C or D : Guided By Voices.

I was in the right place for the initial run of GbV, but stopped caring long ago, though I've kept up in a half-assed way with like 80% of the new releases. Got "Factory" via Spotify out of curiosity. It's really pretty good. Kind of weird to listen to...sort of like hooking up with your ex-girlfriend from college, except you're both in your 40's now. Makes me think, more than ever, that GbV was not in fact Pollard + Granny on Bongos. I'm surprised to find myself playing this often.

it's not a bad record but it feels very anonymous to me, particularly tobin's contributions. i'd put it slightly ahead of half smiles.. the last boston spaceships record had some much stronger tracks

really dislike 'how i met my mother' and 'fats domino' is their most hookless single

Ahead of Half Smiles? no no no!

Granted, I've only played it through twice, and that was the NPR stream that went up pre-release, but it left me hollow and almost offended at how disjointed and, frankly, bad it was. Maybe I'll try it again some day, but I just don't want to now.

Never trust NPR streams. I've learned that the hard way...

I'm almost afraid to buy the new one, for fear of disappointment. "Fats" was okay. Have like 20 Pollard side project promos from the last couple years that I still haven't found time to play.

The new GBV album is surprisingly good, one of the best things Pollard's done in years and more interesting than the last few GBV albums were. If you're looking for an album of big hooky singles you're not going to find it. They're messing around in basements and bedrooms again like they did back in the early days, not trying to be the big rock band. I understand why people are disappointed, especially if what they're looking for is more 'hits', but it's really exceeding my expectations.

I've listened to it three times and I'm not feeling it at all beyond the odd track. It's among their bottom three albums for me.

Love it. Garnered way more plays from me than anything Bob's put out in years (not that I didn't like that stuff either).

have really come to love this, the more i play it.

Yeah, I really like this one and I kind of feel like a lot of the people that hate this had unreasonable expectations in the first place. No, it isn't Alien Lanes or Bee Thousand, hell even Mag Earwhig, but I do think its interesting and I like it the more I hear it.

unreasonable expectations

What's unreasonable about expecting something more than aimlessness for the most part? Bob still writes a handful of big, anthemic songs every year that he then distributes among his hundred different projects. Unfortunately, he used his most recent batch all up before getting around to making this latest GBV record. I don't mind a little aimless in my GBV, but it's got to be broken up by the BIG songs I can use as trailmarkers.

That wasn't aimed at you, btw, I was just referring to a lot of dismissiveness I've seen online that boils down to, "this sucks, Alien Lanes was so much better". Well, duh.

In terms of your complaints, I think there are a handful of those BIG songs. And I really like the aimlessness, particularly with Toby back in the mix.

Where I'm coming from is this - the first GBV music I heard was the 7"s from the time (Get Out of My Stations, Grand Hour, Fast Japanese Spin Cycle, Clown Prince of the Menthol Trailer) and then Vampire on Titus and then Bee Thousand, which had just come out. In that batch of music there are rock/pop anthems, sure, but overall there's more weird stuff that would probably fit your definition of "aimlessness". What I love about the new album is in spirit it goes back to that era. Plus, it surprises me, like their music originally surprised me - some of those Tobin songs in particular sound nothing like what he usually does, or like anything that's been on a GBV album before.

But I do imagine that if my first encounters with GBV were with the later lineup, more 'arena rock' stuff (which I also love, don't get me wrong), and I was looking for them to go that route (to pick up where GBV left off), I'd be disappointed.

Where I'm coming from is this - the first GBV music I heard was the 7"s from the time (Get Out of My Stations, Grand Hour, Fast Japanese Spin Cycle, Clown Prince of the Menthol Trailer) and then Vampire on Titus and then Bee Thousand, which had just come out. In that batch of music there are rock/pop anthems, sure, but overall there's more weird stuff that would probably fit your definition of "aimlessness". What I love about the new album is in spirit it goes back to that era. Plus, it surprises me, like their music originally surprised me - some of those Tobin songs in particular sound nothing like what he usually does, or like anything that's been on a GBV album before.

