(Spunk/EMI)

Post Pavement Stephen stays skew-iff

Stephen Malkmus keeps things endearingly mixed up on his latest record Real Emotional Trash. The new album has the dazed vocals and surreal guitar pop excursions that made us all love Pavement so (Hopscotch Willie could be one of the more stable moments on Wowee Zowee). But he’s not just tipping his hat to the veteran fans. Opening song Dragonfly Pie blends the sort of crawling electric blues our own Mexico City do so well, with an oddball prog-sing-song component. Meanwhile, the spirit of ‘71 continues in the Mellotron ‘n fuzz-drenched Wicked Wanda. We Can’t Help has the crunchy-yet-mellow melodicism that characterised much of Malkmus’ debut solo record, as does Cold Son (up until the chaotic freakout finale, that is). He’s also more comfortable these days for his tunes to go the distance, with five and six-minute compositions a not uncommon occurrence. The 10-minute title track, for instance, includes a lengthy guitar/synth mid-section that adds to the record’s jammy, psychedelic feel. Some newcomers to the Malkmus way may be initially disorientated by his free and unconventional approach to songcraft, but stay with the man – he makes a strange and wonderful kind of sense. And with tuneful target-hitters like Out Of Reaches (love that soulful keyboard break!) and the jaunty Gardenia, Malkmus has come up with some of his most warmly approachable songs in ages.

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MATT THROWER

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