a wry sense of humor, they crafted songs defined by melody but stripped of convention.
The band that emerged, Pavement, soon amassed a cult following with their earliest albums for indie label Matador Records. Slanted and Enchanted from 1992 and its successor, Crooked Rain, brought this bizarre yet beautifully crafted sound to eager underground listeners. With Malkmus’ laconic vocals overlaying cryptic, surreal lyrics, they subverted the brooding seriousness of grunge with an anything-goes eccentricity.
Despite tackling complex structures and melodies, Pavement maintained a slacker persona. Songs like “Cut Your Hair” mixed irony and mockery of the mainstream scene. Their songs wandered at will, verse dissolving into weird instrumentation, sounding alike messy and meticulously crafted. It distinctively captured the mindset of a generation that felt disaffected whether in flannel grunge territory or not.
Though rarely conforming to expectations of fame, Pavement left an imprint on the American indie scene. Later generations of underground acts, whether lo-fi punk or experimental pop, trace lineage to that blend of insolence, ambition, and style. Pavement may have continued shambling along the outskirts, but their influence permeates the underground today just as their early albums permeated heads in the nineties.
Blending Fact and Fiction
Perry pulls from a range of resources to tell Pavement’s story. Concert footage and new interviews provide insight straight from the band. But he goes further by also including scenes from projects made specifically for the film.
In “Range Life,” actors recreate pivotal moments. We see Joe Keery immerse himself in Stephen Malkmus, perfecting his mannerisms. Through his portrayal, we grasp Malkmus’ detached air and the tension between his artistic vision and pressures of fame.
Meanwhile, “Slanted! Enchanted!” transforms hit songs into elaborate musical numbers. Witnessing passionate renditions offers a new window into the band’s dynamic songwriting process. The contrast between lyrics and their recasting highlights Pavement’s subversive spirit.
Cutting between fact and fiction, Perry weaves multiple narrative strands. His creative use of split screens places past alongside present. Flashbacks lend context while preserving the nonlinear energy of a live show.
Through it all, a picture emerges of the band navigating industry demands and internal clashes. We learn how Malkmus’ cerebral songcraft helped shape their era-defining albums yet complicated relationships with labels.
By experimenting with form, Perry illuminates Pavement’s progression from underground heroes to fallen icons. His techniques shed new light on their career rebirth through the 2022 tour.
Though unconventional, Perry’s blending of documentary, drama, and music brings the band vividly to life. Varied elements work in concert to dissect Pavement’s rich artistic journey and lasting influence.
Expanding Reality
Two fictional undertakings delve deeper into Pavement’s story. “Range Life” casts Joe Keery as Stephen Malkmus, his daily rituals prepping for the role. Through immersive practice, he seems to become the frontman before our eyes.
We also see Nat Wolff as Bob Nastanovich alongside the rest of the fictionalized band, navigating tensions with record executives. These scenes spin reality into self-aware satire, poking fun at tropes found in many rock biopics.
Meanwhile, “Slanted! Enchanted!” takes their surreal lyrics and marries them to musical theater. Watching a cast passionately belt the quirky songs creates priceless contrast between form and content. It’s unclear if performers grasp the intended absurdity.
Both elements provide perspective beyond surface-level documentation. By dramatizing aspects of Pavement’s career, they offer insights rarely gleaned from conventional interviews.
Keery sinking into the role sheds new light on Malkmus’ persona. His immersive process parallels the band’s absorption in their craft over commercial motives.
These fictional segments don’t offer simple answers, instead opening avenues for interpretation. They question how reality becomes normalized and explore the band’s complicated relationship with success. Through imagination, Perry unpacks layers of Pavement’s story in an insightful yet entertaining fashion.
Tapping into Talent & Spirit
This film sets out to capture Pavement, a band notoriously difficult to pin down. Perry faces the challenge through a range of choices.
Scattered performances give glimpses of the band’s off-kilter musical style. Yet full-lengths remain elusive, sustaining an intriguing mystique. Still, tracks like “Cut Your Hair” effectively showcase their blend of artistry and insolence.
