Stephen Malkmus's first three solo records were nothing short of fantastic. He had built on the success of his band Pavement and in some ways taken it to new levels. While it's not commonly agreed upon that his solo career has exceeded his achievements as the Pavement frontman, it's hard to argue that they pale in comparison either. Real Emotional Trash is his fourth record, a follow up to 2005's Face the Truth. Although it was a fairly good record, something about the record left me somewhat dissatisfied. The middle of the record really dragged and brought the album as a whole down a peg. With Real Emotional Trash, it is the complete opposite. The middle tracks are among the best, including the mind-numbing ten minute title track. The album as a whole most closely resembles 2003's Pig Lib, which was a bit more "jammy" and less pop oriented than his debut or Face the Truth. "Baltimore" and "Hopscotch Willie" have some great solos reminiscent of previous tracks like "Animal Midnight" or "1 Percent of One." My personal favorite track is "Out of Reaches" because it blends every great element of the album into one song. Some great instrumentation and a nice tune with classic Stephen Malkmus lyrics. One of the little things i noticed that seems to make a big difference in enjoying this album is the track order. The short songs are intermingled nicely with the longer ones making for a great listen the whole way through. For example, the long, solo-filled "Baltimore" is followed immediately by the short, more pop-oriented "Gardenia." The highlight of the album for many people will be the grinding ten minute title track. Starting off slow and mellow, it elevates to a face-melting solo and right back again. Overall, the album has something for anyone who likes good music. It's very early into the year, but in my eyes Real Emotional Trash is the early frontrunner for album of 2008. Just another chapter in the impressive career of Stephen Malkmus.
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