Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks: 120 - 2012

120
2012/02/21, Granada theater, Dallas, TX
Polvo
Surreal teenagers
Independence street
J Smoov
1% of one
Benny and the jets
Us
Smells like teen spirit

A couple nights further down the trail and they've hit the groove. The sound is warm and present, the band is cooking and I'm really happy with the selected program I've chosen. Maybe not on a par with my favorite Jicks shows overall (2001 Sydney, 2003 Lee's Place, 2005 Crystal Ballroom, january 2007 Portland) but this selected program is my favorite Jake-era show up to this point, and it's gotten a lot of plays.

It starts off with a caustic, claustrophobic 'Polvo' which generally outflanks the studio take.

They continue with three new songs.
'Surreal teenagers' is the first recorded version with singing on the intro. Now – to me, it's a mistake. If you compare it to the definitive take (aug 2011, Jimmy Fallon show) there the first part is instrumental and it's a long, eerie, introduction (with great falsetto backings) which glides into the real song after a long time and to great effect. With singing over the first part, it becomes two different songs scotchtaped together. Basically the structure of the song becomes A – B – A – B – C – D – C – D, which is slightly awkward. Still really good, but not all the song could've been if they'd just trusted the song enough to allow for a two minute instrumental introduction. (It reminds me a little of how they botched 'The hexx' in Pavement's 'Brighten the corners' days – another song that should've had a really long instrumental introduction that they couldn't handle.)
Still, you know – enough criticism. I'll let them get on with it, and this version is strong. It's the only instance I know where they play it with this skipping, jittery rhythm. It's not definitive, but it's a really nice alternate idea. So it makes this set extra special.

'J Smoov' is towering. That long solo near the end where it sounds like they're climbing higher and higher without ever coming down, that section lifts off. Stephen's guitar takes on this ethereal hue, not just notes, but an ambient noise like a plane taking off. It can stop me in my tracks.

I only know of two recorded nights from the 11 date february 2012 tour. It's possible they debuted more new songs during this trek, of course. From the two available shows, I can only conclude that they focused on the same new songs from the fall 2011 tour. But they're getting increasingly comfortable with them. The next phase of the road to 'Wig out' would have to wait.

The second half has got two long takes on 'Pig lib' nuggets. '1% of 1' nears 2003-levels of improvisational flight (you can hear how quickly Jake fitted himself right in there – this stuff requires all the musicians to be right in there, ready for anything). 'Us' is a new jam vessel, and this is my favorite version of this new arrangement (though the Boulder version is close). Finally there's a rocking version of familiar cover 'Benny and the jets' and a scrambled, messy (clearly unrehearsed) take on 'Smells like teen spirit'. 'That was really bad' says Stephen at the end. That last song – maybe, but the whole set – you couldn't be more wrong, Stephen!