Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

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Keep It in Motion (Act V)

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As you may recall, Pollard hinted in a 2013 interview following the release of English Little League that the band might be done. However, the band held steady and released two more records in 2014, Motivational Jumpsuit and Cool Planet. Then, with about a dozen dates remaining on the Cool Planet tour, Pollard once again pulled the plug on Guided By Voices. He had done so a decade earlier in 2004, but far more ceremoniously with a farewell tour that culminated with one final New Year’s Eve show in Chicago. This time around there was simply a brief announcement on Pollard’s website:
Guided By Voices has come to an end. With 4 years of great shows and six killer albums, it was a hell of a comeback run. The remaining shows in the next two months are unfortunately canceled. Our sincere apologies to those that have purchased tickets and made travel plans. Thanks to everyone who has supported GBV.

Shortly after the website announcement, Pollard sent an email to the New York Times which published the following excerpt:
“I feel we’ve done some great work with these albums,” [Pollard] wrote, “it wasn’t just a reunion to cash in. But it’s gone as far as it was going to go and to go beyond this point, to any degree or any length would be just going through the motions. It’s time to wrap it up with this particular entity.”
And just like that, it was over again. And although GBV appeared to be finished, Pollard was certainly not ready to throw in the towel on his music career. He immediately went back to doing what he does best, writing music and cutting records. Just two months after announcing GBV was done, Bob released a Circus Devils LP, aptly-titled Escape. In 2015 he released another Circus Devils record (Stomping Grounds), a solo album (Faulty Superheroes) and formed a new band called Ricked Wicky, a name Bob came up with in his teens when he was making album sleeves for pretend bands. For this project, Pollard retained Kevin March on drums, longtime collaborator Todd Tobias would play bass and a new musician, Daytonian Nick Mitchell (no relation to Mitch Mitchell), would play guitar, write songs and also sing. March and Tobias were both part of several past GBV projects and tours. Mitchell was a young, up-and-coming musician on the Dayton music scene. He and Bob hit it off and he occupied a similar role in Ricked Wicky that Tobin Sprout had once held in GBV. In describing his new band, Pollard proclaimed that Ricked Wicky “is a sophisticated arena rock band.” Not one to hold back, Pollard and his new band released three full-length albums in 2015 alone, I Sell the Circus, King Heavy Metal and Swimmer to a Liquid Armchair. And wouldn’t you know, all three records are very strong in their own right. It appeared that Ricked Wicky was the band poised to replace Guided By Voices moving forward.

Then, in early 2016, it was announced on the official Guided By Voices Facebook page that the band would be headlining the Sled Festival that summer. The announcement also stated that there was a "strikingly fresh Guided By Voices album in the works" with Pollard playing all the instruments. For the tour, the new GBV lineup would include two Ricked Wicky members Kevin March (drums) and Nick Mitchell (guitar), joined by newcomers Bobby Bare Jr. (guitar) and Mark Shue (bass). Bare Jr. was a longtime GBV fan and his band had opened for GBV on the Cool Planet tour. Shue’s connection to Pollard was through Todd Tobias, with whom Shue had collaborated with on a handful of projects over the years. Mitchell’s place in the band didn’t last long. About halfway through the tour in support of the Please Be Honest album, it was announced that Mitchell had been let go. Reaching back into the past, Pollard successfully recruited former GBV guitarist Doug Gillard to return to the band. After a year of uncertainty, somehow, someway, Guided By Voices was back again.



to be continued...
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

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Official music video for Ricked Wicky's "Poor Substitute"
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

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Stoned Comedian Ringo
1. Flat Beauty
2. Subspace Biographies
3. Powerblessings
4. Pop Zeus
5. Slick as Snails
6. I Drove a Tank
7. Edison's Memos
8. Dancing Girls and Dancing Men
9. Love Is Stronger Than Witchcraft
10. Light Show
11. Zoom (It Happens All Over the World)
12. Supernatural Car Lover
13. Miles Under The Skin
14. The Blondes
15. The Butler Stands For All Of Us
16. Things Have Changed (Down in Mexico City)
17. Silk Rotor
18. Arrows And Balloons
19. Something Strawberry
20. Dunce Codex
21. Red Rubber Army
22. Airs
23. Tonight's the Rodeo
24. Up Up and Up
25. My Daughter Yes She Knows

A brief, chronological sample of Pollard's solo catalog.
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

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Please Be Honest (2016)

