The
Campus Chronicle Volume 3, No. 18
April 4, 2003
The Boston Globe reports that Clayton Scoble of Francine is a huge Pavement
fan. Other sources, including the oblique lyrics on the Boston band’s latest
full-length (and indeed the very name of the dang thing) seem to corroborate
the Globe’s story.
On “28 Plastic Blue Versions of Endings Without You,” Scoble’s
wacky wordplay is backed by the clever production of Jack Drag honcho John Dragonetti.
He has Francine sounding alternately like Sloan, Beck, The Pixies and the now
nearly forgotten and woefully under-appreciated Game Theory. It’s pretty
much pointless to try to distill the meanings of songs like “Ratmobile”
and “Silverplated 606,” but that hasn’t stopped me from trying.
“28” confidently sustains multiple start to finish spins, something
I can’t say of most albums I’ve auditioned lately. It’s easily
the best record I’ve heard so far this year. By John Bennett