A Neon Afternoon

Stephen Malkmus “Forget Your Place”

“Forget Your Place” is an exploration of vagueness and neutrality in which the most distinctive qualities of Stephen Malkmus’ musical identity – the way he plays guitar, the sound of his voice – are either removed or significantly altered to the point it’s nearly unrecognizable. The song is built around droning sound loops that feel both tranquil and slightly unnerving, evoking the drab hum of computers, appliances, and fluorescent lights. Malkmus’ voice is mostly pitched much lower than his natural range, and he sings phrases that seem lightly disassociated but also quite friendly. When his regular singing voice appears it seems like he’s breaking out a spell, repeating “24/7 creative adults!” like he’s realizing what’s going on in a light panic. This is basically the nightmare of having a kinda-OK day job from a guy who has been a successful artist for nearly his entire adult life. Or maybe it’s also a little bit of a fantasy? It’s not actually that bleak.

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