View source for Slanted and Enchanted

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox album
| name         = Slanted and Enchanted
| type         = studio
| artist       = [[Pavement (band)|Pavement]]
| cover        = Slanted_and_Enchanted_album_cover.jpg
| alt          = 
| released     = April 20, 1992
| recorded     = * December 24, 1990
* January 13–20, 1991
| studio       = *Louder Than You Think, [[Stockton, California]]
* South Makepeace, [[Brooklyn, New York]]
| genre        = * [[Indie rock]]
* [[Lo-fi music|lo-fi]]
* [[noise pop]]<ref name="allmusic"/>
| length       = 39:01
| label        = [[Matador Records|Matador]]
| producer     = Pavement
| prev_title   = [[Perfect Sound Forever (EP)|Perfect Sound Forever]]
| prev_year    = 1991
| next_title   = [[Watery, Domestic]]
| next_year    = 1992
| misc         = {{Singles
 | name        = Slanted and Enchanted
 | type        = studio
 | single1     = [[Summer Babe]]
 | single1date = August 23, 1991 (EP)<ref name="allmusic2" >{{AllMusic|song|mt0043547389|"Summer Babe": Pavement|accessdate=July 24, 2011}}</ref><ref name="dragcity" >{{Cite web|url=http://www.dragcity.com/products/summer-babe|title=Pavement - Summer Babe |website=www.dragcity.com|access-date=October 20, 2016}}</ref>
 | single2     = Trigger Cut
 | single2date = August 14, 1992
}}
}}

'''''Slanted and Enchanted''''' is the debut studio album by American [[indie rock]] band [[Pavement (band)|Pavement]], released on April 20, 1992 by [[Matador Records]]. It is the only Pavement album to feature drummer [[Gary Young (drummer)|Gary Young]].

The title ''Slanted and Enchanted'' is taken from the title of a cartoon made by [[Silver Jews]] frontman [[David Berman (musician)|David Berman]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Modell |first=Josh |date=October 26, 2005 |title=Tanglewood Numbers |url=https://www.avclub.com/silver-jews-tanglewood-numbers-1798201155 |access-date=May 17, 2013 |work=[[The A.V. Club]]}}</ref> Its cover art was created by appropriating that of an existing album, [[Ferrante & Teicher]]'s ''Keyboard Kapers''.<ref>{{cite web |date=January 23, 2008 |title=SM and Pavement: Album Cover Retrospective |url=https://biblioklept.org/2008/01/23/sm-and-pavement-album-cover-retrospective/}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=May 16, 2022 |title='Slanted and Enchanted'—Pavement's unabashed masterpiece |url=https://www.treblezine.com/pavement-slanted-enchanted-unabashed-masterpiece/}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title=Pavement's 'Slanted and Enchanted' Turns 25: Why the Smart-Ass, Slacker Masterpiece is the Definitive Indie Rock Album |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/pavement-slanted-and-enchanted-album-indie-masterpiece-7767802/ |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]}}</ref>

The album received critical acclaim and is seen as a landmark for indie rock, with ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' ranking it 199th on its 2020 edition of [[Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time|The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time]]. As of 2007, the album had sold 150,000 copies. In 2022, [[Alex Ross Perry]] adapted the album into a [[rock opera]] titled ''Slanted! Enchanted!''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Skinner |first=Tom |date=November 22, 2022 |title=Pavement announce new musical 'Slanted! Enchanted!', premiering next month |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/pavement-announce-new-musical-slanted-enchanted-premiering-next-month-3353510 |access-date=March 16, 2023 |website=NME |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=December 2, 2022 |title=The Pavement Musical Didn't Harness Our Hopes |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2207400/pavement-musical-slanted-enchanted-alex-ross-perry/reviews/concert-review/ |access-date=March 16, 2023 |website=Stereogum |language=en}}</ref>

== Background and recording ==
The album was recorded at the home recording studio of Pavement drummer Gary Young's on what was described as a "tight budget" over a span of ten days. The process was said to have been "relaxed."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Quietus |first=The |date=2012-04-27 |title=30 Years On: Revisiting Pavement's Slanted And Enchanted |url=https://thequietus.com/opinion-and-essays/anniversary/pavement-slanted-and-enchanted/ |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=The Quietus |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Genius Of… Slanted and Enchanted by Pavement |url=https://guitar.com/reviews/album/the-genius-of-slanted-and-enchanted-by-pavement/ |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Guitar.com {{!}} All Things Guitar |language=en-GB}}</ref>

