Best of Stephen Malkmus' B-Sides

If there was one thing the excellent deluxe editions of the Pavement catalog proved, it was that the band's B-sides weren't throwaways. As these two songs illustrate, that work ethic has continued throughout Stephen Malkmus' solo career. In the spring of 2003, for a small window of time, Malkmus & the Jicks released the 'Pig Lib' album with the limited edition "Dark Wave" EP. If you weren't lucky enough to get your hands on one of these rare digipak editions, a few months later you could opt for the EP alone. For those of us in America, however, it was a UK import and a little on the pricey side. It's out of print now, but if you see it used, don't hesitate to pick it up.

The six-song "Dark Wave" EP included the single and three non-album songs from the studio. The last two songs, "The Poet & the Witch" and "Shake It Around," were recorded live in 2001. In my humble opinion, the following are Malkmus' best B-sides. Enjoy.

Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks - Dynamic Calories (mp3)
Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks - Fractions & Feelings (mp3)