Grade: 88% (B+)
Birkenstocks, bourgeoisie, and blowjobs. That is how Malkmus decided to begin his newest LP with the Jicks. The first three tracks off of Mirror Traffic could stand for an entire album as themselves, traveling from the quick pop guitar of "Tigers", through the piano and brass supported sunset car-ride acoustic jam that is "No One Is (As I Are Be)," and sprinting the last 90-or so meters with the riffy, fellacio referencing, and Congress slander in "Senator." While the diversity of these tracks is impressive enough, most importantly in their ability to strike and emboss you in three individual fashions, they best show how Malkmus still has it.
The lyrical genius of "Gold Soundz" can be found splattered throughout this record. "Senator" is likely the best example of this even in the shadow of it's hilarious sexual jibes at our nation's leaders. In it's video, "Senator" portrays a coke driven and rambunctious Senator (who would've guessed?) played by Jack Black of all people. And while the song's focus and idea is driven by the issues in our government today, Malkmus' true motivation in the song is displayed in the bridge when he sings, "smoking weed in our truck, the cops roll up, how couldn't they not know? we are so so so invisible." He is brilliantly playing these two stereotypes off of each other: a horny and power mad Senator versus a lazy teenager who loves getting stoned. In the video, these kids are portrayed by a couple of adolescents who volunteer to put up campaign signs for the Senator and blow it off by getting high and going to a party. But Malkmus deceives you right till the end when he screams, "i know what everyone wants, what everyone wants is a blowjob," in essence telling us that these people are just like everyone else. You'll have to watch the video to get where his idea goes from here.
Enough about BJ's. The rest of the album is no slouch either. With a release date of August 23rd, it was the perfect record to straddle the end of summer and coming of fall. Jam and guitar guided songs like "Brian Gallop" and "Georgeous Georgie" extend just over five minutes as they prompt you to sort through your thoughts line to line while short/calming fret accentuated pop songs like "Asking Price" and "Fall Away" are assisted by the gentle 73-second "Jumblegloss" to maintain a balance on the album's overall rhythm. Strong tracks like "Stick Figures in Love" and "Forever 28" reinforce your belief that Malkmus is still here and here to stay.
Mirror Traffic is a departure from the long jams of 2008's Real Emotional Trash and instead samples a little bit of everything from Malkmus' songwriting efforts in the past. It is short and to the point at some moments and long and well thought-out at others. To your amusement, it's also nice to know that Stephen won't say blowjob on national television, but he will say fuck. Oh, and if you were lucky enough, you could've won his "blowjob contest" this summer as well. He still hasn't grown up, and if this album is any indication, it's a good thing.
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