"Post-Paint Boy", available on iTunes, is the first single from the new SM (sans jicks) album 'Face the Truth'. Not to get all pitchforky and start out on a tangeant but I saw an interview with George Lucas recently who said that the remainder of his career will be spent making movies for himself, that no one else will like. Regardless of the fact that George has already been making movies no one likes for twenty years, he has a point. He has a billion dollars and no amount of failed experiments will tarnish his legacy.
So in my court, as in many, Stephen is an indie-cred billionaire. He has released two albums since Pavement with the air of a musician doing what feels right to him. With success, he slowly went from cool geek to confident, less-interesting guy. His crafted, inspired weirdness has been subjugated to rare appearances on B-sides("Polish Mule" "Fractions and Feelings"). Instead, he indulges in a nine-minute guitar jam. His lyrics shed any enigmatic charm to wear their absurd meaninglessness as a badge. And track after track his vocals obey the speed limit. Perhaps he just got sick of Mark E. Smith egging his house for ripping him off.
The fact that a song this pulled back is the new album's first single is a bad sign for 'Wowee Zowee' fans. It's a tough sell in a time of such exciting new music because I just can't bring myself to grow up with Stephen when I'd rather be clinging to youth with Kele Okereke.
As a Stephen fan I am obliged to say 'Good for Malk'. As a music fan though, it's hard not to wish he were still sharpshooting my very specific tastes. They are tastes that he's hugely responsible for winnowing down.
But what do I know? I've been building Katamaris in an apartment that smells like corned beef and Icy Hot all night.
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