Malkmus recorded playing a [[Fender Stratocaster]], and Kannberg recorded with a [[Fender Mustang]] and a [[Gibson SG]]. Kannberg played through a [[Fender Twin|Fender Silverface Twin Reverb]] amplifier, and Malkmus played through a small boutique [[Epiphone]] amplifier that was borrowed the father of one of his friends. They used [[Pro Co RAT|ProCo TurboRat]] and [[Boss DS-1]] distortion pedals.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Genius Of… Slanted and Enchanted by Pavement |url=https://guitar.com/reviews/album/the-genius-of-slanted-and-enchanted-by-pavement/ |access-date=2025-03-28 |website=Guitar.com {{!}} All Things Guitar |language=en-GB}}</ref>

''Slanted and Enchanted'' was distributed to critics as early as 1991, months before its official release; the original distribution did not feature the entire band, as several members joined during its production.<ref>{{cite web |last=Phares |first=Heather |title=Pavement – Biography |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/pavement-mn0000752314 |access-date=May 19, 2013 |website=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref> The recording sessions were split between South Makepeace Studios in Brooklyn, New York (recorded December 24, 1990) and Louder Than You Think Studios in [[Stockton, California]] (recorded January 13–20, 1991).<ref>https://www.spin.com/2022/07/big-slack-attack-jim-greers-1994-interview-with-pavement-for-spin/</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://thequietus.com/opinion-and-essays/anniversary/pavement-slanted-and-enchanted/ | title=30 Years on: Revisiting Pavement's Slanted and Enchanted | date=April 27, 2012 }}</ref>

==Release history==
The album’s first single, "[[Summer Babe]]", appeared in August 1991.<ref name="allmusic2" /><ref name="dragcity" /> It was Pavement’s last release of new material for the Chicago-based [[Drag City (record label)|Drag City]] label before the band moved to Matador Records. The single contained the B-sides "Mercy Snack (The Laundromat)" and "Baptist Blacktick" that were included on Japanese versions in the CD, and later  on the deluxe version of the album. A different mix of "Summer Babe," entitled "Summer Babe (Winter Version)," became the first track on the album. The song would go on to be ranked by ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' magazine as number 286 in [[Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time|its 2004 list of the 500 greatest songs of all time]],<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/6596131/summer_babe |title=Summer Babe – Pavement |author=''Rolling Stone'' staff |date=December 9, 2004 |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061228112233/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/6596131/summer_babe |archive-date=December 28, 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/500songs/page/3 |title=The RS 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (201-300) |author=''Rolling Stone'' staff |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=December 9, 2004 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061223190259/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/500songs/page/3 |archive-date=December 23, 2006}}</ref> and as number 292 in the 2011 update of the list.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/the-500-greatest-songs-of-all-time-20110407/pavement-summer-babe-winter-version-20110526 |title=Pavement, 'Summer Babe (Winter Version)' {{!}} 500 Greatest Songs of All Time |magazine=Rolling Stone |author=''Rolling Stone'' staff |date=April 7, 2011 |access-date=March 3, 2017}}</ref>

The album’s second single, "Trigger Cut", was first released in the UK by [[Big Cat Records]] on July 13, 1992, before appearing in the US market through Matador the following month.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.avclub.com/trigger-cut-is-one-of-the-gems-of-pavement-s-early-da-1798265503 | title="Trigger Cut" is one of the gems of Pavement's early days | website=[[The A.V. Club]] }}</ref>

''Slanted and Enchanted'' was officially released on April 20, 1992, to critical acclaim, originally reaching a peak of number 72 on the [[UK Albums Chart]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.officialcharts.com/search/albums/slanted-and-enchanted/ |title=''Slanted and Enchanted'' {{!}} Official Albums Chart |publisher=[[Official Charts Company]] |access-date=April 12, 2018}}</ref> As of 2007, the album had sold 150,000 copies.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://stereogum.com/1007522/slanted-and-enchanted-turns-20/news/ |title=''Slanted And Enchanted'' Turns 20 |publisher=[[Stereogum]] |date=April 20, 2012 |access-date=May 18, 2013 |last=Singh |first=Amrit}}</ref>

