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MY goal: to mix the precision of Saab, Stefan Edberg and Bergman with the laid back (yet heavy) beats of deepest Trenchtown. Well, at least on one song ("Vague Space"). The other tunes try to be new and entertaining versions of the type of songs I've always admired - mindlessly groove oriented ("Black Book"), cheeky ("Phantasies"), melodically rocking ("Jo Jo's Jacket"), faux bar bandish ("The Hook"), catchy ("Discretion Grove"), emotional ("Church on White"), warped ("Troubbble"), you get the drift. And anyway these adjectives could easily describe the most annoying band in the world (set myself up for that one!)
Words words words - can they ever tell the truth? And now you might be smirking (really should not use that word) because I pointed out the absurdity of press releases - such an obvious joke. Or it's a revelation, and now you're offended! Or you don't read press releases to be entertained, just informed. You want biographical details (so you know more about the Artist than the average person who doesn't receive press kits). And my tone in this paragraph - it's a little smug and Foster-Wallace-like. I agree - and - I'm tired of entertaining / annoying you anyway. As we all know it comes down to the music - does it move me? So please check out "Trojan curfew" (song 9); there's some good slide guitar and it has been known to move members of the Matador publicity department over to my house for dinner.
Quick Bio - Steve Malkmus - lead singer-songwriter / lead guitarist fronted the group Pavement, a medium big college-rock band. Through heavy touring and a few good album covers they earned a cult following. They split in 1999. You could say this is his first venture as a solo artist, or you could say it's a continuation of the "espirit du Pavement" with a different rhythmn section and less Bob Nastanovich (I was gonna say baggage, but I couldn't even wedge my toiletries into him).
`Stephen Malkmus' was recorded in the summer / fall of 2000 in Portland, Oregon, where Malkmus has been living lately. Other playahs: John Moen, who leads a group called the Maroons and contributes amazing percussive accompaniment, and Joanna Bolme, a bassist of uncommon abilities you may have heard on Minders and Calamity Jane Records in the past. Both of them deserve more than just "side people on the solo album" attention. So lets give them a big hand (We could pilfer Wilt Chamberlain's crypt !!!!!!) Grave robbers never smile.
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