Song of the Day (A-Z): Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks – Us

Day 21 (U). Us is the closing track from Stephen Malkmus’ second post-Pavement album, and first under the ‘& The Jicks’ moniker, Pig Lib.

Built around trademark Malkmus guitar figures & a solid backing by the Jicks, who are an excellent band. Lyrically, Us features Malkmus’ trademark brand of off-kilter, abstract storytelling & seemingly throwaway lines. Malkmus has confirmed in interviews for his 2018 Sparkle Hard album that some of his weirder lyrics are placeholders which he never got around to changing. I don’t know about you but I take great comfort from human imperfections in one of my heroes.

This version of Us was recorded at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco.

I’m a big fan of the concert that this performance is taken from & watch it fairly regularly. It’s just Malkmus with an acoustic guitar & an overdrive pedal. He seems drunk & he plays loads of Pavement tunes. He even plays Blue Arrangements by Silver Jews. Here as a bonus is the full version.

I wish we could get our act together
Make some sense of present tense alright
Take our time with what we find and fear it
Don’t you know there’s someplace else that we can go
Billions of trees to climb

I don’t really know your taste in ceilings
I don’t know the RPM you rev
But for now I think I’ll keep on reeling
This adventure needs a little game, my friend
It never ever ends

We’re locked in to talking a lariat knot to a Cree
A walk in the cotton, a rebel attempted to ski
We’re locked in to talking, I’d rather you not than agree
To walking in cotton, a rebel attempted to ski
On gypsum slats, you can’t do that

Streaking through the ferns in Allegheny
Chatting up a panda in a bar
Well, I like wearing slippers when it’s raining
This attraction bleeds into a thirst
Like it always does
Hey