New Music From Pavement

Independent Project Records has announced the early 2026 release of the original motion picture soundtrack from the 2023 documentary film Louder Than You Think: A Lo-Fi History of Gary Young & Pavement. Proudly resistant to genres and conventions, the Louder Than You Think soundtrack tells the story of Gary Young, a true original who – when he was approaching the ripe old age of 40 – joined twenty-somethings Stephen Malkmus and Scott Kannberg (Spiral Stairs) to become the original drummer, as well as producer, for soon-to-be indie royalty Pavement. More than just a soundtrack, the release features rare and never-before-heard tracks from the underappreciated Stockton music scene of the Eighties and Nineties, including bands like Fall of Christianity (the Stockton rebels that struck a chord with a teenage Spiral Stairs), CRLLL, The Authorities, Gary Young’s Hospital, and Hot Spit Dancers. The album also includes tracks scored for the film from Edward W. Dahl (Jodorowsky’s Dune) and Noah Georgeson (Joanna Newsom, Devendra Banhart, Cate Le Bon). “Louder Than You Think is the story of original Pavement drummer Gary Young,” says Spiral Stairs. “This soundtrack captures the spirit and warped vision that could only come from Gary and the ‘underbelly of California,’ Stockton!”

Pavement themselves make memorable appearances throughout the record with ultra-rare live tracks, including a rendition of instant favorite ‘Summer Babe’ that was caught in Sacramento’s Cattle Club during the spring of 1992. Pavement were just erupting, the man sitting behind – or jumping above – the drum kit keeping the ultimate 90s indie rockers somehow tethered to the hardest-thumpin’ classics of the 60s and 70s. Please beware: side effects of listening to this may include doing headstands in public. Give it a try. “Gary’s waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting…” A Pavement show with Gary Young on drums was a wild thing. The track is at radio now, as is another advance single from the soundtrack that is truly special: “Please Be Happy (For Us),” born as a ditty improvised by Young during filming and recorded shortly before his death in August 2023, featuring Spiral Stairs and Stephen Malkmus. It’s both a surprising reunion and a heartwarming send-off.

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Label: Independent Project Records

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