Pavement fans, get ready to be rattled by the rush. The canonical indie-rock band announced today that they’ll be releasing a five-volume set of rarities, B-sides, and live sessions. Twenty-five of The Secret History Volume 1‘s 30 tracks will be appearing on vinyl for the first time—including an entire live set from the Slanted and Enchanted era. (These tracks also appeared on 2002’s double-CD reissue Slanted and Enchanted: Luxe & Reduxe.)
The set will also include essays by frontman Stephen Malkmus and guitarist Scott “Spiral Stairs” Kannberg, as well as contributions from the people at Matador, Drag City, and others associated with the band’s early years.
According to a press release, each of Pavement’s five albums has a “shadow” album that was nearly as good as the one that eventually saw release. “It’s time for the world to hear the albums Pavement could have made if they’d been a little less ambitious about music and a little more ambitious about the music business,” it says, before elaborating: “If they’d been the kind of band to sweat the legacy.”
The best thing about being one of indie-rock’s most influential bands? Other people will sweat your legacy for you.
The Secret History Volume 1 is out August 11 via Matador. Preorder the record here.
The Secret History Volume 1 track list
1. Sue Me Jack 
2. So Stark (You’re A Skyscraper)
3. Summer Babe (7” Version)
4. Mercy Snack: The Laundromat
5. Baptiss Blacktick
6. My First Mine
7. Nothing Ever Happens
8. Here (Alternate Mix)
9. Greenlander
10. Circa 1762 (Peel Session 1)
11. Kentucky Cocktail (Peel Session 1)
12. Secret Knowledge Of Backroads (Peel Session 1)
13. Here (Peel Session 1)
14. Rain Ammunition (Peel Session 2)
15. Drunks With Guns (Peel Session 2)
16. Ed Ames (Peel Session 2)
17. The List Of Dorms (Peel Session 2)
18. Conduit For Sale [Live Brixton 1992]
19. Fame Throwa [Live Brixton 1992]
20. Home [Live Brixton 1992]
21. Perfume V [Live Brixton 1992]
22. Summer Babe [Live Brixton 1992]
23. Frontwards [Live Brixton 1992]
24. Angel Carver Blues Mellow Jazz Docent [Live Brixton 1992]
25. Two States [Live Brixton 1992]
26. No Life Singed Her [Live Brixton 1992]
27. So Stark (You’re A Skyscraper) [Live Brixton 1992]
28. Box Elder [Live Brixton 1992]
29. Baby Yeah [Live Brixton 1992]
30. In The Mouth A Desert [Live Brixton 1992]