In 2002, Matador released ''Slanted and Enchanted: Luxe & Reduxe'', a compilation containing ''Slanted and Enchanted'' in its entirety, as well outtakes and other rarities from the same era.<ref name="AVClub article">{{Cite web |access-date=November 24, 2019 |url=https://www.avclub.com/pavement-slanted-and-enchanted-luxe-reduxe-1798198076 |title=Pavement: Slanted And Enchanted: Luxe & Reduxe |website=[[The A.V. Club]] |date=November 27, 2002 |first=Josh |last=Modell |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191124034513/https://music.avclub.com/pavement-slanted-and-enchanted-luxe-reduxe-1798198076 |archive-date=November 24, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>
[[Matador Records]] released ''Luxe & Reduxe'' on October 20, 2002,<ref name="Matador Pavement">{{Cite web |access-date=August 8, 2021 |url=https://www.matadorrecords.com/pavement |title=Pavement |website=[[Matador Records]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723071031/https://www.matadorrecords.com/pavement |archive-date=July 23, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> alongside the ''[[Slow Century]]'' DVD.<ref name="AVClub article"/> It features 48 songs, including the entire original disc and, in addition, 3 outtakes of which one is an unreleased song and the other two are [[alternate take]]s, plus the [[B-side]]s from the "[[Summer Babe]]" and "[[Trigger Cut]]" singles, 5 songs from two different [[John Peel]] [[List of Peel sessions#P|sessions]], the 4-track [[Extended play|EP]] ''[[Watery, Domestic]]'', and 13 tracks of a live performance of the band held at the [[Brixton Academy]] in London on December 14, 1992.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://store.matadorrecords.com/slanted-enchanted-luxe-reduxe|title=Slanted and Enchanted: Luxe & Reduxe |publisher=[[Matador Records]] |accessdate=June 22, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Discogs release|1722588}}. Retrieved October 28, 2018.</ref>

''Luxe & Reduxe'' reached number 5 in the US [[Independent Albums|''Billboard'' Top Independent Albums]]<ref name="Allmusic">{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/slanted-and-enchanted-mw0000273394/awards |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130803163814/http://www.allmusic.com/album/slanted-and-enchanted-mw0000273394/awards |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 3, 2013 |title=''Slanted and Enchanted'' - Pavement. Awards |publisher=[[Allmusic]]. [[Rovi Corporation]] |access-date=May 18, 2013}}</ref><ref name="Billboard1" >{{cite web |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/pavement/chart-history/ind/ |title=Pavement {{!}} Chart History. Independent Albums |work=[[Billboard magazine|Billboard]] |publisher=[[Eldridge Industries]] |date=November 9, 2002 |accessdate=April 3, 2018}}</ref> and number 152 in the US [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] charts.<ref name="Allmusic" /><ref name="Billboard2" >{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/pavement/chart-history/tlp/ |title=Pavement {{!}} Chart History. ''Billboard'' 200 |magazine=Billboard |publisher=Eldridge Industries |date=November 9, 2002 |accessdate=April 3, 2018}}</ref>

