Pavement’s first album is the perfect answer for those wondering what is indie rock. At the origin of the most influential band of the 1990s, an immoderate love for the Pixies, Sonic Youth and The Foll that Stephen Malkmus’ band conjugates in many tenses as soon as this opus released in April 1992. It is lo-fi from top to bottom, deliberately amateur and tinkery form which gives birth to often surprising brand new sounds (veering towards the Velvet and the Feelies). It is also about disturbed, funny or just elusive lyrics penned by Malkmus, the most singular author of his generation. Guitars go from extreme or even cubic saturation to the most pop motif there is. But behind this electric fury, melodies always float at your ears’ surface level. It is so different that all alternative rock bands will not recover from it and have been attempting, and still do today, to reproduce this major rock ‘n’ roll sleight of hand… © Marc Zisman/Qobuz