Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

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Empty Horses (2020)

Over the course of seven solo albums and a side project (Eyesinweasel), Tobin Sprout has made a few stylistic shifts and turns. However, for the most part, he has adhered to the lo-fi aesthetic he and fellow bandmate Robert Pollard pioneered in the 90s with indie rock stalwart Guided By Voices – short, catchy pop nuggets typically buried under layers of charming distortion and hiss. The majority of songs he recorded were done in the home studio above the garage that he built when he left GBV and moved to Leland, Michigan to raise a family and pursue his other passion, photo-realistic painting. As the previous write-up references, Sprout was so committed to being the torchbearer of that lo-fi pop aesthetic that Pitchfork dubbed him the “AC/DC of lo-fi rock,” a dig at how much his songs sounded the same over the course of several decades. Well, that all changes on Empty Horses. Sprout completely switches course on this album, eliminating the tape hiss, static and distortion, and replacing it with more professional-sounding, crisp production. That high-pitched voice that carries such a soft, innocent feeling takes a dip into a lower range on the vocal spectrum as well. And while Tobin’s songs tend to feature more pop or psychedelic arrangements, the prominent styles on Empty Horses are country, folk and gospel. Using God and the Civil War as inspiration, Sprout throws a significant change-up at his fans on this album. The official Release Notes provide some valuable context:

Artist, illustrator, writer and lo-fi innovator, Tobin Sprout was the super-productive partner of Robert Pollard in the legendary Guided By Voices. The gifted songwriter returns with a pensive, expansive part autobiographical new album 'Empty Horses'. Here he's part Townes Van Zandt, part John Prine, part Robbie Robertson at his retrospective best.

The album is a meticulously observed study of America and Americana (not the music, but the state of mind). An alternative American Songbook, if you will, a collection of laments to simpler times and the struggle for what's right, peppered with an examination of faith and the search for a sense of justice. Close up and personal, 'Empty Horses' is a poignant carefully etched experience, a rolling journey in modern times, nodding back to tradition, a personal snapshot filled with honesty.

This record was recorded both at Tobin’s home studio and Goon Lagoon Studio in Lansing, MI and released by the U.K.-based Fire Records. The Vermillion brothers return on bass and drums and Tommy Schichtel plays guitar. Tobin also enlisted Drew Howard to play pedal steel on a couple tracks. Needless to say, this is not your typical Tobin Sprout album. The cover art is an oil-on-canvas painting of an old Red Cross pin done by Tobin. With themes of The Civil War and God playing a central role on Empty Horses, there is a continuation of that awareness of one’s own mortality which surfaced of 2017’s The Universe and Me. In reflecting on the writing and recording of Empty Horses, Tobin has the following to say, “It took about two years to get it finished. I actually wrote two albums at the same time, and when I went to the record company and talked to the guys in the band, they all thought that this sounded like two albums. So, we kind of stripped it down. I really liked the Americana style of it. I had written “Antietam” about 10 years ago. There was a single that I just sold out of the house, but I didn’t really give it the attention that it needed. It was the last one that I put on the album. It fit perfectly with what the album had become. “On Golden River,” there’s a lot of history, a lot of Civil War references and just a lot of American history. It was an album I’d always wanted to make. I always admired other people that did that sort of work. I don’t think I intended to go this way, but it just became this album, this sort of warped into this album, Empty Horses. So, I’m really happy with it. I want to keep going in that direction, maybe a little more to the rock side, but it opened a lot of new doors for me as far as writing.”


1. Wings Prelude – The opening piano chord reminds me of some of the haunting songs on Magnolia Electric Co.’s fantastic Sojourner. Tobin’s voice comes in and sounds deeper and more weathered than ever before. The arrangement isn’t too far outside his typical wheelhouse, but the production and pitch of his voice indicate that the listener is in for something different. This sparse, piano ballad accomplishes a lot setting the tone in a mere minute and twenty-six seconds. “Hey now, I’ve called your bluff.” (7)
2. The Return – Well, this is certainly different. Sprout crafts a country-tinged, folk-gospel song with the crisp, acoustic guitar playing by Tommy Schichtel evoking John Prine. Tobin’s vocals right up front in the mix and super clean. His daughter, Martha, providing some Carter Family-like harmonizing vocals. “Coming down the old highway, that’s where I saw them.” (6)
3. Breaking Down – After a distant, Neil Young-like distorted guitar announces this track, Sprout goes all in with the country arrangement, bringing in Drew Howard to supply some fantastic, melancholic pedal steel. Big-time Robbie Robertson/Levon Helm vibes on this sweeping, atmospheric song, with double-tracked vocals used to great effect. Great bridge that features some ghost-like “Ooooooo’s” There’s a road that’s been building in my head.” (8)
4. On Golden Rivers – Song title brings to mind the 1981 Academy Award-nominated film, On Golden Pond. Tobin sings in a hushed, but clear voice as Schichtel and the Vermillion brothers do their best Stray Gators impersonation, with Sprout adding some piano and Hammond B3 to the mix. This sounds like a better version of what Jack Nitzsche attempted to add with those heavy-handed production additions to Neil Young’s work (see “A Man Needs a Maid”). Several Civil War references scattered throughout. “It stinks to high heaven.” (8)
5. The Man I Used to Know – Heavily-reverbed guitars dominate this track as the rhythm section provides that Crazy Horse-like, dusty gallop. Song reminds me of the reverbed Old West-styled material from Neil Young’s 1994 record, Sleeps with Angels. “It’s become like a crossroad puzzle.” (7)
6. Every Sweet Soul – This song shares a very similar sound and feel as track two, “The Return.” I am not used to hearing this kind of clean production on a Tobin Sprout album. “Empty rooms may try to break you.” (6)
7. Empty Horses – The title track sounds very similar to many of the songs Johnny Cash cut with Rick Rubin on those excellent American Recordings albums. Tobin dips way down in his vocal range as he conjures the ghost of Johnny Cash. “And left me in the gutter for others to see.” (6.5)
8. Antietam – Tobin resurrects a Civil War-themed single he self-released ten years ago when he began his short-lived label, Moonflower Records. As he states in a 2020 interview with Aquarium Drunkard, “I had written “Antietam” about 10 years ago. There was a single that I just sold out of the house, but I didn’t really give it the attention that it needed. It was the last one that I put on the album. It fit perfectly with what the album had become.” Special props to the percussion that mimics the sound of hooves hitting the paved surface. “The children played to the bells of Sunday.” (8)
9. All in My Sleep – Sprout and the band belt it out on this Crazy Horse-styled country rocker, complete with fuzzy, distorted guitar blasts. After a raucous start, the song transitions into a meandering piano excursion, accompanied by more sublime pedal steel. Tobin delivers on this sprawling, ambitious track. “In my sleep, I wake up to dream and carry on my way.” (9)
10. No Shame – The album concludes in a similar space where it began, with a sparse, somber piano track. This one is heavy on the spiritual side as Tobin pours a ton of emotion into this vocal performance. “Jesus has gone to heaven, but I can’t begin to fly away from here.” (5)

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Turn to Red (2006)

With the Tobin Sprout discography in the books, now is a good time to circle back to some of the Robert Pollard side projects that haven’t been covered yet. Boston Spaceships, Circus Devils, Airport 5, Ricked Wicky and Lifeguards got their time in the sun. Up next, we have The Takeovers. Hindsight being 20/20, I should’ve covered The Takeovers right after Boston Spaceships, as the band essentially morphed into The Spaceships. As was detailed before, at the turn of the century, Pollard created a new label called the Fading Captain Series. This new label enabled him to pump out a high volume of material under various aliases. Another factor that enabled such a large outpouring of new material was a process that Bob called “postal” albums, where someone would write and record a handful of songs and mail the tapes to Pollard for him to come up with lyrics and record his vocals over the instrumentals. Chris Slusarenko first met Pollard in 1997 in Portland, Oregon. He later went on to play bass in GBV from 2003 – 2004. As Slushy describes it, the genesis for The Takeovers went down like this, “We were driving around Dayton one weekend with a new collage Bob had made called Turn to Red by a fake band The Takeovers on his dashboard. We kept marveling at what a great image it was. How badly we wanted to hear that record. Like right now. Bob asked if I would write music and he would sing on it. Sounded great to me.” And that is how The Takeovers were born. A couple of years later, John Moen (The Decemberists) was recruited to play drums and The Takeovers became Boston Spaceships.
Original Release Notes for Turn to Red:

Instant classic! Robert enlisted Chris Slusarenko (former man of the Bass in Guided By Voices) to lay down a bed of instrumentals for a collaboration project called The Takeovers. Chris took the challenge head-on and turned in a stunning set of tracks... Robert then took these tracks into the studio and gave them life with amazing consistency and color. Robert also sprinkled the album with home recorded tidbits and cell phone voice-mails. The results are somewhere in between 'Speak Kindly' and 'Static Airplane Jive' - at least to these ears of mine. There is a stunning array of guests on this album, but my notes are not here right now... Trust me though -- Don't sleep.