In 2015, the 4th installment of the Suitcase series (Captain Kangaroo Won the War) dropped in what many figured would be the last official Guided By Voices release. As we soon found out, this was not the case. It was announced in early 2016 that a new GBV record was in the works. This time around the lineup was Pollard on vocals, Pollard on guitars, Pollard on bass and Pollard on drums. The history of GBV is one with a variety of musicians moving in and out of Bob’s orbit. However, this one was a bit startling. The man who had released twenty-two full-length solo records (with #23, My Daughter Yes She Knows, about to be released a month before the new GBV LP), not to mention numerous side projects, announced that GBV was back and it featured just him. This cemented that fact that Guided By Voices was, is and will always be Robert Pollard and whomever the fuck else he decides to collaborate with. In the liner notes to Please Be Honest, it goes on to further proclaim:
Robert Pollard is Guided By Voices. This has never not been true, certainly, and is now more true than ever. He delights in confounding expectations, and you have to at least suspect that after over 20 years of making records under any number of pseudonyms, of which Guided By Voices is just one, and maybe not even his favorite one, he chafes at the notion that there exists some Platonic ideal of 'Guided By Voices' that isn't just Bob writing and recording the songs with whatever musicians he wants to use. Guided By Voices' new live line-up reflects not just a possibly subconscious desire to prove that unalterable fact, but fits with Pollard's unchanging changeability. He does what he wants. He is who he is. The only 'classic lineup' that has ever mattered is singer / songwriter / multi-instrumentalist / band leader / magician / thunderstorm Robert Pollard. Long may he rain.
In Bob’s defense, Please Be Honest is not the first GBV where he plays all of the instruments himself. He did so on 1993’s Vampire on Titus, too. However, at the time VoT came out, the only moniker Pollard had ever released anything under was Guided By Voices. In 2016, he had released albums under dozens of appellations. Only Bob knows why he decided to release Please Be Honest under the GBV name. I will say the sound and feel of the LP does hold true to the unique GBV aesthetic, with its lo-fi stylistic diversity and song snippets. And although it does not include the classic lineup, or any lineup for that matter, it does transport the listener to that pre-1997 period of the band. But most importantly, it set the stage for the rebirth of another version of the band.

1. My Zodiac Companion – Starts off as a sparse acoustic song before building into a mini prog epic. That trademark Pollard defiance on full display. Strong opener. “Orbital ghosts attract sparks. Aftermath heaven, the unborn called. They miss you.” (9)
2. Kid on a Ladder – Prototypical mid-fi Pollard pop track in that it is a simple song, stuffed with hooks and a keen sense of melody. (8)
3. Come on Mr. Christian – Bit of a dreary track this conjures up a rainy day vibe. Interesting addition of strings to the mid-fi aesthetic. This one grows on you. (6)
4. The Grasshopper Eaters – This avant-garde song summons the ghost of Captain Beefheart. Has a nice acoustic guitar line going before it devolves into some sounds of Pollard banging away on whatever items appear to be lying around the studio. Curiously, it is the longest track on the album (3:22). (3)
5. Glittering Parliaments – Another up-tempo, charger that gets the anti-gloss treatment. This mid/lo-fi track is one of the more archetypal songs on the LP, guaranteed to get the head bobbing. Plenty of cryptic Pollardian lyrics. “Illustration museum let us cry from a window. Paregoric sop; heavy clods at hole one; Apollonian bronze foil.” (9)
6. The Caterpillar Workforce – Steam-powered train ushers in this acoustic “worker” track. More strings thrown in to create the odd juxtaposition of lush meets lo-fi sound. (5)
7. Sad Baby Eyes – Sounds like Bob has adopted the persona of a saloon showman from a century or two ago, belting out a simple song. Super brief (thirty-five seconds) and certainly a challenging track. (1)
8. The Quickers Arrive – Another very Circus Devils-sounding song that makes an appearance on a GBV record. Bassline sounds like something ripped from a home-recorded, post-punk demo. Pollard is the master at injecting a menacing vibe into his music. This is another track that sounds like a demo from a sound quality perspective, but it actually a pretty well-arranged song. It’s yet another Pollard challenge to strip away the mud and find the hidden gem. (7)
9. Hotel X (Big Soap) – Interesting transition from the previous track. Starts out with orchestral strings and moves into what sounds like a Ricked Wicky rocker. From there it moves back into sounding like an alternative-universe orchestra with an ending that sounds like it was taken from the closing credits of a 1950s movie. One of the more unique (in a good way) tracks in the GBV catalog. Nobody else but Pollard could construct a song like this. (8.5)
10. I Think a Telescope – Acoustic song, with Bob double-tracking his vocals to give it a call-and-response effect, before harmonizing with himself. Same acoustic guitar chord repeats throughout the song, with some additional, independent guitar parts weaved into the latter half of the song. (5)
11. Please Be Honest – There’s a breezy pop song buried under the layers of dust Pollard drops on top. Really strong Under the Bushes Under the Stars feel to the album’s title track. “Shakespeare's honor, take a plain English microphone and broadcast all you should know.” (8)
12. Nightmare Jamboree – Sounds like something written for an imaginary lo-fi, indie horror film from some unknown director trying to make a Hitchcock-inspired film. Another primitive, Pollard “challenge” track. (3)
13. Unfinished Business – The drum machine is turned up both in terms of speed and the place in occupies in the mix on this lo-fi builder. There’s a gem of a song to be discovered underneath all the murk Pollard cloaks the track with. (7)
14. Defeatist Lament – Uber-primitive music arrangement with the acoustic guitar and piano. I do like the way Bob’s voice sounds, especially after the double-tracking effect in the latter half on the song. (4)
15. Eye Shop Heaven – The closing track is a stylistic hodgepodge with elements of pop and prog taking center stage. The strings here are incorporated to the best dramatic effect on the record. Song tip-toes along before it picks up into a strong, soaring chorus. A perfectly-sequenced track. “You are simply lying...” (8)



