I’m very grateful to spend this Valentine’s Day celebrating my longest, most meaningful relationship that has stood the test of time and stuck with me from my awkward high school years well into my adult life.

I’m talking of course about Pavement, whose second studio album, Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain was released 20 ago today. Although at the time it didn’t exactly top the U.S charts when it first hit record stores, Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain has been included in numerous lists of important albums and is seen as a valuable contribution to indie rock of the 90s and beyond. What makes it so important though, does it live up to the hype? The answer is, of course: hell yes.

Okay so sure Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain doesn’t follow up Slanted and Enchanted with the same noisy, wild chaos, but it’s the beginning of Pavement working structure into their songs, and applying what made Slanted and Enchanted so exciting into tracks that were a little more accessible. Then in later records, we see Pavement using that structure as a jumping-off point for more experimental songs. Essentially, Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain is the beginning of the balancing act that makes Pavement so genius: half powerful lo-fi and half dynamic, intentional indie pop. We hear glimpses of the former in tracks like “Silence Kit” and “Hit the Plane Down” and the latter in “Cut your Hair” and “Heaven is a Truck”.

Maybe it isn’t your favorite Pavement record; that’s fine, but its important to realize how influential Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain has been, not just in the band’s growth but as inspiration to more modern musicians. Two of Pavement’s biggest “hits” are on this album (Gold Soundz and Cut Your Hair) and without having at least a few songs of great popularity, it would have been possible for the band to slip into obscurity, and if that had been the case, imagine all the people who wouldn’t have heard Pavement and gone on to make music. Attic Abasement, Parquet Courts, Destroyer and a hundred other bands have been strongly influenced by Pavement, and Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain has definitely contributed to that.

Beyond it being culturally significant, we can’t overlook one of the greatest things about Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain; it’s just a beautiful album. It contains moments of energetic indie rock attitude and counters them with more restrained, subtle tracks creating a full experience that unfolds as the record progresses. Following Malkmus’ lead, we thrash and scream with “Unfair” and fall a little in love every time we hear “Gold Soundz,” only find ourselves sobering up and catching our breath with “Fillmore Jive”.

Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain is a massive contribution to indie rock culture, as much as it’s been important in the personal lives of its listeners. It’s been sung in cars full or friends, played in bedrooms, on portable cd players and iPods alike. It’s been the soundtrack to adventures and parties and provided comfort on more somber nights. It’s been years since I received a used copy of Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain on a first date in high school, and although the people and priorities in my life have changed, like all true loves, Pavement has stood the test of time.

So, Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain–

Happy anniversary! Here’s to 20 more years!

Love forever,

Sami and the AP Staff