Customer Reviews

Pig Lib

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

...but there's something about SM's latest effort that just clicks. I was never into Pavement, just because there's so much other stuff out there, and I felt that theirs was just mediocre-to-good material. I listened to some samples of Malkmus' last solo album, but it just sounded one-dimensional, like he was trying to do one thing, but ended up doing another...and the material suffered.

Then, I heard "Vanessa From Queens" on Netscape Radio, and I was intrigued. I listened to a few samples on Amazon, and I must say, I couldn't place it, but I knew it was good. So, I bought it:

His refined-yet-fun indie-pop shows best on that track, "Vanessa From Queens". The rest is hard to label. There's no doubt about the psychadelic rock & jam-bands influence that is present in most of the non-pop tracks. One minute, he seems to be jamming like GD or Hot Tuna, the next, he's doing a refined imitation of Zappa (sans those flutes that I hated so much), and the next, he's Pavement again. The abrupt stops, followed by quick drum solos and oddly-placed classic-rock-esque guitar riffs, combined with the aforementioned psychadelic trend, certainly give the listener the feeling that this album could have been recorded in 1969 just as easily as 2002. The jam-band-esque rambling (evident on such tracks as "Witch Mountain Bridge") also give off that tone of free-spirited lack of structure that only jam bands and late 60's psych-rock have.

But, just as you think he's gone from Pavement to The String Cheese Incident, he pulls you back to his subtle structure, and never lets you forget that this ain't 1969, and he ain't Jerry.

It would almost seem like some kind of odd experiment in indie-rock/jamband fusion, if it weren't so seamlessly executed. He takes the best of both world and smacks 'em together; Pig Lib seems to have the energy and structure of indie-pop, and the free-spirited anti-structure of Jam-Band. SM knows what he's doing (most of the time, at least...it's hard to imitate Zappa and not lose yourself somewhat). Only someone who knew what they were doing could stitch together all these stylistic elements so well, and still have flawless rhythms with just the slightest hook.

The first listen was confusing. The second was revealing. The third was sublime. And each one since is just a little more enjoyable than the last. Check it out! The Jicks certainly add another dimension to Stephen Malkmus' odd world, and his experiments don't sound like experiments at all.

Few geniuses come along in ones lifetime who can truly be remembered in music. Today, we are perhaps faced with only a handful, among them Billy Corgan, Thom Yorke, and of course, Stephen Malkmus.

Head of the tremendously popular yet insanely underground indie band, Pavement, back in the early 90s, Malkmus is no stranger to the world of rock. We all knew Pavement was rad, but I think Malkmus's solo career has been far underpublicized for its magnitude. The fact is that Pavement remains that simplistic but influential band that everyone includes in their list of influences. Malkmus builds on that simple insanity, layering it with more guitar solos than Pavement ever saw and a sound that could be determined as a bit more cleaned up and at times, just a bit more lo-fi.

Malkmus's vocals remain as occasionally unnatural as ever, that forced, DIY indie attitude of vocal stylings. The lyrics and melodies, however, are stunning at times.

Songs like "Dark Wave" make this indie legend sound more like a new wave master, somehow sounding like vocals out of a System of a Down sound while retaining an overall feel closer to a band like the Faint.

Overall, though, the album has a feel closer to good ole rock 'n' roll. "Witch Mountain Bridge" has beautiful guitars and really nice vocals. It immediately struck me as being a really great song, although I'll admit that there's one melodic section in it that reminds me tremendously of the Red Hot Chili Pepper's "Californication." Around the half-way mark of the song comes this guitar solo that while simple in nature, just blew me away. Listening to it, I really think it's the riffs that make this album what it is.

Other great songs included "Us," something sounding almost poppy, a mix of Belle and Sebastian with Beck. "I don't really know your taste in ceilings," Malkmus sings, "but for now i think i'll keep on reeling / this adventure needs a little game." It's amazing how well this man's songwriting abilities have increased even since the days of Wowee Zowee. I also really liked "Craw Song," with keyboards and really nice guitars, the lyrics perhaps may even equal the insanity that we once knew with Pavement. "Michael wants Jackie / Jackie wants William / William wants Leroy / But Leroy is straight." There is just this silent sense of humor in the song: "I kiss and tell and make life hell."