to be continued…
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

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August By Cake (2017)

The band Pollard assembled to tour in support of Please Be Honest [Doug Gillard (guitar), Kevin March (drums), Bobby Bare Jr. (guitar), Mark Shue (bass)] joined Pollard in the studio to cut the next Guided By Voices LP, which was also credited as Bob’s 100th studio album release. The skepticism that some critics and fans expressed over GBV’s return on the previous album where Pollard played every instrument (Please Be Honest) was blown up on August by Cake - a sprawling double album with thirty-two tracks, including original contributions from each member of the band. It’s not a thematic concept double album like Quadrophenia or The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, but rather a stylistically diverse double record with more of an Exile on Main Street or London Calling aesthetic. While it represents the first double album in the GBV discography, Pollard is no stranger to the double record, having released one as a solo artist (From a Compound Eye), with Circus Devils (Sgt. Disco) and Boston Spaceships (Let It Beard). The liner notes for the LP provide some additional context:
The double album is an important format in Pollard's own musical iconography, and he doesn't take the form lightly - one reason he's planned and abandoned several would-be GBV double albums in the past is his high regard for foundational works like Quadrophenia, the White Album, The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, Daydream Nation, Zen Arcade, Double Nickels On the Dime - "defining records for these bands," says Pollard. It's important to him that August by Cake not just be a double album but that it be a great one.
The original plan for August by Cake was to cut a single album of seventeen songs. Bob and the crew assembled at Serious Business Music in Brooklyn with engineer Travis Harrison who had worked with Pollard and Gillard on the 2011 Lifeguards album Waving at the Astronauts. Harrison also engineered and played drums on another Pollard side project, 2016’s Starting Point of the Royal Cyclopean by ESP Ohio. And in case you are wondering, yes, both are very good to excellent records. After the recording session was finished, Bob headed back to the familiar confines of his new favorite Dayton studio, Cyberteknics, to record a handful of additional songs. He felt so strongly about the newly recorded stuff that he decided to add them to the record. The number of songs were too much for a single album, but not enough for a double record. Because Bob had recruited such a talented lineup this time around, he felt comfortable asking each member to contribute their own original songs to the project. So each member was tasked with writing and recording tracks on their own to submit for August by Cake. This resulted in an additional nine tracks which pushed the album comfortably into the double zone.

Sonically, this is a professionally recorded and executed record. The lo-fi charm of the classic lineup rarely surfaces on August by Cake. This lineup is an experienced, technically-proficient rock and roll tour de force. If you are a fan of the GBV run of records starting with Mag Earwhig! and concluding with Half Smiles of the Decomposed, you will find a lot to like on this one. With thirty-two tracks and four different, unique songwriters and singers, this is easily one of the most diverse records in the GBV catalog.

