Page 20 of 22

Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2022 11:56 am
by chuckrh
tinnitus photography wrote:
Tue Sep 27, 2022 11:14 am
Woodsist Fest was fun. can't believe i couldn't find Cortez at the Holyoke show... he was probably about 2 people away from me.

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He looks like he could use the subject of my post age 60 song: Metamucil & Marijuana. :lol:

Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2022 1:35 pm
by cortez the killer
Image
January 2023
1. Another Day to Heal
2. Released Into Dementia
3. Ballroom Etiquette
4. Instinct Dwelling
5. Queen of Spaces
6. On the Wheel
7. Cousin Jackie
8. Wild Kingdom
9. Caution Song
10. Face Eraser
11. Pockets



Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2022 12:58 pm
by chuckrh
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard are giving GBV a run for their money with the amount of releases. In fact, I think KGATLW have topped GBV this year. Let's how long they can sustain the breakneck pace. I think the main guy has already developed some health issues causing them to cancel shows. They were touring heavier than Robert & the boys on top of all of the recording.

Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2022 10:42 pm
by chuckrh
The Breeders did Shocker in Gloomtown @ the VetsAid show this weekend. Fun set & great show. I just watched most of it (skipping the Black Keys).

Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2022 3:18 pm
by cortez the killer

Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2022 6:26 am
by chuckrh
Looks like Father Time has caught Bob, at least temporarily

https://www.stereogum.com/2208927/guide ... knee/news/

Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2023 10:42 am
by cortez the killer

Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2023 2:00 pm
by cortez the killer

Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 4:26 pm
by cortez the killer

Man, I fuckin' love this song! Unleash the Gillard!

Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 6:11 pm
by cortez the killer
cortez the killer wrote:
Sun Apr 12, 2020 12:05 pm

Official video for "My Kind of Soldier" featuring "Beatle Bob".
https://www.riverfronttimes.com/music/b ... H2kbD2HEgQ

Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2023 9:33 pm
by cortez the killer
Image
La La Land (2023)

As this thread has hopefully demonstrated, Robert Ellsworth Pollard Jr. is peerless when it comes to prolificness. It is standard practice for Pollard to release at least three full albums in a calendar year. What makes this even more remarkable is the time frame for which he’s been operating at warp speed. This year marks the fortieth anniversary of Guided By Voices, and Pollard has once again rewarded his fans with another tight, consistent batch of songs. The same lineup, which has been together since 2017 and has already pumped out FOURTEEN albums – two of them double records (August by Cake and Zeppelin Over China) – is back again on La La Land. And only in the GBV universe can a follow up album (Welshpool Frillies) be announced as in the can before the new one is even officially released. Pollard is on a creative tear and it appears there will be no stopping anytime soon. Several months ago, when La La Land was announced, it was billed by Rockathon Records as “somewhat of a companion piece to Tremblers and Goggles By Rank” and that the album “continues to explore a path of diversity in styles and in longer, more adventurous song structures.” This had the prog lovers in the GBV fan base fired up. However, upon arrival, the description of the album doesn’t seem to match what it actually is. Aside from the nearly-six-minute “Slowly on the Wheel” which closes Side 1, the prog element on La La Land is actually less present than on recent recordings like Tremblers and Goggles by Rank, Surrender Your Poppy Field or Sweating the Plague. There are a handful of songs which exhibit some proggish influence, but not in an abundant or unusual way. Additionally, more than half of the record’s eleven songs fail to make it to the three-minute mark. The current lineup clearly has shown an ability to deliver more intricate and varied song arrangements than the classic lineup, but La La Land is not the record I would point to as the best example of this. That said, it is another strong and consistent collection of songs for Pollard fans to devour. This current lineup that includes Doug Gillard (guitar), Bobby Bare Jr. (guitar), Mark Shue (bass) and Kevin March (drums) has been remarkably strong and consistent. In addition, producer/sound engineer Travis Harrison has really elevated the band’s work with his masterful production both in the studio and at the live show. Forty years in and, defying the odds and conventional wisdom, Pollard continues to churn out fresh, exciting material at the same frenzied pace he has done for decades.