== Composition and music ==
{{Quotebox
| quote = Across fourteen tracks, the band wove a varied tonal tapestry, which careered from the fast-paced, thrash punk of tracks like "Loretta’s Scars", rumbling detonations of intense guitar [on "Trigger Cut"], and quieter, more reflective pieces, such as sublime tearjerker "Here" – a restrained cut that demonstrated the band’s growing melodic competence.
| source = Andy Price of ''[[Guitar.com]]'' (July 21, 2021) [https://guitar.com/reviews/album/the-genius-of-slanted-and-enchanted-by-pavement/]
| align = left
| width = 23%
}}
The album is noted for its "stripped down" sound and heavy use of [[Distortion (music)|distortion]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Quietus |first=The |date=2012-04-27 |title=30 Years On: Revisiting Pavement's Slanted And Enchanted |url=https://thequietus.com/opinion-and-essays/anniversary/pavement-slanted-and-enchanted/ |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=The Quietus |language=en-GB}}</ref> Andy Price of ''[[Guitar.com]]'' described the sound as an "aural mess of dishevelled guitar [[Noise in music|noise]], balanced by infectious hooks and a homemade aesthetic," and as a "combination of unkempt, [[Consonance and dissonance|dissonant]] chord structures, tangled, grubby [[Riff|riffs]], tuneful, vibrant [[Melody|melodies]] and coolly delivered (but earnestly intelligent) lyrics."<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=The Genius Of… Slanted and Enchanted by Pavement |url=https://guitar.com/reviews/album/the-genius-of-slanted-and-enchanted-by-pavement/ |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Guitar.com {{!}} All Things Guitar |language=en-GB}}</ref> Erik Davis of [[Spin (magazine)|''Spin'']] wrote, "the distortion doesn’t come from a can, nor is it “texture” or “noise.” It’s a living thing, snaking through the strumming guitars."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Davis |first=Erik |date=2017-04-20 |title=Review: Pavement – Slanted and Enchanted |url=https://www.spin.com/2017/04/pavements-slanted-and-enchanted-review/ |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=SPIN |language=en-US}}</ref> The original Pavement EPs were recorded without the presence of [[bass guitar]]. Some tracks on ''Slanted and Enchante''d, such as "Summer Babe" were recorded with bass, while others, such as "Fame Throwa" have [[Guitar tunings|detuned]] guitars substituting for bass guitar. Songs such as "Here" are said to be "entirely bass-free."<ref name=":1" />

Malkumus began to explore [[Alternate tuning|alternate guitar tunings]], including different variations of [[Open D tuning|Open D]] and [[Open G tuning|Open G]], which have since been dubbed "[[Slacker rock|slacker]] tunings" due to their appearance on the album. Malkmus explained, "We didn’t have a bass guitar on the early recordings. So tuning down gave us a [[Bass (sound)|lower sound]] but also a fullness to the sound. That’s where I started. Then I simplified even more by bringing my G string up to A. I did a lot of things like that." The tracks "The Mouth a Desert", "Loretta’s Scars and Jackals" and "False Grails: The Lonesome Era" are played in CGDGBE tuning. The tracks "Perfume-V", "Summer Babe" and "Conduit For Sale!" use DADABE tuning.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Genius Of… Slanted and Enchanted by Pavement |url=https://guitar.com/reviews/album/the-genius-of-slanted-and-enchanted-by-pavement/ |access-date=2025-03-28 |website=Guitar.com {{!}} All Things Guitar |language=en-GB}}</ref>  

