Stephen Malkmus - Stephen Malkus

  by Maarten Schiethart

published: 17 / 12 / 2001

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Despite being heralded as the new R.E.M, Pavement called it a day last year. Yours truly was the first person ever outside the US to join their fanclub. It was a juvenile sin, but I have no regrets about it even now though. Now Pavement's former frontman Stephen Malkmus has brought out his first self-titled solo album, which was originally going to be called 'Swedish Reggae'. The wacky Pavement touch is still there, but 'Stephen Malkmus' is also a change in direction and is a crystal clear pop album that da-doo-da-runs with a beat, close to, yes, indeed swedish reggae. Malkmus's sarcasm remains unchanged. The Californian lifestyle is the focus for much of his material but, as he's taking the mickey out of it, he also delivers a wealth of very agreeable tunes. He raves on about Saab and the such like, but gets to the point on majestic tracks like 'Trojan Curfew'. He's also still a bit daft, singing science fiction with cynicism about being shot in a rocket to Alaska or acting like a 'Westworld' robot. Pavement's final album 'Terror Twilight' from 1999 seems a long way back.'Stephen Malkmus' comes closest to their 1997 single 'Shady Lane' offering both fun with a pun in the sun plus conventional pop. 'Discretion Grove' which has a false start and a gorgeous pop touch is the first single, yet anything on the second half of the album could also serve as a candidate. Next in line is 'Troubbble', which is kinda rowdy and bluesy, and like a pub anthem. ' Pink India' - for which the meaning is beyond my perception- is cute, while 'Trojan Curfew' I think will end up as one of my favourites for this year. It is about the Ancient Greek king Agamemnon, and the Trojan legend, but this put aside is also graced with an irresistable appeal. A Pedal twang guitar touchingly accompanies Malkmus on it. His album is short by today's standards, but there's plenty more where 'Trojan Curfew' came from. The other highlight of the album is 'Jenny And Her Ess Dog'. On this he takes the piss out of those upper middle classes who drive Volvos, who eat micro-waved oven Lasagne, and who walk their Golden Retriever after finishing a bottle of port wine with mates from the (field-)hockey club. His most amazing achievement, however, is that many of those people who he slags off here will actually like this album. It is that damn good. They'll just have to.

Track Listing:-

1 Black Book
2 Phantasies
3 Jo Jo's Jacket
4 Church On White
5 The Hook
6 Discretion Grove
7 Troubbble
8 Pink India
9 Trojan Curfew
10 Vague Space
11 Jenny And The Ess-Dog
12 Deado

Band Links:-

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stephen-Malkmus-The-Jicks/56710584421
http://stephenmalkmus.com/
https://twitter.com/malkmusandjicks
http://stephenmalkmusandthejicksblog.tumblr.com/

Label Links:-

http://www.dominorecordco.com/
https://www.facebook.com/DominoRecordCo
https://twitter.com/DominoRecordCo
https://www.youtube.com/user/DominoRecords
https://plus.google.com/+DominoRecords

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