Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard
Glad you are diggin’.Flea wrote:This is good stuff, thanks!
It’s another busy day for the Cor-Tez Bitch...
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard
All Salute the Fading Captain (Act III)
![Image](https://rpmlifeinanalog.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/robertpollardsmokingbobbyp.jpg)
Only a few years into their partnership, tensions between Pollard and his record label, Matador, were coming to a head. Pollard was frustrated by the fact Matador refused to release all new material upon completion. Bob wanted to get everything out to his fans immediately. While this made sense artistically, his record label, understandably, thought it was a horrible business model to flood the market with multiple albums a year. 1996 had been an incredible fertile year for Pollard. In addition to the sprawling Under the Bushes Under the Stars, he released a fan-exclusive full album (Tonics and Twisted Chasers), two EPs (Sunfish Holy Breakfast and Plantations of Pale Pink) and, oh yeah, his debut solo record (Not in My Airforce). The songs were pouring out of Pollard and he did not want to slow down the flow. With the breakup of the classic GBV lineup, he was now a one-man band. 1997 was tame in terms of releases go, with Bob more focused on plotting his career course and assembling the next version of GBV than pumping out records. After assembling a band for the next GBV record, Mag Earwhig!, Bob decided he wanted to put GBV on a more serious trajectory, writing fully formed songs and recording in a professional studio, leaving the familiar comforts of the 4-track recorder behind. With the exception of guitarist Doug Gillard, the 1997 version of GBV was short-lived. Following the tour to support the new album, Bob’s new backing band, Cobra Verde, broke up. Pollard spent the majority of 1998 working on his second solo record, Waved Out, and getting out of his record deal with Matador. After working out a release from his contract, he quickly signed with TVT Records and set his sights on getting a new Guided By Voices lineup together to record a new album. The deal he signed with TVT was significant, because it gave him the flexibility to put out as many records as he wanted under whatever name he wanted to. The only stipulation was TVT was to be given a ten-day grace period to decide if they would like to release whatever new, finished product Pollard brought to them. If they passed, Bob was free to release the album, EP or single any way he wanted to. To do so, he created his own label called the Fading Captain Series upon which he had complete artistic freedom. In 1999 alone, in addition to the GBV record, Do the Collapse that he provided for TVT, he released four Fading Captain records – Kid Marine by Robert Pollard, Speak Kindly of Your Volunteer Fire Department by Robert Pollard & Doug Gillard, In Shop We Build Electric Chairs: Professional Music by Nightwalker 1984-1993 by Nightwalker and the EP Ask Them by Lexo and the Leapers. Pollard had the perfect situation. He would do more traditional rock records, recorded in a professional studio and expertly produced with Guided By Voices. And on his Fading Captain Series label he could record albums anyway he pleased, fidelity be damned, under his own name or the name of one of those fictitious he had loved creating going back to when he was a high school student cutting out images from newspapers and magazines to make pretend album covers by pretend bands.
to be continued...
![Image](https://rpmlifeinanalog.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/robertpollardsmokingbobbyp.jpg)
Only a few years into their partnership, tensions between Pollard and his record label, Matador, were coming to a head. Pollard was frustrated by the fact Matador refused to release all new material upon completion. Bob wanted to get everything out to his fans immediately. While this made sense artistically, his record label, understandably, thought it was a horrible business model to flood the market with multiple albums a year. 1996 had been an incredible fertile year for Pollard. In addition to the sprawling Under the Bushes Under the Stars, he released a fan-exclusive full album (Tonics and Twisted Chasers), two EPs (Sunfish Holy Breakfast and Plantations of Pale Pink) and, oh yeah, his debut solo record (Not in My Airforce). The songs were pouring out of Pollard and he did not want to slow down the flow. With the breakup of the classic GBV lineup, he was now a one-man band. 1997 was tame in terms of releases go, with Bob more focused on plotting his career course and assembling the next version of GBV than pumping out records. After assembling a band for the next GBV record, Mag Earwhig!, Bob decided he wanted to put GBV on a more serious trajectory, writing fully formed songs and recording in a professional studio, leaving the familiar comforts of the 4-track recorder behind. With the exception of guitarist Doug Gillard, the 1997 version of GBV was short-lived. Following the tour to support the new album, Bob’s new backing band, Cobra Verde, broke up. Pollard spent the majority of 1998 working on his second solo record, Waved Out, and getting out of his record deal with Matador. After working out a release from his contract, he quickly signed with TVT Records and set his sights on getting a new Guided By Voices lineup together to record a new album. The deal he signed with TVT was significant, because it gave him the flexibility to put out as many records as he wanted under whatever name he wanted to. The only stipulation was TVT was to be given a ten-day grace period to decide if they would like to release whatever new, finished product Pollard brought to them. If they passed, Bob was free to release the album, EP or single any way he wanted to. To do so, he created his own label called the Fading Captain Series upon which he had complete artistic freedom. In 1999 alone, in addition to the GBV record, Do the Collapse that he provided for TVT, he released four Fading Captain records – Kid Marine by Robert Pollard, Speak Kindly of Your Volunteer Fire Department by Robert Pollard & Doug Gillard, In Shop We Build Electric Chairs: Professional Music by Nightwalker 1984-1993 by Nightwalker and the EP Ask Them by Lexo and the Leapers. Pollard had the perfect situation. He would do more traditional rock records, recorded in a professional studio and expertly produced with Guided By Voices. And on his Fading Captain Series label he could record albums anyway he pleased, fidelity be damned, under his own name or the name of one of those fictitious he had loved creating going back to when he was a high school student cutting out images from newspapers and magazines to make pretend album covers by pretend bands.