^^^ absolutely

yeah i think i agree. haven't spent *too* much time with the new one, but i like the fact that it isn't just jampacked w/ anthems. gbv, at their core, are a WEIRD band! and this is a weird album that I'm interested in exploring more. not sure if i'd be saying the same if Factory was just a bunch of Baba O'Riley soundalikes or w/e.

"Fats Domino" gets stuck in my head all the time. awesome song.

I dig the new album and agree it hearkens back to the sound of those '93-'94 eps but I would like to hear some more anthems on Class Clown.

Let It Beard and Mars Classroom and even the Lifeguards album from last year all had much stronger songwriting. In fact, I'm astonished Let It Beard in particular wasn't cited more (or at all) as one of the best rock albums of 2011...

I still recall playing Bee Thousand for a friend (with very well-informed and eclectic taste) when it came out. His comment was that inevitably the band was going to try to tighten up the songwriting and improve the production, and that they'd never live up to what he was hearing. He was mostly right...

Gotta say that "big anthemic songs" is about the *last* thing that impressed me about GbV the first time around. Personally "Hot Freaks" was the one I loved back in the day. It's really pretty amazing that they/he can still manage to 97% approximate the original sound at this point. It's almost like there'd been a Syd/Floyd reunion in the 80's that wasn't bad.

the sound of 'factory' + the songwriting of 'let it beard' would have been a total winner

I dig the new album and agree it hearkens back to the sound of those '93-'94 eps but I would like to hear some more anthems on Class Clown

i think that'll be the case. when i interviewed the band before xmas, kevin said he was surprised how much leeway to experiment bob had given tobin on factory, and that clown was a much more 'rock' record by comparison.

Where I'm coming from is this - the first GBV music I heard was the 7"s from the time (Get Out of My Stations, Grand Hour, Fast Japanese Spin Cycle, Clown Prince of the Menthol Trailer) and then Vampire on Titus and then Bee Thousand, which had just come out. In that batch of music there are rock/pop anthems, sure, but overall there's more weird stuff that would probably fit your definition of "aimlessness". What I love about the new album is in spirit it goes back to that era. Plus, it surprises me, like their music originally surprised me - some of those Tobin songs in particular sound nothing like what he usually does, or like anything that's been on a GBV album before.

this is exactly where i came in, except that i started w/ propeller followed by the singles and then the scat albums. if the new one (which i haven't heard) is anywhere near that good, i'll be in heaven. but those albums and singles were packed with anthems, right? "weed king", "mesh gear fox", "my impression now", "shocker in gloomtown", "wished i was a giant", i mean cmon...

"bears for lunch" thoughts? at the moment i'm liking it as much as class clown (and both way way more than factory)

bob's songwriting is holding up really well though i'm not loving tobin's stuff on the reunion records

obviously: I want to believe

That said I have enjoyed the first 8 tracks so far. First Tobin joint a joy.

I like Bears a lot and I think the three reunion records are equally good but not great. All 5 Boston Spaceships records are superior.

I've only heard White Flag from the latest batch of material, but it's one of the best things to come out of these new(ish) sessions imo.

Listening to The Bears for Lunch right now and it is hands down the best of the three reunion albums so far. Maybe the guys just had to fall back into a comfortable groove or something, but this is what I was hoping for initially.

Number of GBV songs about aircraft has to be way greater than 30 at this point.

I'm gonna have to listen to the new one a few more times, but so far I'm not really feeling it. Loved Class Clown Spots a UFO, though; so far I'd say the new one is more consistently good than Let's Go Eat the Factory but the highs on Factory are better than anything on here. Just my initial impression, though.

Also, really really disappointed with pretty much all of the Tobin songs on all three of these.

