Isolation Drills (2001)
For the next (and final) release on TVT, Pollard, at the urging of the label, elected for another big name producer. This time it was Rob Schnapf whose was known for releasing Beck’s “Loser” single and producing Elliot Smith’s albums. For the
Isolation Drills band, guitarist Doug Gillard and drummer Jim Macpherson were back. The two new group members were guitarist Nate Farley and bassist Tim Tobias. Both had connections to the band. Farley was from Dayton and had filled in on tour in the past when Tobin Sprout had to leave to be there for the birth of his first child. Tobias had previously been bandmates with Gillard in a band called Gem. The goal for
Isolation Drills was to make an album that matched the way the band sounded live, raucous and loud. Recorded at Loho Studios in New York City, Schnapf had no issues with the band drinking in the studio, and drink they did! However, this was a dark time in Pollard’s life. The strain and lifestyle of being the frontman in a rock band had led to the end of his marriage from his high school sweetheart and wife of twenty years, Kim. According to Pollard, the record boiled down to “drinking, fucking, fighting and loneliness”. With the exception of the opening track, all the songs on
Isolation Drills were new and written just for the project. Reflecting back on the creative process, Pollard said, “I wrote most of the words for
Isolation Drills in one burst. I drove on the last tour we did, all around the country. I was driving across the desert at 90 miles per hour writing poetry. Then when I got home, I put music to what I had written.” While a good amount of the album addresses the dissolution of Bob’s marriage and his ensuing plunge into depression, the arrangements on the majority of the first dozen tracks possess that anthemic, raise your beer, everlasting big kick vibe. It isn’t till you get to those final four songs that Pollard pretty much cuts to the chase and addresses the elephant in the room. I was immediately hooked when I first heard this album. It was the record that pulled me in hard and had me checking out stuff beyond
Bee Thousand and
Alien Lanes. It wasn’t until recently that I realized it is a divorce album. The irony of it all is that I discovered
Isolation Drills shortly after my divorce was finalized. In fact, it was Robert Pollard, The Kinks and The Clash that, for whatever reason, I gravitated to as my marriage fell apart and I headed toward divorce.
Isolation Drills never brought Pollard and the band the type of exposure and recognition it should have. There are countless reasons why, including an ever-changing music landscape, with the industry itself in a free fall with the rise of the internet, Napster, iTunes, etc. People weren’t buying (or listening to, for that matter) albums anymore. The record also gets lost in the tall shadows that those “Holy Trinity” albums cast. It is a completely different type of record than
B1000,
Alien Lanes or
UtBUtS, but it is right there with them, and on some days better.
1.
Fair Touching – Song originally appeared in much lower fidelity on the 1999 side project Lexo and the Leapers EP
Ask Them. Here, it is transformed into a huge rocker, with thunderous drums and ringing guitars. What an opener! “Currently fabulous and perhaps at last the song you sing will have meaning.” (10)
2.
Skills Like This – Doug Gillard laying down some serious riffs. While this song has some snarl, Pollard’s melodies keep this one in the pop realm. “I want to reinvent you now…” (9.5)
3.
Chasing Heather Crazy - Oh my! Simply one of the greatest power pop songs ever composed. It’s that fuckin’ good. Perfect blend of punch and cream. “Staring out from otherworldly windows painted red, doesn't have to listen to the voices in your head. That's a different lie. Do you remember what was said?” (11)
4.
Frostman – Sub-minute, mid-fi snippet put in there to “keep it real” and remind us where this band came from. (5)
5.
Twilight Campfire – That opening guitar line… Melancholic but triumphant anthem. Pollard is on fire. What a fantastic song! “As we vegetate and wait around for brighter days and can dance contented to the sound of money. Could I have seen a sight much greater than your twilight eyes that penetrate your silent lies?” (10)
6.
Sister, I Need Wine – Whispered vocals, haunting cello, and synchronized acoustic guitars on this hushed song. “And we will dance for gold and straddle the hour of fear and learn the real story. Drink the truth, shed not one tear.” (9)
7.
Want One ? – Pollard follows up one of the most tender songs of his career with some Van Halen-inspired cock rock. This one buzzes and howls. The whistling outro is a nice touch. (8)
8.
The Enemy – This track starts off with a snippet from the crude, lo-fi song “Broadcaster House” off the 1994
Crown Prince of the Menthol Trailer EP. From there, it absolutely explodes into an epic prog-tinged rock behemoth. One the best songs in the Pollard catalog. “Watch and wait. A childproof survival kit, just for a glimpse of the everlasting big kick.” (11)
9.
Unspirited – Lunging, stop-and-start track with Pollard engaging in some call-and-response vocals to himself. Dripping in strings that actually enhance the overall lush quality of the track. This is another winner. (9)
10.
Glad Girls – Has been a staple in the live show ever since its release. Hard to not start pogo-jumping and pumping your fist when this comes on. More well-executed power pop that was the album’s lead single. “With the sinking of the sun, I've come to greet you. Clean your hands and go to sleep. Confess the dreams of good and bad men all around. Some are lost and some have found the light that passes though me.” (10)
11.
Run Wild – Another arena rocker with grungy guitar riffs. More big, soaring melodic choruses. (7)
12.
Pivotal Film – A plodding rocker that revs up like it’s going to take off, but never really does. No everlasting big kick moments here. Some swirling feedback in the outro. “Grotesque and arrogant. “ (7)
13.
How’s My Drinking ? – Pollard sounds exhausted. Melancholic song with some lyrics that hit close to home. As sad a song as it is, there’s a ringing defiance to it. “How's my drinking? I don't care about being sober, but I sure get around in this town.“ (9)
14.
Brides Have Hit Glass – Another jangly song with a good dose of creamy Pollard pop. One of the best vocal performances on the record. Despite the sad lyrics, the arrangement here conveys a hopeful, triumphant feeling. One of the most underrated songs in the GBV catalog. “And when she holds out an empty glass and she comes for a handout, I ask for the same thing - it's sad. And I hold on so sure I can take all she can, just to be around her, just to feel bad.” (10)
15.
Fine to See You – Noteworthy for the guest appearance by Elliot Smith on piano. Slowed-down, gloomy vibe going on here. All the pop sheen has been stripped away and Bob is getting to the heart of the matter. Fantastic rainy day track. “All of our friends are thinking about us. The cup is running over. I am hypnotizing the highway. I am baptizing mad rivers.” (8)
16.
Privately – Another one of those down-but-triumphant songs. The lush strings are well utilized on this track. “In the midst of this effort, courageous tongues are bitter. Don't blast them.” (7.5)
to be continued...