In addition to guitar distortion, [[Audio feedback|feedback]] and noise, the album makes use of [[Hook (music)|hooks]] that are consistent with those heard in [[Pop music|pop]] songs. According to Andy Price of ''[[Guitar.com]],'' "Though uninhibited [[Experimental music|experimentation]] was central to Pavement, the bubbling pop hooks that flowed throughout the record’s run-time served to anchor the ears. The dissonant chords which shape the captivating 'In The Mouth a Desert' lead us into a fine example, as growling distortion hovers over the [[Verse (music)|verse]], snakey hooks periodically rise to have their moment in the sun, before receding into a [[Wall of Sound|wash of sound]]."<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Genius Of… Slanted and Enchanted by Pavement |url=https://guitar.com/reviews/album/the-genius-of-slanted-and-enchanted-by-pavement/ |access-date=2025-03-28 |website=Guitar.com {{!}} All Things Guitar |language=en-GB}}</ref> According to Stephen Thomas Erlewine of ''[[AllMusic]]'', "Listening to ''Slanted & Enchanted'' is like listening to a [[Campus radio|college radio]] station that you can barely [[Tuner (radio)|tune in]] -- melodies are interrupted by shards of [[white noise]], only to have a simple hook pull everything back into focus." Davis assessed, "There’s something like the interstellar space noise picked up on [[Shortwave radio|shortwave radios]]. Some songs start off dope, then get raw power, while others open like thunder and then slip down a velvety [[Slide guitar|slide]]." The sounds of the guitars have been described as "[[Distortion (music)|fuzzy]] [and] noisy". The album's opening track "[[Summer Babe|Summer Babe (Winter Version)]]" has been stylistically described as [[dream pop]]. Steve Malkmus' vocals are described as "[http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/languid languid]".<ref name=":0">{{Citation |title=Slanted and Enchanted - Pavement {{!}} Album {{!}} AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/slanted-and-enchanted-mw0000273394 |access-date=2025-03-24 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lukowski |first=Andrzej |title=BBC - Music - Review of Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/vrnv/ |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=www.bbc.co.uk |language=en-GB}}</ref> Davis described the album's sound as consisting of "slapdash drums, [[Bell|bells]], catchy choruses, sha-la-la-las, guitars played so loose and confident they’re almost smiling at you."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Davis |first=Erik |date=2017-04-20 |title=Review: Pavement – Slanted and Enchanted |url=https://www.spin.com/2017/04/pavements-slanted-and-enchanted-review/ |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=SPIN |language=en-US}}</ref> The album has been noted for its [[stream of consciousness]] lyrical style.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Quietus |first=The |date=2012-04-27 |title=30 Years On: Revisiting Pavement's Slanted And Enchanted |url=https://thequietus.com/opinion-and-essays/anniversary/pavement-slanted-and-enchanted/ |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=The Quietus |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==Critical reception==
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1Score = {{rating|5|5}}<ref name="allmusic">{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/slanted-and-enchanted-mw0000273394|title=''Slanted and Enchanted'' – Pavement|website=[[AllMusic]]|publisher=[[All Media Network]]|access-date=May 18, 2013|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine}}</ref>
| rev2 = ''[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]''
| rev2Score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref>{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]|last=Larkin|first=Colin|author-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|publisher=[[Omnibus Press]]|edition=5th concise|year=2011|isbn=978-0-85712-595-8}}</ref>
| rev3 = ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''
| rev3score = A−<ref name="EW">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.ew.com/article/1992/07/31/music-review-slanted-and-enchanted|title=''Slanted and Enchanted''|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|date=July 31, 1992|access-date=June 22, 2013|last=Arnold|first=Gina|author-link=Gina Arnold}}</ref>
| rev4 = ''[[NME]]''
| rev4score = 8/10<ref name="NME">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews/19980101000032reviews.html|title=Pavement – ''Slanted and Enchanted''|magazine=[[NME]]|date=May 4, 1992|access-date=November 16, 2015|last=Lamacq|first=Steve|author-link=Steve Lamacq|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001012171129/http://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews/19980101000032reviews.html|archive-date=October 12, 2000}}</ref>
| rev5 = ''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]''
| rev5Score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref name="q">{{cite magazine|title=Pavement: ''Slanted and Enchanted''|magazine=[[Q (magazine)|Q]]|issue=69|date=June 1992|page=103}}</ref>
| rev6 = ''[[The Rolling Stone Album Guide]]''
| rev6Score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref>{{cite book|last=Sheffield|first=Rob|author-link=Rob Sheffield|chapter=Pavement|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t9eocwUfoSoC&pg=PA624|access-date=February 9, 2018|title=[[The Rolling Stone Album Guide|The New Rolling Stone Album Guide]]|editor1-last=Brackett|editor1-first=Nathan|editor2-last=Hoard|editor2-first=Christian|publisher=[[Simon & Schuster]]|edition=4th|year=2004|isbn=0-7432-0169-8|pages=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/624 624–25]}}</ref>
| rev7 = ''[[Select (magazine)|Select]]''
| rev7Score = 4/5<ref name="select">{{cite magazine|title=Pavement: ''Slanted and Enchanted''|magazine=[[Select (magazine)|Select]]|issue=24|date=June 1992|last=Robb|first=John|page=73}}</ref>
| rev8 = ''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]''
| rev8Score = {{rating|5|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1BNKzzDdRrMC&dq=%22Discography:%20Stephen%20Malkmus%22%22Slanted+and+Enchanted%22&pg=PA82|title=Discography: Stephen Malkmus|magazine=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]|volume=24|issue=3|date=March 2008|access-date=January 8, 2017|last=Wolk|first=Douglas|author-link=Douglas Wolk|page=82|publisher=[[SPIN Media LLC]]|issn=0886-3032}}</ref>
| rev9 = ''[[Spin Alternative Record Guide]]''
| rev9score = 10/10<ref>{{cite book|title=[[Spin Alternative Record Guide]]|editor1-last=Weisbard|editor1-first=Eric|editor2-last=Marks|editor2-first=Craig|publisher=[[Vintage Books]]|year=1995|isbn=0-679-75574-8}}</ref>
| rev11 = ''[[The Village Voice]]''
| rev11Score = A<ref name="Village Voice">{{cite news|url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv592-92.php|title=Consumer Guide|work=[[The Village Voice]]|date=June 2, 1992|access-date=November 15, 2015|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau}}</ref>
}}

