Photo Credit: K. Westenberg
Pavement has unveiled a massive new vinyl box set enshrining the unsung gems of its discography with meticulous historical veracity. Cautionary Tales: Jukebox Classiques compiles all of the band’s singles and EPs from its formation in 1989 through its 1999 break-up, amounting to a 18 7” records presented in recreations of their original packaging, bundled with a 28-page saddle-sewn booklet and full discographical history. This collection, issued by Matador Records, is live on all streaming platforms now; physical copies are available exclusively through a limited pre-order window.
In its retelling of Pavement’s release history, Cautionary Tales includes 56 total tracks, beginning with the band’s self-released debut EP Slay Tracks: 1933–1969 and running through a pair of alternate studio recordings of “Blackout” and “Extradition,” previously exclusive to fans who preordered Matador’s expanded Wowee Zowee: Sordid Sentinels Edition. The selections from this authoritative release are drawn from the band’s Treble Kicker, Drag City, Big Cat, Domino, Fellaheen and Matador catalogs, with the wide majority of the offerings now seeing their first-ever reissues. This release follows the band’s digital reissue of its 1999 Spit on a Stranger EP, disc 13 in the package, which arrived on streaming in 2022 to celebrate the band’s reunion and marked its first release since 2009’s Live Europaturnén MCMXCVII (Version 2).
Cautionary Tales: Jukebox Classiques is open for pre-order now and will remain available through April 22. Listen to the digital collection below and read on for the collection’s complete tracklist.
1. Slay Tracks 1933-1969
A1. You’re Killing Me
A2. Box Elder
A3. Maybe Maybe
B1. She Believes (edit)
B2. Price Yeah!
2. Demolition Plot J-7
A1. Fork Lift
A2. Spizzle Trunk
A3. Recorder Grot
B1. Internal K-Dart
B2. Perfect Depth
B3. Recorder Grot (Rally)
3. Summer Babe
A1. Summer Babe
B1. Mercy Snack
B2. Baptiss Blacktick
4. Trigger Cut
A1. Trigger Cut
B1. Sue Me Jack
B2. So Stark (You’re A Skyscraper)
5. Cut Your Hair
A1. Cut Your Hair
B1. Camera
B2. Stare
6. Gold Soundz
A1. Gold Soundz
A2. Kneeling Bus
B1. Strings Of Nashville
B2. Exit Theory
7. Range Life
A1. Range Life
B1. Raft
B2. Coolin’ By Sound
8. Rattled By The Rush
A1. Rattled By La Rush
B1. False Skorpion
B2. Easily Fooled
9. Father To A Sister Of Thought
A1. Father To A Sister of Thought
B1. Kriss Kraft
B2. Mussle Rock (Is A Horse In Transiton)
10. Pacific Trim
A1. Give It A Day
A2. Gangsters & Pranksters
B1. Saganaw
B2. I Love Perth
11. Stereo
A1. Stereo
B1. Birds In The Majic Industry (B side version)
12. Shady Lane
A1. Shady Lane (Krossfader)
B1. Unseen Power Of The Picket Fence
13. Spit On A Stranger
A1. Spit On A Stranger
B1. Harness Your Hopes (Live in Brixton)*
14. Carrot Rope
A1. Carrot Rope
B1. And Then
15. Major Leagues
A1. Major Leagues
B1. Your Time To Change
B2. Stub Your Toe
C1. Major Leagues (Demo)
C2. Decouvert De Soleil
D1. The Killing Moon
D2. The Classical
16. Haunt You Down
A1. Haunt You Down
B1. Jam Kids
17. Black Out
A1. Black Out (Alternate Version)
B1. Extradition (Alternate Version)