1. 5º on the Inside – “Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you, August by Cake!” Bob assuming the role as ringmaster to announce the new album, followed by requisite horns. Peppy opening track that does a fine job incorporation Pollard’s “4 P’s” into the track – pop, punk, prog and psych. (8)
2. Generox Gray – Bob alters his voice to the lower range and works it through a filter of some sort. Plodding, ominous track that chugs along to a neat little organ outro. (6)
3. When We All Hold Hands at the End of the World – Drum machine that kicks this one off gives it a Please Be Honest feel. Post-punk guitar lines weaves throughout the track. Has a bit of a classic, workmanlike propulsion to it. Rumination on the current political times? “Look out for truth when it’s full of surprise. In need of assistance? Try one of these guys, but most of all, let us go home again.” (8)
4. Goodbye Note – The first non-Pollard track is a Gillard pop classic with fantastic riffs. “Stick you in a carrier and take you to the shows. What you think is not work is work, the insiders know.” (7)
5. We Liken the Sun – This song comes teetering in. Starts off slightly off-kilter, before it finds its footing and begins to soar. Some Gillard noodling on the way out. (6)
6. Fever Pitch – Some incredibly distorted vocals punctuate this Circus Devils-flavored, lo-fi bridge track. (2)
7. Absent the Man – Now it’s bassist Mark Shue’s turn to submit a track. Pretty straightforward mid-tempo rock track with a Malkmus-esque guitar part from Gillard. (6.5)
8. Packing the Dead Zone – “We’re creating a society of cell phone-crazed, marijuana-smoking zombies.” That’s the public service announcement that kicks off this track that laments society’s current state of affairs. Another song with a strong Circus Devils vibe. “Music in boxes, nail heads, hat companies, well-worn fools, a room full of dolls, idol hands, confident knives, psychopath timecard, philosophical zombies, gymnasium rats, negative Twitters, earth politicians and ozone sneakers.” (5)
9. What Begins on New Year’s Day – Stark contrast in style from the previous track, is a song originally released in 2015 on the Amazon Indie for the Holidays compilation. This is a really nice sparse, acoustic track with subtle touches of drums and some nice lush strings. Could’ve found a home decades ago on Something Else by The Kinks. So simple, yet so rewarding. (8)
10. Overloaded – Another abrupt transition to this up-tempo track via drummer Kevin March. This is a really well-executed indie pop song with a great soaring chorus. Someone’s been studying at the feet of the master of hooks and melody. Fantastic job, Kevin! Clocking in at 3:22, it’s the longest non-instrumental song on the record. “I don’t know which way to fall - feeling overloaded. You say I may be the one to blame. I don’t know which way to fall - I’m feeling overloaded…” (9)
11. Keep Me Down – This song originally appeared on the 2009 Boston Spaceships LP, The Planets Are Blasted. It’s slowed down here, with lower fidelity, giving it a sluggish feel. I prefer the original Spaceships version. (5)
12. West Coast Company Man – Several tempo shifts and styles on this one. One of the more prog-sounding songs on the album. No hint of a British accent or melody in Pollard’s vocals. I’m hot and cold with this one. (5)
13. Warm Up to Religion – Starts out slowed down before it builds to its dramatic conclusion. It’s another one of those epic-sounding tracks that clocks in under two minutes that only Pollard can pull off. Some great guitar work by Gillard and a wonderful, soaring chorus with some excellent harmonizing “Oooooh’s”. “Why am I screaming? What did I win? A happier face in stained glasses.” (9)
14. High Five Hall of Famers – Bobby Bare Jr. gets his turn with his trademark gravelly, disconnected vocal delivery. This one will get the toe tapping. (6)
15. Sudden Fiction – Bassist Shue gets another crack with contribution number two. Sounds a bit like a male-fronted Wild Flag. Some nice hooks incorporated throughout. These other guys can write some pretty catchy tunes, too. More excellent guitar work courtesy of Gillard. (7.5)
16. Hiking Skin – Mines the similar power pop territory that several of the more pop-oriented songs of the classic reunion albums. Another sub-two-minute number from the master of the compact pop song. (7)
17. It’s Food – The outro guitar from the previous track is repeated verbatim om the intro part here. Bob seems to be cryptically calling out the food industry. “We can kill them, but we can’t film them. We can can them, but we can’t scan them… Scam them.” (7)
18. Cheap Buttons – Another tight slice of mid-tempo power pop. Pollard sticks to his hot zone on this catchy track. “10 billion Ringo fans can’t be all wrong. Target your audience, then write them a song.” (8)
19. Substitute 11 – Starts out very sludgey with Pollard getting into his creep mode lyrically. From there, we get that classic Circus Devils-esque Pollard monotone, narration-singing before the song kicks into another gear. And then the Fading Captain saunters in and the song slowly disappears into the next one. (7)
20. Chew the Sand – Mark Shue is credited with his third track, an instrumental, which also happens to be the longest track on August by Cake (3:44). Post-punk in structure and mood, Gillard adds some cool guitar dynamics and Pollard mumbles some indecipherable shit in the background. Sounds a bit odd, but I dig it. (7)
21. Dr. Feelgood Falls off the Ocean – The drum machine returns with Pollard bringing new life to an old track that first appeared on Suitcase 2 with the title, “"Something for Susan in the Shadows." Another defiant anthem with a fantastic melody and my favorite track on the record. “And if you could be anywhere in the world now, and if you could have any object desired, you’d grow tired.” (10)
22. The Laughing Closet – Things slow down on this polished, soft rock-sounding song, complete with lush string accents. Has a bit of a “Hold on Hope” vibe in the production. It’s not as saccharine-sweet as that Do the Collapse hit, but it gives off similar feels. (6)
23. Deflect Project – Gillard’s second track is another winner. His vocals have a similar hushed, in-the-background quality that Tobin Sprout’s songs typically featured. Love the music arrangement on this one. Guitar styling is almost like a hybrid of prog and 80s jangle pop. Fascinating stuff. (8)
24. Upon the Circus Bus – Bobby Bare Jr. is back and singing about Chuck Berry, angry children and low-hanging tits. Songs features the type of background chatter one might hear on a live show taping that took place in the back of a venue where people are more interested in yakking away than watching show. Comes off as BBJ trying a bit too hard to do a GBV-styled lo-fi track from the original classic period. (4)
25. Try It Out (It’s Nothing) – Hard-charging power pop that has a bit of a Universal Truths & Cycles feel, minus the heavy prog influence many of those songs featured. The trumpet from the opening track makes a return appearance. Pollard just handing out these sub-two-minute mini anthems like candy. (7)
26. Sentimental Wars – The last of the non-Bob songs comes from Kevin March. This one has a very high twee vibe and is drenched in earnest sentimentality. However, it never veers into cheesy territory. It’s just a really pretty, well executed, heart-on-your-sleeve track that will work its way into your head and camp out there for a bit. “Just take my hand, I will walk with you. Out comes the sun whenever I’m with you. Just take my hand, I will be with you always.” (9)
27. Circus Day Holdout – The circus theme makes its second appearance on the album and has made several appearances in Bob’s recent work, most notably on the wonderful 2015 Ricked Wicky LP, I Sell the Circus. Love the juxtaposition of this creepy, gloomy song coming off the shiny, happy sentimentality of the previous track. This sounds like it would’ve been a perfect fit on the 2015 Circus Devil album, Stomping Grounds. “Crank up your monkey and organ without me…” (8)
28. Whole Tomatoes – Bob dials things back with him singing over a pleasant acoustic guitar. Some nice string accents worked in as well. Barely lasts more than a minute, but is a nice snippet. (6)
29. Amusement Park Is Over – This very strong, mid-tempo melancholic builder is stuffed near the end of a thirty-two track double album. Fuckin’ Bob. Another incredible vocal performance. This one really sneaks up on you and almost gets lost with its curious placement. But I see you “Amusement Park Is Over” you hidden gem, you. “Amusement park is over, they’ll exit holding hands. Amusement park is over. Tearfully, they’ll meet in Summerland…” (10)
30. Golden Doors – Sparse, acoustic song that sounds like it was recorded in an empty room that was not properly set up for a recording. Demo-quality, Suitcase-worthy (dare I say) filler track. (2)
31. The Possible Edge – Bob contorts his voices to sound a bit schmaltzy here on this jangle waltz. The soaring chorus almost bumps it from being a middle-school-worthy slow dance song, but it could still pass for such purposes. (6)
32. Escape to Phoenix – We get another fist-pumping anthem to close out this massive record. Love the stabbing keys (Jay Gonzalez take note) and the stomping drums. Gillard filling in the cracks with some sinewy guitar lines. Outro brings the “Crank up your monkey and organ without me…” line back from the earlier track “Circus Day Holdout”. (8)