Parts of Turn to Red feel like an extension of the Suitcase series Pollard began in 2000, while some of the tracks are more fleshed out and typical of what you could expect on a proper Guided By Voices or solo Pollard record. Whether you are drawn to stuff like “Wig Stomper” and “The Public Dance” or not, what is undeniable is the pair sound like they had a lot of fun collaborating on this project. The album is worth having just for the monster tracks “Fairly Blacking Out” and “Be It Not for the Serpentine Rain Dodger” alone. Plus, the seeds of Boston Spaceships are sown.

1. Do You Get Your Wish? – Simply strummed acoustic guitar with some spacey sounds in the background. No Pollard on this track. Instead we get his manager Rich Turiel narrating the lyrics like some radio announcer from a different time. Bob does like to keep things a little extra strange on these side projects. “That’s a pretty short story. What’s yours?” (4)
2. Insane/Cool It – Bob brings back the slash song on this garage/punk rocker that rides a nifty riff throughout. Slushy refers to this song as some sort of Guess Who/Velvet Underground mash-up. “I said move it or lose it.” (7)
3. First Spill Is Free – Stark transition from the previous thrasher on this beautifully-sung acoustic song. Slushy says he was aiming for something that sounds like an outtake from Pollard’s debut solo album, Not in My Airforce. “My blood is the only way.” (7)
4. Mojo Police – Speaking of getting a little extra strange on side projects…. This track certainly accomplishes that aim. Bob splices in some manipulated recordings he had laying around at the beginning and end of the track. According to Slushy, “I just wanted to make a weird piece of music that didn’t have any logic in rhythm or melody except that it was abstract, never predictable yet it was precise every time.” “Daylight to nightlight, it just doesn’t make sense to go on.” (3)
5. Scuffle with Nature – Sounds a lot like what many of the Suitcase tracks do. Song also referred to as “Eggs Make Me Sick” which apparently is one of the first songs ever wrote and used to sing to his younger brother, Jimmy, when they were kids. The Rich Turiel narration from the opening track is incorporated into the latter part of this one, too. What feels like a snippet song gets stretched out to just under four minutes. There is a charming quality to this one. “How did you know I’d let you go?” (6)
6. Sweet Jelly – Slushy pieced together three different cassette fragments from Bob’s old cassette recording to create this track. Intro features what sounds like a lot of bar chatter before someone starts comically belting out “sweet jelly” over and over. A unique snippet to end side one for sure. (4)
7. Fairly Blacking Out – Side two comes out firing on all cylinders on this infectious rocker. After some experimental meanderings on side one, Bob and Slushy deliver a straightforward, powerhouse track. Slushy recounts, “My dream of having Bob front Sebadoh was realized on this. Was super fun to write this one with Bob in mind.” “Well your parents spent a shit load of money on you so you could end every statement of your slowly delivered speech with the inflection of question, ya know?” (10)
8. Wig Stomper – Ever the comedian, this forty-six second snippet is Bob calling Slushy’s cell phone and singing silly songs he came up with on the spot. You can hear former GBV bassist Greg Demos laughing and talking at the end of the clip.
9. The Public Dance – Slushy composed what he felt would be a good Peter Gabriel/Genesis type of song for Bob to add lyrics to, but Pollard passed. Instead, we get this proggy instrumental that Slushy thinks morphs into some sort of post-punk track in the vein of Tuxedomoon. (2)
10. Be It Not for the Serpentine Rain Dodger – Oh man! This track… In digging through Bob’s old tapes, Slushy stumbled across this unreleased chestnut. He decided to spruce it up some by having Mudhoney drummer, Dan Peters, record a new drum part over the original recording. Slushy added a bass part and the enhanced track was complete. If someone made an argument that this was Bob’s best song ever, I’m not sure I could disagree. “He don’t really care at all if you laugh at him, get a photograph of him.” (10)
11. Bullfighter’s Cut – When Slushy first met Bob, they discovered they shared a love of the under-the-radar Paisley Underground band, Thin White Rope. In writing and assembling this one, Slushy attempted to capture the spirit and sound of that band. The most complex and ambitious track on the album, this song surpasses the six-minute mark. Bob summons some distorted, slightly out of tune horns to usher this one out. “Out on the range, with your guns and tobacco. What else do you need?” (7)
12. Jancy – Another snippet song that Slushy discovered among Bob’s unreleased tapes. He added a fresh drum part and sped up Bob’s vocals a bit. A kazoo was tacked on the end to add to the cacophony. “My brother, my buddy, my bro.” (6)

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Draft liner notes for EuroHEEDFEST 10 programme.

Do Something Surreal

This lyrical element of human thought, the source of all authentic poetry, common to all men did they but realise it, is manifested in the plays of Shakespeare and in the ravings of lunatics in Kubla Khan and in Walt Disney’s Silly Symphonies; in the paintings of Picasso and in popular picture-postcards.

— David Gascoyne, A Short Survey of Surrealism (1935)


As EuroHEEDFEST congregates for a milestone tenth edition of irresponsible rock and roll, it’s worth pausing to ask about the sustained nature of GBV fandom on our side of the Atlantic—why is it that Robert Pollard’s songs encourage such an obsessive following over here, given that they are cut from a very particular Midwestern cloth? After all, most of us know very little about baseball, the Wright Brothers, the freeway, or whatever.

The hooks help, but there is surely something else going on. A good tune will only get you so far. What is it that resonates so profoundly about songs like ‘Subspace Biographies’ or ‘Wondering Boy Poet’ or ‘My Zodiac Companion’, with their apparently tossed-off, ‘nonsense’ lyrics?

That which Pitchfork takes as half-arsed and meaningless prose is in fact determined by a surrealist sensibility whereby poetry announces itself in misheard conversation, surprising juxtapositions, and inebriated high jinks, such that the whole world is one big collage. Wonky shop signs and old tobacco commercials are raised to the level of the marvellous, imbued with universal meaning and very real emotional power.

One thing about this surrealism is that it’s wildly contagious. Under Bob’s tutelage, we have all become fast-tracked into a surrealist way of thinking. An odd turn of phrase sounds like the title of a new GBV album; a wrecked billboard its cover. We are guided by voices, attuned to chance, alert to what David Gascoyne called the lyrical element of human thought.

I would add that the surreal has long found popular expression in Britain. Take the Beatles, their music informed not just by working-class culture, as in music hall and R&B, but also the undoubted surrealism of The Goon Show and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Perhaps affinity with the Fab Four and their influences warms one up to Robert Pollard’s own blue collar modernism.

Of course, the latter also comes with its own long list of sources, none more obvious than the Beatles. Strange as it may seem, Spike Milligan courses through Bob’s veins, too—the point being that the surreal flows around the world in a frenzy of reciprocity. It is in this spirit that EuroHEEDFEST operates: as a letter from London to Dayton, at a distance of 4,000 miles, in celebration of the very human need to create art. Or else it’s a piss-up.

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Bad Football (2007)

Like Turn to Red, this one also features a killer Pollard collage (“You Were Saying?”) as the cover art. I mention this first because, as the previous write-up states, The Takeovers came to be because of the collage Bob created that ultimately became the cover art for the first album. Encouraged by how pleased Bob was with Turn to Red, Slushy wasted little time writing material for a follow-up Takeovers record. Reflecting back on the project, Slushy recounts, “So after Turn to Red I felt like I wanted to start writing songs for real again instead of just sketches of moods or riffs. My confidence was getting better and it was powerful to hear what Bob wanted to do with Turn To Red. I wasn’t sure if Bob would want to do another record or anything so I just worked on two songs to present to him to see if he’d be into doing more. They were “The Year Nobody Died” and “You’re at It.” I remember sitting in his car while I played him these two songs. When they were done he remarked at how much a leap forward they were from Turn to Red. We then decided to do another record and I set to writing and recording what would become Bad Football.” The original release notes for the album are as follows:

Welcome to the 2nd dose of The Takeovers. Following up their 1st album, Turn to Red, the world famous ROBERT POLLARD (of GUIDED BY VOICES) and the less so CHRIS SLUSARENKO (also of GBV) continue their musical mission of bombastic post-punk, fragile acoustic beauty and pop quirk. The new album, Bad Football, finds the boys with another drink in their hand but also with a perversely more catchy and anthem oriented album.