to be continued...
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard
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Mag Earwhig! (1997)
This would be the final record Pollard would make with Matador (well, until they reunited 5 years later). It was also the first Guided By Voices album he would do with a brand new lineup now that the classic version of the band was gone and onto other life pursuits. For Mag Earwhig!, Pollard turned to former Scat labelmates, Cobra Verde to back him on the record. The resulting album was recorded in multiple studios, with some parts done at bassist Don Depew’s home studio just outside Cleveland and the rest cut at two Dayton studios, Cro-Magnon and Refraze. The album cover is a Pollard collage entitled, 'The Astral City Slickers' (a lyric that showed up on the excellent UtBUtS bonus track “Finks”). Not surprisingly, a new band brought a new sound to GBV. Mag Earwhig! is a more produced, straightforward rock record than anything Pollard had done to that point. However, Pollard refused to completely surrender his lo-fi credentials and several tracks still maintain that style. The juxtaposition of styles has a tendency to throw off the album's flow and led to mixed critical reception. There are some essential GBV songs on Mag Earwhig!, but it is a bit of a drop-off from the excellent “Holy Trinity” of B1000, AL and UtBUtS.
1. Can’t Hear the Revolution – Odd-sounding opener with pulsating guitars and other strange noises. Leftover track from previous sessions. Departed band member, Tobin Sprout, on backing vocals. (5)
2. Sad if I Lost It – Here we go! Starts out sparse and slows before it picks up steam and transforms into a classic, fist-pumping GBV anthem. “And the courage seekers of the aborted logos of declaration "no-go" are gone. But I'll keep a light for 'em. Hold down the fort for 'em and wear my maroon blazer all the time.” (10)
3. I am a Tree – Guitarist Doug Gillard-penned track. The production on this track is pristine. It is a soaring powerhouse of a song. This is the big Who’s Next-styled song Pollard always wanted to do. (10)
4. The Old Grunt – One of the most slickly-produced Bob has ever done is followed up by a mid-fi, sparse, acoustic track with Bob rambling some surreal lyrics. “Did his wife in with dueling banjos.” (4)
5. Bulldog Skin – The lead single from the album which was a curious choice. Lyrics are simplistic and sort of weak. Lots of gloss, but an average track. (5)
6. Are You Faster? – Song that dates back to the sessions that led up to Under the Bushes Under the Stars recording. Back to his lo-fi roots with this snippet. (5)
7. I am Produced – Wry acknowledgement on where Bob was currently at as a recording artist. “I am produced. Pressed, printed, stomped, tripped, trapped, tricked, packaged, shipped.” Very good acoustic track. (8)
8. Knock ‘Em Flyin’ – This proggy song has a demo feel to it. Sounds like a less fleshed out version of the type of material that would take shape a few years later on Universal Truths and Cycles. (6)
9. Not Behind the Fighter Jet – Tight, up-tempo, punchy song filled with hooks. This is a winner. (10)
10. Choking Tara - Simple sunny pop song. Mid-fi production. A “creamy” version of the song later appeared on a Matador compilation as well as the excellent Hardcore UFOs boxset. I prefer the creamy version to the one here. (7)
11. Hollow Cheek – Another lo-fi snippet that sounds like a leftover from the Alien Lanes album. Kind of stands out like a sore thumb on this record. (3)
12. Portable Men’s Society – Precursor to the type of material Pollard and Gillard would do on the down-the-road Lifeguards side project. Proggy as hell, with spacey synth sounds piped in. Gillard’s start-and-stop guitar playing adds to the ominous atmosphere created on this track. (9)
13. Little Lines – Follows up an experimental prog-inspired track with a straightforward, made-to-be-played-loud in a packed arena. Gillard’s guitar work here is excellent. More melodic gymnastics from Pollard. (8.5)
14. Learning to Hunt – Was originally slated to be part of Pollard’s 1996 solo debut, Not in My Airforce, but made its way onto Mag Earwhig! instead. This is a sparse, atmospheric song with very confessional lyrics. “Say that you'll never run too far away. Even with all the answers out there, where it's brighter but no one will care half as much as I care about you.” (7)
15. The Finest Joke is Upon Us – First popped up as a bonus track on the Japanese version of Under the Bushes Under the Stars before finding a more formal and fitting home here. Another slow burner of a song that eventually builds into an anthemic sing-a-long. Big, soaring chorus. “Words of smoke, distorted, never broken. Paradise is open, but I choke. One of these days, when I see through the smoke, that'll be the day I get the joke.” (10)
16. Mag Earwhig! – The title track is another demo-sounding, lo-fi snippet that never really does much. (2)
17. Now to War – Sad, coming-of-age song with Pollard sounding a lot like one of his biggest heroes, Paul McCartney. This is a pretty acoustic track that feels like a more polished version of something off Same Place the Fly Got Smashed. (8)
18. Jane of the Waking Universe – Has that familiar, classic GBV sound. Catchy, full of hooks and a great sing-a-long chorus. (8)
19. The Colossus Crawls West – Another song that was initially intended for Pollard’s 1996 record, Not in My Airforce. Last of the lower-fi tunes that sound a bit out of place on this album. (3)
20. Mute Superstar – Aggressive, grungy rocker that reminds you that Cobra Verde is now Pollard’s backing band. (6)
21. Bomb the Bee-Hive – Another explosive rocker to close the record. More Gillard guitar theatrics and drums turned up louder in the mix that one is accustomed to hearing on a GBV song. “The film is not for view. The film is not for you.” (6.5)
To be continued…
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard
GBV performing their new single, "Bulldog Skin', on MTV Oddville 1997.
