| Sparkle Hard | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | May 18, 2018 | |||
| Studio | Halfling Studios, Portland, Oregon | |||
| Genre | Indie rock | |||
| Length | 43:41 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer | Chris Funk | |||
| Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Sparkle Hard | ||||
| ||||
Sparkle Hard is the seventh studio album by American indie rock band Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, released on May 18, 2018, by Matador Records and Domino Records. [1] It reached #174 on the Billboard 200 charts, [2] and peaked at #64 on the Official UK Charts. [3]
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AnyDecentMusic? | 7.9/10 [4] |
| Metacritic | 84/100 [5] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [6] |
| The A.V. Club | B+ [7] |
| Financial Times |  [8] |
| The Guardian | [9] |
| Mojo | [10] |
| The Observer | [11] |
| Pitchfork | 8.0/10 [12] |
| Q | [13] |
| Rolling Stone | [14] |
| Uncut | 8/10 [15] |
Sparkle Hard was critically acclaimed upon its release. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, it received an average score of 84, based on 26 reviews. [5] Jem Aswad of Variety said that "With nary a weak track, Sparkle Hard finds Malkmus hitting a new peak nearly 30 years into his career." [16]
Several publications named the album one of the best of 2018, including: Rolling Stone , [17] Spin, [18] Q, [19] Uncut, [20] Mojo, [21] Under the Radar, [22] and Consequence of Sound . [23]
All tracks are written by Stephen Malkmus
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Cast Off" | 2:54 |
| 2. | "Future Suite" | 2:43 |
| 3. | "Solid Silk" | 4:37 |
| 4. | "Bike Lane" | 3:34 |
| 5. | "Middle America" | 3:31 |
| 6. | "Rattler" | 3:08 |
| 7. | "Shiggy" | 3:16 |
| 8. | "Kite" | 6:40 |
| 9. | "Brethren" | 2:51 |
| 10. | "Refute" | 3:24 |
| 11. | "Difficulties / Let Them Eat Vowels" | 7:03 |
| Total length: | 43:41 | |
Pavement is an American indie rock band that formed in Stockton, California, in 1989. For most of their career, the group consisted of Stephen Malkmus, Scott Kannberg, Mark Ibold (bass), Steve West (drums), and Bob Nastanovich. Initially conceived as a recording project, the band at first avoided press or live performances, while attracting considerable underground attention with their early releases. Gradually evolving into a more polished band, Pavement recorded five full-length albums and ten EPs over the course of their decade-long career, though they disbanded with some acrimony in 1999 as the members moved on to other projects. In 2010, they undertook a well-received reunion tour, followed by another international tour from 2022 to 2024.
Stephen Joseph Malkmus is an American musician best known as the primary songwriter, lead singer and guitarist of the indie rock band Pavement. He performs with Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, Pavement, The Hard Quartet, and as a solo artist.
Slanted and Enchanted is the debut studio album by American indie rock band Pavement, released on April 20, 1992 by Matador Records. It is the only Pavement album to feature drummer Gary Young.
Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain is the second studio album by American indie rock band Pavement, released on February 14, 1994 by Matador Records. The album saw the band move on towards a more accessible rock sound than that of their more lo-fi debut Slanted and Enchanted and achieve moderate success with the single "Cut Your Hair". The album also saw original drummer Gary Young replaced by Steve West. It was a UK Top 20 hit upon release, although it was not so successful in the US charts.
Wowee Zowee is the third studio album by American indie rock band Pavement, released on April 11, 1995 by Matador Records. Most of it was recorded at Easley Recording in Memphis, Tennessee, where some members of the band had previously worked on Silver Jews' 1994 album Starlite Walker. The album showcases a more experimental side of the band, marking a return to the clatter and unpredictability of their early recordings after the more accessible sound of their 1994 studio album Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain. Its eclectic nature ranges from mellow yet distorted melodies to noise and punk rock, while the lyrics generally explore humorous and cryptic themes. At nearly one hour long, Wowee Zowee is Pavement's longest studio album, filling three sides of a vinyl record. Side four was left blank.
Brighten the Corners is the fourth studio album by American indie rock band Pavement, released on February 11, 1997 by Matador Records. The album received very positive reviews from critics.
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks is an American rock band consisting of Stephen Malkmus, Mike Clark, Joanna Bolme, and Jake Morris. Malkmus was the main singer and songwriter behind the influential 1990s indie rock band Pavement.
Face the Truth is the third solo album by Stephen Malkmus, released on May 23, 2005, in the UK and May 24, 2005, in the US.
Pig Lib is the second studio album by Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, released on March 18, 2003, by Matador Records. It peaked at No. 97 in the U.S. and No. 63 in the UK. The first pressing of the record came with a bonus disc containing five additional new songs. As of June 2004, the album has sold 49,000 copies in the U.S. according to Nielsen SoundScan.
Joanna Bolme is an American multi-instrumentalist and recording engineer who works with several indie rock bands and artists, mainly in the Pacific Northwest. She has been the bass guitarist for Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks since their formation in 2001. On October 12, 2019, Bolme was inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame.
Stephen Malkmus is the debut album by Stephen Malkmus, released on February 13, 2001 by Matador Records. Malkmus had planned to create the record by himself, or through a smaller, local label, but eventually accepted the offer Matador made, and he released it. Pre-release promotional CDs of the album exist under the working titles Jicks and Swedish Reggae. Malkmus intended to release the album as The Jicks, but Matador insisted that the album be released under his own name. The album peaked at number 124 in the US and number 49 in the UK.
The discography of Pavement, a Stockton, California-based indie rock group, consists of five studio albums, five double-length reissues of the albums, one compilation, ten extended plays, and thirteen singles. This list does not include material performed by members or former members of Pavement that was recorded with Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, Silver Jews, Preston School of Industry, Free Kitten, The Crust Brothers, or any other associated solo or side projects.
Real Emotional Trash is the fourth album by Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks. The album was released on March 4, 2008, by Matador Records. It was leaked on to the internet January 13, 2008. The album peaked at No. 64 on the Billboard 200.
Mike Clark is an American musician and restaurateur based in Portland, Oregon. He currently plays keyboards and guitar for Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks.
Mirror Traffic is the fifth studio album by Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, released on August 23, 2011, by Matador Records. It is the first collaboration between Stephen Malkmus and producer Beck and also the last album to feature drummer Janet Weiss, who moved on to become a member of Wild Flag. As of November 2013, the album has sold 30,000 copies in the U.S. according to Nielsen SoundScan.
Wig Out at Jagbags is the sixth studio album by American rock band Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks. It was released on January 7, 2014, by Matador Records.
Hot Thoughts is the ninth studio album by American rock band Spoon. It was released on March 17, 2017, through Matador Records. It is also the first Spoon album since 2002's Kill the Moonlight to not feature multi-instrumentalist Eric Harvey, who quietly left the band after finishing a world tour in support of 2014's They Want My Soul.
"Middle America" is a song by American rock band Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks. It is the fifth track and first single from their seventh studio album, Sparkle Hard, and was released as a digital single on February 7, 2018 by Matador Records and Domino Records.
Groove Denied is a studio album by American rock musician Stephen Malkmus. It is the third album credited to Malkmus and the first to not feature his band The Jicks. It was released on March 15, 2019 by Matador Records and Domino Recording Company.
Traditional Techniques is a solo album by American musician Stephen Malkmus, the fourth album credited to Malkmus and the second to not feature his band the Jicks. It is the ninth project in Malkmus's career since Pavement disbanded, and the fourteenth album released in his career. It was released on March 6, 2020, by Matador Records and Domino Recording Company.
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