Stephen Malkmus
Price:
$15.00
7/26/09
After Pavement split in the late 90s, while it was the end of one of the most consistently unique, interesting and high quality bands ever, it was also the beginning of an awesome solo career. By 2000 Stephen Malkmus – formerly Pavement’s lead singer/guitarist/songwriter – needed a new direction, and he found that direction with his new project, Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks.
His first, self-titled solo record, released in 2001, still had the same playful energy and great guitar epics Malkmus was known for, but added actual linear narrative and seemed less abstract than most of Pavement’s material. Songs like “Jenny and the Ess-Dog” had a beginning, middle and end and told a compelling story about two people and their dog in about three minutes.
2003’s release Pig Lib resembled more of full band effort with songs that consistently fit a similar mood, something quite opposite from someone who had always championed a more haphazard style. 2005’s Face the Truth started showing the true colors of his solo career’s direction: completely scattered and unpredictable in a completely awesome way. Using an array of instruments and sounds, the songs were either incredibly simple or ridiculously intricate, depending on what ears you were listening with.
This past year saw the release of Real Emotional Trash, a true culmination of all Malkmus’ previous solo records. His lyrics and guitar make for some pretty great phrases, featuring songs containing numerous twists and turns. Catchy tunes are thrown into the mix of epic guitar jams, with many of the songs clocking in over the five minute mark. While Pavement’s Wowee Zowee was a great collection of ideas and song snippets, Malkmus’ current direction seems to expand the ideas and casual intricacies of that album into epic stories. It’s a sound and style that works wonderfully, and one that I can’t imagine anybody else doing better.
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