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard
Little bit of gossip. During the Cobra Verde era there were apparently some money issues which led to the band splitting except for Doug Gillard. I have from an excellent source who witnessed it first hand that when the band hit NYC, the band asked for some per diem so that they could like eat. Bob gave them a bunch of beer & told them it would take their mind off their troubles, haha. Needless to say, the situation didn't last much longer. Rock n roll!
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard
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Do the Collapse (1999)
Probably the most polarizing album in the Guided By Voices catalog, Do the Collapse is a significant departure from everything Pollard had released up to this point. It is a slick, heavily-produced album that is completely void of the lo-fi song snippets that appeared on every previous GBV record. Former Cars frontman, Ric Ocasek, was tapped by Bob to produce the record. Pollard also had to reassemble the band. The lone carryover from Mag Earwhig! was lead guitarist Doug Gillard with whom Bob was forming a tight musical bond with. Former Breeders drummer, Jim Macpherson, was successfully recruited to man the kit and Greg Demos, who was in and out of the classic lineup as a bassist, was coaxed out of his full-time gig as a lawyer to play bass on Do the Collapse. Happy with his new crew, Pollard said to Rolling Stone in an interview, “I’m happy with the new band. They do what I tell them.” The album was also the first release on the band’s new home, TVT Records. Not wanting to be pigeonholed as a lo-fi artist, Pollard had always wanted to do a big-sounding Who’s Next type of record, but never had the resources to do so. With the backing of TVT and the studio expertise of Ocasek, he was now positioned to make that kind of album. The results are a tad mixed. There are a few soaring classics on the record, but about half the record is somewhat forgettable. Critical reaction to Do the Collapse was mixed, too. Following the release of the album, the band embarked on its most ambitious tour to date. And while record sales were higher than any previous GBV album, it wasn’t the commercial success that Pollard, Ocasek and TVT had anticipated.
1. Teenage FBI – Synth-heavy, power pop nugget to start the record off. This song originally appears in a more stripped-down version on the 1997 7’’, Wish in One Hand. "Teenage FBI" was the lead single for the album and also appeared on the soundtrack for the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. “Someone tell me why I do the things that I don't want to do. When you're around me, I'm somebody else.” (10)
2. Zoo Pie – Big, distorted, grungy track. Difficult to understand the lyrics with the level of distortion on Pollards vocals. This is one of the songs on the album where I think they aimed high, but fell shy. (5)
3. Things I Will Keep – An echo-y synth kicks this one off. Closer to the type of GBV mid-tempo power anthem the band was kicking out with regularity during the classic lineup days. Fantastic melodies on this one. (9)
4. Hold on Hope – The type of sappy, acoustic ballad one would expect to hear during the closing scene of a teen drama like The O.C. with Ocasek glossing the fuck out of it. A rougher demo of the track appears on the Daredevil Stamp Collector EP. This is one of the most controversial songs in the Pollard catalog and he has gone on record as saying he is not a big fan of the song. (6)
5. In Stiches – A pulsating slab of cock rock with splashes of proggy spaciness thrown in. Solid track. (6)
6. Dragons Awake! – Another acoustic song cut from a similar cloth as “Hold on Hope”. Not as much shine on this one, but certainly has a strong twee vibe to it. Some lush strings added to the mix by Ocasek’s heavy hand. (6)
7. Surgical Focus – The money shot! This is a huge, fill-the-room powerhouse of a song. I imagine this is the sound Pollard was looking to achieve when he made this record. He NAILS it here. The choruses absolutely soar. “Climbing high upon the rocky cliffs she flies, with surgical focus, with surgical focus.” (10)
8. Optical Hopscotch – Despite the frequent tempo and chord changes on this track, it’s somewhat forgettable. Some of the production touches make the songs sort of blend together. (5)
9. Mushroom Art – One of the shortest songs on the album is a straightforward rocker packed with power chords and hooks. The guitars crunch hard on this track. (7)
10. Much Better Mr. Buckles – Title and lyrics that are more apropos to GBV. Big swirling guitars wrap around Pollards vocals like a cocoon. Gillard gets that guitar weeping a bit. (7.5)
11. Wormhole – Bouncy, mid-tempo pop song. Doesn’t jump out at you at first, but upon repeated listens nestles into your brain. “To where the soil is rich and muddy in the riverbed. Feed on the urgent promise of the dead tonight.” (8.5)
12. Strumpet Eye – Another song featuring power chords and hooks. Classic repetitive GBV chorus. (6)
