Talk is cheap. Especially following the demise if the self-styled kings of quirkiness and all things aternative, Pavement. Believe the first impression you hear and Stephen Malkmus has simply recycled 'Shady Lane' a dozen times and will probably do so for the rest of his career. However, delve beneath the Pavement-esque understatement and a labyrinth of intertwining paths to satisfy the most curious of minds.

Due to Malkmus' distinctive voice and large amount of creative input into Pavement over the last decade, it is hard to imagine his solo work being anything dramatically different from the lo-fi indie that shadowed its path. And once a formula as perfect as this has been found why change? Experimentation? Perhaps, yet many have tried to emulate Malkmus' magical narration skills (think Damon Albarn) and failed. It seems Mr Malkmus is the only man able to fill the niche he practically created and lead the indie kids Pavement left in their wake to salvation.

And God himself couldn't have wished for a purer form of salvation than the first solo single 'Discretion Grove'. As Stephen croons 'Believe - Let it go' the nation should collectively lay Pavement memoried to rest and particpate in the confessional laid before them, because this is NOT Pavement. Subtlely Malkmus edges back the boundaries; a Status Quo style ending, a far more keyboard based sound alternating between the plain sinister ('Leisurely Poison'), dreamy tones which wouldn't be out of place in 'Willow The Wisp'('Sin Taxi')and an unashamed summer anthem ('Discretion Grove')

So pick yourself up, dust yourself down and believe, for as certainly as the summer is coming, this man will lead you to the Promised Land.