Cheap Trick whore action like "Pretty Not Bad" rub shoulders with the Verlaines aloofness of "I Can See My Dog" while the bass player from Wire looks down from heaven. Calling on likeminded bedfellows such as Stephen Malkmus (PAVEMENT), Tad Doyle (TAD), John Moen (THE DECEMBERISTS) and Dan Peters (MUDHONEY) to help follow their tuneful and psychedelic hearts the Takeovers waste no time pushing aside the sophomore curse. In fact, if you like Plastic Ono John, Wistful Paul, the fore mentioned bass player from Wire and/or Guided By Voices you’re in good hands with Bad Football.

Bad Football does not contain any songs that hit those heights like “Fairly Blacking Out” or “Be It Not for the Serpentine Rain Dodger” from Turn to Red. However, it may be a more even album, overall. And with John Moen behind the kit for the majority of the songs, this record really set the tone for the upcoming emergence of the excellent Boston Spaceships, which I devoured before I got into Guided By Voices. After a pair of Takeovers records, Pollard was inspired and eager to start a new band.

1. You’re at It – Slushy said he and Bob were listening to a good amount of early Thin Lizzy and that is the vibe he was aiming for on the opening track. Starts out with an acoustic guitar which gives way to a slightly-inebriated-sounding Pollard belting out lyrics. Stephen Malkmus guests with a guitar solo. “This form of suicide’s not quick enough. What else ya got?” (7)
2. Little Green Onion Man – Adept at various vocal stylings, Bob goes way out there on this one. Love the bass line on this track. Slushy says he was going for that Meat Puppets Up on the Sun era sound. I’d say he nails it. “This song is giving me a bad taste - like licking stamps and drinking shitty coffee.” (7)
3. Father’s Favorite Temperature – Bob contributes another trademark melodic vocal performance on this economical indie rock nugget. “I am snitching out your man.” (7)
4. Molly & Zack – Before there was Tabby & Lucy, there was Molly & Zack. Song begins with Slushy holding down one key of an electric typewriter he purchased at Goodwill. This acoustic track in much more subdued than the typical drunken affair associated with The Takeovers at this stage. Slushy picking and strumming away on an acoustic guitar. “Space station ships arrive, through cataclysms still survive, with relationships alive.” (6)
5. Pretty Not Bad – Rickety, unstable guitar kicks this one off. Swagger Bob delivering a series of clever one-liners. Slushy was inspired by two of his favorite bands (Cheap Trick and The Grifters) and refers to the song as “kind of a kindred spirit to "Fairly Blacking Out" from Turn To Red.” “I got a fake British Accent.” (7.5)
6. Smokestack Bellowing Stars – This was a Suitcase leftover that Slushy was enamored with. He enlisted Moen to add drums to the original recording. Got what sounds like some show chatter edited in to give it a bit of a live feel. Strong Boston Spaceships energy to this one. “Never hitch a ride with those guys, baby” (7)
7. I Can See My Dog – Big-time Flying Nun-esque jangle on this track. Some frantic Echo & the Bunnymen-styled drums courtesy of Moen, too! “Paper late, proud as a peacock.” (7)
8. The Jester of Helpmeat – Stars off rather innocuously before it morphs into a primitive, punk rock snippet. “The jester of helpmeat is not fucking around.” (3)
9. Kicks at the Gym – Slushy wanted to do a Sub Pop type of song, so he brought in Tad Doyle (Tad and Dan Peters (Mudhoney) to guest on this punk-inspired track. Bob really gets into character as some half-cocked, neanderthal meathead with the vocals. “Here’s where we get it on. We get our kicks at the gym!” (5)
10. Music for Us – Bob’s manager, Rich Turiel, as he did on a few tracks on the previous Takeovers album, provides some random announcements on this mess of a track that, for some reason, almost reaches the five-minute mark. Once again, Bob adopts a wide range of vocal stylings. I am not one of ‘Us’ when it comes to this song. “Hey everybody - it’s the station that’ll play you all the smash sensations!” (1)
11. The Year Nobody Died – Reminds me a little of “Far Out Crops” of the excellent Pollard solo record, Kid Marine. Bob bringing that stark, weary feel, as he deliberately draws out his vocal performance. Some cool guitar effects from Slushy who apparently played it without a pick. “Drank all the beer.” (6)
12. My Will – Slushy with a nod to the old school GBV methodology as he recorded the instruments for this on four track in his kitchen. Another lo-fi, fist-pumper to add to the catalog. Love the fuzzy guitar. Spliced onto the outro is audio from The Bing Crosby 60s show when the garage band The Standells played on there. “Restless in me will survive.” (7.5)

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Calling Zero (2002)

The Fading Captain Series was in full swing by 2002, a year in which Pollard released the following projects – Airport 5 – Life Starts Here, Acid Ranch – Some of the Magic Syrup Was Preserved, The Complete Soundtrack for the Tropic of Nipples, Circus Devils – The Harold Pig Memorial, Guided By Voices – Universal Truths and Cycles, Guided By Voices – The Pipe Dreams of Instant Prince Whippet and Go Back Snowball – Calling Zero. To help with this accelerated release schedule, Pollard was utilizing the postal album process detailed in several of the previous write-ups. Calling Zero is another example of one of these postal albums. The one-off side project, Go Back Snowball, consists of two 90s indie rock titans, Robert Pollard (Guided By Voices) and Mac McCaughan (Superchunk), joining forces. Go Back Snowball was one of the fake band names Bob assigned to one of the songs on the Suitcase collection. McCaughan wrote and performed all the instrumental parts and mailed the tapes to Pollard who came up with the lyrics and recorded vocals over the music. Overall, this collaboration is a bit of a mixed bag. Other than the outstanding “Never Forget Where You Get Them,” side one struggles to take hold. The second half of the album is where it’s at, particularly the standout track, “It Is Divine.” Major childhood, summertime, carefree feel to this record. Another tidbit about the record is McCaughan’s photograph serves as the cover art. Who says Bob can’t compromise?

1. Radical Girl – Mac lays down an arrangement with some 60s-styled, droning, squealing organ and horns for Pollard to tack on his melodic vocals. We get some horns as well. “Kid shoots in with motorcycle skin.” (5)
2. Calling Zero – Not so subtle gear shifting to this sunny, acoustic track. Such an effortlessly breezy song. “I love a girl named Colleen, but she loves a bouncer, six feet ten. And that's a mistake 'cus he's Colleen's hero.” (6)
3. Never Forget Where You Get Them – After a couple of okay songs to kick things off, the pair strike gold on track #3. Mac cooks up a very GBV-sounding arrangement and Pollard knocks it out of the park with his inspired, passionate vocal performance. “They have spared you, but they don’t care for you.” (10)
4. Red Hot Halos – Chunky, but shiny acoustic song with some interesting keyboards stabs and effects sprinkled in. Twee factor high on this track. “Sometimes the people move too slow.” (5)
5. Again the Waterloo – Mac channeling his inner Trent Reznor with the arrangement on this track. Bob plays along with distorted vocals. Can’t say I’m a big fan of this song. “Pound out your message and mail it to heaven.” (3)
6. Climb – Side one concludes with Mac fucking around with a variety of keys & synths. Bob contrasts the cacophony with a beautiful, melodic vocal performance. Lots of layers to this track. “I'll go everywhere before it's all over.” (5)
7. Go Gold – It takes about 1:15 for Bob to make an appearance after Mac sets things up with an acoustic guitar line that serves as the backbone throughout. Really dig the buzzing guitar solo Mac lays down during the outro. Side two is off to a solid start. “We will march one-half a million, from the tents to the pavilion, where the drinks are being sold.” (7)
8. Lifetime for the Mavericks – Perhaps inspired by the solo on the outro of the previous track, Mac lays down a fuzzy Matthew Sweet-esque winner to start off this one. Bob’s impassioned vocals working hard to penetrate the heavy fuzz of that guitar line. Song abruptly kicks out at the 1:50 mark. It’s just getting started. I want more! “They're too young, you know, to witness this business.” (7.5)
9. Throat of Throats – We’ve got a Casio keyboard with sound effects and a drum machine. Did Tobin Sprout sneak in for a song? Bob contributes some trademark surrealistic lyrics. “Vultures looping through fiery hoops In third dimension jumping suits.” (6)
10. Ironrose Worm – Back into the twee universe, as Mac conjures a carousel-like soundtrack for Bob to tack on some hushed vocals onto. This one took better hold with repeated listens. “Seeking a message not meant to be found.” (7)
11. It Is Divine – Eleven tracks into a one-time side project, Bob drops this massive masterpiece on the listener. Speaking of divine, the way he delivers that chorus is the essence of the word. Fuckin’ magical. “To piss on the hot street, like transistor sunman.” (10)
12. Dumbluck Systems Stormfront – Another A+ song title from Bob features a strong acoustic guitar contribution from Mac. Horns from the opening track return once again, but are more effective this time around. “Get off you high horse, baby.” (7)

