The World’s Stuffed With Feathers, Table-Bottom Gum Holding It Together

John Vanderslice “White Dove” – John Vanderslice and his band are very sharp and precise, and through their set, they do a fine job of translating the careful sound of his studio recordings into performances that live and breathe in the moment. Nevertheless, the best part of his show comes at the end, when he and his bandmates enter the audience with acoustic instruments, shhh the crowd, and play a folky singalong (without so much of the singing-along) in the round. I saw it happen twice this week, and though it’s clearly a ritual, it doesn’t seem forced or false. As much as I love the crisp beats and the neat keyboard sounds of the main set, I kinda wish he and the band had spent a bit more time on the floor. (Click here to buy it from Barsuk. Also, a big thanks to John. I owe him one.)

Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks @ Music Hall of Williamsburg 4/2/2008
Pencil Rot / Elmo Delmo / Out Of Reaches / Hopscotch Willie / We Can’t Help You / Real Emotional Trash / Malediction / Gardenia / Dragonfly Pie / Cold Son / Baby C’mon / Oyster // Tuesday Afternoon (Randy Holland cover) / Alright Alright Alright (Mungo Jerry cover) / Old Jerry (brief instrumental tease) / Baltimore

Wow, this was just so much better than the Monday show. I mean, that was a pretty nice show and all, and if you only saw that one, you shouldn’t feel like you got screwed or anything, but the sound quality and physical space at the Music Hall is soooooooo much better than at the insanely overrated Bowery Ballroom, and Malkmus was considerably more disciplined and “on” in this set. There’s always going to be a playful sloppiness in his live performance — it’s pretty integral to his persona — but on Monday, he often seemed a bit apathetic. In this show, he struck a nice balance of goofiness and focus, even when he led the band into an odd improvised detour in the final solo section of “Hopscotch Willie.” “Elmo Delmo” and “Real Emotional Trash” were the major highlights, but the versions of “Baby C’mon,” “Gardenia,” and “Alright Alright Alright” were spirited and boppy.

Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks “Malediction” (Live in Portland, 2005) – I’ve got to say, “Malediction” came as quite a surprise. Some of you may remember that “Malediction” has a particular personal resonance for me; to the point that in retrospect, it basically sounds like my life in 2005. Hearing the song in concert three years later is a funny thing — aside from just loving the song on the basic level of enjoying its textures and melodies, it gives me this feeling of pride, like “I took that advice, and it worked out very well.” But it’s still a living thing, and the advice never stops being relevant. I’d kinda set the song aside for a while, but hearing it last night was a nice reminder. (Click here to buy it from Matador.)