Tag Archives: stephen malkmus and the jicks

#797: Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks – Mama

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Eight years. Eight years I’ve been doing this series and the beat goes on. Have a read of the first one. Back to the scheduled post.

I haven’t known ‘Mama’ for as long a time as a lot of the other songs on here. I listened to Face the Truth initially in 2018 when I was at my first job at uni, and I could get away with being on Spotify for the whole day and go home without really achieving anything. It was a strange place to work at. Then as Stephen Malkmus was to release his electronic Groove Denied album in 2019, I revisited Truth again and ‘Mama’ stood out as a highlight.

Face the Truth was listed as a proper solo studio album by Stephen Malkmus, much like the 2001 album. The Jicks are still credited on the back though, and feature on many of the tracks. It’s more or less a Jicks album. I do think though, that Malkmus plays all the instruments on ‘Mama’. He did so on the Pavement song ‘AT&T’ and there’s something about both tracks bring off the same vibe. Maybe it’s the drums, I’m not sure.

In ‘Mama’, Malkmus sings about the good times of his youth. Just being a kid in the house while mum and dad were doing mum and dad stuff. It’s easygoing, very laidback. Very sunny and relaxed. It’s a nice tune. Things pick up a pace in the middle for the guitar solo and middle instrumental before slowing right down into the last verse and chorus. I also think that this was his take on Creedence Clearwater Revival’s ‘Proud Mary’. The tracks are too close in tone for it to be a coincidence. Pavement played some CCR back in the day; I think it’s fair to say he’s a fan.

#773: Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks – Loud Cloud Crowd

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The past two years have been a busy time for Stephen Malkmus. Since 2018, he’s released an album every year. That one saw the release of Sparkle Hard with the Jicks, which was then followed by his proper solo debut album Groove Denied, a record that was bit more electronic and definitely stranger in its sound. Then came Traditional Techniques earlier this year, but definitely feels as if it was released in another lifetime the way this year’s been. To cut things short, these releases made me go back and listen to his older albums in the Jicks catalogue.

I came across Face the Truth – which I’ll say is probably my second favourite of his after the 2001 self-titled album – and ‘Loud Cloud Crowd’ got to me on that first listen. It sounds like the soundtrack to the beginning ceremony of an event. Like the Olympics of something. Gives me the same feeling I get with Vangelis’ ‘Chariots of Fire’. Big things are on the horizon. I don’t know. I just get good feelings from this track. I think it’s generally about being optimistic about the future, and how it’s up to you to make your own path to make things happen. Though in the standard Malkmus way, he makes his lyrics just a bit surreal and jokingly cryptic that it’s truly understand what the subject matter is. I’m not sure what a ‘loud cloud crowd’ is; it’s probably nothing to dwell on. What I know is, that type of crowd sound quite important the way Malkmus sings it.

In terms of the music, it plays upon the quiet verse/loud chorus dynamic. It’s a bit more subtle here than how you would usually here it in a Pixies or standard grunge song though. Malkmus sings in the verses alongside a subdued guitar line and synth-bass. Some rolling tom-toms enter the frame to build some layers, and then the chorus comes in with some added synth-strings that add to the sort of regal tone the track is going for. I feel the whole arrangement’s done very well. An unrelated note but this song was also on the soundtrack for Major League Baseball 2K6. That’s a game I don’t have and probably won’t own anytime soon. But that fact is usually a common topic in the YouTube videos for this song.

#671: Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks – Jo Jo’s Jacket

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Another one from Stephen Malkmus’ debut solo album, ‘Jo Jo’s Jacket’ was released as that record’s second single in 2001. It is not about anything in particular. Its title has nothing to do what appears in the verses. The closest thing relating to Malkmus that I think ‘Jo Jo’ could be is The Jicks’ bass guitarist Joanna Bolme, and even then it doesn’t make things any clearer. Though if there’s anything Stephen Malkmus is known for, it’s somehow making a coherent lyric out of the most random things.

It starts off as a song from the perspective of actor Yul Brynner, known for his shaved head and starring in the film Westworld in 1973, who provides the spoken word introduction taken from an old interview. It then switches to a kind of stream-of-conciousness type lyric in the second verse which may or may not be a slight dig at Moby. And then, sandwiching these verses, is a joyful wordless chorus that glides along with the track’s tempo and general breezy atmosphere.

Whatever the subject matter may concern, it really doesn’t matter in the long run, the song’s infectious groove and melody can’t be denied. It’s one of the straighter rockers on Stephen Malkmus but, compared to say ‘Discretion Grove’ which I think is okay but never really loved, it gets my foot tapping every time those first power chords hit.

#666: Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks – Jenny & the Ess-Dog

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Near the end of Stephen Malkmus’ first album as a ‘solo’ artist is ‘Jenny & the Ess-Dog’ – a tale of two people who couldn’t be further apart on the social spectrum in terms of age (Jenny is just 18, the Ess-Dog (Sean) is 31) and upbringing but ultimately like each other enough to have a sweet relationship.

They listen to Dire Straits’ Brothers in Arms album together and buy a pet – a dog – as some couples tend to do. Unfortunately, Jenny goes to college and the relationship eventually fizzles out leaving the two individuals to embark on their separate journeys.

The song is very easy-going and upbeat in its delivery, driven by a climbing/falling vocal melody backed by warm, sunny guitars and child-like keyboard patterns that guide each verse along. ‘Jenny’ is another track on the album that I always felt mirrored the freedom that Malkmus felt upon the split of Pavement in 1999. There was no track like this on Terror Twilight, and I guess he felt that he could with ease with the burden of his old band off his shoulders. This could have been a radio hit if he wanted it to be.

Its music video above has nothing to do with its lyrics as is the usual for a lot of Malkmus-related music videos though that shouldn’t take anything away from the song’s quality. Charming in its own strange way.

My iPod #354: Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks – Fall Away

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The track “Fall Away” is on indie rock master Stephen Malkmus’ and his Jicks album “Mirror Traffic“, his band’s fifth album from 2011. The track is very light to the ear with soft guitars, heavenly vocal harmonies for the choruses but is backed up with a bass drum that really packs a punch with over-ear headphones.

As it’s not a single, I can’t say that there’s much of a back story behind the song. It seems to be another one of those ones about being on the road and performing on tour, and the time that a band isn’t touring and is instead writing and rehearsing new songs in the studio that ‘no one else can hear’. The second verse seems to elaborate on this topic, using wordplay and metaphors that could only ever be written and sung by Malkmus.

This is a very good song to listen to when travelling or sleeping, just my opinion.