Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks: 75/76 - 2008

75
2008/03/10, NRK Lydverket
Real emotional trash

Solo acoustic again in a Norwegian studio, Stephen plays this ancient sounding (I mean, at least 1970s) take on the first part (two verses and choruses) of 'Real emotional trash'. What I get from it, is firstly just enjoyment (what an amazing performance), and secondly, wow, this may be the culmination of Stephen British folk assimilation. (And I know I already said the same thing about 'Loud cloud crowd', but I'm not taking either of them back.)

On the album it's kinda camouflaged underneath the heavy instrumentation and the Groundhogs-style improvising, but here is the germ. It wouldn't surprise me if this was the way the song was written.

There must be more to this session.

76
2008/04/1, Fair game session
Godzilla (level checking song)
Tuesday afternoon

Back on home turf, the Jicks join up with their frontman again, for another radio session.

'Godzilla' is just a funny improvisatory soundcheck song. But hell, Stephen can spin lyrics all day long, it sounds like. It at least confirms his lyrical abilities are all still there, but this short absurdity sounds more alive and wild than most of the lyrics on the album.

'One time I was at this really bad venue
it sounded much worse than this
I could barely play
Godzilla

Once I was recording an album
and it even sounded worse than this
and I actually used the tapes for the album
and it sounded worse

I've heard worse in my life before
I've been in lots of recording studios
I'm an old veteran

One time at the BBC
they had much worse sound than this
I do swear'

'Tuesday afternoon' is the real song from the session, a cover of a Randy Holland, so obscure 'I could probably just say it was mine – don't know if I want to'. Uhm yeah, this tale of suburban housewife infidelity is lined with unenlightened lines like 'It isn't that she loves him / Love's a word and not a deed / But he treats her like a woman / And that's all she'll ever need'. It's a long strange trip for Janet from Sleater-Kinney to this.

But – it's a good song and a very good performance. It's pretty straight, 'solid and professional' Stephen concludes – you know, the Jicks could've been an obscure early '70s observational singer-songwriter. And there's a thought you won't get anywhere else.

They should do more covers at these sessions.