I'm with you 50% in Malkmus solo stuff. A lot of it is better than Pavement, but then I'm a total Crooked Rain fanboy. That's the one that probably tops everything. Added mid-nineties nostalgia element tips it that way.
Of the recent Jicks albums, Sparkle Hard was a total grower for me. Wasn't overly mad on it when it came out but it's now one of my favourite Malkmus related releases of them all. Superb, effortlessly melodic songwriting throughout.
But WTF are you on about w/ Grounded?
Terror Twilight is the only Pavement album I bought as it came it out, and love it. I've gone back to the old albums but cannot distinguish between them, and there's too much lo-fi shouting for my taste. I will say Pavement have the more iconic songs.
If I'm listening to Pavement I'll usually just put on the Quarantine the Past best off, which is brilliant.
The consistent quality of the Malkmus solo and jicks output is really impressive.