Unfortunately, I don't think there's one bad song on this album... which in retrospect isn't unfortunate at all. I really feel that this album is magnificent, a modern work of art encompassing the traditional Pavement sound with a more mature element. This is excellent indie-rock, perhaps some of the finest there is. Truly. I'm actually blown away by this album, and right now, it ranks at #4 or so for my top of 2003 list (the Postal Service remains at top, followed by Cursive and perhaps Rainer Maria).

So, if you like indie rock with insane lyrics, great guitars, even a remotely folk sound... go for this. Really, best guitar solos I've ever heard within solid rock music here. Plus an sense of melody that only bands like Belle & Sebastian could suprass. Brilliant.

Check out if fans of: Pavement (of course), Velvet Underground, Spoon, the White Stripes, Ted Leo, Paul Westerberg (and the Replacements), Belle and Sebastian, the new Beck, Built to Spill (Doug Martsch), Guided by Voices or maybe even the Strokes...

I bought this album when it came out about a year ago and I have enjoyed it consistantly ever since. I'm glad that I waited this long to review it beause I wanted to see how it aged. I'm listening to it as I write, and let me tell you it has aged with perfection. I didn't become a Pavement fan until they were past their prime, but when I eventually came around it was because of Malkmus' unique songwriting and vocals. I later appreciated the whole band more and I was disappointed that they broke up. I am no longer disappoinnted, because SM & the Jicks are a better band than Pavement was, and "Pig Lib" is their coming out party. If you know anything about SM then you probably know that he is kind of an intellectual hermit who likes to read highbrow novels such as "Independent People" by Haldor Laxness. This quality may turn some people off, but not me. I think it translates perfectly into his songwriting. The lyrics on "Pig Lib" are abstract mostly, and at times very humorous. The most straightforward song on the album is the clever and catchy "Craw Song" which is about a sexually confused love quadrangle. Musically, the album is pretty mellow for the most part, and features some very impressive lead guitar work by Malkmus that borders on prog-style jamming at times. The best example of this is the epic "1% of One", which clocks in at an impressive 9:11.
If you like guitar, this song will you have you drooling. The whole album sort of has a progressive feel to it. "Water and a Seat" is another example of this in which Malkmus lets his guitar do the talking for about the first minute of the song. The hopelessly catchy "(Do not feed the) Oyster" is the most outstanding track on the album. I found it very hard to get out of my head elven months ago and I still do now. Overall this album is one of my favorites and has me thanking Matador records for continuing to release such fine music. They have the best label in music today and if you don't follow their acts then you better start.

Pavement may be gone, but Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks are here -- and God willing, they're here to stay. Malkmus's second solo album irons out the assorted problems of the first, and puts his new non-Pavement music on its own unique turf. It's catchy, fun, complex, and may just be brilliant.

After the quirky folk-rock opener "Water And a Seat," we're treated to melodic rock songs ("Ramp of Death," "Sheets"), polished jam sessions (the exquisitely titled "Do Not Feed the Oyster," "1% of One"), smooth multifaceted pop ("Vanessa From Queens"), and some songs that defy description (the taut, fast, scrapy "Dark Wave").

"Pig Lib" takes the best of jamming and polished studio sound and forces them together. It's refined, but hasn't had the indie-rock sound sucked out of it. A mass of contradictions: it sounds natural and relaxed, both spontaneous and carefully crafted. At times it drops into jam-band turf, before sliding back into Pavement-like rock with complex guitar riffs and spurts of psychedelica.

Malkmus's voice both stands out and blends in. While it isn't drowned out by the music, the music seems like a natural backdrop for him, even if he seems like he's forcing the words out of his mouth. The guitars are fantastic, percussion is solid, and the lyrics are stellar (especially the who-wants-who lyrics. "I kiss and tell/and make life hell/you know what it's about..." -- how much better does it get?).

