Record Review: Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks - Real Emotional Trash

Rating: 7.1 / 10.0

I'm one of those people who instinctively loves everything Stephen Malkmus does because of what he did with Pavement. For whatever reason, I can't divorce him from his influence on modern day indie rock. I'm not saying I enjoy Pig Lib as much as Slanted and Enchanted, I just like it more because it bears that inextricable link to Pavement, a band that has long held a very special place in my heart.

I don't think I'm alone in this; many a dedicated indie kid has a soft spot for Malkmus. And if not Malkmus, then some other influential and enigmatic indie/alternative pioneer - Thom Yorke, Michael Stipe, whoever you like. I also don't think it's a bad thing; the second we fail to be sentimentally, emotionally connected to and affected by music is the second we should stop listening to music. But it certainly was interesting to review this record. I thought I would unflinchingly laud it; but taking a really good look at it has made me aware of some of the flaws that Malkmus has come to accumulate over time.

Let's focus on the positives first. Malkmus sounds to have settled into himself as a guitarist and into the Jicks as a band. The instrumental work here sounds more liberated and adventurous. "Out of Reaches" features a Wurlitzer breakdown leading into a wonderful guitar solo. The title track stretches out for a thrilling 10 minutes, with an expansive jam in the middle. The mix is rich and full, the drums are more active (fully equipped with fills and syncopated beats). This record sounds more like The Jicks and Stephen Malkmus. And that's not a bad thing. The sound of the record is more casual, more relaxed, and strangely more accessible than most of his catalogue to date while simultaneously taking more musical risks.

Ironically, it is perhaps my love for Malkmus and his work with Pavement that stained this record in my eyes, from a critical standpoint. Instead of seeing a Malkmus channeling his past, I saw him at times clinging to it. The lo-fi lyrical and melodic idiosyncrasy that sounded so effortless and natural with Pavement, sometimes sounds more forced here. The meandering, unfocused narrative of "Hopscotch Willie" betrays the clarity of purpose and attention to detail Malkmus's lyrics used to have (even after Pavement; just listen to "Vanessa from Queens"). There are exceptions to this, the most notable being the standout track "Gardenia". His observations in this song are, like the central metaphor, keen, incisive, and full of charm.

The hi-fi production is something I've never been able to get used to whenever Stephen Malkmus is concerned. In this case, it makes his lyrics sound ridiculous at times. The contrast between the sharp sophistication of the production and the childish whimsy of the lyrics is sometimes charming, but sometimes unwieldy and awkward, like on "Dragonfly Pie" and "Elmo Delmo".

What does this all add up to? For some, it will be a bitter pill to swallow, but Stephen Malkmus - though he might try to fight it - is maturing. The final two songs on Real Emotional Trash belie this fact, especially "We Can't Help You", a world-wearied piano ballad (I know, right?) that reveals the more pessimistic, grounded side of Stephen Malkmus. "There's no common goal / There's no moral action / There's no modern age / From which to run away / There's no grace in love / With a new projection / There's no sky above / For you to cry into." I've never heard it before, but Malkmus sounds genuinely tired as he intones these somewhat hopeless lyrics. It's as though all the tomfoolery that preceded this song was all some kind of ruse to keep our spirits high in a world where there mightn't be much to relish. Perhaps the record's greatest success is also it's most fatal flaw: that Malkmus tries and fails to stay true to his youthful caprice, only to descend, even if briefly, into the depths of adult angst. It may not be consistent, but it's honest and it's genuine. And it's Malkmus.

-PTC