Ambitious in the best way, Pavements is love letter and deconstruction of a beloved band and an awful lot of fun.
Listen at the podcast providers of your choice.
It's not uncommon for small bands with a big influence to get a documentary. Often times it feels like one of the best avenues to celebrate a band that the filmmaker feels everyone should know better. So what better way to do that than to shower the audience with their music, track their influence and maybe mourn what could have or should have been by showing/how and why said band never cracked the mainstream.
And then there's Pavement, a beloved indie rock band so influential and beloved that their documentary isn't just a documentary, it's also about the making of a narrative film starring named actors about the band, a musical based on the band's music that's being developed at the same time, and a museum dedicated to their history.
It's ambitious to say the least...and it might be brilliant.
The Setup
The film tells the story of Pavement, the beloved indie rock band fronted by Stephen Malkmus, from their underground roots, to the formation of the band and some initial critical success, quickly followed by what could be deemed deliberate self-sabotage and eventual implosion. All told as director Alex Ross Perry tracks incorporates snippets from a jukebox musical based on the band's music, a spoofy biopic take on the band Joe Keery portraying Malkmus and a perpetual camera and celebration shy Malkmus.
So before I get into the details, I gotta say I'm a giant fan of this documentary. I like how meta and weird it is. How upfront it is about the discomfort that can come from making a doc. And how unflinching it is when it comes to addressing its subjects. Here's what stands out.
The Blended Narrative Perspective
Even in more experimental rock docs, there's a tendency to pic one narrative perspective and stick with it. So even in something that features much more dream logic like Moonage Daydream, it makes a choice to make David Bowie the only commentor on his art and life in the film.
For Pavements director Alex Ross Perry decides to play with almost all of the expected formats and narrative devices, both because he's directing all of them, but also because it breaks up the vibe from moment to avoid the expected arc of a music documentary with moments of the band's history acted out blended with archival footage, comments from Pavement fans who are actively participating in each project, and back again.
This also means we avoid an oversaturation with any one approach over the 2 hour doc while also allowing the foibles of the band, and especially Malkmus to shine through.
Stephen Malkmus' Perpetual Frustration
Something I find so fascinating is Pavement frontman Stephen Malkmus. The story with most cult bands is that they were ignored by the mainstream and then later find some solace in slow and steady success. Case in point, almost all of Pavement's records have now gone Gold or Platinum in the U.S. as the corresponding awards and records are featured in the museum.
But Malkmus seems to hate any kind of celebration of himself, his music or Pavement. But also seems to dislike how Pavement was treated by entities like MTV, or the general public. While also not wanting to do things like play late night shows to produce the record and green lighting completely oft-putting things like releasing a four sided LP with a side that's completely blank. Cut back to him being insanely frustrated about how a record like Wowee Zowee was used in commercialized ways and felt like selling out...even though they never left an independent label.
It really feels like the main brain that made the band unique and crafted these beloved songs, is also the same reason they were never able to break out further. Because how can you be loved, if you don't want to be loved?
Legacy
Another differentiating factor in this doc, is that instead of parading out a bunch of musicians that were impacted by Pavement, the movie celebrates the community that surrounds the band. Would most people even understand who Pavement is or why they're getting a museum exhibit? Not at all. But as we see a new generation of alt rockers roll through their hits at the opening and hear attendees and performers in the musical gush about their music and how much it meant to them, you could be sold.
It's a nice way to package a band that isn't for everyone, but is very right for others.
The Verdict: A Novel Approach
Ambitious in the best way, this love letter and deconstruction of a beloved band is an awful lot of fun. 8/10
No comments:
Post a Comment