Slay Tracks: 1933–1969

Slay Tracks: 1933–1969

Slay Tracks is the debut extended play by American indie rock band Pavement. Only 1,000 copies of the EP were pressed, and it became an underground hit. The songs on the EP drew comparisons to the likes of R. E. M., Pixies, and Sonic Youth by Stephen Thomas Erlewine and Heather Phares of AllMusic.

About Slay Tracks: 1933–1969 in brief

Summary Slay Tracks: 1933–1969Slay Tracks is the debut extended play by American indie rock band Pavement. Only 1,000 copies of the EP were pressed, and it became an underground hit. 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. The songs on the EP drew comparisons to the likes of R. E. M., Pixies, and Sonic Youth by Stephen Thomas Erlewine and Heather Phares of AllMusic. The band’s Westing compiled the songs from their three EPs prior to their debut album Slanted and Enchanted: Slay Tracks, Demolition Plot J-7, and Perfect Sound Forever. The compilation allowed those songs to reach a wider audience than the EP’s limited initial release. The song “You’re Killing Me” is an example of the impact punk rock had on Pavement, with its simplistic, simplistic lyrics, repetitive lyrics, and no percussion or drums. It is the longest song on Slay Tracks at three minutes and 20 seconds. The track “Box Elder” is about someone wanting to move to Montana, and was considered by Gerard Cosloy to be an ironic example of simplistic, direct, simplistic, and simplistic lyrics.

It was recorded during a four-hour session on January 17, 1989, at Gary Young’s Louder Than You Think Studio in Stockton. Pavement self-released the EP as a 7″ vinyl record on the band’s own record label Treble Kicker in 1989. The EP managed to generate buzz for Pavement in the UK after a cover of the song ‘Box Elder’ by The Wedding Present received some airplay from the famous radio disc jockey John Peel. The release and relative success of Slay tracks was significant to Pavement’s subsequent signing to Drag City, and later to Matador Records. The music on Slay tracks is written entirely by Stephen Malkmus, and he stated his influences on the record included Chrome, Swell maps, and the Fall. The Westing is a compilation of songs from the bands’ three previous EPs, including Slay Tracks and “Demolition PlotJ-7” and “Perfect Sound Forever” Pavement was formed in 1989 in Stocktron, California, byStephen Malkmus and Scott Kannberg, and had its start playing at open mike nights at clubs and bars. They decided to record at Young’s studio due to their admiration of other local punk bands who had recorded there, including The Young Pioneers and The Authorities.