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Blues and Boogie Shoes (2006)

Number forty-two in The Fading Captain series, this collaboration with power pop icon Tommy Keene was the first of three side projects Pollard released in May 2006. The seeds for the album were planted when Keene came on board as the guitarist/keyboardist for The Ascended Masters, Bob’s backing band for the 2006 tour in support of his first post-GBV solo record, From a Compound Eye. The postal album process was utilized once again, as Keene describes how the album was made, “The process of doing that album was that I sent him rough sketches of songs with drum machines to full-on fleshed out studio versions of about 30 songs and then he whittled it down to the 12 he felt most comfortable with, as in I think the 12 that he could hear melody lines and lyrics to.” Tommy recorded the instrumental parts at his home studio and Bob recorded his vocals at Waterloo Sound with the assistance of his longtime sidekick Todd Tobias. The official release notes are as follows:

Robert's current guitar and keyboard player for his live band is none other than Tommy Keene - a talented songwriter who has enjoyed success over the years as a solo artist. Mastering the genre of power pop (I although I read somewhere that Tommy hates using the P - P term), Tommy has been making seminal classics for as long as Mr. Pollard. Here, on the first Keene Brothers record, the two connect for a creamy set of pop/rock songs just in time for the summer. These tracks sound large and full and dynamic and catchy. It really is a perfect blend of a Tommy Keene record and your favorite Pollard recording.

As the release notes state, one aspect of Bob’s 4 Ps is front and center on this album – Pop. Overall, the record has a strong 80s feel/vibe, with many of the tracks possessing a soundtrack quality. This is a great summer album that pairs well with cookouts, road trips to the beach/lake or just having beers on your porch. With Tommy’s tragic passing in 2017, it is a shame these two never made a follow-up to Blues and Boogie Shoes.

1. Evil Vs. Evil – Short, energetic burst to kick things off. Major Don Henley vibe going on. “Zombie in tuxedo at the hall of voodoo.” (6)
2. Death of the Party – After a brief snippet, the album wastes no time delivering the goods. Pure unadulterated creamy, jangle perfection. One of, if not the greatest, vocal performances Bob has ever committed to tape. According to Tommy, “One song which I thought was in the bottom-tier quality-wise was one he picked and it ended up becoming the best song on the album! The song is “Death of the Party”. He came up with a fantastic melody line over my chord changes and great lyrics! This is an example of true collaboration: all too often when you’re writing with other people who are more successful than you, they tend to hold back their good bits for their own career or record, you have to bring something to the party to make it work and he did!!” “She used to be an American airline.” (10)
3. Beauty of the Draft – Sounds like a song you would hear in an 80s movie or some coming-of-age sitcom from the late 90s/early 00s. Bob supplies some top-notch, melodic lyrics. Tommy gives his guitar a solid workout and Jon Wurster (Superchunk, The Mountain Goats) makes his first of three appearances behind the kit. It’s crazy that ESPN hasn’t used this as a soundtrack to their NFL draft coverage. “Now we have a verdict: shit heels can walk.” (8)
4. Where Others Fail – Back to that Henley-like 80s sound found on the opening snippet. I swear this song was in one of those Steve Guttenberg movies from the 80s. “Lift him out and set him loose to find success where others fail.” (6)
5. Island of Lost Lucys – Strong vocal harmonies and a similar feel to “Hold on Hope” from 1999’s Do the Collapse. Speaking of the soundtrack feel on Blues and Boogie Shoes, that song was featured on an episode of the television show Scrubs. As close to sappy as you’ll ever find Bob. “Piss down and so you’ll find the same old voices raised tomorrow - breaking, cracking, gossiping away.” (8)
6. Lost Upon Us – With those opening keys, the song sounds like an outtake from the Go Back Snowball collaboration between Pollard and Mac McCaughan four years earlier. Builds into a proudly-defiant, creamy nugget. Some fantastic guitar from Keene throughout out as the Fading Captain works his magic to close things out. “Stare down your throat, into the dust.” (8.5)
7. Heaven’s Gate – Side two opens with Keene letting loose with some power chords and shredding before settling back into that Don Henley zone. Wurster’s final appearance adding some thump to the proceedings. “Consortial third eye at bake sale/bazaar, they know who you are.” (7)
8. The Naked Wall – Kinetic power pop song with a major 80s vibe – think The Smithereens. This is the type of material you would expect when these two announced the collaboration. “Our wolf boys forgotten, come you, come you to the wall.” (9)
9. The Camouflaged Friend – This is a pleasant instrumental, but I don’t understand why you wouldn’t include some lyrics on a collaboration where one party comes up with the music and the other supplies the lyrics and vocals. Missed opportunity. (5)
10. You Must Engage – I suppose this was my life mantra for the first forty years of my life. It’s much less so now. Another solid, pop nugget on an album full of them. “Self-whipped with suitcase and God’s perfect plan.” (7)
11. This Time Do You Feel It? – Super catchy song with Pollard absolutely belting out the chorus. Bob references the Naked Wall again and Tommy lays down some Townshend-esque power chords. “Doin’ the Starman thing, gazing at perfect stuff.” (9)
12. A Blue Shadow – Chiming, soaring power pop perfection. This is Tommy’s best musical contribution and Bob crushes the vocals. Such a great note to go out on. “It’s all too much visuals, contracts and residuals.” (10)

[cortez the killer]

All That is Holy (2006)

This album certainly has a Suitcase vibe. In one day, Pollard wrote and recorded onto his boom box all seventeen songs. He sent the demos over to Todd Tobias who put some additional touches on the original recordings. All That is Holy is one of three LPs (The Takeovers – Turn to Red, Keen Brothers – Boogie Shoes and Blues) Bob released in May 2006. The Fading Captain Series was pumping out fresh, original material at warp speed. The official release notes for the album are as follows:

Non-stop. This would be the easiest way to describe Robert Pollard's work ethic. When he sits down to write a song or two, odds are he will just go ahead and bang out a full album. At least that is what happened here with 'All That Is Holy.' Sitting in front of his little tape deck, Robert wrote all of these songs in one sitting. He sent the boom box recordings to Todd Tobias, Producer For Life, who then took them and molded them into tiny psych masterpieces. The vocals are slightly buried beneath the instrumentation, but the warmth of the tracks and the melodies still shine through. I would say these are all sketches of what someday may become classics. With the nature of this release being what it is, we are keeping it pretty limited and special for the fans. Get in early. The vinyl version will be limited to 1000 copies.

As is the case with all listening experiences, context is crucial. If one comes into this album expecting a fully-realized, produced album like Universal Truths and Cycles or Earthquake Glue, then I imagine they will be disappointed. This album is essentially a collection of demos that is more in line with the Suitcase compilations. A number of GBV fans made Vampire on Titus comparisons when the album was first released. None of the tracks reach the three-minute mark and Bob’s vocals are buried deep in the mix, often times impossible to make out. From the spartan brown-wrapper style cover to the “File Under: Hard-On Listener” note that appears on the album, it is clear that this is not the album for those fans looking to dip their toe into the Robert Pollard pool for the first time. You have to work harder to find the hooks and nuggets, but there are some to be mined.