to be continued…
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

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Official music video for "5º on the Inside"
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

Post by dime in the gutter »

good lord. the legend grows.

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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

Post by chuckrh »

I think the records by the current lineup have been uniformly strong & that the band is on quite a streak. Sorry haven't posted more but real life has been intruding. I just got the latest album & its another winner. Let's hope we get to see the band play again in the somewhat near future.

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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

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Creeps and Rotor Heads
1. Apparent the Red Angus
2. Soldiers of June
3. Festival of Death
4. Bull Spears
5. Don't Be Late
6. Dolphins of Color
7. In Madonna's Gazebo
8. Pattern Girl
9. The Girls Will Make It Happen
10. I-Razors
11. Stars, Stripes And Crack Pipes
12. Every Moment Flame On
13. Witness Hill
14. Easy Baby
15. The Gasoline Drinkers
16. Bam Bam Bam
17. All the Good Ones Are Gone
18. Capsized!
19. Cyclopean Runways
20. Leave the Knife Curtis
21. Eye Mask of Leaves
22. Diamond Boys
23. Cold Joker
24. Sunflower Wildman (Remember Him?)
25. Do the Nixon

A chronological sampler of the Pollard side project, Circus Devils.
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

Post by tinnitus photography »

This [Propeller] is the one that saved the band and introduced the world to Guided By Voices.
nah, that was Bee Thousand.


i was there, man

it was a hail mary signal into the ether that got picked up by some of the right ears, but B000 was the tipping point.