13. Liquid Indian – Alternates back and forth between being an ominous, proggy song with hints of Gabriel-era Genesis before it takes off and becomes a soaring mid-tempo mini anthem. Production is pretty heavy here, but doesn’t completely ruin the track. (7.5)
14. Wrecking Now – Guitar loop and synth come together to create a nice slice of Pollard pop. Ocasek puts those strings in there again, but doesn’t get too ham-handed with them. Despite the production, it retains some of it unique Pollard charm. (8)
15. Picture Me Big Time – Starts out somewhat melancholic before it picks up into that GBV anthem mode. Guitars smolder throughout. Big choruses. “There was a band from Beantown. They drove the now sound with a girl at the top of her lungs now.” (7)
16. An Unmarked Product – Short, pop-punk burst that brings to mind The Ramones. Has a bit of an Under the Bushes Under the Stars vibe to it. (7)
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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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard
The complete session recorded by Guided By Voices on 19 October 1999 for the John Peel show on BBC Radio 1 and broadcast on 14 December 1999.
1. Frequent Weaver Who Burns (0:18)
2. Zoo Pie (3:07)
3. Tight Globes (6:22)
4. Much Better Mr Buckles (9:36)
5. Dragons Awake (12:15)
Couple of Fading Captain gems from the Pollard/Gillard album Speak Kindly of Your Volunteer Fire Department- "Frequent Weaver Who Burns" & "Tight Globes"!
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard
Ocasek wouldn't let the band drink in the studio.
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard
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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...
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Re: 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
"Shot of tequila. Shots of tequila are good. I don't mean to set a bad example, kids. I'm not a role model, though, you know that. I'm an entertainer. You know, if you want a role model, go watch Creed or somebody."
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard
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Universal Truths and Cycles (2002)
After completing the two albums required of his TVT contract, Pollard made the decision to switch back to the more indie-friendly label Matador. He had been courted by Vagrant and Sub Pop as well, but made the decision to return to the label that gave him his first big break. When Pollard signed with TVT, the hope was that he could break through to a larger audience. However, the idea of growing his popularity sounded better than what it actually required to do so. And along the way, Pollard was forced to relinquish some creative control to those who were financing the creation of these records. Even something as seemingly-small as the cover art bothered Pollard. Remember, his initial attraction to music was creating pretend album covers and sleeves out of newspaper and magazine clippings in his bedroom. Do the Collapse and Isolation Drills were the first two albums to include covers that Pollard had not designed or created himself. Additionally, the two TVT records were the only ones he had done with outside producers that had complete control over the recording process. Universal Truths and Cycles, the first album released in Pollard’s return to Matador Records, was intended to be a tight, lean rock record with a dozen tracks. However, after the record had been finished and mixed, Pollard wrote a batch of new songs that were slated for an upcoming solo project. Wanting to make a more classic GBV record instead, he took seven of these shorter songs and weaved them into the album. Bassist Tim Tobias’ brother, Todd, was brought in to produce the record. Todd was a producer and talented multi-instrumentalist who eventually went on to form half of the creative process in one of Bob’s side projects, Circus Devils. The band was the same as the one on Isolation Drills, with the exception of drummer Jim Macpherson who decided to leave the band after the corresponding tour. He was replaced by John McCann. According to Pollard, the album was about “daily struggle, daily existence, car rage, riding on a subway and all that. It’s about the things that everybody goes through daily. You’re reborn every morning and you get a new chance to get your shit together.” The British Invasion/Brit-pop influences that characterize much of GBV’s past work take more of a backseat on this album. Filling that void is an ominous prog rock outgrowth. Pollard grew up a fan of such progressive rock pioneers like King Crimson, Genesis and Yes. In addition to Bob’s appreciation of prog rock, this was growing evidence to the increased influence of Doug Gillard who was becoming more of a musical foil to Pollard like Tobin Sprout once was. I like Universal Truths and Cycles a lot. Like a good number of the album’s critics, I feel like Bob’s decision to tack those newly-written tracks onto the record at the last minute hurts the overall flow of the record and prevents it from being held in higher regard. However, Pollard is the boss and has more than earned his right to follow his artistic instincts.