1. The Killers – This track would get another makeover as a more fully fleshed out song as the opening track to Pollard’s 2007 solo album, Standard Gargoyle Decisions. Also has the distinction of opening three different Pollard albums – All That Is Holy, Standard Gargoyle Decisions and Our Gaze. Catchy song that certainly benefited from the enhanced treatment it received a year later. (6)
2. Suffer the Son – This has potential to be a fist-pumper if the current GBV lineup under Travis Harrison’s studio engineering tackled it. Todd Tobias supplements this well with a dizzying guitar line. (6)
3. Alibible – First appeared the previous year on Suitcase 2, credited to the fictitious band, Milko Waif. This one isn’t as crude as that version, but it isn’t much shinier either. Sounds like something that might’ve inspired Todd and Bob for the 2009 Circus Devils record, Gringo. Cool Middle Eastern-styled freak out during the latter part of the song. (5)
4. Father Is Good – Song starts off with a recording of a young girl uttering something in Spanish. From there, it transforms into a peppy track with Bob laying down some great acoustic guitar chords. I dig what Todd does with the additional guitar parts and drums. This is a track Boston Spaceships should’ve recycled. Perhaps the current GBV lineup will at some point. (6.5)
5. Blood Witness – Between the title and the arrangement, it is hard to believe that this somehow never surfaced, or resurfaced, on a Circus Devils album. (4)
6. Late Night Scamerica – The second track reworked from Suitcase 2 is one of the best songs on the record. Like “Alibible,” Todd adds some polish which certainly enhances it from the original Alvin Haisles version. Similar feel to “Beaten by the Target” of the excellent 2005 Moping Swans EP, Lightninghead to Coffeepot. (8)
7. Oh My Chosen One – Acoustic track that doesn’t receive much, save from a subtle string arrangement, enhancement from Tobias. (3)
8. Alabama Sunrise – Bit of a mid-60s Kinks vibe to this little snippet. If you ever wondered what The Kinks would sound like if they recorded in a well, you can find the answer here. (4)
9. Kiss You/Kill You – The return of the slash song has Todd putting some spastic keys over Bob’s acoustic demo. A little off-putting initially, but I’ve warmed up to it some over time. (5)
10. Jesus the Clockwork – Side 2 kicks off with the gem of the album. Here, Bob repurposes the vocal melody from “No Chain Breaking” from the outstanding 2003 Lifeguards record, Mist King Urth. Despite the primitive, demo-quality presentation, the beauty of this track manages to shine though. Songs looks like it might hit the three-minute mark before the Fading Captain steps in and works his magic. (9)
11. She’s Around – One of my least favorite songs that is done no favors by following “Jesus the Clockwork.” (3)
12. Disturbed – Energy is picked up on this perky number. Todd shows restraint adding color to this one. Again, another track the current lineup could crush. (6)
13. Yes an Article – This and “Blood Witness” were destined to be Circus Devils songs. Sadly, it never happened for either one. (3)
14. Hello Forever – Fragile, chilly song with Todd adding some strings to augment that feel. I have no idea what Bob is singing, but he does sound inspired and impassioned. (4)
15. Break Some Concentration – Funky as fuck. I was first introduced to this track via the excellent Crickets: Best of the Fading Captain Series 1999-2007 compilation. Kudos to Todd for his additions here. (8)
16. Nation Gone Dry – Some powerful strumming by Bob on a song that never really goes anywhere. (3)
17. Frozen Vegetable Fiction – Another hall-of-fame song title from Pollard. Todd adding some lo-fi keys that blend seamlessly with the original demo. Bob’s vocals buried very deep. (5)

[cortez the killer]

We’ve Moved (2008)

With The Fading Captain Series put to rest in 2007, Pollard started a new record label, Happy Jack Records. After a series of single releases, a Circus Devils album (Sgt. Disco), a Takeovers EP (Little Green Onion Man) and a solo record (Superman Was a Rocker) on the new label, Bob and Todd Tobias released a second full length album under the alias that combines two Alfred Hitchcock movies, Psycho and the Birds. As was the case with All That Is Holy, We’ve Moved was created with Bob recording songs onto his boom box and then sending them to Todd for some minor buffing and shading. Again, these are not quite demos and decidedly not fully fleshed out studio productions. The official release notes for the project are as follows:

The third time’s a charm. That's the story behind the third Psycho And The Birds release, We've Moved. The concept surrounding Psycho and The Birds is that Bob will write songs and record them on his infamous boombox, (every song he has written since the early 90s has been sung into that boombox) and will then send them off to producer/multi-instrumentalist/visionary, Todd Tobias, who will lay a band's worth of music over the songs. This time around they totally nail the process, and if the music world actually allowed artists like Bob a chance to have a hit, this album would actually be chock full of them. Songs like I Love a Revolution and Enon Beach are filled with undeniable likeability and pop goodness. Bob even pulls out some lyrics that he said he first wrote as a kid in the song She Tears Out. In some ways, Psycho and The Birds are becoming to Robert Pollard's solo albums what Robert Pollard solo albums were to Guided By Voices releases. It's a more user friendly Psycho And The Birds, more charming.

Reflecting back on the album, Todd Tobias offers the following:

These are songs that can be enjoyed as pure expressions of the id. As such it’s fun to hold on to the illusion that the songs sprang up fully formed directly from out of the depths. Musically, everything you hear on We’ve Moved is very coherent and locked into place. But at the same time the songs seem to follow some offstage logic or dream logic that’s difficult to pin down.

For me as a listener, this tension between what seems composed and what seems improvised all happening at the same time is the source of the album’s charm. And along with Bob’s vocals, it’s a source of the album’s humor. Once the songs sink in, the album becomes a joyful experience. For me as a musician, making We’ve Moved was the most fun I’ve had. Listening to it now, it seems to have the vibe of a backyard party on a Saturday night (or a Sunday night), only this is a party with a very strange band performing on the deck – a band with a shitty PA system that makes it hard to understand the singer. But there is an infectious exuberance to the songs that overrides any fear of weirdness, allowing the party to carry on and even escalate.

Bob would probably describe We’ve Moved as “ridiculous” – this being a term of endearment. On a few of these songs, the unhinged musical accompaniment makes it sound more like “Bird and the Psychos.” There are moments of pure delirium on We’ve Moved, especially if you blast the volume and/or enjoy a smoke before putting it on. But hiding behind the weirdness is a friendly soul born of pure fun. Even casual listeners can enjoy songs like ‘I Love A Revolution,’ and ‘Enon Beach’.

We’ve Moved sounds a little less like a collection of demos than All That Is Holy does. I think much of that has to do with the fact that you can actually make out more of Bob’s lyrics, which are far less buried in the mix. The record comes out firing on all cylinders before getting stuck in gear a bit. And just like that, after two LPs and an EP (Check Your Zoo) in two years, Psycho and the Birds vanished into the ether.

