The music of Stephen Malkmus always holds a fond place in my heart.  From the first moment I heard the quirky sounds of Pavement around 1994 when I was about 11 years old on MTV’s 120 Minutes, I was instantly intrigued. Through all the muffled Grunge sound and a sea of alternative and industrial bands, Pavement, was like nothing I had ever heard before. For all the youngsters out there, this was way before finding music on the internet or being able to download it on your phone and ipods. We usually had to work to find the music we loved. Countless hours of listening to college radio, recording on cassettes, zines, staying up late to watch 120 Minutes, you name it.

Stephen Malkmus and Pavement were my first true glimpse at ‘Indie Rock.’ None of my friends understood what that even meant at the time. Indie Rock in the suburbs of New York was pretty a non-existent term. I begged my parents to go to see Pavement every time the radio announced they were in town, to no avail. By the time I was old enough, they were no longer a band. Luckily I had the chance to see them twice at their Central Park reunion shows back in 2010, which were phenomenal. Malkmus’ voice I have always found to be one of the most unique in rock n’ roll. Somehow it always sounds a bit sarcastic, which I’m not even sure is intentional. But that’s part  of it’s beauty. Throughout the years with Pavement and his solo-esque project, The Jicks, Malkmus always delivers. He never completely strays away from his classic sound, but it is indeed a sound that has evolved throughout time. It has become more polished, perhaps even a bit slicker. His vocals are always unforgettable, and he never tries to be anything he isn’t.

This week Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks released their 6th studio record. Wig Out at Jagbags, an incredible 14-track piece that somehow is better with every listen. Just unleashing the video for “Cinnamon and Lesbians,” and honoring it with their own ice cream flavor/meet-and-greet fest at Momofuku in NYC this week, the group also appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon performing “Lariat,” with a special online bonus of “Stick Figures in Love.” What a great way to ring in the new year, no? Wig Out at Jagbags isn’t a great departure from any other Jicks record that has been released, but seriously, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Link to the videos below of the group performing on Jimmy Fallon. Wig Out at Jagbags is out NOW, via the lovely folks at Matador Records.

“Lariat”
http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/video/stephen-malkmus-and-the-jicks-lariat/n44778

“Stick Figures in Love”
http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/video/stephen-malkmus-and-the-jicks-stick-figures-in-love/n44766

TOUR DATES:

Wed Feb 12 – Denver, CO – Gothic Theatre (with Tyvek)
Fri Feb 14 – Columbia, MO – Mojo’s (with Tyvek)
Sat Feb 15 – St. Louis, MO – Old Rock House (with Tyvek)
Sun Feb 16 – Omaha, NE – The Waiting Room(with Tyvek)
Tue Feb 18 – Minneapolis, MN – Cedar Cultural Center (with Tyvek)
Wed Feb 19 – Madison, WI – High Noon Saloon (with Tyvek)
Thu Feb 20 – Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall (with Disappears)
Fri Feb 21 – Ferndale, MI – The Loving Touch (with Disappears)
Sat Feb 22 – Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace(with Disappears)
Sun Feb 23 – Montreal, QC – Cafe Campus (with Disappears)
Tue Feb 25 – Boston, MA – Paradise (with Disappears)
Wed Feb 26 – New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom (with Disappears)
Thu Feb 27 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg (with Endless Boogie)
Fri Feb 28 – Washington, DC – Black Cat (with Endless Boogie)
Sat March 01 – Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of Living Arts (with Endless Boogie)
Mon March 03 – Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle (with Purling Hiss)
Tue March 04 – Atlanta, GA – Terminal West (with Purling Hiss)
Wed March 05 – Birmingham, AL – The Bottletree (with Purling Hiss)
Thu March 06 – New Orleans, LA – The Parish @ House of Blues (with Purling Hiss)
Fri March 07 – Houston, TX – Fitzgerald’s Upstairs (with Purling Hiss)
Sun March 09 – Dallas, TX – Granada Theater (with Purling Hiss)
Sat March 15 – Portland, OR – Star Theater
Thu March 27 – San Francisco, CA – Slim’s (with Speedy Ortiz)
Fri March 28 – Los Angeles, CA – El Rey Theatre (with Speedy Ortiz)
Sat March 29 – San Diego, CA – Casbah (with Speedy Ortiz)
Sun March 30 – Pioneertown, CA – Pappy & Harriets Pioneertown (with Speedy Ortiz)
Tue April 01 – Phoenix, AZ – The Crescent Ballroom (with Speedy Ortiz)
Wed April 02 – Las Vegas, NV – Beauty Bar (with Speedy Ortiz)
Thu April 03 – Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge (with Speedy Ortiz)
Sat April 05 – Missoula, MT – Top Hat (with Speedy Ortiz)
Mon April 7 – Calgary, AB – Republik (with Speedy Ortiz)
Tue April 8 – Edmonton, AB – Starlite Room (with Speedy Ortiz)
Thu April 10 – Vancouver, BC – Rickshaw Theatre (with Speedy Ortiz)
Fri April 11 – Victoria, BC – Lucky Bar (with Speedy Ortiz)
Sat April 12 – Seattle, WA – Neptune Theatre (with Speedy Ortiz)