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With his newest release Face the Truth, Stephen Malkmus has outdone himself again.
Unlike his previous two albums Pig Lib & Stephen Malkmus, he has taken complete creative control on this one, and it pays off. The Jicks (former members) are not full-time on any one song, but all play on different tracks throughout the album. He has left himself in total command, something he couldn’t do with Pavement.
Right from the get-go the album rips with “Pencil Rot” and then slides perfectly into “It Kills,” which is reminiscent of older Pavement tunes like “The Hexx.” Not to say this album is anything like a Pavement album, or even like his previous solo works, but there seems to be more emotion in Malkmus’s guitar work throughout.
Of course, SM is also not at a loss for words on this album. Clearly one of the best lyricists already out there, he has once again spun off incredibly touching songs like “Freeze the Saints” (possibly his most insightful to date) and “Baby C’mon,” which seems to exist only to make you rock. But once again, it’s with his lyrics that he really captures the listener. While I’d like to spell out some of the words for you, out of context there’s really no point.
Throughout the album, Malkmus nails the guitar solos both long and short, but it’s the addition of other elements on this album that really separates it from the others. At times the album uses pianos, layered vocals, and of course SM’s falsetto voice when needed. That and the addition of what sound like violins and castanets (“Loud Cloud Crowd”), really help to form a well-rounded, brilliant album.
I’m sure there are many Pavement fans who are still hoping for a return to a different time, but it’s gone. He’s a different person, and I’m glad he’s making music reflecting that fact. I would hope we’ve all changed somewhat since Pavement.
If you give this album one listen, you may not give it another so fast. Give it two, and you’ll be on your way to fifty really quickly. No one else could have made this album, and you can say that about few albums being released these days.
David Weintraub
JamBase | Worldwide
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