1. Person Who Lives in a Thundercloud – Another fantastic song title to get things started. Right away, you notice Bob’s vocals are more discernable than they were on the previous Psycho and the Birds record. Todd putting a little extra thump and bounce to this track. “Person who lives in a timebomb will take me down like lightning.” (7.5)
2. Rains Remain – Bob singing in something like an inebriated falsetto with an arrangement that wouldn’t be out of place on a Circus Devils album. “I would be old in a goldmine.” (6)
3. I Love a Revolution – Starts out as a crude demo before Todd’s additions pick it up. Love the various vocal stylings Bob utilizes in a song that just clears the 1:30 mark. Given a proper full band, studio treatment, this has the potential to be an upper-tier, GBV ass shaker. “I love a revolution!” (7)
4. Enon Beach – Sounds a lot like the stronger material one would get on a Robert Pollard solo album. Some excellent percussion provided by Todd. Has a layer or two of dust on it, but this is a shiny pop nugget. “And now we know there is no time to hate.” (8)
5. Franklin’s Famous Graham Cracker Crust – A title that can only come from Robert Ellsworth Pollard. On the Robert Pollard/Guided By Voices message board, someone commented that this sounds like Wire meets early, Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd. I can’t come up with a better description of the song, so I’ll leave it at that. Some really cool slide guitar addition by Todd at the conclusion of the track. “This is why she tells me she must go home.” (7.5)
6. Tomorrow Man – This one is really out there. Huge Circus Devils/David Lynch vibe. “Hey you burned out piece of shit.” (3)
7. Corona Grande – Another track that would be perfectly at home on one of the Circus Devils albums. Bob with some over-the-top nonsensical vocals. Todd adds a beautiful musical bridge to breakup some of the twisted vibe of the track. “Make me happy, Corona Grande.” (5)
8. She Tears Out – Side two opens with one of the first songs Pollard ever wrote as a young child. After back-to-back strangeness, the record lightens up again. “She tears out in her new Jaguar – outta sight – out of this life.” (6)
9. Love Theory – Hard-charging, aggressive rocker snippet to kick the party into a higher gear. “You can make it happen.” (6)
10. Hound Has the Advantage – Another up-tempo track that features some excellent mouth trumpet. Bob and Todd really let loose on this one. “The hound has come today.” (6)
11. Poor Old Pine – This is a beautiful, peaceful instrumental that has a soundtrack quality to it. (5)
12. I’m Never Gonna Leave, You’re Never Gonna Win – The Circus Devils have returned as this song builds and builds some menacing tension with Bob uttering gibberish. (5)
13. Hybertech Green – Straightforward rock arrangement with some absurdist Pollard musings. “It’s a holy time bomb mixed with meteors.” (5.5)
14. Sharp Apples – Todd brings some serious thump, punch and menace to Bob’s Dadaist ramblings. “I was drawn on into the light.” (6)
15. We’ve Moved – Closing track possesses a weary, melancholic feel. Bob’s guitar is rickety and slightly out of tune. Todd puts some somber strings on it to further emphasize the mood. “I went down that path, but I’m not coming back too soon.” (7)

[cortez the killer]

Unofficial, fan-made video for "Jesus the Clockwork"

[cortez the killer]

Unofficial, fan-made video for "I'm Never Gonna Leave, You're Never Gonna Win"

[cortez the killer]

Unofficial, fan-made video for "Corona Grande"

[tinnitus photography]

We’ve Moved (2008)

With The Fading Captain Series put to rest in 2007, Pollard started a new record label, Happy Jack Records. After a series of single releases, a Circus Devils album (Sgt. Disco), a Takeovers EP (Little Green Onion Man) and a solo record (Superman Was a Rocker) on the new label, Bob and Todd Tobias released a second full length album under the alias that combines two Alfred Hitchcock movies, Psycho and the Birds. As was the case with All That Is Holy, We’ve Moved was created with Bob recording songs onto his boom box and then sending them to Todd for some minor buffing and shading. Again, these are not quite demos and decidedly not fully fleshed out studio productions. The official release notes for the project are as follows:

The third time’s a charm. That's the story behind the third Psycho And The Birds release, We've Moved. The concept surrounding Psycho and The Birds is that Bob will write songs and record them on his infamous boombox, (every song he has written since the early 90s has been sung into that boombox) and will then send them off to producer/multi-instrumentalist/visionary, Todd Tobias, who will lay a band's worth of music over the songs. This time around they totally nail the process, and if the music world actually allowed artists like Bob a chance to have a hit, this album would actually be chock full of them. Songs like I Love a Revolution and Enon Beach are filled with undeniable likeability and pop goodness. Bob even pulls out some lyrics that he said he first wrote as a kid in the song She Tears Out. In some ways, Psycho and The Birds are becoming to Robert Pollard's solo albums what Robert Pollard solo albums were to Guided By Voices releases. It's a more user friendly Psycho And The Birds, more charming.

Reflecting back on the album, Todd Tobias offers the following:

These are songs that can be enjoyed as pure expressions of the id. As such it’s fun to hold on to the illusion that the songs sprang up fully formed directly from out of the depths. Musically, everything you hear on We’ve Moved is very coherent and locked into place. But at the same time the songs seem to follow some offstage logic or dream logic that’s difficult to pin down.

For me as a listener, this tension between what seems composed and what seems improvised all happening at the same time is the source of the album’s charm. And along with Bob’s vocals, it’s a source of the album’s humor. Once the songs sink in, the album becomes a joyful experience. For me as a musician, making We’ve Moved was the most fun I’ve had. Listening to it now, it seems to have the vibe of a backyard party on a Saturday night (or a Sunday night), only this is a party with a very strange band performing on the deck – a band with a shitty PA system that makes it hard to understand the singer. But there is an infectious exuberance to the songs that overrides any fear of weirdness, allowing the party to carry on and even escalate.

Bob would probably describe We’ve Moved as “ridiculous” – this being a term of endearment. On a few of these songs, the unhinged musical accompaniment makes it sound more like “Bird and the Psychos.” There are moments of pure delirium on We’ve Moved, especially if you blast the volume and/or enjoy a smoke before putting it on. But hiding behind the weirdness is a friendly soul born of pure fun. Even casual listeners can enjoy songs like ‘I Love A Revolution,’ and ‘Enon Beach’.

We’ve Moved sounds a little less like a collection of demos than All That Is Holy does. I think much of that has to do with the fact that you can actually make out more of Bob’s lyrics, which are far less buried in the mix. The record comes out firing on all cylinders before getting stuck in gear a bit. And just like that, after two LPs and an EP (Check Your Zoo) in two years, Psycho and the Birds vanished into the ether.

1. Person Who Lives in a Thundercloud – Another fantastic song title to get things started. Right away, you notice Bob’s vocals are more discernable than they were on the previous Psycho and the Birds record. Todd putting a little extra thump and bounce to this track. “Person who lives in a timebomb will take me down like lightning.” (7.5)
2. Rains Remain – Bob singing in something like an inebriated falsetto with an arrangement that wouldn’t be out of place on a Circus Devils album. “I would be old in a goldmine.” (6)
3. I Love a Revolution – Starts out as a crude demo before Todd’s additions pick it up. Love the various vocal stylings Bob utilizes in a song that just clears the 1:30 mark. Given a proper full band, studio treatment, this has the potential to be an upper-tier, GBV ass shaker. “I love a revolution!” (7)
4. Enon Beach – Sounds a lot like the stronger material one would get on a Robert Pollard solo album. Some excellent percussion provided by Todd. Has a layer or two of dust on it, but this is a shiny pop nugget. “And now we know there is no time to hate.” (8)
5. Franklin’s Famous Graham Cracker Crust – A title that can only come from Robert Ellsworth Pollard. On the Robert Pollard/Guided By Voices message board, someone commented that this sounds like Wire meets early, Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd. I can’t come up with a better description of the song, so I’ll leave it at that. Some really cool slide guitar addition by Todd at the conclusion of the track. “This is why she tells me she must go home.” (7.5)
6. Tomorrow Man – This one is really out there. Huge Circus Devils/David Lynch vibe. “Hey you burned out piece of shit.” (3)
7. Corona Grande – Another track that would be perfectly at home on one of the Circus Devils albums. Bob with some over-the-top nonsensical vocals. Todd adds a beautiful musical bridge to breakup some of the twisted vibe of the track. “Make me happy, Corona Grande.” (5)
8. She Tears Out – Side two opens with one of the first songs Pollard ever wrote as a young child. After back-to-back strangeness, the record lightens up again. “She tears out in her new Jaguar – outta sight – out of this life.” (6)
9. Love Theory – Hard-charging, aggressive rocker snippet to kick the party into a higher gear. “You can make it happen.” (6)
10. Hound Has the Advantage – Another up-tempo track that features some excellent mouth trumpet. Bob and Todd really let loose on this one. “The hound has come today.” (6)
11. Poor Old Pine – This is a beautiful, peaceful instrumental that has a soundtrack quality to it. (5)
12. I’m Never Gonna Leave, You’re Never Gonna Win – The Circus Devils have returned as this song builds and builds some menacing tension with Bob uttering gibberish. (5)
13. Hybertech Green – Straightforward rock arrangement with some absurdist Pollard musings. “It’s a holy time bomb mixed with meteors.” (5.5)
14. Sharp Apples – Todd brings some serious thump, punch and menace to Bob’s Dadaist ramblings. “I was drawn on into the light.” (6)
15. We’ve Moved – Closing track possesses a weary, melancholic feel. Bob’s guitar is rickety and slightly out of tune. Todd puts some somber strings on it to further emphasize the mood. “I went down that path, but I’m not coming back too soon.” (7)

i have never heard of this record.

