Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks: 83/84 - 2008

83
2008/07/25-27, Fuji rock
All over gently

I discussed the details yesterday, but here's another july '08 version of 'All over gently', in slightly better sound.
Except for the lyrics and the weird sounds on the third verse, it's in the bag.

84
2008/10/31, Picador, Iowa city, IA
Forever 28
Brain gallop
Cold son
Freeze the saints
Hopscotch Willie
Church on white
Funk #49

As the year progresses, the band get looser. More new and old songs appear – but still no A+ recording. Maybe they were playing so loud the equipment couldn't handle it.

I can't recall the full setlist for this show – the seven highlights above, when I hear them now, are totally great performances. Maybe I should've hung onto the full show this time. In its abridged form it's probably my favorite 2008 Jicks set. At the end the audience chants 'One more song' for a committed while – the band earned it and the audience are rewarded with a wild jam on James Gang hit 'Funk #49'. (I can't definitely confirm it but during these shows they were often joined by support band Blitzen Trapper for the encore covers, and it sure sounds like more people than four on stage.)

Of the songs from the main set:

- 'Freeze the saints' and 'Church on white' are two of my favorite Jicks songs and both get sympathetic performances. I mean, these are ballads and ballads weren't at the core of this Jicks edition, but here they really nail 'em, no force, just grace.

- There's a rare appearance for 'Real emotional trash' single 'Cold son'. From the recordings I've heard, it seems it wasn't performed that often. Maybe it just wasn't recorded that much. They've got the song down, and it's a good song for the stage. It seems to me that it should be a setlist perennial (even now). Good to hear this recording.

- 'Hopscotch Willie' once again proves to be the most malleable of the 'Real emotional trash' jam songs. From 3'30 on this performance veers off the map, heading into an extended section of spontaneous composition. Excellent.

- And two more first appearances of 'Mirror traffic' songs: 'Forever 28' in its first incarnation sounds like a lyrical tribute from a certain Jick to a certain member of Cribs. Anyway, kind of ironic considering where the lyrics would end up. Like 'All over gently', a riff based track which would end up on the second half of the record. Not one of my favorite Jicks songs but I like it fine, and it adds to the grabbag appeal of the album.

'Brain gallop' may be the most abstract song Stephen ever wrote, and that's saying something. A further development on the archetypical 'Real emotional trash' heavy riff song – 'Brain gallop' has a counter intuitive groove, few hooks to speak of and no dynamic development. It just is. An inversion of the standard 70s gut riff rock – this one's all head. A remarkable achievement. I know, in any other hands, that description would point to artistic failure, but Stephen pulls it right out of the fire. It's a particular triumph. And it seems to have arrived fully formed (well, I think Stephen just keeps his songs to his chest a little longer these days before road testing them).