Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks | 'TRAFFIC' JAMS Malkmus offers up breezy pop and odes to psychedelic substances
Image credit: Leah Nash
'TRAFFIC' JAMS Malkmus offers up breezy pop and odes to psychedelic substances
Music Review

Mirror Traffic (2011)

EW's GRADE
B+

Details Release Date: Aug 23, 2011; Lead Performance: Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks; Genre: Indie Rock; Production: Matador

After reuniting with his old band Pavement and tapping Beck as a producer, the slacker king has traded paisley-print guitar freak-outs for faster, breezier pop songs. That means his funniest lyrics are no longer buried under noodly solos: ''I cannot even do one sit-up,'' he sings on one track. ''Sit-ups are so bourgeoisie.'' Still miss his psychedelic side? Listen to ''Senator,'' a classic-rock tribute to ''smoking weed in our truck.'' B+

Download These:
Vintage rocker Senator
Pretty folkie No One Is (As I Are Be)

Originally posted Aug 10, 2011 Published in issue #1168-1169 Aug 19, 2011 Order article reprints

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