Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks: 39/40 - 2003

39
2003/04/14, ?
Unknown song

'Peaches and cream / strawberries cherries / apricots / all of mine to share / with you'. Those are all the words I can make out on this unknown song. Cover or original? - I'm leaning toward the first, even though I've certainly never heard it anywhere else. They stumble into it. Mike is looking for the notes. Everyone is negotiating the vocal melodies - there's a tricky question and response rhythm to the vocal line. But they've got spirit, and pretty soon it coalesces into one of those one time only hidden gems. Nice guitar too.

Musically, it doesn't sound unlike the songs Stephen was/would soon be writing for 'Face the truth'. Great riff that circles round and round, catchy but there's a little something off about it, that sounds incorrect at first. They change chords at the wrong beat, right? Then before it's over, that's your favorite thing about it. Couldn't it be? There's a very small possibility, and that's enough to have me excited.

'We didn't plan that. It was all so planned upto this point,' says Stephen at the end.

40
2003/05/09, Ashville NC, Orange Peel
Old Jerry

Of all the 'Old Jerry''s this is the least, simply because of the recording quality. Distant, muffled.
The performance is driven and energetic, on the verge of something. At around the 6 minute mark you can feel the band on the cusp of a jammed breakthrough. They hesitate, but no. It doesn't happen. The song ends in an unfocused blur. Almost.