Mirror Traffic, the fifth overall solo album from Stephen Malkmus and third credited with his backup band, The Jicks, opens with the line "I caught you streaking in your Birkenstocks/a scary thought/in the 2Ks." It is a cheeky ode to the 90's, the decade in which the footwear, Malkmus, and Mirror Traffic's producer, Beck, all came into fashion. Lucky for us, Malkmus and Beck have had more staying power than the Birkenstock. It's funny, these once indie posterboys for the Slacker Decade have proven to be anything but slouches, working consistently while circumventing convention and now making some of their finest music nearly two decades later. There is probably a lesson in there somewhere.

Mirror Traffic that he has learned a few himself over the years. Perhaps now that the looming spectre of a Pavement reunion has come and gone, Malkmus has settled into his skin feeling like himself again. Gone are the nervy, extended jams and psychedelic overtones of his previous LP, Real Emotional Trash. These new songs feel confident and concise, affable and effortless. And it sounds like he's having a good time.

-- Dan Wilcox, KCRW Music Host

Mirror Traffic will be available to stream on demand from August 15 through August 28, 2011. The album will be released on Tuesday, August 23, 2011.

Stephen Malkmus

MON JUN 27, 2005

Host:

• Nic Harcourt

Listen to/Watch entire show:

http://stephenmalkmus.com/

Track listing

1. Tigers

2. No One is (As I Are Be)

3. Senator

4. Brain Gallop

5. Jumblegloss

6. Asking Price

7. Stick Figures In Love

8. Spazz

9. Long Hard Book

10. Share the Red

11. Tune Grief

12. Forever 28

13. All Over Gently

14. Fall Away

15. Gorgeous Georgie