The Jicks formed in 2000 in Portland, Oregon, United States, almost immediately after Pavement's 1999 "hiatus" began. The group's first record - which had a working title of Swedish Reggae - was simply called Stephen Malkmus. It was released by Matador Records on February 13th, 2001. At least a few of the songs were proposed Pavement songs before the group disbanded.
The group made their official live debut at New York's Bowery Ballroom only a few weeks before their first record was released. Around this time, Pavement's auxiliary percussionist Bob Nastanovich began acting as The Jicks' manager.
Pig Lib was the name of the band's second record, which was released in 2003. The songs had a much looser yet darker feel, and the band sounds more comfortable playing with one another. Malkmus has since expressed regret in some of the decisions he made with putting certain songs on this record. The album received decent reviews, gaining 3/5 stars from Allmusic and an 8.0/10 from Pitchfork Media.
For the first several years of The Jicks' existence, no Pavement songs were ever played live. Then on May 23, 2003, spontaneously and without notice, the band opened the evening's show in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with "Summer Babe" from Pavement's Slanted and Enchanted album. What followed was a complete set of Pavement tracks in the chronological order that the band originally released them, playing roughly two-three songs per album. This concert has been dubbed by fans as The Milwaukee Show.
Notably, The Jicks opened up for Radiohead on the band's North American tour in support of their album, Hail to the Thief.
Face the Truth, credited only to Malkmus, came in 2005 to ecstatic reviews, many of them claiming a return to Wowee Zowee-type form. Most of the album was recorded by Stephen alone in his basement, although each member of the Jicks play on at least one song on the record. The band toured only a small amount behind this record, partially due to the fact that Malkmus had a new child.
On October 2nd, 2006, it was reported by Pitchfork that Janet Weiss, drummer of Quasi and the defunct Sleater-Kinney, had officially joined the band, replacing founding drummer John Moen, who left to be the drummer for The Decemberists.
On March 4th, 2008, their latest album "Real Emotional Trash" was released.
In 2011, shortly after recording their fifth album, it was announced that Janet Weiss had left the band. She was replaced by Jake Morris, formerly of Joggers.
On August 23, 2011, the album "Mirror Traffic" was officially released to generally positive reviews.
Water and a Seat
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And what you say will never keep the tides away
Cut a window through a wall and hello hello hello hello?
The madness comes, the so much the better to shape
The madness comes, the so much the better to shape
Wicked week and logic creep up on me, water and a seat
The madness comes, the so much the better to shape
The madness comes, the so much the better to shape
Explosive path
I cannot touch your draft
Because the air is like perfume from Vikings
Hanging with the brown rice clique
Tender sun and politics
The madness comes, the so much the better to shape
The madness comes, the so much the better to shape
The grass grows warped, shape of the county court
I know you want that smalls hift to your liking
The lyrics of "Water and a Seat" by Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks seem to be referring to the ways in which madness shapes us and how we navigate our lives in the midst of it. The opening stanza seems to be about the idea of accepting that some things are beyond our control, which is conveyed through the metaphor of the tides. Even though we may try to resist the forces of chaos, we have to find a way to deal with them. The reference to cutting a window through a wall suggests that there may be ways to transcend these limitations, but it's not entirely clear what those might be. The repeated refrain of "The madness comes, the so much the better to shape" reinforces the idea that sometimes we have to embrace the chaos to grow and evolve.
The second verse describes a more specific scenario, where the singer is experiencing both wickedness and logic creeping up on them. The image of a cup of snow and a "snowflake kid" could be read as a metaphor for something pure and innocent being corrupted by external forces. The chorus brings us back to the idea that madness can be a positive force, as long as we learn from it and use it to become better versions of ourselves. The final verse contains some cryptic references to Vikings and "brown rice clique" that are difficult to decipher, but they seem to be suggesting that our environment and social connections play a role in shaping us as well.
Line by Line Meaning
I thought you'd go
I was anticipating your departure
And what you say will never keep the tides away
Your words can't control the inevitable fluctuations of life
Cut a window through a wall and hello hello hello hello?
Creating a new path through obstacles can bring unexpected encounters
The madness comes, the so much the better to shape
Chaos can be useful in molding or forming something
Wicked week and logic creep up on me, water and a seat
A taxing week weighed on me, a simple break is all I need
A cup of snow, a snowflake kid, he is coming off the grid
A unique individual with a pure spirit is breaking free from societal norms
Explosive path
A dramatic and sudden change of direction
I cannot touch your draft
I can't influence or match your creative output
Because the air is like perfume from Vikings
The atmosphere around you is rich and invigorating
Hanging with the brown rice clique
Spending time with a like-minded group of people seeking a natural lifestyle
Tender sun and politics
Discussing important issues with a gentle and understanding approach
The grass grows warped, shape of the county court
The natural world and the legal system can both be twisted or biased
I know you want that smalls hift to your liking
I understand your desire for a small change that suits your preferences
Contributed by Nicholas I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.