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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

Post by chuckrh »

tinnitus photography wrote:
This [Propeller] is the one that saved the band and introduced the world to Guided By Voices.
nah, that was Bee Thousand.


i was there, man

it was a hail mary signal into the ether that got picked up by some of the right ears, but B000 was the tipping point.

totally agree. bee thousand was the first one i bought when it was current. of course, i started working backwards immediately & was die hard fanatic by the time alien lanes came out.

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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

Post by cortez the killer »

tinnitus photography wrote:
This [Propeller] is the one that saved the band and introduced the world to Guided By Voices.
nah, that was Bee Thousand.


i was there, man

it was a hail mary signal into the ether that got picked up by some of the right ears, but B000 was the tipping point.
I was there, too. I just wasn't paying attention (at the time). ;)

That is not clearly written and a bit hyperbolic on my part. I was trying to convey that the band was essentially unknown outside of Dayton up through Propeller. Having that record get into the hands of the right people, opened another world outside of Dayton for the band. It led to a record deal (Scat) and some live shows in larger markets outside Dayton (NYC, Philly). To my knowledge, Pollard, coming to a realization there wasn't an audience to connect with his artistic vision, was ready to give up the expensive, time-consuming "music hobby" and Propeller was intended to be the grand finale. And then, as you state, it "got picked up by some of the right ears" and the decision was made to keep it in motion. Bee Thousand was the unquestionable breakthrough album (and I state that in the first two lines of my B1000 write-up), but without Propeller, we most likely never get to B1000.

Thanks for your contribution.
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

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Unofficial, fan-made music video for "Amusement Park Is Over"
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

Post by tinnitus photography »

cortez the killer wrote:
tinnitus photography wrote:
This [Propeller] is the one that saved the band and introduced the world to Guided By Voices.
nah, that was Bee Thousand.


i was there, man

it was a hail mary signal into the ether that got picked up by some of the right ears, but B000 was the tipping point.
I was there, too. I just wasn't paying attention (at the time). ;)

That is not clearly written and a bit hyperbolic on my part. I was trying to convey that the band was essentially unknown outside of Dayton up through Propeller. Having that record get into the hands of the right people, opened another world outside of Dayton for the band. It led to a record deal (Scat) and some live shows in larger markets outside Dayton (NYC, Philly). To my knowledge, Pollard, coming to a realization there wasn't an audience to connect with his artistic vision, was ready to give up the expensive, time-consuming "music hobby" and Propeller was intended to be the grand finale. And then, as you state, it "got picked up by some of the right ears" and the decision was made to keep it in motion. Bee Thousand was the unquestionable breakthrough album (and I state that in the first two lines of my B1000 write-up), but without Propeller, we most likely never get to B1000.

Thanks for your contribution.
well i wasn't paying attention for Propeller either but B000 did prick up my ears and i went into back catalog searching frenzy, being rewarded with #4/500 of Propeller for about $10.

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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

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tinnitus photography wrote:well i wasn't paying attention for Propeller either but B000 did prick up my ears and i went into back catalog searching frenzy, being rewarded with #4/500 of Propeller for about $10.
Resurrecting an old 9B/3DD acronym, WWOP.
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

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I know World Wide Bill and Welcome To Last Week but WWOP escapes me.

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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

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I was fishing for a pic - Worthless without pictures. And, yes, I know it's a flawed acronym, but it ain't mine or my rules.
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

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[
I was there, too. I just wasn't paying attention (at the time). ;)

That is not clearly written and a bit hyperbolic on my part. I was trying to convey that the band was essentially unknown outside of Dayton up through Propeller. Having that record get into the hands of the right people, opened another world outside of Dayton for the band. It led to a record deal (Scat) and some live shows in larger markets outside Dayton (NYC, Philly). To my knowledge, Pollard, coming to a realization there wasn't an audience to connect with his artistic vision, was ready to give up the expensive, time-consuming "music hobby" and Propeller was intended to be the grand finale. And then, as you state, it "got picked up by some of the right ears" and the decision was made to keep it in motion. Bee Thousand was the unquestionable breakthrough album (and I state that in the first two lines of my B1000 write-up), but without Propeller, we most likely never get to B1000.

Thanks for your contribution.[/quote]
well i wasn't paying attention for Propeller either but B000 did prick up my ears and i went into back catalog searching frenzy, being rewarded with #4/500 of Propeller for about $10.[/quote]

Wow!

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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

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cortez the killer wrote:I was fishing for a pic - Worthless without pictures. And, yes, I know it's a flawed acronym, but it ain't mine or my rules.
i'll post a photo tmrw. i thought i had an instagram photo of it but it was just me and Bob after he signed it.

