Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks, Mirror Traffic. All the contextualized reviews I’ve read about whether this album does/doesn’t hearken back to Malkmus’ hallowed old band, or relate to that band’s recent reunion, have been enlightening. But personally, I’ve been out of touch with his work for years and can’t comment on its arc. What is abundantly clear is that this album lies squarely in the area where it should, considering the age and experience of its creator. It’s not too raw (that would seem lazy), not too slick (that would seem out of touch), not too derivative, not too “experimental.” It acknowledges where Malkmus came from—his own old band and even older influences—while finding new areas for exploration.

This is still background music for me; hasn’t quite exploded out of the box. But I appreciate its intelligence, its consistency, its self-aware Malmusness.