Album Review: Traditional Techniques | Stephen Malkmus

This is Album #13/20 that I listened to for my 2020 challenge. I listened to this album 8 times for my review.

Here are some quick stats about Traditional Techniques by Stephen Malkmus:

• Album #2 (solo)

• Released March 6, 2020 (Last solo album release 2019)

• Album length: 41:05, 10 tracks

• Doesn't appear to have charted on the US Billboard 200

• Genre: Folk Rock, Psychedelic Rock

• Metacritic score: 81/100

I haven't ever heard of this guy before. I decided to listen to this album because it was a new release the week that I was looking for more things to listen to for this challenge. It also was in the folk music realm. I haven't listened to any folk music for my 2020 challenge, so I thought this would be a good addition.

I did have some favorite songs of mine off the album, but I wouldn't say I really liked them, just that they were better than other songs. Those favorites included "Xian Man" and "What Kind of Person." I don't like "Shadowbanned" at all.

I think the main problem for me is the singing/vocals. I think the instrumentation behind the singing was nice, I think it was just covered up by the singing which was a little too raw. There are a lot of voice cracks and odd artistic choices. It was kind of weird. I think the lyrics were also pretty weak. Do ya'll remember that Saturday Night Live skit with Kristen Wiig and Fred Armisen where they would come up with songs together on the spot? That's what the lyrics of this album sounded like. It kind of sounded like a first pass attempt at lyrics that weren't ever reworked or refined. This album also suffers from the problem where a lot of the songs sound so similar to the point where it's hard to even distinguish between them.

I thought the instrumentation was interesting too. I liked the bits of flute and banjo that were in there. It looks like Stephen wrote all of the songs and plays guitar and bass. So as always, I just want to throw out there that I always appreciate when they write their own material.

I didn't hate it, I think it's just not for me. And I know I'm probably not going to listen to this album again. It also doesn't really convince me to listen to his previous albums. I wouldn't really recommend this album to other people. I would probably give it a 4/10.

Have you listened to this album? Let me know your thoughts down below.