Stephen Malkmus and theJicks - Mirror Traffic

Wed 31st Aug, 2011 in Music Reviews

Whilst Pavement didn’t spawn any new material following their hugely successful reunion, Stephen Malkmus is filling the void on his own with Mirror Traffic, the fifth Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks record to surface. On Mirror Traffic Malkmus has abandoned the progressive like experimentation that was scattered through last release Real Emotional Trash. Instead, this album delves into Crooked Rain territory with an upbeat indie rock ethos coupled with relaxed, spaced out alternative country territory that wouldn’t sound out of place on Pavement counterpart, Spiral Stairs solo material.

Having taken a swift hand in the production of the emotional rollercoaster that was Thurston Moore’s_ Demolished Thoughts_, Beck has taken the reins as producer for this record. Marking the first collaboration between the two alternative icons the results seem to be a match made in heaven with Malkmus’s clever imagery and Beck’s unique approach to music as a whole, forming a highlight album of 2011 if not their careers.

Lead single Senator is the best way to sum up the album as a whole. It first saw light on the road as part of the Real Emotional Trash tour back in 2009. With a sound that recalls more of the Crooked Rain pop moments of Pavement than any past Malkmus/Jicks release. Malkmus’ trade mark smart aleck lyrics are more prominent than ever on this track with Malkmus’s lyrics about blow jobs and smoking weed being almost an inside joke. Some irresistible catchy pop hooks and simple up tempo indie pop like guitar lines make the song an instant hit and a very Pavement guitar lick/solo closing the track takes you back to the slacker days of nineties indie rock.
Senator:

Second track No one is (As I Are Be), is the first track that Beck’s production hand/influence is present with the instrumentation and the vocal style seeming almost as a nod to Beck’s body of work with hints of Go-Betweens chill. Horns, acoustic guitar and drums with a slight break beat tinge under Malkmus’ mellow vocal line all contribute to the tracks power. The track’s video clip also shows Malkmus as an adult with grey hair and clips of his two daughters being projected over him, rather than the summer babe wanting indie rocker having fun back in Pavement’s heyday. It is appropriate imagery, as the track sounds like some of Malkmus’s most mature work to date and if isolated from the rest of the album, would make you think that Malmus has moved forward in a J. Spaceman or Thom Yorke kind of direction.

While only lasting a minute, instrumental song Jumblegloss begins as an identical twin to Shady Lane’s outré instrumental J vs. S it then evolves into a whole new entity and its interpretation could be one of a pick up from that point in Shady Lane all those years ago or the similarities could just be and artistic coincidence. Still a lot can be seen within this minute.

Stick Figures in Love is definitely the albums strongest point with its prominent guitar hook leading the way into each melody focused section of the track led by some of Malkmus’s most thought out lyrics on the album. It’s up tempo delivery really sets up a summer based world for the listener to bask in and following track the jilting Spazz is an excellent progression in the album. The spontaneity of Spazz makes it sound like four different songs all within the first twenty seconds.

Share the Red is one of the more melody and space orientated tracks. Being the longest track on the album, it continuously builds whilst having a delicate side to it. The piano playing the songs main riff at the end is one of those moments where you just get a pretty feeling and an overall appreciation of the track. While Tune Grief sounds like fellow nineties icons Sebadoh or early effects with effects heavy vocals buried under fast paced rock n roll guitar in a short sharp burst gets its point across

Fall Away seems to derive from Share the Red and No One Is, with the beautifully sung chorus of the tracks title resonating in your head long after the song is over. The album closes with Gorgeous Georgie, while Fall Away would have been more of a logical choice as a closer. Gorgeous features sounds slightly Wowee Zowee -ish as it builds and descends as different guitar lines come from each headphone it all comes together and really draws you in with some of the best guitar work and manipulation on the album.

Mirror Traffic comes at a perfect time when nineties indie/alt rock is coming back to be a prominent force within the music scene. As history repeats itself, the influx of 80s revivalist bands are starting to become boring and repetitive and slowly but surely guitar based alternative rock is climbing its way back onto its former pedestal and Mirror Traffic acts as a ladder to stand on in that climb. Despite being eclectic at the best of times it is still at heart an indie rock record.

For fans of Pavement, Silver Jews or The Jicks, Mirror Traffic may seem a tad predictable upon your first listen, but given time it can quite easily work its way up the shelf and stand easily next to some of Malkmus’s past works. To people unaware of Pavement or The Jicks the album could also act as a gateway to the world of Malkmus with all the hooks and pop sensibilities having an appeal that could easily cross over fans of some of the bigger name ‘alternative’ bands dominating the charts and festival circuits.