Watch Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks' 'Sparkle Hard' Short Film

BY Calum SlingerlandPublished May 9, 2018

Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks are just under 10 days away from releasing their Sparkle Hard LP, and before the effort arrives, the band have shared an accompanying documentary short film.

Directed by Brook Linder, the eponymous film presents a glimpse into the world of Malkmus, cutting together performance footage with the songwriter working on his tennis swing and riding horses.

"I have long been a Malkmus fan, and for years have thought very hard about what I would make with him given the opportunity," Linder said in a statement. "He's such a unique character and there's obviously so much history involved — making anything at all seemed pretty formidable. To me he is mysterious and nothing is obvious."

Linder first saw Malkmus play solo at Pitchfork Fest in 2017, a performance he describes as "so raw and funny and vulnerable and felt rare and weird. I wanted to capture that side of Malkmus somehow — to grab the mundane details of his life — and it turns out they're as enigmatic as he is."

Sparkle Hard officially arrives May 18 through Matador. The band have also mapped out a North American support tour, which you can find further details on here.

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