From the anguished guitar moans of opening song “Dragonfly Pie” to the double guitar solo that closes the album, Real Emotional Trash is delightful modern-day psychedelic rock. Explosive crunches of guitar distortion and primal rock drumming alternate with bouncing Beatlesque choruses, Baroque electric piano lines and soundscapes of fuzzy synth. The lo-fi production and electronic elements that make their way into the texture make the music as modern as it is retro. What really makes it work, however, is that the music never takes itself too seriously—Malkmus’ jazzy lilt and seemingly nonsensical lyrics give the music a sense of fun and keep the album’s psychedelic heaviness from weighing it down.
For the most part, the album holds the listener’s interest, both sonically and compositionally. The down and dirty guitar work, often bedded in synth-y swishes and fuzz, marries elements of Hendrix and Beck. The bouncing organ and piano lines of “Dragonfly Pie” and “Cold Son” bring to mind the work of the late Elliott Smith. “Gardenia” is sunshiny pop at its best and it’s impossible not to nod along with the three chord piano verses or “la la las” of “We Can’t Help You.” Malkmus’ vocals remain lighthearted and relaxed throughout, countering even the heaviest musical moments with a sense of quirkiness and fun.
The music’s diverse sections and time changes also keep the listener captivated. In “Hopscotch Willie,” an infectious acoustic guitar groove is cut with a Beatlesque guitar interlude before descending to a psychedelic double guitar solo. Though “Real Emotional Trash” initially sounds like Wilco with it’s country-twinged blues feel and occasional crunch of guitar distortion, by the end it becomes up-tempo classic rock in the vein of the Grateful Dead.
Despite this marriage of influences, Malkmus’ outrageous guitar tones makes the music all his own. The guitar solos drip with distortion and testosterone, particularly in “Baltimore” and “Out of Reaches.” In “Real Emotional Trash” the guitar moves from vigorous wah pedal sounds to phase-shifted tremolo. The accompaniment to “Cold Son” alternates between bluesy riffs and stabs of chorus-y distortion. In “Elmo Delmo,” Malkmus feeds ambient distortion over a twisting Moog line.
At times the album does drag a bit. The constant guitar noodling can be hard on the ears while listening to the album in its entirety. Some of the songs feel unnecessarily long, which occasionally diminishes their poppy punch. Still, the lightheartedness and great musicianship never leave the music, making for an overall pleasant listen and maintaining that element that so much modern music lacks: fun.
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