1. Wire Greyhounds – The album opens with one of those snippets Pollard wrote after the initial completion of the project. Although it’s only 35 seconds long, this is an energetic burst of punk pop. (7)
2. Skin Parade – A schmaltzy, mid-fi acoustic opening, with people talking and bottles clinking morphs into a high-charged, mini prog epic. “There are movements necessary, then there is unnecessary motion.” (9)
3. Zap – Another short, tack-on track. This one is less interesting and necessary than the opener. (4)
4. Christian Animation Torch Carriers – Colossal prog rocker, with hints of psychedelia sprinkled in. Best track on the album and one of my all-time favorite GBV songs. Gillard asserts himself as a guitar hero. Fantastic varied vocal dynamics from Pollard. It all comes together on this track. “Christian animation torch carriers, this is a shallow hole but faith makes it safe. Hiding inside a grave with no sound, no witness to see with or without you.” (11)
5. Cheyenne – Bob really stretching it out here vocally, hitting those upper notes like a pro. More fantastic guitar licks from Gillard. No signs of prog rock here. Just a big, breezy mid-tempo rocker. (10)
6. The Weeping Bogeyman – Another tag-on that is a brief, meandering acoustic track. Sounds out of place. (3)
7. Back to the Lake – Pollard mines a familiar well to get things back on track. A tight blast of pop punk, with big soaring choruses. GBV 101. Some excellent, subtle piano mixed in by future Boston Spaceships bandmate, Chris Slusarenko. “How can I look through their senseless side? As much as I'd like to, all is not right and it shows.” (10)
8. Love 1 – Another sub-minute bridge track. This one has a little punch to it. Sounds like an outtake from Alien Lanes, but with a bit more fidelity. (5)
9. Storm Vibrations – The second prog-slathered epic masterpiece of the album. This one soars to great heights. Love all the intricate chord changes and tempo shifts. Casting an ominous, gloomy vibe, this is a big time song. Those jet fly-over sounds piped in at the end are awesome! “It will try to find you, no matter where you may go. It will try to find you, no matter who you may know. Does it hurt you? To love, I mean?” (11)
10. Factory of Raw Essentials – A herky-jerky acoustic snippet that serves as a bridge between the previous prog epic and the corresponding pop punk classic. (5)
11. Everywhere with Helicopter – This one leaps out of the speakers. Gillard is an assassin. Pollard gives one of the most diverse vocal performances of his career. He hits so many different notes and adopts a wide-range of vocal personalities throughout the song. “We know the answers. We fill us in. I do not diminish - start to finish, front to end.” (10)
12. Pretty Bombs – A bouncy mid-tempo rocker with some string-drenched interludes. I like how the song continues to rebuild itself after each string part cuts in. Brings a cinematic quality to the record. (8)
13. Eureka Signs – Has a bit of an Isolation Drills big-arena sound to it. Packed with hooks, you can’t but help bob your head and pump your fist to Gillard’s guitar theatrics. Big song for the air guitarists. (8)
13. Wings of Thorn – Some great snare drum work by newbie Jon McCann propel this one along. Another strong vocal performance by Bob. (6)
14. Car Language – Ominous and the most proggy GBV track to date. Very disjointed feel to it. Lots of complex chord changes and we gets a chorus of honking cars horns (obviously speaking their language) toward the end of track. Right or wrong, I always think of early Genesis when this song comes on. “This is car language, turned on by a signal. And everywhere we go, we do it fast by automobile.” (8)
15. From a Voice Plantation - Another atmospheric, ominous song with some reverb. Not as strong as the previous track, but another step down that progressive path. Todd Tobias’ influence with the variety of non-traditional noises on full display. (6)
16. The Ids are Alright – From a cacophony of a song to a simple tune that is one of the few GBV tracks to feature an organ. Obvious play on The Who classic “The Kids are Alright” with the title. (4)
17. Universal Truths and Cycles – The rare appearance of a title track. Most album titles are culled from a lyric, created through some clever word play or capture an overall vibe of the album. This is a pleasant, mid-tempo that incorporates some more prog charm. (7)
18. Father Sgt. Christmas Card – Easily the crudest song on the record in terms of sound quality. Sounds like a track you would expect on one of those mid-to-late-90s GBV EPs. Solid song snippet, but sounds a bit out of place on this album. (5)
to be continued...
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard
Guided By Voices - Christian Animation Torch Carriers
Short Film: Happiness By Steve Cutts
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard
Onslaught of pure, unadulterated rock & roll, complete with mic twirls and everlasting big kicks.