[tinnitus photography]

the worst part?

I just looked it up on Discogs and yes - i own a copy of it.

[cortez the killer]

the worst part?

I just looked it up on Discogs and yes - i own a copy of it.

How much you want for it?

[tinnitus photography]

it's obviously a priceless family heirloom

[cortez the killer]

it's obviously a priceless family heirloom

I think there were only 500 (or 1000) pressed. Only one for sale on Discogs (but unavailable in the United States). It fetches a decent haul.

Lowest:$22.41
Median:$44.33
Highest:$55.55

[tinnitus photography]

i just saw someone had a listing for this record, $500:
https://www.discogs.com/release/1042132 ... -1984-1993

man i wonder what i would clear if i liquidated my gbv collection.

[cortez the killer]

i just saw someone had a listing for this record, $500:
https://www.discogs.com/release/1042132 ... -1984-1993

man i wonder what i would clear if i liquidated my gbv collection.

If you include your original Propeller, you will hit 5 figures.

Didn’t that Crunch guy recently auction off all his GBV vinyl? You should ask him.

[cortez the killer]

Jar of Jam Ton of Bricks (2009)

In addition to the FIVE other LPs Pollard released in 2009, he embarked on another “postal album” collaboration. This time around, Pollard teamed up with Australian singer/songwriter Richard Davies (The Moles, Cardinal), calling themselves Cosmos. Davies’ musical background is rooted more in punk and baroque, with this chief influences being The Beach Boys, The Velvet Underground and early Pink Floyd. Several of the songs are sparse, solo-sounding tracks featuring no more than an acoustic guitar or piano. The full band songs feature Malcom Travis (drums), Steve Brodsky (guitar, bass, drums), Dave Minehan (guitar) and Jabe Breyer (guitar). The official release notes for the album are as follows:

The latest collaboration project from Robert Pollard comes with a bit of a twist. Pollard hooks up with another indie rock icon Richard Davies (THE MOLES, CARDINAL) to bring you the band Cosmos. On Jar Of Jam Ton Of Bricks, vocal duties are split between the two heavyweights. Pollard takes lead vocals on eight songs, Davies on four. Davies enlists some of his Massachusetts merry men to assist with the music including David Minehan (THE NEIGHBORHOODS) and Malcom Travis (HUMAN SEXUAL RESPONSE, SUGAR). Jar Of Jam Ton Of Bricks flows back and forth between the atmospheric acoustic sounds with great Pollard melodies on top (Sudden Storms Are Normal, Just By Pushing A Button) to the all out pop rockers (Nude Metropolis, Westward Ho). The album concludes with a bang with the emotionally charged Davies sung tune Hail Mary.

Overall, this is a decent album. I find myself drawn more to the full-band rockers, but can appreciate what Pollard and Davies were aiming for with the more subdued tracks. There are several tracks worth mining for those that enjoy putting together those endless Pollard playlists.

1. Stoke Newington Blitzkrieg – Open instrumental sounds like someone recorded a horn on the moon and is playing the clip on loop. Sparse, chilly mood is set. (4)
2. Don’t Be a Shy Nurse – Hushed, acoustic song featuring a gorgeous Bob vocal performance. Sounds like an outtake from Pollard’s 2002 collaboration with Mac McCaughan, Calling Zero. “Let me sing a song with you.” (7)
3. Nude Metropolis – Features a lyric ripped from an old outtake, “At Odds with Dr. Genesis,” which later wound up as the intro to “Ester’s Day” on Bee Thousand. Super catchy song with some excellent piano. “Limp legs drag away over time and ferocity.” (8)
4. You Had to Be There – First song that features Richard Davies on vocals is a sparse acoustic track that sounds like it was recorded in some empty room in the late 60s. Obvious Skip Spence influence is obvious. “And, if nothing else, punk rock cocked a glorious snoot at the silver jubilee.” (5)
5. Grapes of Wrath – After four subdued tracks to open the record, we get our first rocker. Bit of a Stones feel to this track with Davies vocals sounding like Roger Waters. This is my favorite song of his on the album. “And I’ve smiled like a stepchild.” (8)
6. Sudden Storms Are Normal – Bob slows things down with another acoustic track. One of his more vulnerable-sounding vocal performances. “Truth is automatic and beautiful appliance.” (6)
7. Zeppelin Commander – The side one closer features Bob sounding somber and reflective. Only two instruments here are an acoustic guitar and maracas. “On winds of Dakota, not a clue or iota.” (6.5)
8. Enter Moonlight – Another short, chilly, sparse instrumental to open side two. David Lynch needs to use this in one of his films. (4)
9. For the Whiz Kid – Pollard ditched the acoustic guitar and is backed by the full band. Short, tight burst of garage power pop. “Throwing sparks all around, taffy tongues clicking with stamina.” (8)
10. The Neighborhood Trapeze – Pollard continues to rock, however the production on this one isn’t as crisp as the previous one. Very GBV-sounding track. “And it’s always a holiday.” (7)
11. Just by Pushing a Button – The maracas return and this time around they are accompanied by a piano. This sounds like one of those off-kilter snippets Pollard inserts into a GBV record to keep people on their toes. “Bring me my paper, mother.” (3)
12. Early Chills, Early Crow – Davies now adds in his version of what I just described above. “Early rock ‘n’ roll, it’s a dog and pony show.” (2)
13. Westward Ho – In my opinion, this is the “hit” of the collaboration. To my ears, sets the tone for many of the songs on the upcoming Mars Classroom album, New Theory of Everything. Love the song's pacing and Bob’s melodic vocals. The band is firing on all cylinders here. “Calling out to the only ghost in town.” (9)
14. Hail Mary – Is this a football reference or a holy one? Considering Davies is Australian, I tend to lean toward the latter. Album concludes with a fairly sparse acoustic track that shares the story of Grasshopper, who was in the band Mercury Rev. “Once the beautiful people, are now the raggy-tag people.” (6)

[tinnitus photography]

i just saw someone had a listing for this record, $500:
https://www.discogs.com/release/1042132 ... -1984-1993

man i wonder what i would clear if i liquidated my gbv collection.

If you include your original Propeller, you will hit 5 figures.

Didn’t that Crunch guy recently auction off all his GBV vinyl? You should ask him.

yeah i think he got rid of most of it. i really want to hang out w/ David soon. great guy, and a testament to how the internet, while sometimes a piece of flaming herpes-ridden diarrhea, is also an agent for good. would never have met a random guy from Brussels otherwise.

[cortez the killer]

New Theory of Everything (2011)

New Theory of Everything was released on March 29, 2011 and it was the third full-length, Pollard-associated LP released that year. January saw a new solo Pollard record (Space City Kicks) and February brought fans a second Lifeguards album (Waving at the Astronauts). New Theory is another collaborative postal album, this time featuring Pollard and Gary Waleik, the singer and guitarist for the Boston-based indie rock band, Big Dipper. And who is Big Dipper, you ask? The band was formed in 1985 by former members of Volcano Suns and The Embarrassment. They were described in a New York Times article as "musical contortionists: they love to toy with extremes, juxtaposing ferocious guitar noise with celestial vocal harmonies or planting a delicate melody in jagged rhythm.” Pollard and Waleik recruited Pell Mell drummer , Robert Beermen, and decided to call themselves Mars Classroom. Waleik and Beerman recorded the instrumentals at The Command Module in Natick, MA and shipped the tapes to Brecksville, OH where Pollard laid down the vocals with the help of his trusted sidekick, Todd Tobias. The release notes for the project are as follows:

Robert Pollard is no stranger to Mars. As a precocious earthling, he wrote one of his first songs about the red planet, and even though Bob’s a peaceful man, the God of War’s favorite celestial body keeps orbiting through his deep-space consciousness (see Pinball Mars, “Queen of Mars”). Is the constellation Ursa Major even in the same quadrant of the sky as Mars? Ask an amateur astronomer like Gary Waleik, stellar singer / guitarist of Boston’s inimitable purveyors of experimental pop, Big Dipper. How these two astral music-makers wound up together in a classroom on the fabled planet of little green men and came up with The New Theory of Everything is anyone’s guess. Oxygen tanks? Solaris-era spacesuits? Floating in a tin can far above the earth? However their minds melded, one wonders what they left on the blackboard as they worked out their hypothesis. Given the scope and beauty of the resulting music, it’s surely a formula for perfect song-craft.
The eleven tracks Pollard and Waleik beamed down to our humble blue planet for Mars Classroom’s debut LP range from the irrepressibly hooky, guitar-driven “New Theory” to the trippy moodiness of “Paint the Rocks” and the Brit-chime riffing and dirty-sweet harmonies of “It Had to Come From Somewhere.” The last track, an achingly languorous and slow-burning masterpiece called “Wish You Were Young,” features Pollard’s uncanny ability to put words together that can break your heart without plying a single sentimental cliché. The Hindi name for Mars comes from the Sanskrit word mangalam, meaning auspicious. It’s clear that this music from a distant planet came together under a very good sign.