More than strict exposition, Perry’s film appreciates humanity. We glimpse the members’ nuanced relationships amid shifting personal and commercial pressures over time. From Malkmus’ reflective songwriting to drummer Steve West’s steadying presence, their balanced yet uneasy collaboration comes to life.
While falling short of total revelation about the enigmatic Malkmus, insights into individual personalities deepen understanding of their collaborative spirit. Anecdotes lovingly capture their deadpan humor and disgust for fame in a relatable light.
Through its portrayal of Pavement navigating industry demands on their own zany terms, the film elucidates their significant but subtle impact. Shaping styles from lo-fi to Saddle Creek sounds, they leave an indelible mark, whether treading tightropes of irony or sincerity.
By creatively blending fact and fiction, Perry offers appreciation of the band more than strict explication. Ultimately, it taps into their mystique and celebrates their maverick talent in a manner befitting their enigmatic yet influential legacy.
Outside the Box
With Pavements, Alex Perry sets out to tell a story like no other. Juggling fiction and reality through a pastiche of styles, his approach is as unconventional as his subjects.
Experimenting freely, Perry stretches the limits of what a music documentary can do. Interweaving concert recordings with elaborately staged scenes, he splices together threads of narrative in seamless fashion. Through novel techniques such as split screens and parallel timelines, the film takes on kinetic energy.
The director shoots from an off-center perspective that mirrors Pavement’s dissenting spirit. By challenging expectations at every turn, he draws us deeper into the band’s world, where absurdity is just below the surface.
Perry’s bold inventiveness proves the ideal lens for this elusive band. From the cast’s compelling performances to the swooping cinematography, the film emerges as a technical tour de force as eccentric as its inspiration.
While the busy palette risks overwhelming at points, it sustains interest scene after scene. Through his experimental prowess and collaborative vision with editor Robert Greene, Perry has crafted an exhilarating love letter to Pavement and pushed non-fiction storytelling into uncharted territory.
The movie stands as a towering creative achievement, just as Pavement’s indelible music does. Both redefine categories on their own quirky terms, leaving an indelible impression through the force of unconventional talent.
An Unconventional Tribute to Underground Iconoclasts
Through its eclectic hybrid of styles, Pavements tells the story of a band like no other. Blending fiction and non-fiction, Alex Ross Perry captures the spirit of a group that transformed underground rock while avoiding the mainstream.
At its core, the film shares Pavement’s story with dedicated fans through archival recordings and firsthand accounts. Yet it also sheds new light through staged scenes interpreting their lives and work. Innovative fictional elements offer fresh angles on their career challenges and relationship to renown.
By following their formative years, rise to fame, and recent reunion, the documentary outlines Pavement’s lasting impact. Their early albums changed expectations of what indie music could be, blending shambolic energy and offbeat lyricism. Later works solidified their cult status, even as the mainstream remained elusive.
Despite risking exhaustion through excessive ambition, Perry’s movie succeeds through the force of passion. It sparks conversations on canonizing cult figures and rock docs’ potential. Above all, it offers an unbridled love letter that does justice to Pavement’s unconventional brilliance.
Through boundary-pushing storytelling that mirrors their own nonconformity, Pavements immortalizes one of underground rock’s most influential and enigmatic acts. Fittingly for a film as offbeat as its subject, it leaves viewers wanting to experience their essence all over again.
The Review
Pavements
Through its creative blend of fact and fiction, Pavements offers a uniquely engaging look at enigmatic indie icons Pavement. While director Alex Ross Perry's excessive ambitions risk overwhelming the audience at times, his film succeeds through sheer passion, capturing the band's anarchic spirit in fittingly unconventional fashion.
PROS
- Blends archival footage, interviews, and fictional elements in novel ways that bring the band vividly to life
- Offers fresh perspectives on their careers and relationships through dramatic portrayals
- Effectively conveys their indelible impact on underground rock through pioneering early works
- Celebrates their legacy and recent reunion with genuine passion and enthusiasm
CONS
- Director's excessive ambitions with multiple projects may overwhelm or fatigue viewers
- Unconventional approach risks alienating those not already fans of the band
- Overly long runtime of two hours plus means some essential material gets short shrift