1. Wire Greyhounds
2. Skin Parade
3. Zap
4. Christian Animation Torch Carriers
5. The Weeping Bogeyman
6. Back To The Lake
7. Love 1
8. Storm Vibrations
9. Factory of Raw Essentials
10. Everywhere with Helicopter
11. Universal Truths and Cycles
12. Game of Pricks
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard
The Strokes video for "Someday" features the band boozing with Pollard & crew in a bar and losing a tough game of Celebrity Family Feud to GBV.
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard
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Earthquake Glue (2003)
2003 was jam-packed with Robert Pollard releases. In addition to his thirteenth Guided By Voices record, Pollard released the following albums – Motel of Fools/Robert Pollard, Pinball Mars/Circus Devils, Beard of Lightning/Phantom Tollbooth and Mist King Urth/Lifeguards. Additionally, Matador released the excellent box set, Hardcore UFOs: Revelations, Epiphanies and Fast Food in the Western Hemisphere. In fact, a few copies of Earthquake Glue contained a golden ticket that entitled the winner to a free signed copy of the Hardcore UFOs box set. Like the previous record, the same cast of musicians returned again, with the exception of the drummer. This time, Kevin March was brought on board to be the band’s latest master of the kit. Pollard told March that he wanted him to “go wild” on Earthquake Glue and “be Keith Moon”. Impressed with the job he had done on Universal Truths and Cycles, Todd Tobias was asked by Pollard to return as the record’s producer, which he happily obliged. Another return was a Pollard-created collage for the album. It was the first one to grace a GBV cover since 1997’s Mag Earwhig! and it looks very cool. Earthquake Glue is a straightforward rock album, devoid of short song snippets. It is also a professionally produced, polished record that sounds big enough to be played in arenas and studios. Much like Isolation Drills, this album was made to be played loud. The prog influence is still present, but not to the extent it is on Universal Truths and Cycles. The majority of critics showered the record with praise and I agree. This is a very good album with some well-written songs and great performances. The addition of March to the band paid off well, providing that Keith Moon-like energy that Bob wanted.
1. My Kind of Soldier – Song comes thundering out the gate, bursting with hooks and Pollard’s melodic gifts. That tight, mid-tempo rocker the classic lineup had perfected in the Under the Bushes Under the Stars period was back. Tremendous opener. “My kind of soldier, you can ride on my shoulders when you’ve won. Fight for the moment of control when it opens, then it’s gone.” (10)
2. My Son, My Secretary and My Country – Sounds like multiple songs wrapped into one 1:57 track. I love the Ester Dennis Middle School 8th Grade Band that provides the opening horns to the song. From there, we get an acoustic song that transitions to a full band builder that concludes with Pollard literally roaring – “Rahhhhhhhhh!” (8)
3. I'll Replace You with Machines – A song title that rings true more and more with each passing year. Lots of stop-and-go to this track. Some sound effects that sound like splashing in a wave pool throughout the song. I suppose that is less abrasive that having someone snore loudly a la Alien Lanes’ “Ex-Supermodel”. (7.5)
4. She Goes Off at Night – Starts off as a blaster before giving way to some beautiful Pollard melodies. Short, sweet and catchy. (7)
5. Beat Your Wings – Starts out with Pollard singing slowly and deliberately over a simple guitar chord. Drums come in and then it builds to the middle where we get some proggy atmospherics. Gillard provides a soaring guitar solo with just an ever-so-slight touch of Dave Gilmour-esque flair. Another GBV song that emanates defiance. “Shadows take familiar skin, so recognize them dont give in. We’ll beat our wings. We will rise again.” (9)
6. Useless Inventions – Tempo picks up significantly on this track. Gillard laying down some excellent guitar parts. Pollard pumps out another Who-worthy anthem that would have stadiums filled with people pumping theirs fists and singing along in a more just universe. (8.5)
7. Dirty Water – This sounds like the band just screwing around. Gillard working his whammy bar and Pollard sort of slurring through the lyrics. Plenty of extra studio noises going on. This song can’t figure out if it want to be a spontaneous jammy track or a layered, psych-prog mini epic. (4)
8. The Best of Jill Hives – And, Bam!, just like that Pollard lays another classic track on us. Simple, sunny and straightforward rocker with some of Pollard’s best vocals on the record. Wisely selected as one of the album’s two singles. “I don’t know where you find your nerve. I don’t know how you choose your words. Speak the ones that suit you worse, keep you grounded, sad and cursed. Circle the ones that come alive, save them for the best of Jill Hives.” (10)
9. Dead Cloud – Major stop-and-start thing going on here. Pollard hitting the deeper part of his vocal range. Not his most inspired-sounding vocal performance. An overall gloomy song, which, with the title “Dead Cloud”, makes perfect sense. (5)
10. Mix Up the Satellite – Starts out very proggy and spacey (and borderline cheesy) till it gets going a bit. Pollard delivers another impassioned vocal performance. His range truly is impressive. This song has a way of working into your head. (7)
11. The Main Street Wizards – Solid track that neither thrills nor disappoints. Kind of blends in with some of the other songs on the album until it hits that spacey, proggy groove about 2/3s of the way in. (5)
12. A Trophy Mule in Particular – A bit over-the-top ominous vibe created here. Turns proggy pretty quickly. Tobias and the Circus Devils connection has its influence all over this track. (4)
13. Apology in Advance – Sounds like a Who/Genesis mash-up. Some pretty dramatic arrangements worked into this track. Sounds a bit like the earlier song, “I'll Replace You with Machines”. Gillard unleashes some great licks to keep this afloat. (6)
14. Secret Star – My personal favorite song on the album, it simply conjures up such a cheery vibe. Another great vocal performance by Bob. Just the right amount of prog injected into this one. After a spacey interlude in the middle, I love the moment at the 2:30 mark where Pollard comes back in and starts singing. From there, the song really takes off. Props to Gillard and March being in lockstep as this one crescendos. “Send no more joy, no more light, no more danger. It will always come… to wish for you to fall; to wish for you to burn; to wish for your return.” (10)
15. Of Mites and Men – Some of the watery sound effects from “I'll Replace You with Machines” return here. Guitars sound menacing. Pollard delivering the vocals with an extra layer of cockiness. Gillard goes off on this one. (7)
to be continued…
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard
Official video for "My Kind of Soldier" featuring "Beatle Bob".
