Stephen Malkmus And The Jicks : Real Emotional Trash

As the frontman and primary songwriter of Pavement, Steve Malkmus crafted lazy, supremely catchy Art-Pop that defined the Slacker/Indie genre. As a solo artist, Malkmus hasn't exactly tightened up, but his music emerges from grander, more expansive sonic terrain. Real Emotional Trash, Malkmus' fourth solo album, kicks off with 'Dragonfly Pie' and immediately finds him in guitar-hero mode, slashing out disjointed riffs and shreds. Elsewhere, Stephen Malkmus' Classic Rock fixation is on full display, channeling George Harrison via the guitar solo on 'Hopscotch,' while the album's centerpiece, the 10-minute-plus title track, has the feel of Richard Thompson and Fairport Convention at their most epic (think 'A Sailor's Life'). His music has grown far too complex and cerebral for him to be called a slacker anymore.