Slanted and Enchanted received critical acclaim. In a contemporary review of the album, [[Robert Christgau]] of ''[[The Village Voice]]'' was highly positive, writing that Pavement are "always good at both tune and noise" and that the music on ''Slanted and Enchanted'' yields "a message complex enough to offer hope&nbsp;... that the lyrics will catch up".<ref name="Village Voice"/> Erik Davis of ''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]'' designated ''Slanted and Enchanted'' as the magazine's "Platter du Jour" for March 1992, describing the album as "so fine it occasionally seems too perfect."<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3_7wN22l43MC&pg=PT74 |title=Platter du Jour – Pavement: ''Slanted and Enchanted'' |journal=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]] |volume=7 |issue=12 |date=March 1992 |access-date=November 16, 2015 |issn=0886-3032 |last=Davis |first=Erik |page=73}}</ref>

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of ''[[AllMusic]]'' praised the album's songwriting, and closed his retrospective review saying: "Some listeners may initially find the lo-fi sound of the record inaccessible, but the sheer strength of Pavement's songs settles in after a few plays."<ref name=":0" />

== Legacy ==
{{blockquote|I think ''Slanted and Enchanted'' probably is the best record we made, only because it's less self-conscious and has an unrepeatable energy about it.<ref>{{cite news|first=Chuck|last=Klosterman|author-link=Chuck Klosterman|title=Greatest. Indie-est. Band. Ever. (Interview with Stephen Malkmus also about ''Slanted and Enchanted'')|url=https://www.gq.com/entertainment/music/201003/pavement-indie|work=[[GQ]]|publisher=[[Condé Nast Publications]]|date=March 2010|access-date=18 May 2013}}</ref>|[[Stephen Malkmus]]}}Since its release ''Slanted and Enchanted'' has appeared on many critics' best-of lists and is frequently cited as being among the most influential [[indie rock]] albums of the 1990s. [[AllMusic]]'s [[Stephen Thomas Erlewine]] cited the album as "a left-field classic" and "one of the [[List of 1990s albums considered the best|most influential records of the '90s]]".<ref name="allmusic" /> In 2002, ''[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]'' awarded the album their maximum grade of 10.0/10.0 in a review of the album's reissue<ref name="pitchfork.com">{{cite web |last=Ott |first=Chris |date=November 1, 2002 |title=Pavement: ''Slanted & Enchanted: Luxe & Reduxe'' |url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/8969-slanted-enchanted-luxe-reduxe/ |access-date=May 17, 2013 |work=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]] |archive-date=March 18, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090318102216/http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/8969-slanted-enchanted-luxe-reduxe/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> and ranked it as the fifth greatest album of the 1990s in 2003.<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite web |author=''Pitchfork'' staff |date=November 17, 2003 |title=Top 100 Albums of the 1990s |url=http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/5923-top-100-albums-of-the-1990s/10/ |access-date=May 17, 2013 |work=Pitchfork |page=10 |archive-date=June 22, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090622023306/http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/5923-top-100-albums-of-the-1990s/10/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''Rolling Stone'' called ''Slanted and Enchanted'' "the quintessential indie rock album" and placed it on the magazine's list of [[Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time|the 500 greatest albums of all time]]<ref name="RS2012">{{cite news |author=''Rolling Stone'' Staff |date=May 31, 2012 |title=500 Greatest Albums of All Time |at=135: ''Slanted and Enchanted'' - Pavement |magazine=Rolling Stone |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-20120531/pavement-slanted-and-enchanted-20120524 |access-date=February 21, 2017}}</ref><ref name="RS best debuts">{{cite magazine |author=''Rolling Stone'' Staff |date=March 22, 2013 |title=The 100 Best Debut Albums of All Time |magazine=Rolling Stone |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/the-100-greatest-debut-albums-of-all-time-20130322/slanted-and-enchanted-19691231 |access-date=May 18, 2013}}</ref> In 2017, ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' called it a "slacker masterpiece" and "the definitive indie rock album".<ref>{{cite news |last=Goodman |first=William |date=April 20, 2017 |title=Pavement's 'Slanted and Enchanted' Turns 25: Why the Smart-Ass, Slacker Masterpiece Is the Definitive Indie Rock Album |work=Billboard Magazine |location=Los Angeles, CA |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/7767802/pavement-slanted-and-enchanted-album-indie-masterpiece |access-date=September 6, 2019}}</ref>