Stephen Malkmus is up there with Billy Corgan and Thom Yorke as musical geniuses, who can weave complicated and beautiful music time and time again. And "Pig Lib" is a modern masterpiece of sound. A must-have for lovers of good rock.

i'd heard bad stuff about this album so i (foolishly) avoided listening to it until recently. it is, however, really good.

alot of the songs follow odd, folky chord progressions and time signatures which gives the overall feel of pavement gone prog... and it works! this is, in no small way, due to the fact that malkmus' guitarism has improved notably. he can actually pull this stuff off nowadays and i'd even go so far as to call him a decent guitarist. he seems to avoid the bog-standard blues scale in his solos, opting instead for less common modes/scales which provide for more interesting music... it keeps you guessing. malkmus even reminds me of tom verlaine at times.. but maybe that's just me.

in short, malkmus has screwed around with the formula a bit and the resulting album is catchy, fun and challenging - everything we expect from an artist of malkmus' calibre.

favourites (although every song's good) include witch mountain bridge, 1% of 1 (yeah, it does go on a bit), dark wave, water and a seat.

lovely stuff.

Malkmus is back after his self-titled debut, and it's MUCH better. Malkmus's (and the Jick's) first album was eclectic to say the least and although sounding good the first few times, suffered from a lack of musical depth. This time everything is far less eclectic but more "off kilter". It seems SM & The Jicks have found their sound, and it has a lot more depth then their first effort. It occassionally falls into the previous "pop-plus" sound of the first album ('Venessa From Queens' for example) but it recovers with a flourish.

The bonus tracks included in the first edition are also worth tracking down, they REALLY rock too.

It isn't Pavement (if you want more Pavement, at least in its mellowest form, try Spiral Stair's band "Preston School of Industry") but it IS rad.

Man, is it catchy. I'm loving this mellow jammin' Malkmus. It's not Pavement, and it's definitely looser than his last solo record, but give it a try. Many of the indie old schoolers have disappointed as of late, but this one makes you smile.

I bought one of the initial pressings of this with the bonus CD, which actually contains the best song on the album - Fractions and Feelings - and reminded me of why I loved Pavement so much in the first place. Try to track down that song on mp3 or something if they're not selling it anymore.

The rest of the CD is just good - luckily it contains only a bit of the compulsive silliness that ruined a lot of Malkmus's first album for me, in Craw Song and a few other places. Honestly, his attempts to be serious also feel rather self-conscious, which they never did in the past - even Us, which is a great song, shows a bit of the strain.

I for one don't lament the loss of the sloppiness. What I do miss is the feeling that he's really having fun making music, and that this stuff is still exciting to him. There's a glimpse of that excitement on Dark Wave, but it doesn't shine through as brightly as it did on the first three Pavement albums. He'll probably have an easy time coming up with a good melody for plenty of albums, but it isn't easy to get that liveliness back. There's only so long that any artist can have it.

I'd have to say that it's stephen m. at his own high standard with his telling lyrics and endearingly terrible voice. One of the best lines talking about having ballet tights around his head if that says anything. other times you kinda feel like your being led down a damp hallway wondering if it's leading to anywhere that's better than where you are at the moment and at the last possible moment of travel, it is.

This album delivers on the promise that the first Malkmus and the Jicks album laid out. Malkmus has finally transcended the "Rock N Roll Slacker" label that dogged Pavement in their later years, and has shown he's capable of being a Guitar God. No previous effort by Malkmus has shown so much appreciation for the guitar solo. In a way it reflects more of a sound that's achieved in concert, but there's something very calculated about the solos. Though the guitars are front and center on these songs, the SM and the Jicks are operating more like a seasoned band, instead of "the backup band for that guy from Pavement."

The sound is a departure from the debut Jicks album too. There are a lot of influences from classic rock history; a little punk, a little blues, and some progressive rock tendencies that shade the entire album. The compositions are challenging, at first listen nothing really stands out. By the third time around, the weird logic of each song begins to take shape. I believe this album will only get better with each listen.