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Stephen Malkmus

Real Emotional Trash

RS: 4.5of 5 Stars Average User Rating: 4.5of 5 Stars

2008

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Stephen Malkmus fans divide into Pig Lib fans or Face the Truth fans, the same way Pavement fans split into Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain or Wowee Zowee partisans: Either you like the guy best when he zones out on the guitar for hours at a time, mumbling and rambling and diddling around, or you prefer his brief, quirky song fragments. Last time, on 2005's Face the Truth, he offered a bunch of cute freak-folk ditties — a timely career move yet not such a memorable album. But Real Emotional Trash is a fantastic psychedelic feast, full of cosmic guitar crackle and electric piano and batshit poetry. It's the album Malkmus has been driving at ever since he learned how to rip off the Velvet Underground and Quicksilver Messenger Service at the same time — a full-body baptism in John Cipollina's bong water.

Guitar reveries like "Baltimore," "Dragonfly Pie" and the road-tripping title jam ramble on for six or seven or even ten minutes; the only one that drags, "Gardenia," is the only one under three minutes. The Jicks add the flesh-and-blood band interaction that was so key to Pig Lib, including ex-Sleater-Kinney drum goddess Janet Weiss. "Out of Reaches" revamps early Pavement's elegiac hum; "We Can't Help You" is a Basement Tapes-style ballad with perfect femme harmonies; "Elmo Delmo" fuses the Grateful Dead's "Cryptical Envelopment" with Sonic Youth's "Karen Koltrane."

In "Dragonfly Pie," when Malkmus sings, "Of all my stoned digressions/Some have mutated into the truth," it's notable as (1) the opening couplet on the album and (2) the last halfway coherent thing he says for the next hour or so. But that's for the best, as Malkmus hasn't taken the lyrics too seriously since Pavement broke up, and any statement heavier than the throwaway jokes here ("Made it back to Frisco in the vanity chest/To the painted ladies on house arrest") would just get in the way. All he wants to do is surrender to the lightheaded rush of the music, and the results are downright glorious.

ROB SHEFFIELD

(Posted: Mar 6, 2008)

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Review 1 of 7

zeekthegeek writes:

4of 5 Stars


Definately Malkmus' spaciest record. The title track is one of the best rock epics to come out since Marquee Moon. I must have listened to this album over 100 times since it cane out and it keeps getting better.

Jul 11, 2008 17:46:58

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Review 2 of 7

maxmontgomery writes:

5of 5 Stars


a definite top ten lister for best albums of 2008

Apr 5, 2008 20:37:08

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Review 3 of 7

goodbyewave writes:

5of 5 Stars


This is the first album I have ever purchased by Mr.Malkmus, and I have to say I feel I've been missing out. I was never a Pavement fan, didn't really hear what all the Pavement fans heard...but this?? Working with the Jicks was the smartest thing he could do. They bring out his inner Tom Verlaine. This album gives me the same vibe as "Marquee Moon" by a little band called Television. Has that twangy Fender guitar bite, with cool moog/electric piano vibe. And I am now a huge fan of Janet Weiss...excellent drummer!! Don't know what people expect in regards to what they want from Stephen Malkmus. This is a jamming guitar freakout with a cool beatnik poetry vibe to it...if you like Television, 'Rather Ripped' era Sonic Youth, or just 10 minute guitar jams that never get boring, GET THIS!!!

Mar 27, 2008 06:59:03

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Review 4 of 7

maceman writes:

5of 5 Stars


The thing about Stephen Malkmus' music is that you may not be overly impressed upon the first listen. But each listen thereafter brings more and more enjoyment. His tunes linger in your head for days. This new record is no exception. A great record. Check it out and then buy all his solo albums and all the Pavement albums. You won't be sorry.

Mar 23, 2008 15:59:59

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Review 5 of 7

rs4lyfe writes:

4of 5 Stars


Excellent album, however, I'd rate this review a 1.5 star for being nonsense. I thought Malkmus was nonsensical--at least he's fun and tongue-in-cheek about it. ""Elmo Delmo" fuses the Grateful Dead's "Cryptical Envelopment" with Sonic Youth's "Karen Koltrane."" No, it doesn't. Rob Sheffield, stick to saying "good" or "bad" and leave such silly "fusion" statements to Pitchfork.

Mar 1, 2008 12:45:03

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Review 6 of 7

cart0250 writes:

1of 5 Stars


I downloaded this album, listened to it once and then immediately deleted it. A waste of bandwidth. His lyrics are childish babble. If you have nothing to say, hush-up!

Feb 25, 2008 16:52:51

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Review 7 of 7

johnnygunit writes:

4of 5 Stars


That review is retarded. I would use a better word than "retarded", but I will extend my vocabulary only as far as the reviewer will extend knowledge of Malkmus.
Everything Malk does is genius. He's never at his best or worst. He just is.
MALK = Jordan of indie music

Feb 25, 2008 10:45:52

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