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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

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I have a poster of this where the sign is changed to an ad promoting a GBV gig in Dayton. Is signed by Bob. BTW: the original picture was taken where I was working in Seattle before I had to retire. Boeing Field.
Image

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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

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my copy of propeller:

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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

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I'm in awe and envious. Do you play it anymore, or did you buy a spinning copy when the reissue came out a few years back?
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

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cortez the killer wrote:I'm in awe and envious. Do you play it anymore, or did you buy a spinning copy when the reissue came out a few years back?
i have GBV box on vinyl so i have another version on vinyl, but i do play this one occasionally. the only early GBV i don't have is Same Place (i've got the german reissue of Devil Between My Toes). I got the Propeller via Forced Exposure mail order but i think i got sandbox, self inflicted and maybe forever since breakfast via Scat distribution.

it was fun to have Bob sign it. i brought it to the 2018 show at the Sinclair and was waiting near the backstage to see if i saw Doug Gillard who get me back stage. i didn't see him but Kevin March was on his way in and i asked him if Bob could sign it. he said, I'll see and then took it from me, leaving me outside. sad trombone.

but a couple minutes later he popped back and said bob wanted to see me. he remembered that copy as one of his and it was cool to talk about it for a little bit.

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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

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tinnitus photography wrote:
cortez the killer wrote:I'm in awe and envious. Do you play it anymore, or did you buy a spinning copy when the reissue came out a few years back?
i have GBV box on vinyl so i have another version on vinyl, but i do play this one occasionally. the only early GBV i don't have is Same Place (i've got the german reissue of Devil Between My Toes). I got the Propeller via Forced Exposure mail order but i think i got sandbox, self inflicted and maybe forever since breakfast via Scat distribution.

it was fun to have Bob sign it. i brought it to the 2018 show at the Sinclair and was waiting near the backstage to see if i saw Doug Gillard who get me back stage. i didn't see him but Kevin March was on his way in and i asked him if Bob could sign it. he said, I'll see and then took it from me, leaving me outside. sad trombone.

but a couple minutes later he popped back and said bob wanted to see me. he remembered that copy as one of his and it was cool to talk about it for a little bit.
Great story. Although, I'm not sure if I would've had the same level of trust as you to hand over a rare artifact like that to a total stranger (even though said stranger is in the band) hoping he'll return with it properly John Hancock'd.
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

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How Do You Spell Heaven (2017)

A mere four months. That’s what Pollard and company afforded fans to digest the massive, sprawling 32-track double album, August By Cake. As soon as that record hit the streets, Pollard sent engineer, Travis Harrison, a new batch of demos he wanted the band to flesh out for another album. Harrison immediately got to work and summoned Gillard, March, Bare Jr. and Shue to his Brooklyn studio, where, one by one, they recorded their parts on what would become How Do You Spell Heaven. Once the songs were committed to tape, Harrison and Shue drove out to Dayton with the instrumental recordings for Pollard to lay down the vocals. In contrast to ABC, this record is a tight, focused fifteen-track affair that clocks in at a tick above thirty-seven minutes. The production and style of HDYSH brings to mind that of 2001’s Isolation Drills from the TVT era. In its current form, GBV has become tight, agile rock band that churns out prog-tinged rock nuggets. Who else, in his sixties, can follow up a double record four months later with another very strong batch of songs? This album feels and sounds like a natural continuation of the Isolation Drills, Universal Truths & Cycles, Earthquake Glue, Half Smiles of the Decomposed run the band was on before Pollard first pulled the plug on GBV. The band was hot and Pollard, sensing this, was flooding the market with a staggering amount of material that managed to maintain an incredibly high level of quality.

