So, look, I finally got a big record for review at PopMatters and, surprise, I don’t like it very much. Back to nameless obscurities and semi-sane weirdos, I guess…it’s more fun.
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks Real Emotional Trash (Matador) US release date: 4 March 2008 UK release date: 4 March 2008 by Jennifer Kelly
Kick out the jams
Thick swaths of amplified electric guitar kick off Stephen Malkmus’ fourth post-Pavement album (the second credited to the Jicks), a flashpot smoking, hash-redolent bit of 1970s rock homage that will put you in mind of Blue Cheer and Black Sabbath. It’s a fitting start to a record that was, reportedly, built though free-form jam sessions with Malkmus, long-time Jicks Joanna Bolme and Mike Clark, and new recruit Janet Weiss hammering through the slow rhythms and serpentine flourishes of its extended, loosely structured cuts. But the thing about jams is that they’re more fun for participants than they are for listeners. At some point, the groove has to turn into a song, or no one’s going to want to listen.
Real Emotional Trash accomplishes this intermittently, but not every time, and Malkmus seems to know it. “Of all my stoned digressions / some have mutated into the truth,” he observes, as the guitar haze of “Dragonfly Pie” briefly clears. Some is the key word here, because there are long stretches of digression here, and only occasional flashes of truth.
More here: http://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/reviews/54029/stephen-malkmus-and-jicks-real-emotional-trash/
My Trusted MOGs
ha, knew i shouldn't trust rolling stone's review. although i haven't actually listened yet, and malkmus has earned a good listen. btw, there's a howlin rain article (1 page) in the same issue, so maybe you're already listening to big records. (and no, i haven't actually paid for rolling stone, they're sending some unasked promo to our house).
i put my trust in you. oh, wait, that's an ian curtis line, and look where he ended up.
My Trusted MOGs
Hmmmm. I actually like this one and I'm kicking myself for not picking up tickets for their Brooklyn appearance.
My Trusted MOGs
I think this is SM + Jicks's best and most cohesive album to date. The soloing on the longer songs sound pretty well-structured to me. Pavement fans and music critics seem pretty divided by this record. So far Rolling Stone, New York Times and The Onion's AV Club have given it high marks, but Pitchfork and Tiny Mix Tapes were not as impressed by it.
My Trusted MOGs
Hmmm...I liked Pig Lib a lot and was somewhat disappointed in this one.
You don't think the title track goes on and on and on?
Well, everybody's different, I guess. Enjoy it if you can. I was hoping I'd like it more myself.
My Trusted MOGs
Thanks for the post.
My Trusted MOGs
Generally have prefered hittin' the Pavement, but this sounds very promising. Entranced by that weird vocoder-y guitar grunt on the chorus.