As rock clichés go, the phase when the aging rock star begins experimenting with exotic instruments in the studio must be one of the most scoff-inducing. When the rock star in question is Stephen Malkmus, the listener can assume the artist is in on the joke. As the golden…

Clockwise from top left: Clipping., Nile, Stephen Malkmus, Taylor Swift, The Futureheads, The Claypool Lennon Delirium, Coldplay, The Flaming Lips featuring the Colorado Symphony, Lights and The New Pornographers. We’ve reached the end of 2019, meaning the time has come to look back over all the great music the…

SAN FRANCISCO — Since Pavement went on hiatus in 1999, Stephen Malkmus has released seven albums with the Jicks, the most recent, Sparkle Hard, in May. No one can accuse the man of not working hard. With work ethic undebatable, the frontman found another bone to pick with, well,…