Spiral Stairs gets a dog; prepares solo album
Poor Scott Kannberg. He’ll forever be “the other one” when it comes to any discussions of Pavement, which is a little unfair given his vital contribution to that band. Malkmus may be the one everybody knows, but it was largely the combination of the two of them that made it work. He’s dabbled around a bit in the ten years since Pavement split, releasing a couple of Preston School of Industry albums. Both were decent, neither were spectacular. Like Malkmus, it seems to be a constant battle to differentiate oneself away from the Pavement connection that seems doomed to failure.
The Real Feel will be Kannberg’s first solo album as Spiral Stairs. It’s an odd decision when you notice the twenty or so people that worked on it listed on his website. But a name is just a name, and perhaps a shift away from the Preston name would be beneficial. The only problem is that musically it still sounds just like the previous band. It’s by no means bad, but Maltese Terrier would feel right at home on either Preston album. Perhaps the full album will open up a range of new delights. But odds are, it’s still not going to be Pavement.
The Real Feel will be out on October 20 (little early for the promo track, no?) via Matador Records.
I’m not sure how important Stairs was to Pavement. A bit like Scrumpy Jack®, he would be nothing without the backing of Malkmus’s Strongbow® – stronger, crisp and with more popular appeal; the backbone of the Bulmers® (or Pavement) family. In fact, why not enjoy a crisp, refreshing glass of Strongbow® right now? Strongbow® – “Live to Loaf”
I applaud you, sir.