Many of Stephen Malkmus’s songwriting contemporaries and forebears invite grand metaphors when considering their work. On this site alone, I’ve written about the closing of the American West in Bill Callahan’s songs “Drover” and “Baby’s Breath” as well as the hero’s journey and Guy Debord’s concept of dérive in “Where Are You Tonight? (Journey ThroughContinue reading “Stephen Malkmus Series: “Lariat””
Tag Archives: Alfred Lord Tennyson
Stephen Malkmus Series: “Water and a Seat”
When Matador Record released Stephen Malkmus’s first album in 2001, there was a concerted effort on their part to establish Malkmus as a solo artist and offer this new stage of his career as distinct from Pavement. Most of the contemporary reviews of the album couldn’t help but push this same narrative. Though there’s some quirkinessContinue reading “Stephen Malkmus Series: “Water and a Seat””
Recliner Notes 