Although they did a reunion tour in 2010, lo-fi indie rock poster boys Pavement, broke up in 1999; and ever since aging ‘90s hipsters have waited for bandleader, Stephen Malkmus to make an album as groundbreaking as “Slanted & Enchanted,” “Crooked, Crooked Rain” or “Wowee Zowee.” As is common of hipsters of all ages they have been disappointed. Who cares? Personally I’ve loved the Jicks albums, especially 2008’s “Real Emotional Trash,” which is a noise guitar fuzz jam lover’s wet dream.
Stephen Malkmus is one of my favorite guitarists to listen to. There are some guitarists that I listen to in order to be blown away by their virtuosity; Hendrix, Clapton, Page and Zappa come immediately to mind. Then there are guitarists who are more interested in seeing exactly what kind of sounds and noises they can create by cranking their amps, spraying feedback, stomping pedals and turning knobs. Hendrix again comes to mind but also Lou Reed and Sonic Youth. Malkmus definitely belongs with the latter group, and while “Wig Out At Jagbags” isn’t exactly a noise rock masterpiece, it’s more of a relaxed indie pop album, there is enough of Malkmus’ distinctive guitar racket to satisfy. For example, “Planetary Motion” with its stomping rhythm and wah wah fuzz, opens the record with Malkmus in psych rock mode pondering celestial orbits or something or other.
“Lariat” is an obvious single that includes the line, “we lived on Tennyson, venison and the Grateful Dead.” It’s a bouncy bit of sunshine that has Malkmus boasting “We grew up listening to the music of the best decade ever…” The Grateful Dead are referenced again on the album’s other obvious single “Cinnamon and Lesbians;” only instead of name checking the ‘60’s jamband Malkmus liberally lifts several guitar lines from the Dead’s St. Stephen. The tune is also full of Malkmus' trademark quirky lyrical imagery. Along with claiming that he has been “tripping his face off since breakfast, taking in this windswept afternoon,” Malkmus mentions Christian sailors, “smooth talking jack off jailers” and a “one stop shop with such narrow convenience.” There is a funny music video that manages to show every odd image that Malkmus conveys. You can check it here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEH3ubfMw3M
Basically “Wig Out At Jagbags” is the sound of a clever indie rock veteran relaxing, goofing off and enjoying the sounds he can make both musically and lyrically. “Shibboleth” sounds like Beck fronting a forgotten nineties grunge band. “J Smoov” features some tasty trombone and sounds like a mash up of Pavement and Al Green. “Chartjunk” opens with a catchy guitar riff and a joyous horn section that sonically recalls that moment in break up movies when our protagonist decides its time clean up his apartment, quit his dead end job, pursue his life’s real passion and find a new lover along the way. I’m not sure if that is the theme lyrically but that was the montage that ran through my head.
“Surreal Teenagers” is the record’s longest track. It begins slow and trippy, then after Malkmus warns; “if you choose to copulate, you better get home fast…” a distorted guitar leads into the chorus and the Jicks rock out. It’s a good way to close what is ultimately a non earth shattering, but ultimately pleasing indie rock album.
Now, I’ve decided I need some kind of ranking system on this site. Being that this site is called the 13th Floor of Hell I’ve decided to rate albums by giving them burning coals instead of stars. “Wig Out At Jagbags” gets 3 ½ burning coals.
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