1. Another Day to Heal – Spunky, propulsive garage rocker that fails to reach the two-minute mark to kick things off. Boilerplate GBV. “Typically outsized, galaxy clockwise, you can’t see it – your age-old lover.” (7)
2. Released into Dementia – The opening seamlessly transitions into this one, with some added cream to balance out the harsh churn. Gillard unleashes a great guitar line and Pollard adds some Little Drummer Boy-esque “Pa rum pum pum pums” during the outro. “We can feel righteous and numb.” (8)
3. Ballroom Etiquette – Jangly track that would’ve fit in perfectly on the excellent 2018 album, Space Gun. Pollard has, seemingly-effortlessly, crafted another infectious pop gem. “But you can never know the speed – is it 33 or 45?” (8)
4. Instinct Dwelling – Bob and the band transition from bright sunshine to a more snarling, menacing arrangement. My favorite track on the album, I can see this becoming a live staple for years to come. “Front-door lobbies for acronyms, L.A. gyms can pack ‘em in.” (10)
5. Queens of Spaces – Another abrupt stylistic shift to one of the more serene songs GBV has ever done. Another fantastic Gillard string arrangement provides great atmospheric depth to the track. “No one alive can reach her now.” (7)
6. Slowly on the Wheel – Having no-hit Indiana Central when he pitched for the Wright State baseball team, Pollard similarly keeps the listener off balance by tossing another curveball with this epic, six-minute prog-suite on the side one closer. Starting off with a single piano key struck over and over, this one builds and explores a wide range of styles and influences on this multi-part track about Jack & Jill. “Gargoyle as hoodwinked ornamentals proud, perform her evil bidding war.” (8)
7. Cousin Jackie – Side two opens similarly to side one with a punchy rocker that expertly incorporates elements of pop and prog into the arrangement. Love the “All Right Now” riff Gillard drops a little more than a quarter of the way into the song. “Make it rain wine and whiskey on this ritual and ceremony. Take away our pain.” (7.5)
8. Wild Kingdom – Strong Circus Devils vibe to kick this one off before morphing into another classic GBV fist-pumping anthem. Gives “Instinct Dwelling” a run for its money as the top track on the record. A slightly restrained Gillard riff ushers this beauty out. “The new chameleons never change. They just get better costumes.” (10)
9. Caution Song – Back to the creamy space previously occupied by “Ballroom Etiquette.” A beautiful, melancholic song that lures you in and leaves you craving more. “Who are these people, anyway? Who wants a sad song these days?” (8.5)
10. Face Eraser – Pollard and company dial up the energy again with another pulsating, power pop offering. “Go down in the first round. The fistic circles statistically have found what you need.” (7.5)
11. Pockets – The energy from the previous track is perfectly maintained on what proves to be yet another excellent album closer. Some great guitar fills throughout on this track that would’ve fit right in on 2003's Earthquake Glue. As they do throughout the album, the rhythm section of Kevin March and Mark Shue keep this one chugging along. Shades of The Who, along with Pollard's inaudible shouts in the background during the outro. “Breaking the seal on the lawn of display with hands in my pockets and my back turned away.” (9)

Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2023 6:19 pm
by tinnitus photography
cortez the killer wrote:
Sat Jan 21, 2023 2:00 pm
finally listened to this and it's fucking funny.

Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

Posted: Tue May 23, 2023 1:45 pm
by 3milelake
Been a whole 6 months. Out July 21st. Early release sounds great!

Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

Posted: Sat May 27, 2023 12:24 pm
by cortez the killer
3milelake wrote:
Tue May 23, 2023 1:45 pm
Been a whole 6 months. Out July 21st. Early release sounds great!
Feels like forever since La La Land. :lol:

Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2023 3:36 pm
by cortez the killer

Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

Posted: Sun Jun 11, 2023 10:53 am
by cortez the killer
cortez the killer wrote:
Tue Apr 07, 2020 11:41 am
1. A Salty Salute – One of the great album openers of all time. Quintessential sing-a-long, raise-your-beer tune. Lo-fi folk song for the misfit boozers. One of the lyrics (“Disarm the settlers”) is the name of the GBV message board. “Do not fret. The bus will get you there yet. To carry us to the lake. The club is open.” (10)


Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2023 2:40 pm
by cortez the killer
Image
Welshpool Frillies (2023)

Six months after La La Land, Robert Pollard and crew return with their second album of 2023, and fifteenth since joining forces in 2017. As has been the case on all fifteen of those albums, Travis Harrison is back as producer. What makes Welshpool Frillies different from many of its predecessors is the manner it was recorded. On the previous eight records, due to COVID-19, each musician would record his parts in a studio of his choosing and mail the recording to Harrison. Travis would cobble the recordings together and bring them to Pollard to add the vocals. This time around, the band got back together in Harrison's Brooklyn basement studio and recorded live to tape. The 4 Ps (Pop, Punk, Psych & Prog) shape the sound on Welshpool Frillies, with the Pop and Punk components dialed up a bit more than the other two. The press release for the album notes that much of the album was also influenced by the Scalping the Guru compilation, released in 2022, that features select tracks from four Guided By Voices EPs released in 1993-94. Even though this lineup came together in 2017, Welshpool Frillies most certainly has a throwback 90s vibe to it. There are even a pair of tracks that were recorded using Pollard’s legendary four-track cassette machine. Fans of albums like Mag Earwhig!, Universal Truths and Cycles, Earthquake Glue and Half Smiles of the Decomposed will find much to like about Welshpool Frillies. The latest lineup continues to pump out a high quantity of albums that maintains an equally high level of quality. After a recent string of records that more heavily explored the Prog component of the 4 Ps, Guided by Voices returns with an album that fans of his off-center brand of punk-infused, garage power pop will enjoy.