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard
This session was recorded in a basement studio in Columbus, OH owned and operated by a friend of Nate Farley's, hence the name "Nate Farley Sessions". Reportedly, unlike GBV's album sessions, Robert Pollard left after recording was completed, with Nate and Doug Gillard remaining behind to supervise the mixing and mastering process. Todd Tobias was not present.
This pre-recorded radio session was distributed to UK radio stations as a promo CD-R with the dual intent of providing bonus tracks to encourage DJ's to play the band's new album Earthquake Glue and to avoid having to take the time to record in-studio sessions while on tour in Europe.
Robert Pollard, Doug Gillard, Nate Farley, Tim Tobias, Kevin March
01. Useless Inventions
02. Secret Star
03. I'll Replace You With Machines
04. My Kind of Soldier
05. Of Mites and Men
06. Bull Spears
07. Alone, Stinking and Unafraid
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard
Robert Pollard's LP of demos for the Guided By Voices Earthquake Glue record. It was Limited to 1000 copies on vinyl only, released by Rockathon Records.
Recorded in one day (actually in a matter of 5 hours, start to finish) on October 13, 2002 at the Warfleigh Labs. These are the original demos for the songs that became Earthquake Glue. Pollard plays all instruments (even a homemade E string click track) and does all of the vocals. Earthquake Glue, was originally going to be called Edison's Memos, hence the title.
Side A
1. Mix Up The Satellite [Demo]
2. I'll Replace You With Machines [Demo]
3. Beat Your Wings [Demo]
4. Useless Inventions [Demo]
5. Dirty Water [Demo]
6. She Goes Off At Night [Demo]
7. She Goes Off At Night [Vocals Only Mix - Demo]
8. Dead Cloud [Demo]
Side B
1. My Son, My Secretary, My Country [Demo]
2. A Trophy Mule In Particular [Demo]
3. Main Street Wizards [Demo]
4. Main Street Wizards [Homemade Click Track Mix - Demo]
5. Blasted But It's Easy [Demo]
6. Apology In Advance [Demo]
7. Secret Star [Demo]
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard
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Half Smiles of the Decomposed (2004)
This was supposed to be the final Guided By Voices record. Feeling pinned in a corner, and not wanting to continue recording under that moniker, Pollard announced in 2004 that the band was breaking up for good. In announcing the dissolution of GBV, Pollard said he felt that the band had creatively run it course and that he was sick and tired of the baggage and expectations that came with releasing albums under the GBV name. He felt the best way to recharge his creative battery was to get back in the studio as a solo artist, unencumbered by the presuppositions and inevitable comparisons of recording under the Guided By Voices appellation. That way, he could write and record the music he wanted to, rather than what others wanted or expected of him. Pollard was also tired of the endless routine of record, tour, repeat. When Half Smiles of the Decomposed was completed, Bob said, “After I listened to Half Smiles, it had a kind of sad, melancholy but uplifting feeling to it. And it felt like a fitting wrap-up and, at that point, I made the decision.” Recorded at Waterloo Sound in Kent, Ohio, the band was the same as the previous record, with the exception of Chris Slusarenko playing bass in place of Tim Tobias, who had left the band in the middle of the tour for Earthquake Glue. Tim’s brother, Todd, was back behind the console as the producer of the project. The majority of the record sounds professionally produced and contains some of the band’s hookiest epics. It received a mixed, but mostly positive, critical reception. I think the second half of the album drags for a bit, but the outstanding closer, “Huffman Prairie Flying Field” (one of Pollard’s finest moments), quickly erases any less-than-positive feelings about the record. It also makes a strong case for the best bookended album ever made. Half Smiles of the Decomposed stood as the last GBV album for eight years before the classic lineup reconvened for Let’s Go Eat the Factory in 2012.
