Matador

Pavement fans know that Stephen Malkmus cranks out soulful and incisive alt-rock songs the way that most of us bitch about our problems – loudly, passionately and often. His solo work with the Jicks has sometimes hinted at his former band – 2008’s “Baltimore” might be the best stretch of Pavement since “Cut Your Hair” – but now that he’s got the much-hyped reunion out of his system, Mirror Traffic has the feeling of a creative breakthrough. Produced by Beck, there’s a stirring intimacy to the unplugged “No One Is (As I Are Be)” and the Rhodes keyboard melodies of “Asking Price,” while songs like “Tune Grief” and “Spazz” harness a retro-garage sound that gives Malkmus free rein to flex his vocal chops. The standout by far is “Brain Gallop” – a loping, summery guitar romp that would be right at home on a ‘70s beach transistor radio.