1. Meet the Star – Quick Circus Devilsesque intro before morphing into a chugging, Wire-tinged rocker. Another addition to the ever-expanding list of great album openers. “Long yellow fingers, dust-colored stash, the blundering good men, their stone bones now ash.” (9)
2. Cruisers’ Cross – Archetypal, mid-tempo Guided by Voices track. Bob has penned another melancholic anthem. Fists raised, clenching a beer with Miller Lite tears trickling down the face. When the documentary of this version of the band is released, it would be a lost opportunity if this song wasn’t featured in the trailers. “Trike rider really knows everything.” (8)
3. Romeo Surgeon – This one explodes out of the speakers. The rhythm section is just pummeling while Gillard’s guitar roars loud. I imagine this will be a staple of the live show in the years to come. “The Romeo surgeon carries the heart’s message in his sterilized sleeve.” (10)
4. Chain Dance – Pollard dusts off the four-track recorder and reconnects with his lo-fi roots on this acoustic track. An uninitiated listener might be thrown off here, but those that know will cherish this nod to the past. Would’ve fit right in on his debut solo record, Not in My Airforce. “Witch flew off the handle. Vampire lighting a candle.” (7)
5. Why Won’t You Kiss Me – Starts out sounding like your typical poppy GBV track, before a Gillard string arrangement reminds you, this is not the typical GBV lineup. While the track barely surpassed the two-minute mark there are several stylistic shifts throughout, not to mention those trademark GBV tempo changes. “I’m wondering why hotels no longer provide ink pens.” (7)
6. Animal Concentrate – Kevin March’s thunderous drumming has this song charging hard out of the gate before the rhythm section settles into a nice groove. “You boil the island water. Out came the ancient daughter.” (7)
7. Cats on Heat – Closer to a snippet than a song, Gillard unleashes some great licks and Bob dispenses some clever word play. March and Shue provide some excellent bounce. “Zebra-stripe pistol, swallows her whistle.” (7)
8. Mother Mirth – Bob breaks out the four-track recorder for a second time on the Side 1 closer. Another NiMA-sounding, lo-fi track featuring Bob on acoustic guitar. “On the morning of the aftermath, out goal was to have everything.” (6)
9. Don’t Blow Your Dream Job – Side 2 opens with the most obvious example of the prog influence that has populated a number of this lineup’s albums. It’s a longer, stretched out song, featuring several abrupt stylistic shifts. I love how it eventually settles into an anthemic chorus to close things out. I’ve said it many times before in these write-ups, but this is a prime example of the type of song Bob can record with this version of Guided by Voices. This belief is further buoyed by the fact that the track is a recycled version of “Mustard Man” from Suitcase 2. “Solemn salutations ride on every single play, every phrase exaggerated slightly.” (8)
10. Awake Man – Fist-pumping, celebratory song punctuated perfectly with several Gillard guitar blasts. The way the band melds together after the interplay of Gillard’s guitar fireworks and March’s drum poundings are some of my favorite moments on this album. One of Bob’s best vocal performances on the record. “I want to be like a priest with all the cool things they wear.” (8)
11. Rust Belt Boogie – There aren’t many GBV songs that start out with nearly a one-and-a-half-minute musical interlude. In many cases, that’s the length of the actual song. This band has a way of breaking all the Bob norms. Another track that I imagine will be part of the live setlist for years to come. Lots of influences in here, with Wire once again leading the charge. “Leave your skin at the border. Enjoy our brief northern summer.” (8.5)
12. Seedling – The album’s lead single, ironically enough, carries a strong resemblance to many of the great anthems the so-called “classic lineup” used to churn out. Then again, although Gillard isn’t necessarily part of that lineup, he has been around since 1997’s Mag Earwhig!. Either way, Bob has gifted us with, yet another, classic GBV fist-pumping anthem. “Formed in a groovy maze, those were the days.” (8.5)
13. Better Odds – My personal favorite is another stunning, melancholic anthem from the master of them. Gillard’s string arrangement works wonders here. Bob’s vocal delivery is perfect. The Fading Captain works his magic during the outro. “Would you kiss a snake if I held it?” (10)
14. Radioactive Pigeons – Another inductee into the Pollard song name hall of fame. This peppy slice of power pop one hums along and then abruptly cuts out. “May you always know yourself.” (7)
15. Welshpool Frillies – Strong Sweating the Plague vibe to the album closer. There’s slight dip in fidelity on this track. It doesn’t go as low as “Chain Dance" or “Mother Mirth,” but is certainly dips into that mid-range. Feels like it’s about to fall apart and fade out, before it is rescued with another Wire-like burst during the outro. Works very well as the closer. “Plan if you can to follow your number. Plan if you can to follow your heart.” (8)

Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2023 1:44 pm
by Clams
https://uproxx.com/indie/a-beginners-gu ... by-voices/

Hyden's premise is that a beginner's guide is needed because GBV's catalogue is so large that it's daunting to anyone looking to get on board. I would like to add that 20 pages of this thread is at least as daunting as GBV's catalogue.

Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2023 3:02 pm
by tinnitus photography
Clams wrote:
Thu Aug 24, 2023 1:44 pm
https://uproxx.com/indie/a-beginners-gu ... by-voices/

Hyden's premise is that a beginner's guide is needed because GBV's catalogue is so large that it's daunting to anyone looking to get on board. I would like to add that 20 pages of this thread is at least as daunting as GBV's catalogue.
you want daunting? there are two distinct internet boards that started around GBV (in addition to the facebook group, and for the most part they are pretty separate communities)

Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2023 11:33 pm
by cortez the killer
Clams wrote:
Thu Aug 24, 2023 1:44 pm
https://uproxx.com/indie/a-beginners-gu ... by-voices/

Hyden's premise is that a beginner's guide is needed because GBV's catalogue is so large that it's daunting to anyone looking to get on board. I would like to add that 20 pages of this thread is at least as daunting as GBV's catalogue.
Get some, mollusk! Take the plunge! Spend some quality time with "The Holy Trinity" - Bee Thousand, Alien Lanes and Under the Bushes, Under the Stars. I guarantee you'll fucking hate it until about the 6th or 7th listen. Once you have that "a-ha!" moment, you're fucked and you'll get sucked into the wonderfully weird (and slightly expensive) world of Robert Ellsworth Pollard Jr., an unusually brilliant and difficult artist to define.

Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2023 11:34 pm
by cortez the killer

Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2023 4:11 pm
by 3milelake

Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2023 8:51 pm
by cortez the killer
How are you liking Welshpool Frillies, 3mike?

Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2023 8:45 am
by 3milelake
cortez the killer wrote:
Thu Sep 14, 2023 8:51 pm
How are you liking Welshpool Frillies, 3mike?
Loving it. High rotation. Still at the very top of their game with this one.

Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2023 9:13 am
by cortez the killer
3milelake wrote:
Fri Sep 15, 2023 8:45 am
cortez the killer wrote:
Thu Sep 14, 2023 8:51 pm
How are you liking Welshpool Frillies, 3mike?
Loving it. High rotation. Still at the very top of their game with this one.
Agreed. Apparently there's a 3rd album coming in November. :lol:

Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2023 8:44 am
by tinnitus photography
there is another little surprise in the queue too, but i don't want to spoil it for anyone.

Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2023 9:09 pm
by cortez the killer

Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2023 12:06 am
by cortez the killer
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TRACK LISTING:
01 Honeymoon in Waynesville
02 Here We Are
03 The Owl Presents…
04 Getting Better
05 Age of Transfusion
06 (I’m a) Happy Baby Boy
07 Strawberry Limousine
08 Talking in Circles
09 Street Toughs
10 Online Zombie
11 Mama’s Got a Brand New Snake
12 Laughable Suit
13 Bad Queen
14 Franklin’s 48th Hallucination
15 Difficult Dreamer
16 Bone of Contention
17 The Gig That Won’t Go Away
18 The Joke is Over
19 Ferris Wheel
20 Squeeze the Needle (inst.)

Circus Devils are back!!! :shock:


Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2023 12:03 am
by cortez the killer
tinnitus photography wrote:
Thu Jun 11, 2020 11:43 am
cortez the killer wrote:
Thu Jun 11, 2020 11:32 am
And that concludes the Pollard solo catalog. Shall I move onto Boston Spaceships?
Circus Devils.

:twisted:
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard

Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2023 12:21 pm
by tinnitus photography
cortez the killer wrote:
Sat Sep 30, 2023 12:03 am
tinnitus photography wrote:
Thu Jun 11, 2020 11:43 am
cortez the killer wrote:
Thu Jun 11, 2020 11:32 am
And that concludes the Pollard solo catalog. Shall I move onto Boston Spaceships?
Circus Devils.

:twisted:
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