There are numerous highlights to Real Emotional Trash, the
new album from Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, but for the sake of a
snappy opening sentence to this column, I’d wager the most striking one
is that the album will not make you long for a Pavement reunion. In
fact, the mere idea of the indie rock legends getting back together for
one more go at “Summer Babe” will seem like a downright insulting act
of ’90s revisionism. Instead, Real Emotional Trash is a bold
declaration that unifies the symbiotic relationship between
Malkmus—the iconic frontman and slack-rock legend that could
really give a shit of what people think of him—and the Jicks, his
trusty backing band, now with added sheen in the form of new drummer
Janet Weiss.
No longer seeming like hired guns killing time before Spiral Stairs
returns to the stage, the Jicks’ contributions to Trash are
marvelous and bountiful. They pace the songs steadily, pep them up when
they get too jam-heavy, and allow Malkmus to sound at ease in a way he
hasn’t in years. So how did this loose, meandering rock
ensemble—one that seamlessly crafts endlessly appealing
loose-knit rock numbers—right the solo career of one of rock
music’s most enigmatic characters? Beats me. But Trash is
definitely the death rattle for the Pavement reunion, so now all those
longtime fanboys can stop with the online petitions and hunger strikes
on Bob Nastanovich’s lawn. (Note to Malkmus: Please don’t announce a
Lollapalooza reunion show the day after this column runs just to make
me look bad, okay?)
One noticeable change is that Trash has shortened the jam
sessions to a more Wowee Zowee-esque length, without denying
Malkmus his indie-rock-god-given right to unleash some furious
guitar-sturbation from time to time. This holds true on the title
track, which chugs along at a wee bit over the 10-minute mark, starting
slowly and centering on Malkmus’ patented vocal delivery before
erupting into a galloping rock jamboree that finds the group sounding
more carefree than they ever have. The highlight of the record is the
textured and somber “Out of Reaches,” which shows a surprisingly
emotional side to Malkmus (a frontman known for never showing his hand
or clouding his art with personal troubles), as he softly repeats the
refrain “I know the tide will turn” over and over as the
instrumentation fades away. Whether that is a dire prediction of rough
seas ahead or a hopeful declaration is never made clear. It seems that
Malkmus wouldn’t have it any other way.
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks will play a secret show somewhere
in Portland on Tuesday, March 4.