Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks: Wig Out at Jagbags

Nineties indie-rock survivor Stephen Malkmus lived in Berlin for two years and came to Waimes, in the heart of the Ardennes, to record some of Wig Out at Jagbags, his sixth album with The Jicks. The choice of location doesn’t initiate the former Pavement frontman to a complete makeover.

CD | Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks ●●●
Wig Out at Jagbags rock (Domino)

Unruly guitars spread a West Coast atmosphere over twelve songs. Textually, Malkmus refers both ironically and enigmatically to his homeland, and philosophises, amongst other things, about lesbians and cinnamon. For example, what do you make of deadpan reflections like “Condoleeza’s rice/ Scattered on the floor” (“Scattegories”) or the nostalgic “We lived on Tennyson and venison and The Grateful Dead/ It was Mudhoney summer/ Torch of mystics/ Double bummer” (“Lariat”)? Just like on Mirror Traffic, his last album, Malkmus keeps a tenser hold on his guitars. “Houston Hades” plays with country-rock licks, and the occasional winds add a touch of soul (“J Smoov”). Capricious, nonchalant, but Malkmus never bores.

1/2, 19.30, €16/19, Botanique, www.botanique.be