Stephen Malkmus

Stephen Malkmus vacated Pavement a few years back and embarked on the mother of all ego trips: the solo act. If you were one of the countless fans of Pavement's wink-wink, nudge-nudge pop quirk, this album won't disappoint. What you won't find familiar, however, are the extended instrumental bits containing guitar solos and synthesizer beepiness. Think Yes if they rode to the studio on the short bus.

Stephen Malkmus doesn't care about impressing you geeks anymore.

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Pavement records always had a claustrophobic feel to them. On this CD Malkmus broadens Pavement's narrow tonal range to include space as an element. In fact, more emphasis is placed on the music in general, and in particular his guitar playing -- which is a good thing, because he can play it well.

I would imagine that most sweater-wearing, backpack-toting, horn-rimmed-glasses-donning indie dorks may feel put off by this CD, but you guys have to understand that Steve is possibly twice your age and, actually, as in love with himself as he pretended to be back in the Pavement days. Hell, his Pavement mates told us so.

So Steve's gonna be fine with or without you people. He's got a little one to think of now, and nothing in life is better at making you realize just how unimportant impressing geeks is than wiping someone else's ass. Try it.

Face the Truthworks out quite well, and it shows that Malkmus's quitting Pavement may have worked out for the best after all. He will probably gain some new fans on this release and will lose more old ones. My guess is that he won't lose any more sleep than he already does on diaper duty.