Stephen Malkmus

DB:slanted and enchanted::SM:wowee zowee

― calstars, Friday, May 18, 2018 7:39 PM (three hours ago)

another nope:

The album's title is an homage to former drummer Gary Young, who would frequently yell "Wowee zowee!" when excited.

really into "solid silk"

yes, this album is really good, one of his best. "bike lane" is Malk at his most political and angry

i'm at peace with my mentors

This is really good. Highlights after the first few listens:

-the little instrumental breaks after the verses on "Bike Lane"
-Kim Gordon!

not sure I'm ready for Woke Malkmus tbh

I don't know what that even means tbh

"Malk at his most political and angry" sounds exactly like "Malk not being political and angry at all" to me fwiw

I mean he literally namechecks Freddie Gray which is kinda tough to imagine on...any other Malkmus record

Oh I know, I was just saying that it still sounds like Stephen Malkmus, and in no way did it even occur to me that someone would hear it and think "oh man, I am not prepared to process this stage of this man's career."

he did write Senator on the last record though - which i took to be obviously political - i think he should do more of this stuff - to my ears it was his best song in an age because it seemed to be so pointed

But Senator was two records ago! #justiceforjagbags

oh sorry i am sure you are right - yep - just making the point that he hasn't been entirely apolitical this whole time

(apologies for the unnecessarily pedantic post that really was just an excuse to post a hashtag that I thought was funny)

He referenced Bob Packwood's sexual harassment scandals about 15 years ago in "Vanessa From Queens".

Oh I know, I was just saying that it still sounds like Stephen Malkmus, and in no way did it even occur to me that someone would hear it and think "oh man, I am not prepared to process this stage of this man's career."

― cwkiii, Tuesday, May 22, 2018 9:41 PM (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

wasn't thinking "oh man, I am not prepared to process this stage of this man's career," was thinking "this artist who has built a career on sarcasm and above-it-all ironic detachment is now obliquely referencing social justice in a way that seems conspicuous and a tad insincere given that he has been basically shrugging at such things for decades"

I guess if part of what someone enjoys the most about him is his sarcasm and above-it-all ironic detachment then if they pay attention to the lyrics of this one song they might be slightly let down? But it's a really good song! Especially if you dig him as a guitarist.

I get how that could bug you but it was kind of a bummer to think that it would dissuade you from checking out the record because, like I said before, it still sounds like a Malkmus song and it doesn't scan as like, preachy or whatever.

it's like processing that joe strummer grew up relatively privileged

fwiw, he did write that Pavement song “Grounded”

conspicuous? yes.
a tad insincere? i don't hear/believe that.
a little disjointed / not fully formed as a concept / political statement? yes, i think that's a fair criticism.

Writing a (good) politically / socially conscious song must be particularly challenging for even a good songwriter

Maybe "insincere" is harsh, I take that back. I mean, I'm quite sure the guy's heart is in the right place. I just don't listen to Malkmus wanting or expecting social commentary. Does anyone?

FWIW I repped hard for Jagbags (see upthread) and am definitely a fan, in case that wasn't clear.

Maybe "insincere" is harsh, I take that back. I mean, I'm quite sure the guy's heart is in the right place. I just don't listen to Malkmus wanting or expecting social commentary. Does anyone?

I care quite a bit more about Malkmus' songwriting than your opinion of it, if that's what you're asking.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKpi9cAmnfo

malk doing "solid silk" on the 12-string <3

I had missed this interview, it's great: https://www.spin.com/featured/stephen-malkmus-and-tim-heidecker-in-conversation-fleetwood-mac-internet-trolls-and-hating-frank-zappa/

Heidecker: What’s your take on Frank Zappa?

Malkmus: I’m not a fan, to be honest.

Heidecker: I have never met a fan! I’ve never met a fan!

Malkmus: Yeah, I don’t think it’s good music. I know a lot of people compare me to him, especially in Brazil. For some reason, the Frank Zappa underground there thinks of me as Zappa-esque. It’s parody in the end, but you can’t put all your chips on parody unless it’s full parody. Weird Al is one thing, he’s awesome. But that’s a different thing.

Wow, that's a better (off-the-cuff) take on Zappa than I think I've ever been able to put together the many times I've tried to explain my distaste. Zappa fans have much in common with the neckbeard ime

yeah, reducing Zappa's entire body of work to "parody," what a hot take. so original

Malkmus schmalkmus

Could just reduce it to “garbage”

Could just reduce it to “garbage”

Yes, if only there were more music like "Jenny & The Ess Dog"

I hate that song fwiw, that was when i stopped listening to malk

gimme Jenny & the Ess Dog over every note Zappa ever played

I don't particularly love "Jenny" but I love that it's a clear statement that he's not invested in making "important" "challenging" music or pandering to snobs

Another great passage:

Heidecker: You gotta be happy for Mike Campbell a little bit, I guess. He wasn’t expecting Tom Petty to die.

Malkmus: He wants to play.

Heidecker: He was like, “Get me out there! I can earn!”

Malkmus: I met him just the other day. I played at this benefit for Jerry Garcia’s charity in Los Angeles. They had Benmont Tench and Mike Campbell. Campbell was backstage. He came in the room, and he was dressed like a rock star: scarves, that Rolling Stones scarve-y look.

Heidecker: Floppy hat.

Malkmus: A bit of West Coast grizzle. He walked by, and he looked a little like that one Grateful Dead album with the skull wearing the top hat and shiny glasses.

Heidecker: He’s struttin’.

Malkmus: He strutted by and he went, “Yeah, Pavement, man.” That’s all he said. Kind of in a lizard voice, “Pavement, man. Yeah.” Then he was out.

I don't particularly love "Jenny" but I love that it's a clear statement that he's not invested in making "important" "challenging" music or pandering to snobs

― rip van wanko, Monday, September 17, 2018 5:20 PM (three hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

The addition of the quotation marks around those words is the most "Malkmus fan" thing ever

Anyway, long live important and challenging music, death to condescending half-assed 90s dweebdom

dweezil?

lol

important and challenging, two things Zappa is not

omg we got an important and challenging music guy in 2018!

Jenny & The Ess-Dog is great, the first song on the s/t ("Black Book") is the one that nobody likes.

frank zappa is okay

he's the type of guy the typical ilxor would strive to be though so you get a feeling he's really important when he really is not

stevie seems more chill and has a more dgaf attitude which is a very 90s thing, so idk, my heart gravitates to that vibe

and has a more dgaf attitude

ACTUALLY it's dadgaf...

trü

Stephen Malkmus (@dronecoma)'s shelved electronic album 'Groove Denied' out in March https://t.co/96bhdYgjXR pic.twitter.com/sROG7PRfMt

— Stereogum (@stereogum) January 18, 2019

he’s been working on it for 12 or 13 years

!

color me curious

cautiously looking forward to this

It’s gotta be better than his “rock” musik at this point...

i dunno, i like his rock stuff still — last one was very strong. I think he's just made good solo albums as opposed to great ones.

As the world's biggest Modulate fan I'm pretty excited.