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"Face The Truth" is the third solo effort by Stephen Malkmus, following the beautiful sunny self-titled album and the restless, crazy, guitar-driven "Pig Lib".
All the songs that make up this album share a common element of dreamlike vision, structural oddity (typical of Malkmus and his Pavement) unpredictability and a strong foundational psychedelic inclination. All these characteristics make "Face The Truth" a terribly fascinating work, enjoyable to listen to for all those who love "different," intelligent, and politically incorrect music that strays far from banality and the fashionable radio mainstream.
"Face The Truth" is certainly not an easily assimilated album; it requires several listens, and only after gaining a certain familiarity with the nuances, arrangements, and extravagances of these compositions, the magical and fiery verses of Pencil Riot or I've Hardly Been will burst in almost without warning, or the delicate and sharp melody of Freeze The Saints (which, for its title alone, should be considered for the best track of the year). This then gives way to the long psychedelic jam of No More Shoes, dominated by an energetic guitar performance by Malkmus, and then... well, I’ll stop here because it wouldn't be fair to reveal all the secrets of this magical and surprising album.
Tracklist Lyrics and Samples
01 Pencil Rot (04:07)
There's a villain in my head
And he's giving me shocks
Save me from me, save me from me
His name is leather mcwhip
And he needs to be stopped
Fly above me, fly above my roam
Fly above me, fly above me
Well I never had much of a lovely goal
Leave me halving, halving ever
It's like my mind's been touched
Though I never was born
please deform me, please deform me
Let me out
Of my head
In my bed
It's a lovely leather brown poison
No more shine
With the frame
Of a brain
It's a lovely leather brown poison
It's pencil rot!
04 Freeze the Saints (03:54)
We meet again
Riding our divisible bodies
Feel no shame
Luck is love is on
If you need the pain
Well you are, yes you are so much like me
Seasons change--nothing lasts for long
Except the earth and the mountains
So learn to sing along and languish here
Help me languish here
It was long ago
That all of your willing dimensions
Lost the flow
And vanished in vaneer
But iI want to know
If you are, yes you are so much like me
Steel restraints
Zodiac ballet, everybody play
There's no more counting days, you languish here
Help me languish here
You said, "done is good,"
But done well is so much fucking better
Share the wealth
And cauterize the tears
If you want to know
Well you are, yes you are so much like me
Freeze the saints
Such a subtle read, exquisite pedigree
Just let yourself be and languish here
Help me languish here
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