1. Everyone Thinks I’m a Raincloud (When I’m Not Looking) – The Fading Captain kicks off the album with a fade-in song. This is a fantastic track. It’s another one of those sad but triumphant songs that Pollard has mastered. Ranks up there as one his all-time best opening songs. “With pillows of self-esteem, alone in a satellite dream, where I can't forget about a world. Where every beam I choose is shining alone on you, shining alone on you, yeah!” (11)
2. Sleep Over Jack – A bit of a post-punk/psych hybrid of a song. Some distorted “Yellow Submarine”-styled vocals worked into the track. Major Circus Devils vibe. (6)
3. Girls of Wild Strawberries – Pollard said the inspiration for this infectiously hooky track is the 1957 Ingmar Bergman movie, Wild Strawberries. Bob said he found the Swedish women in the film to be “striking” and was inspired to write this sunny song which exudes sunshine and positivity. Definitely a top-tier GBV slice of Pollard pop. “Survived and prayed to be free. And send my letters out, delivered sermons to the sea, for the girls of wild strawberries.” (10)
4. Gonna Never Have to Die – Tight, bouncy song with a great bassline and acoustic riff propelling it along. Some proggy synth sprinkled in for good measure in the middle. (7)
5. Window of My World – Starts off as a simple twee-ish track (think “Hold on Hope”) before it transforms into a mid-tempo rocker. From there, we get a lush strings interlude before things pick up again. The outro mirrors the intro. Several different things going on, but it all holds together. (6)
6. Closets of Henry – Strong UtBUtS kind of vibe going on here. Another classic, fist-pumping builder. Pollard counterbalances the dirty Gillard guitar line with plenty of melody and hooks. Another winner! “Bumbling now with nowhere left to go…” (9)
7. Tour Guide at the Winston Churchill Memorial – Good preview of what much of Pollard’s upcoming solo output would sound like. Starts out heavy, but slow, then picks up steam and contains those classic soaring chorus Pollard is known to deliver. Bob was inspired to write this one after going on a tour at the Winston Churchill Museum on the campus of Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri. He was smitten with one of the tour guides, Sarah, who would later become his second wife. “Oh, she's so on top of things, gone out but so looking within. She's got her heart pressed to the ground to extend her knowledge, and I'll spend my life with her now.” (7)
8. Asia Minor – Bouncy piano with Bob sort of laboring through the vocals. If he was going for another soaring, hooky chorus here, he missed. (2)
9. Sons of Apollo – Very plodding song with some sort of anti-pornography, religiously-inspired speech to kick it off. This one drags and never really finds its footing or takes off. (4)
10. Sing for Your Meat – Song title was used as the album title for the 2011 Guided By Voices tribute album featuring Thurston Moore, Superdrag, Lou Barlow, The Flaming Lips, Jason Isbell and Blitzen Trapper, to name a few. It’s a curious choice for the album name, as this is a not-too-interesting, mid-fi track that certainly doesn’t come close to ranking with some of the incredible songs Bob has penned over the years. (3)
11. Asphyxiated Circle – After a few sub-par songs, the album gets back on track with this one. The off-beat harmonizing in the chorus can’t spoil this one. Another one of those songs that brings to mind some of the great mid-tempo rockers Pollard churned out in the mid-90s. (8)
12. A Second Spurt of Growth – Fans didn’t know it at the time, but this song sounds a lot like several tracks that would make up Pollard’s 2006 massive, sprawling solo record, From a Compound Eye. Sounds like more of a semi-fleshed out song compared with the other tracks on the record, but it is a pleasant acoustic number. (5)
13. (S)mothering and Coaching – Sounds like a pretty scathing indictment on parents and authority figures, in general. Pollard apparently had a strained relationship with his parents, particularly in light of how unsupportive of his decision to chase his rock & roll dreams. Several different styles showcased on this song, including a mix of fidelity that runs from low to high. (5)
14. Huffman Prairie Flying Field – This swan song is another melancholic but defiant track, lyrically inspired by the Wright brothers. Bob, ever the flight enthusiast, named this song after pasture land that Dayton banker Torrence Huffman gave to the Wrights to perfect their first airplanes and where they started the first pilot training school. Tobin Sprout comes back to make a guest appearance on guitar. A fantastic closer to what appeared to be at the time the band’s final farewell. “I've come to start up my head. Been closed and locked up, for far too long - for far too long - for far too long - for far too long.” (11)
to be continued...
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard
2004 Late Night w/ Conan O'Brien clip. On December 2, 2004, Mayor Bloomberg proclaims it to be "Guided By Voices Day" in NYC.
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Re: Guided by Voices/Robert Pollard
Trailer for The Electrifying Conclusion documentary about GBV's farewell tour.
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