1. The Birthday Democrats – Pollard’s opening track ratio continues to tick upward. Gillard’s beeping, swaying guitar line ushers in this two and a half minute power pop torpedo. This is a great tone-setter for the record. “Drawing psychic wings on a wedding bell, the queen of the glass is afraid to blow you.” (9)
2. King 007 – Breezy acoustic guitar opening leads one to believe GBV has gone adult contemporary on us. That all gets shattered at the 0:52 mark with Gillard unleashing some ferocious power chords. The rhythm section and Pollard follow the lead and the song morphs into a high-energy, up-tempo arena rock anthem. Outro settles back into that easy listening groove on this arena rock/prog hybrid, James Bond-themed track. “King 007, his number in heaven is secret on earth.” (8)
3. Boy W - The production on this track is a bit thinner than the previous two songs. It almost sounds like a drum machine has replaced Kevin March. It’s a pretty straightforward, color-by-numbers GBV mid-tempo song with some clever, cryptic wordplay. “Mother ulterium; Captain delirium; Maximum high kick. Quoting the psychic, climbing the trees, quite free of disease.” (7)
4. Steppenwolf Mausoleum – Starts out as a dark, menacing song before transforming into a fist-pumper. Repeats this pattern throughout the verse/chorus structure of the track. Some excellent Gillard riffs throughout. It’s the longest non-instrumental track on the album. “And now fast cars are gone, along with the girls. And we all go to see ‘em, in the Steppenwolf Mausoleum.” (10)
5. Cretinous Number Ones – Kevin March’s powerful drumming and Gillard’s guitar acrobatics on full display. Another sub-two-minute mini anthem to add to the sacred canon, with Pollard assuming a wide variety of vocal stylings. Surrounded by so many mouth-breathing cretins, Bob turns to one of his favorite pastimes, drinking. (8)
6. They Fall Silent – First, and only, snippet on the record. Bob sings with zero trace of emotion or melody on this simply-strummed acoustic track with a slight touch of reverb. A connection to the past, this sounds like a leftover from August By Cake. (5)
7. Diver Dan – Pollard finds inspiration in what I can assume was a television show he watched as a kid, Diver Dan. It’s been said that Pollard writes songs that play to the strengths of the band he is currently working with. This sounds like a song he would write for the classic lineup, played by the tight, proficient current group. It’s short, simple and packed with hooks and soaring choruses. In other words, it’s a quintessential GBV song. “Tiny bars and dirty balloons, Diver Dan has it all in his hand.” (9)
8. How to Murder a Man (In 3 Acts) – Bob drops a multi-part prog rock opera on us. While these types of songs typically take ten minutes or so to unfold and develop, Pollard accomplishes the feat in under three minutes. Going back to my point above about writing songs based on a particular lineup, this one was most definitely written with the current one in mind. Some pretty well-written, cryptic lyrics that appear to be societal reflections. “The counterculture is sulking. We cannot be held responsible. Sociopathological liars invented the wheel in which they run in scholarly circles.” (7)
9. Pearly Gates Smoke Machine – The LP’s longest track is a Pollard/Gillard-penned instrumental. I believe I read somewhere that there were originally lyrics for this one, but Bob decided against including vocals. Not sure I’m on board with that decision. It’s a well-executed piece of music. It just feels like it could be enhanced with one of the most essential instruments in GBV – Bob’s voice. (5)
10. Tenth Century – Really nice acoustic intro with Bob’s voice emitting an earnest vulnerability. Sounds like a snippet that he decided to turn into a more fleshed out song with the full band coming in around the 1:20 mark before really ramping up the tempo and volume during the outro. (7)
11. How Do You Spell Heaven – A capella Pollard talking about first and second hands and what they have to offer. The band comes in and we get a pleasant-sounding track that feels like it’s missing something from pushing it into the upper tier of GBV songs. (6)
12. Paper Cutz – As someone who has spent countless hours going through the physical act of making and creating collages, I’m sure Bob is no stranger to the stinging (not to mention messy) sensation of paper cuts. Lyrics come off as a bit nonsensical, particularly when placed against some of the more heavy, cryptic songwriting on several of the album’s other tracks. However, this is a catchy, propulsive mid-tempo song. “And we don’t even understand…” (6.5)
13. Low Flying Perfection – A somber Pollard, voice stripped of any trace of emotion, supported by a quiet guitar line that sounds a little like an uber-slowed down “I am a Scientist”-like chord progression eventually yields to drums and a great jangly guitar courtesy of Gillard. Love the harmonizing chants from the band. Some classic Pollard defiance as the songs builds beautifully. A stunning track, really. “Overfed vultures robbing us on the surface they sit, admiring their epochs, spying – lying.” (10)
14. Nothing Gets You Real – The gravity of the previous track gives way to this jaunty mid-tempo slab of sunny pop. Approaches "Hold on Hope" territory, but with a better balance of sweetness. A good palate cleanser that delivers simply on the pop part of the ‘4 Ps’. “With the thoughts I’m thinking, with the clothes I wear, it’s a costume and I still walk upright - tongue-tied, uptight.” (7.5)
15. Just to Show You – Songs kind of stumbles in before quickly finding its footing and blossoming into a classic, melancholic anthem. This is a very well layered and transitioned track that captures that sad-but-triumphant feeling Bob conveys so well. The album’s lead single provides a fantastic bookend to a very strong album. “I’ve come over here again just to know ya – a four-letter word to know you better.” (9)



to be continued…
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

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Official music video for "Low Flying Perfection"
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

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Unofficial, fan-made video for "Diver Dan"
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

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"Just to Show You" recorded live at The Bell House in Brooklyn, NY on December 15th, 2017
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