Sparkle Hard

AlbumMay 18 / 201811 songs, 43m 46s
Indie Rock
Popular Highly Rated
200

8.0 / 10

On his fetching seventh solo album, the witty and digressive songwriting of Stephen Malkmus becomes newly and delightfully grounded in the present day.

B

Brooklyn quartet Parquet Courts harness their collective voice on Wide Awake!, while Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks reveal a little more of themselves on Sparkle Hard, and OOOOO & Islamiq Grrrls join forces for the intoxicating Faminine Mystique. These, plus GAS and Low Cut Connie in this week’s notable new releases.

8 / 10

The laconic king of American indie adds another jewel to his jauntily-angled crown

8.7 / 10

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On his seventh album solo the former Pavement leader spools out golden tunes and warm lyrics

A seemingly never-ending well of ideas.

Sparkle Hard comes into focus slowly and stately, coalescing around crawling piano chords that soon get blown to bits by guitars -- thereby offering a neat encapsulation of how this, the seventh album Stephen Malkmus has made since disbanding Pavement in 1999, walks a fine line between the familiar and the unexpected.

The elder statesman of rock and former Pavement frontman returns with an album overflowing with hooks, and a hint of grace and gravitas.

9 / 10

When Matador Records introduced Sparkle Hard to the world in February, they debuted the single "Middle America," a jangly, laidback, wordy p...

8 / 10

This is the seventh Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks record, as has been noted by many reviewers. “Wow, that’s more than Pavement”, they

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(Domino)

7 / 10

Stephen Malkmus And The Jicks can't shake the sense they've become the ultimate middle-aged alt-rock comfort food on new LP 'Sparkle Hard'.

For Stephen Malkmus, being a mature artist and an irreverent goofball aren’t mutually exclusive.

8 / 10

Seventeen years and seven albums in and around his Jicks, Stephen Malkmus remains both fairly punctual and reliable in following contrary impulses,...

8.5 / 10

Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks make a startling revival of seventies rock in our review of 'Sparkle Hard'

On their seventh album, the off-kilter ideas coalesce into big melodies and a more political stance

70 %

Malkmus is showing us that he has nothing left to hide.

Album Reviews: Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks - Sparkle Hard

3.8 / 5

Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks - Sparkle Hard review: Malkmus’ continued exploration of guitar-rock, psychedelia, funk, and progressive/classic rock is an inspiration to any artist wondering what post-fame can bring to their artistic resume.

8 / 10