Andy Price of Guitar.com wrote, "''Slanted and Enchanted'' was a felicitous moment-seizer. And one which prescribed the DIY ethos of independent music for decades to come."<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Genius Of… Slanted and Enchanted by Pavement |url=https://guitar.com/reviews/album/the-genius-of-slanted-and-enchanted-by-pavement/ |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Guitar.com {{!}} All Things Guitar |language=en-GB}}</ref>

===Accolades===
{{small|(*) designates unordered lists.}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Publication
!Country
!Accolade
!Year
!Rank
|-
| rowspan="3" |''[[Blender (magazine)|Blender]]''
| rowspan="3" style="text-align:center" | US
| The 100 Greatest American Albums of All time{{CN|date=December 2023}}
| 2002
| align="center" | 67
|-
| 500 CDs You Must Own Before You Die{{CN|date=December 2023}}
| 2003
| align="center" | *
|-
| The 10 Greatest Indie-Rock Albums Ever<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Susman |first=Gary |date=November 16, 2007 |title=What are the best indie rock albums of all time? |url=http://popwatch.ew.com/2007/11/16/best-indie-rock/ |access-date=July 2, 2012 |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly|EW.com]] |publisher=[[Time Inc.]]}}</ref>
| 2007
| align="center" | 1
|-
| rowspan="3" |''[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]''
| rowspan="3" style="text-align:center" | US
| Top 100 Albums of the 1990s{{CN|date=December 2023}}
| 1999
| align="center" | 3
|-
| Top 100 Albums of the 1990s<ref name="ReferenceA" />
| 2003
| align="center" | 5
|-
|The 150 Best Albums of the 1990s<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pitchfork |date=2022-09-28 |title=The 150 Best Albums of the 1990s |url=https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/the-best-albums-of-the-1990s/ |access-date=2024-11-04 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}}</ref>
|2022
| align="center" | 70
|-
| rowspan="6" | ''[[Rolling Stone]]''
| rowspan="6" style="text-align:center" | US
| The Essential 200 Rock Records{{CN|date=December 2023}}
| 1997
| align="center" | *
|-
| The Essential Recordings of the '90s{{CN|date=December 2023}}
| 1999
| align="center" | *
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time|The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time]]
| 2012
| align="center" | 135<ref name="RS2012" />
|-
| 2020
| align="center" | 199<ref>{{cite magazine |title=The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time |date=September 22, 2020 |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221117023204/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-albums-of-all-time-1062063/pavement-slanted-and-enchanted-3-1063034 |archive-date=November 17, 2022 |url-status=live |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-albums-of-all-time-1062063/pavement-slanted-and-enchanted-3-1063034/}}</ref>
|-
| The 100 Best Debut Albums of All Time
| 2013
| align="center" | 25<ref name="RS best debuts" />
|-
| 100 Best Albums of the Nineties<ref>{{cite news |author=''Rolling Stone'' Staff |title=100 Best Albums of the Nineties |at=24: ''Slanted and Enchanted'' - Pavement |magazine=Rolling Stone |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-best-albums-of-the-nineties-20110427/pavement-slanted-and-enchanted-20110517 |access-date=May 17, 2013}}</ref>
| 2010
| align="center" | 24
|-
| ''[[Slant Magazine]]''
| rowspan="1" style="text-align:center" | US
| Best Albums of the '90s<ref>{{cite news |author=''Slant'' Staff |date=February 14, 2011 |title=Best Albums of the 1990s |page=7 |work=[[Slant Magazine]] |url=http://www.slantmagazine.com/features/article/best-albums-of-the-1990s/P7 |access-date=May 17, 2013}}</ref>
| 2011
| align="center" | 40
|-
| rowspan="4" | ''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]''
| rowspan="4" style="text-align:center" | US
| Top 100 Alternative Albums<ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=Weisbard |editor1-first=Eric |editor2-last=Marks |editor2-first=Craig |title=Spin Alternative Record Guide |date=1995 |publisher=Vintage Books |location=New York |isbn=0679755748 |page=454 |chapter=Top 100 Alternative Albums}}</ref>
| 1995
| align="center" | 16
|-
| The 90 Greatest Albums of the '90s<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=The 90 Greatest Albums of the '90s |date=September 1999 |magazine=SPIN |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bGjsvmNt8UgC&pg=PA119 |last=Weisbard |first=Eric |volume=15 |issue=9 |page=119 |access-date=July 25, 2024}}</ref>
| 1999
| align="center" | 5
|-
| Top 100 Albums of the Last 20 Years<ref>{{cite news |author=''SPIN'' Staff |date=June 20, 2005 |title=100 Greatest Albums, 1985–2005 |magazine=Spin |url=https://www.spin.com/2005/06/100-greatest-albums-1985-2005/ |access-date=May 17, 2013}}</ref>
| 2005
| align="center" | 4
|-
| 125 Best Albums of the Past 25 Years<ref>{{cite news |author=''SPIN'' Staff |date=February 15, 2012 |title=125 Best Albums of the Past 25 Years |magazine=Spin |url=http://www.spin.com/spin25/readers-poll-spin-25-results/?page=23 |access-date=May 17, 2013}}</ref>
| 2010
| align="center" | 9
|}