Collaborations can be tricky. Sometimes they spark some magical creativity, while other times they can be haphazard affairs that work much better in theory than in practice. Beginning with The Fading Captain series and into the creation of Happy Jack Records, Pollard has embarked on a number of side projects and collaborations. Mars Classroom is one of those moments where everything came together and that magic happened. New Theory of Everything is a great pop record filled with the quirky touches of its two celebrated indie rock heroes, Robert Pollard and Gary Waliek. I’d also be remiss to not give props to drummer Robert Beerman who might be the second best drummer to ever work with Bob. The top dog is current GBV drummer, Kevin March. The album contains great melodies, is loaded with hooks and is a well-mixed record, especially when you consider its postal nature. I believe this album is up there with the upper-tier Guided-By Voices releases. If you are a fan of the poppier side of Pollard’s musical equation, New Theory of Everything is an essential record.

1. New Theory – The album wastes no time delivering a masterpiece on the opening track, with Pollard contributing another tremendous song for the power pop enthusiasts. An A+ vocal performance, masterful guitar work from Waliek and some serious thump from Beerman elevate this one to elite status. “I wanna hold your heavy hand.” (10)
2. Man.Wine.Power! – Punchy track featuring more excellent percussion, swirling guitars and a cocksure vocal performance from Pollard. Love the chorus and the Waleik guitar bridge on this one. “And don't forget to say "Action!" when she comes crying to mourn the death of her heroes and rock n' roll clowns.” (8)
3. There Never Was a Sea of Love – The high energy of the first two tracks comes to halt as Bob and Gary drop an achingly-beautiful, melancholic heartbreaker of a track on the listeners. Pollard delivers a vocal melody for the ages and Waleik’s restrained guitar is sublime. “The devil and the detour arrow, Cassavetes to your Mia Farrow.” (9)
4. Pre-Med’s a Trip – Just as the last Miller Lite tear falls from your cheek, Swagger Bob walks in. This song has a strong Takeovers vibe. It comes to an abrupt halt at about the forty-five second mark, before restarting with Bob belting out some classic one-liners. “I am a trust fund baby. Trust me I'm fun, baby.” (7.5)
5. I am an All-Star – The albums settles back into a breezier, melancholic groove to close side one. It truly is amazing the varied vocal stylings Pollard possesses. Some more top-notch guitar from Waleik and those little synth touches are fantastic. “I always listened when you played. I always eavesdropped when you prayed.” (8)
6. Dr. New Pile (Can You Guess Him) – Springy, bouncy post-punk track to raise the energy on the side two opener. Waleik’s guitar tone is so fuckin’ good. Guaranteed to get the asses shakin’. “No lies hide in the wide open scars of your blind side.” (9)
7. Paint the Rocks – A bit of a pattern developing with another moody, melancholic track following a high-energy song. Waleik cooks up a trippy vibe and Bob matches it perfectly with a subdued, deeper-in-the-mix vocal performance. “Paint over the paint!” (7)
8. (It’s Good to Be) Bug Boy – Here we go! Another fist-pumper/ass-shaker with a classic Pollard song title. Waleik with some steady riffs before he lets loose a bit in the latter half. “'Cus it's good to be Bug Boy, freedom at Madam Psychosis.” (8.5)
9. Lumps – Another trippy, dreamy arrangement with some neat guitar flourishes. The longest track here, it feels a lot like an album closer. “How do you take your lumps?” (7.5)
10. It Had to Come From Somewhere – Tempo and thump are cranked back up on this GBV-sounding track. Love the double-tracking of Bob’s vocals on the closing chorus. “That's right, it comes back but in trickles.” (9)
11. Wish You Were Young – Oof! Simply an amazing song. The hypnotic, swirling guitars. The incredible vocal melody. Gushing the aforementioned Miller Lite tears. Just a melancholic anthem for the ages. I can’t enough great things about this song. First cousin to Keene Brother’s “Death of the Party.” “Without a smile or a frown, these kids don't want to go down. And that's the difference between you and the cyclone machine.” (11)

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Fan-made, unofficial video for "When You Were Young." This song is ridonkulous.

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Unofficial, fan-made video for "New Theory."

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Unofficial, fan-made video for "There Never Was a Sea of Love."

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Ask Them (1999)

Thirty years after a rock star from Canada poached The Rockets and renamed the band Crazy Horse, a rock star from Dayton, OH did a similar thing with a local band known as The Tasties. Renaming them The Leapers, Pollard headed into Cro-Magnon Studio in Dayton and recorded six songs over six hours. One month later, the EP, Ask Them by Lexo and The Leapers, was released as #2 in the Fading Captain Series. When I originally began this exploration of the Pollard catalog, with the exception of the first official recording, Forever Since Breakfast, I wasn’t planning on including EPs. However, this one is simply too good and essential to overlook. This EP is a mid-fidelity, tour de force. A guitar album all the way, these songs rival the peak material Pollard’s main band, Guided-By Voices, was cranking out during that amazingly fertile period beginning with Propeller and culminating with Under the Bushes, Under the Stars. Not only is it my favorite Pollard-associated EP, it is one of my favorite EPs ever.

1. Time Machines – Song explodes out of the speakers and does not relent over its two minutes and sixteen seconds. Sounds very similar to those heavy, grinding, guitar-driven songs GBV was pumping out during the Bee Thousand/Alien Lanes/Under the Bushes, Under the Stars era. Epic, fist-pumper that, surprisingly, rarely found its way into the live setlist. “I'll ride them with you in the dreams of every page.” (10)
2. Alone, Stinking and Unafraid – Easily one of my favorite Pollard songs of all time. Love how the song builds to its ultimate climax. Goes from a simply stummed acoustic guitar, to some random dude exclaiming “Talk about a neat man, there was this man who was feeding my soul, and boy did I need it," to a brief spoken-word part from Bob, before exploding at the minute and a half mark. One of Bob’s ultimate defiant anthems. Not surprisingly, this did become a live staple for many years. “This time the world did. . . . what it told me it would.” (11)
3. Plainskin – Another track that transitions from simply-strummed acoustic guitar into a grinding, chugging rock song. Not as powerful as the previous two songs, but does succeed in getting the head to bob. “And paradise brings back amnesia and that should certainly please ya.” (7)
4. Will You Show Me Your Gold? – The Fading Captain goes with the fade-in as opposed to the fade-out on the side two opener. I know some folks get their panties in a bunch with regards to genres and sub-genres of music classification, but this Wire-meets-Crazy Horse hybrid ushers in the short-lived era of Doom Grunge. Those guitars roar and swirl throughout. Total hidden gem in the Pollard catalog. “Are you in the direction? Are you part of the salt?” (9)
5. Fair Touching – This song would resurface two years down the road as the lead track on Guided-By Voices’ 2001 album Isolation Drills. That version is all pretty and polished and should have been a massive alternative rock hit. This original version here is anything but pretty and polished and bears little resemblance to the ID version. In fact, I wouldn’t even classify this as a mid-fidelity track, which the other songs on Ask Them are. I was first exposed to the song via the ID version and I appreciate that one more. “Always pokerfaced before bingo.” (7)
6. Circling Motorhead Mountain – Shares a few similarities to track two. For starters, it is another tremendous song title. It also features some random dude talking in the beginning as he declares, “Thunder and lightning must go together. You cannot have thunder without lightning.” And, like “Alone, Stinking and Unafraid,” once it gets going, it kicks ass. Those guitars come in and just pummel you until the song disappears into screeching feedback. “It's a fast exploration, a loving bumper crop of raw power. The new juice!” (9)

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Unofficial, fan-made video for "Time Machines"

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"Alone, Stinking and Unafraid" on HBO's Reverb in 2001