He fronted Pavement, one of the most influential indie groups of the '90s, and that will always be attached to his name. The band broke up almost 20 years ago, however, and Stephen Malkmus, alongside The Jicks, has been recording his own material over the last 17 years. Sparkle Hard is the 7th full-length of Malkmus's solo career, and he presents a a "light 'n' breezy, head-down heavy, audacious, melancholic and reflective" record. Although the sound is unmistakably Stephen Malkmus And The Jicks, the energy is very new & enthusiastic, and there are some unexpected "flourishes" throughout the album: auto-tune, a fiddle, vocal feature from from Kim Gordon, to name a few. It's a youthful, well crafted LP, with a lot of rock guitar, laidback vocals, and some commentary on what's happening in the world now, check out: "Solid Silk," "Middle America," "Rattler," and "Shiggy."

• includes printed insert and download code
• music label: Matador 2018

reviewed by rei kwondo 06/18