Wowee Zowee was the third studio album by Pavement. The album showcased a more experimental and spontaneous side of the group, returning them to the clatter and unpredictability of their early recordings after the classic rock vibe of 1994's Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain. The cover art was painted by New York-based artist Steve Keene.

The album is regarded as Pavement's most experimental record, and despite its initial critical failings, the album is a fan favorite and has been cited as a favorite amongst most of the members of Pavement. The songs are fragmented and explore a wide range of styles and float around with a 'slow motion' rock and roll feel. The relative success of their previous album (having sold 169,000 copies by this time) was a major reason for this stylistic shift, as the band preferred not to become popular.

The songs “Grounded”, “Flux = Rad”, “Pueblo”, and “Kennel District” were originally written at the same time as the songs that became Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain, and rough versions appear on Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain: LA's Desert Origins disc two.

The album was recorded at Easley Studios in Memphis, Tennessee, with the exception of some tracks recorded at Random Falls, in NY.

The album's title is an homage to former drummer Gary Young, who would frequently yell “Wowee zowee!” when excited.

Matador Records released an expanded 2CD edition of this album under the title Wowee Zowee: Sordid Sentinels Edition on November 6th 2006.
Wowee Zowee: Sordid Sentinels Edition is a three-sided album by Pavement released on November 6, 2006. It contains the band's third album, Wowee Zowee, in its entirety, as well as 32 other songs from that era, 18 of which were previously unreleased.

Matador Records offered extra items to people who pre-ordered the reissue. Those who chose to pre-order the album received a code redeemable on the Wowee Zowee: Sordid Sentinels Edition website for a rare recording of a live Pavement show at the Palace in Los Angeles on April 21, 1994. Also included in the pre-order deal was a free 7" record which included previously unreleased studio versions of the songs “Black Out” and “Extradition” and a poster based on a painting that artist Steve Keene originally contributed for the original release of Wowee Zowee in 1995.

A different version of “Easily Fooled” appeared on Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain: LA's Desert Origins as “The Sutcliffe Catering Song”.
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wowee_Zowee#Wowee_Zowee:_Sordid_Sentinels_Edition