New Single From Gary Young and Pavement From The Louder Than You Think Documentary Soundtrack

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, as well as something quite special: born as a ditty improvised by Young during filming, and recorded shortly before his death in August 2023, “Please Be Happy (For Us)” marks both a surprising reunion and a heartwarming send-off. It became something rather special after Spiral Stairs created a suitably trippy musical track, spiced with some Stephen Malkmus feedback yowls. It’s both a surprising reunion and a heartwarming send-off. Headstands master Gary Young was always larger than life and out of this world – but, wait, did he just find a way to perfectly boil down what life in this world needs to hear?

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Label: Independent Project Records

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