My prejudice has bitten again, but it's a double edged sword. On the one hand, an unfounded idea that Stephen Malkmus' post-Pavement work would be disappointing has kept me from enjoying two albums that are true works of genius. On the other hand, I find so little music that I really love these days that it's quite nice to have true works of genius to enjoy, and two new albums in my all time favourites. His albums with the Jicks; 'Pig Lib' and 'Real Emotional Trash' are, genuinely, as good as 'Crooked Rain' by Pavement. They're so rich in content, ideas and execution that I've been listening to them endlessly for two weeks and still haven't tired of them one bit. The songs are often long, usually catchy, and achieve that tricky lyrical mix of being clever and keenly felt.
There's a great trick the band have of starting a song in one place with a hint of something to come, then delivering on that hint in bucketloads in the last third of the song. The effect is that something you hadn't realised you were craving appears out of nowhere, and makes you feel how cravings do when they're relieved. (That means really fucking good, for those without cravings.)
Check (Do Not Feed) The Oyster, 1% of One, Dragonfly Pie and Cold Son.
Actually don't. Just get both the albums.
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