Stephen Malkmus announces new album Traditional Techniques, tour dates

Stephen Malkmus will release new album Traditional Techniques on March 6 via Matador. The album's lead single single “Xian Man” is streaming below.

Malkmus, frontman of Pavement and The Jicks, will release Traditional Techniques one year after 2019's foray into electronic music, Groove Denied. The new album leans on traditional folk sounds and is said to be "centered around the songwriter’s 12-string acoustic guitar" in a press release. The 10-song record was conceived while Malkmus recorded 2018 Jicks album Sparkle Hard.

Traditional Techniques tracklist:

"ACC Kirtan"
"Xian Man"
"The Greatest Own in Legal History"
"Cash Up"
"Shadowbanned"
"What Kind of Person"
"Flowin’ Robes"
"Brainwashed"
"Signal Western"
"Amberjack"

Malkmus will tour North America this spring, starting in Minneapolis on March 31 and wrapping up in Detroit the following month. More dates are expected to be announced soon. See below for the current schedule.

Tue. March 31 - Minneapolis, MN @ First Ave
Wed. April 1 - Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall
Thu. April 2 - Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
Fri. April 3 - Louisville, KY @ Headliners
Sat. April 4 - Nashville, TN @ Cannery Ballroom
Sun. April 5 - Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West
Tue. April 7 - Asheville, NC @ Orange Peel
Wed. April 8 - Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
Thu. April 9 - Richmond, VA @ The National
Fri. April 10 - Washington, DC @ Black Cat
Sat. April 11 - Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
Mon. April 13 - New York, NY @ Webster Hall
Wed. April 15 - Boston, MA @ Royale
Thu. April 16 - Montreal, QC @ L’Astral
Fri. April 17 - Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall
Sat. April 18 - Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom
Sun. April 19 - Detroit, MI @ St. Andrew’s Hall