The Hard Quartet

The Hard Quartet is a band. But what is a band? A band, perhaps, can be thought of as a body, a corpus, in which physically discrete lifeforms comprise a chimera that shrieks with one voice. In this particular band, which is one of millions in the world today, four players selflessly merge, become musical, and emit rock ‘n’ roll that is familiar but new, warm but icy, melodic but Sphinx-like in its seductive and subtle riddles… essentially, The Hard Quartet has leveled, cultivated, and made lush an entirely new steppe in the ecosystem of guitar-bass-drums-voice agriculture. The Hard Quartet: Emmett Kelly (Cairo Gang, The Double) , Stephen Malkmus (Pavement, The Jicks), Matt Sweeney (Chavez, Superwolf), and Jim White (Dirty Three, Cat Power, Venom P Stinger) Stephen Malkmus is launching a new band. His new group, following Pavement and Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, is called the Hard Quartet. Joining the California-born musician in the band are Emmett Kelly, Matt Sweeney, and Jim White. Malkmus, Kelly, and Sweeney all sing and play guitar and bass in the band. White also does vocals and is the Hard Quartet’s drummer. Emmett Kelly is the leader of the Cairo Gang. He’s also in the C.I.A. with Ty and Denée Segall, and the Double with Jim White. In addition, he’s worked often with Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Angel Olsen, and more. Matt Sweeney is best known for being in Chavez, and he recently reunited with Bonnie “Prince” Billy for the 2021 Superwolves album. He featured on Stephen Malkmus’ 2020 solo album, Traditional Techniques, too. Jim White is a co-founder of Dirty Three, who recently shared the comeback album Love Changes Everything. He’s also active with his duo Xylouris White, and, in 2024, has issued the solo album All Hits: Memories and the Marisa Anderson collaboration Swallowtail.