Guitar enthusiasts/heroes rejoice! Malkmus unapologetically shows off his unmistakable guitar chops and conjures up the 70’s while paying homage to artists like Velvet Underground and the Grateful Dead. Many of the songs are longer and although they sprawl, these songs do not drag. In fact, the best track on the album is the ten-minute “Real Emotional Trash”, the song is a road trip itself, give it a listen and you’ll know what I mean. Even those with a short attention span can enjoy poppier tunes like “Gardenia” and “Cold Son” while jam band fans will surely appreciate the down and dirty jammer “Hopscotch Willie” and the choppy voyage track “Baltimore”. Good time tracks like "Elmo Delmo" show Malkmus' appreciation for the far out yet somehow it doesn't seem silly. The entire CD is fit-to-play, there is not a weak track on the entire album. There is no good word to describe Real Emotional Trash, so I’ll make one up right now, RET is a zoned-out “Slashterpiece” of epic proportions. His lyrical range is impressive and this album shows that Malkmus' mind is still as rich and generative as it always has been.
WH
DigMusicCityLive
9 out of 10
