Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks – Mirror Traffic

 

Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks – Mirror Traffic

By

Jesse E. Mullen

 

You’ve fronted two famous indie bands. In fact, you’ve practically invented indie rock. You’ve gotten a lot of acclaim, if not a ton of money to show for it. And now you want to collaborate with an old friend.

So was the story of Stephen Malkmus in the summer of 2009. The guitarist and songwriter had great critical success with his first group Pavement, and more success with his indie-jamband Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks.

Malkmus had worked with famous producers before, including Nigel Godrich. But now he and his Jicks were going to be collaborating with Beck to make their next album. In Beck, Malkmus found a likeminded free spirit who could make things happen behind the mixing board.

Expectations for such a collaboration must have been high. Fans were waiting since the 1990s for such a project to surface. So, when the Jicks finally released Mirror Traffic in the summer of 2011, how did it sound? And could it measure up to listeners’ hopes?

Album opener “Tigers” feature Malkmus’ signature fingerstyle guitar leads and (typically) bizarre lyrics about “streaking in […] Birkenstocks.” In other words, it was no drastic departure, but a fun summer anthem for 2011.

Second track “No One Is (As I Are Be)” allows Malkmus to delve into an ascending melody on an acoustic guitar as the singer dismisses sit-ups as “bourgeoisie.” “Senator” uses Malkmusian zaniness and fluid Janet Weiss drumming to articulate humorously obscene lyrics about a political sex scandal.

“Stick Figures In Love” and “Spazz” dig into Malkmus’ post-punk roots. “Stick Figures” features a fast, monotone lead and a chugging rhythm guitar. “Spazz” brings to mind the sound of The Who on too many purple hearts. A spastic drumbeat gives way to a verse that is missing a quarter note.

Malkmus sings a hilarious tale from the perspective of a horny teen at summer camp. He receives “French kiss lessons” and “feels like a total goner.” It’s a lot of fun, and wastes none of it’s 2:37 second track length.

But perhaps the best song of all is “Asking Price.” A gently arpeggiated, minor key guitar riff and steady drumbeat reminiscent of “Major Leagues” introduce the track in majestic fashion. Malkmus sings mysteriously about the “distortion” being “way too clear,” and that the “extortion is way too near.”

Could he be referring to Pavement’s impending 2010 reunion, and the rough edges being sanded away from the band with years more of experience? (Not to mention higher guarantees and ticket prices, thus the “extortion” bit.) Or was he commenting on the then-recent recession? Only Malkmus knows for sure.

In the end, Mirror Traffic never got the same recognition as other Malkmus/Pavement classics such as Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain and Wowee Zowee. Which is a shame, because as his hardcore fans know, the music on Mirror Traffic is just as good as anything on either of those records.

Matador/2011