Wowee Zowee

Wowee Zowee
Studio album by Pavement
Released	April 11, 1995
Recorded	November 14-24, 1994, Easley Recording Studios, Memphis, Tennessee February 10-14, 1995, Random Falls Studio, New York December 2-5, 1994 and January 2-5, 1995, Speed Mix Studio
Genre	Indie rock
Length	55:51
Label	Matador/Warner Bros. Records (1995) Matador/Atlantic Records (1996) Matador Records (1997-present) Big Cat Records (1995) Domino Records (2003) Rough Trade Records Caroline Records Pony Canyon Fellaheen Records
Producer	Pavement
Pavement chronology
Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain (1994) Wowee Zowee (1995) Brighten the Corners (1997)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Pitchfork Media	(9.3/10)
Robert Christgau	(A)
Rolling Stone

Wowee Zowee is the third studio album by Pavement. The album showcased a more experimental and spontaneous side of the group, returning them to the clatter and unpredictability of their early recordings after the classic rock vibe of 1994's Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain. The cover art was painted by New York-based artist Steve Keene and resembles the cover of Guru Guru's 1972 album, "Känguru."

Rolling Stone speculated that the relative success of their previous album (having sold 169,000 copies by this time^{[citation needed]}) was a reason for this album's eclectic nature; the magazine's review claimed Pavement were afraid of success. Stephen Malkmus later refuted this, attributing the stylistic shift to excessive marijuana consumption. Rolling Stone voted Wowee Zowee the 12th Coolest Album of all time.

The songs "Grounded," "Flux=Rad," "Pueblo," and "Kennel District" were originally written at the same time as the songs that became Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain, and rough versions appear on Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain: LA's Desert Origins disc 2.

The album was recorded at Easley Studios in Memphis, Tennessee, with the exception of some tracks recorded at Random Falls, in NY.

"Motion Suggests Itself" is featured on a Grandaddy compilation entitled "Below the Radio". The song is mistitled "Motion Suggests" on the original release due to a transcription error and was not corrected until the expanded reissue eleven years later.

The album's title is an homage to former drummer Gary Young, who would frequently yell "Wowee zowee!" when excited.^{[citation needed]} The title is also an alternate spelling of the Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention song "Wowie Zowie" from the album Freak Out!

Matador Records released an expanded 2CD edition of this album under the title Wowee Zowee: Sordid Sentinels Edition on November 6, 2006. [1]

In 2010, author Bryan Charles wrote a book about the album as part of the 33⅓ book series.

Track listing

All songs written by Stephen Malkmus, otherwise noted.

1. "We Dance" – 3:01
2. "Rattled by the Rush" – 4:16
3. "Black Out" – 2:10
4. "Brinx Job" – 1:31
5. "Grounded" – 4:14
6. "Serpentine Pad" – 1:16
7. "Motion Suggests" – 3:15
8. "Father to a Sister of Thought" – 3:30
9. "Extradition" – 2:12
10. "Best Friend's Arm" – 2:19
11. "Grave Architecture" – 4:16
12. "AT & T" – 3:32
13. "Flux = Rad" – 1:45
14. "Fight This Generation" – 4:22
15. "Kennel District" – 2:59 (Spiral Stairs)
16. "Pueblo" – 3:25
17. "Half a Canyon" – 6:10
18. "Western Homes" – 1:49 (Spiral Stairs)

Singles

• "Rattled by the Rush"
• "Father to a Sister of Thought"

Personnel

• Stephen Malkmus : Vocals, Guitar
• Bob Nastanovich : Percussion, Vocals
• Scott Kannberg : Vocals, Guitar
• Steve West : Drums, Percussion
• Mark Ibold : Bass
• Doug Easley: Pedal steel guitar ("Father to a Sister of Thought")
• Sibel Firat: Cello ("Fight This Generation")
• Engineered by Doug Easley, Davis McCain and Mark Venezia
• Mixed by Bryce Goggin, Jan BL, Stephen Malkmus and Rich Costey
• Mastered by Gregory Hull