Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks: 148 - 2014

148
2014 nov, We have signal
Spazz
Lariat
Shibboleth
Baby c'mon
Baby boomer blues
Father to a sister of thought
Houston Hades

We have signal

More internet radio, taken from an unidentified show and interspersed with interview chatter, including a take on new original 'Baby boomer blues' and Pavement's 'Father to a sister of thought'.

The Wig Out material still shines. When I discussed the album proper I singled out the first side for praise especially. I can't help noticing it's the side A songs that keep coming up on setlists (bar 'Cinnamon & Lesbians' - side B setlist perennial - & more rarely 'Chartjunk'). Will the rest of side B gradually drift off as rarely sighted gems? Time for a side B revival 4 years from now (or thereabouts)? Or am I imagining this?

'Father to a sister of thought' is not a highlight - too cluttered with that damn piano, all of the atmosphere evaporates and it turns into a bludgeoning dirge.

But the main attraction is 'Baby boomer blues', the second post-Wig Out original. Back in february 2014, concerning 'Kite in a closet' I wrote: 'The song is a VU-style strummed groove ('What goes on' crossed with' Foggy notion'). It could go on forever and I wouldn't mind. It's all in the main riff. No chorus in sight, a little bridge leads the verse into a snappy turnaround riff.'

'Baby boomer blues' is in that same vein. A strummed groove with no chorus in sight, just a little bridge, that revolves and revolves in a snappy tempo - it's all about the way they wait for the chord change 'Baby...baby...baby...baby boomer nights'. You're bopping your head, caught along, maybe in the back of your mind there's something telling you 'maybe this is a little slight, enjoyable but slight', but without realising exactly how it happened suddenly you're 4 and 1/2 minutes further in time, and you had a great time.

Good.