Pick of the Month - Stephen Malkmus - S/T

by Hugh Schmidt

Album Cover from Stephen Malkmus

I think we can all agree that solo projects are almost universally disappointing. Especially if an artists main project is important to you, the chance of a solo project living up to that standard is unlikely. I mean Jesus, anyone remember Eddie Vedder's Ukulele Songs? This is why I was pleasantly surprised when I first checked out Stephen Malkmus' self titled record, released in 2001 after the breakup of Pavement. This record is a continuation of the loose indie rock vibe of Terror Twilight but with a lighter and more optimistic feel. Adopting a sound influenced by 60's and 70's pop music, this record is characterized by winding guitars and sweet sounding vocal melodies. The organ on the track Vague Space is reminiscent of NRPS, which is further evidence of this influence. The instrumentation on this album is more varied than on your standard indie rock record, with synthesizer, xylophone, marimba, organ, and various auxiliary percussion worked into the standard bass/ drums/ guitar arrangement.

Most every song on this record is beautifully written and arranged, from the folky and psychedelic tracks like Trojan Curfew and Pink India to more standard indie rock songs like Church on White and the most well known song this record, Jenny & The Ess-Dog. That song in particular is extremely well written, with catchy melodies and guitar leads littered across the entire song. While Jenny & The Ess-Dog is a story song about a couple that simply couldn't make it work, lyrically it deviates from the norm of this album. Most of the lyrics across this record are cryptic, with themes ranging from colonialism to Mediterranean history. Malkmus has always been a fantastic lyricist and this record displays some of his best work. This is a dusty record, and one that reflects a certain worldliness and exhaustion. Stephen Malkmus comes from a place of observation and of reflection, which is translated into a hazy and relaxed album that reminds me of the most humid and lazy days of summer. As a result this record is the perfect soundtrack for extreme periods of nostalgia for me, and seeing as I'm a nostalgic piece of shit has intense emotional value for me. Despite low expectations going in, it's turned into one of my favorite indie rock records and is, in my opinion, the best record he's ever released.