== Track listing ==
{{track listing
| all_writing = [[Stephen Malkmus]] and [[Scott Kannberg]] except where noted
| total_length = 39:01
| title1 = [[Summer Babe|Summer Babe (Winter Version)]]
| length1 = 3:16
| title2 = Trigger Cut / Wounded-Kite at :17
| length2 = 3:16
| title3 = No Life Singed Her
| length3 = 2:09
| title4 = In the Mouth a Desert
| length4 = 3:52
| title5 = Conduit for Sale!
| length5 = 2:52
| title6 = Zurich Is Stained
| length6 = 1:41
| title7 = Chesley's Little Wrists
| length7 = 1:16
| title8 = Loretta's Scars
| length8 = 2:55
| title9 = Here
| length9 = 3:56
| title10 = Two States
| note10 = 
| length10 = 1:47
| title11 = Perfume-V
| length11 = 2:09
| title12 = Fame Throwa
| length12 = 3:22
| title13 = Jackals, False Grails: The Lonesome Era
| length13 = 3:21
| title14 = Our Singer
| length14 = 3:09
}}

==Personnel==
'''Pavement'''
* [[Stephen Malkmus]] – lead vocals, lead and rhythm guitar
* [[Scott Kannberg]] – bass guitar, lead and rhythm guitar, backing vocals <small>(tracks 1–2, 4–5)</small>, lead vocals <small>(track 10)</small>
* [[Gary Young (drummer)|Gary Young]] – drums
'''Additional Personnel'''
* Cy Jameson – engineer <small>(track 9)</small>

==Charts==
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
! Chart (1992)
! Peak <br /> position
|-
! scope="row"| Australian Albums ([[ARIA Charts|ARIA]])<ref name="ARIA history pages">{{{cite web |url=https://imgur.com/a/0mKrXhy |title=Pavement (American Indie rock group) ARIA Chart history to 2024, received from ARIA in November 2024|publisher=ARIA|via=Imgur.com|access-date=November 22, 2024}}  N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.</ref>
|align="center"| 178
|-
{{album chart|UK2|72|date=19920419|rowheader=true|access-date=November 15, 2021}}
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Discogs master|21660}}

{{Pavement}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Album chart usages for UK2]]
[[Category:1992 debut albums]]
[[Category:Domino Recording Company albums]]
[[Category:Flying Nun Records albums]]
[[Category:Matador Records albums]]
[[Category:Pavement (band) albums]]
[[Category:Lo-fi music albums]]
[[Category:Noise pop albums]]