Yeah I think Tobin is being spread too thin. His songs on Bears sound like they belong on another record, they just don't sound like GBV songs. Also, his Forever Until It Breaks really dragged down the first side of Class Clown...

it's kind of amazing how good the guided by voices official greatest hits is

I've loved most of the Tobin songs! Particularly because they don't sound like typical GBV songs. I've actually found them to be a nice break from the Pollard songs, they kinda keep these interesting.

I really like "God Loves Us", and there's one towards the end of the new one that I like a lot but can't remember the name of right now, but I agree with ColinO that they sound like they belong on another record, not as much because of the songs themselves being too different, but it seems like Tobin goes off on his own and records his songs with minimal input from the rest of the band so they just don't fit with the sound of the rest of the album. Plus, I don't know, it bums me out to say it because I love his contributions to the '90s GBV records and his first couple solo albums are worthwhile, but I just think his new material is pretty weak.

old bones off the first reunion LP is one of my fave tobin songs of all time

^^^ thats a great one

and we're finally here
and shit yeah it's cool
and shouldn't it be?

yeah the greatest hits record was a total home run

OK time to contribute to this thread. I'd avoided these reunion albums because I thought "The Unsinkable Fats Domino" was such a feeble downer, but I've finally got around to listening to them. To start off with, releasing 3 albums and 60 tracks in one year is ridiculous and typical of the self-indulgence that's hobbled Pollard's career and led to former admirers deserting his cause in droves but that's an old debate and pointless because he's obviously not going to change now. Some good points: every successive album has been notably better than the one before, so they're headed in the right direction at least. Second, his vocals are sounding good - I've always thought his singing was one of the best things about his records but there was a time a few years back when they were in danger of becoming one of the worst things about them - but he's sounding really strong and confident again. Third, these albums have prised him from the airless deathgrip of Todd Tobias and that conveyor belt of prissy proggy albums that ALL SOUND EXACTLY THE SAME. (You could say that's he's gotten away from overwritten songs and gotten back to underwritten songs - tbh written songs are preferable to both). It's great to hear some Bob Pollard which isn't all bombastic heavy-handed drumming and flashy sub-Entwistle bass flummery, he's been trying to get his rhythm sections to play like it's "Quadrophenia" since "Universal Truths" (if not before) and it's FUCKING BORING, stop it! Ol' Tobin's pretty much the same as he's always been, reliable for one or two good songs an album but that's about it. All in all, I'm probably sounding a bit negative but I have actually enjoyed listening to these albums and if there had been ONE good one instead of three OK ones I would have been a hell of a lot more positive, But that's fucking Pollard for you!

yeah you could get a very strong GBV record taking the best third of these 3 combined but that's not really what GBV is about at this point

Yeah, you're talking about the asshole who released an album called The Kids Eat It Up: The Best of Robert Pollard 2010-2011!

Tom D otm -- lots of good points in there. As a ship-jumper (I still haven't heard any of these new albums yet, I'll admit it!), I feel like it's my right to reclaim my listening for something other than Bob Pollard -- he's just the guy who needs the most attention I guess. I don't have a lot of patience for attention hogs!

STILL, he is the way he is and has always been. He's a cherished Ohioan who has been at this for a really long time and I will always love him for that.

Now tell me the truth - which one of these new album do I need to hear? I am going to start with one.

The newest of the three, The Bears for Lunch.

i havent listened to Bears yet but Class Clown has been worthwhile

like as long as you were into GBV deeper than bee thousand/alienlanes you'll find something to enjoy on these new records i think

Ok. I'm a serious old timer at this point, I'll give it a try!

I only listened to the first of the three new ones and wasn't into it. maybe I'll give Bears For Lunch a shot.

The first one is definitely the worst. Class Clown is my favorite so far, but still giving Bears For Lunch time to sink in.

I bought all GBV, and most side projects, through about 2006, but I've heard most everything since. I'm a big Pollard apologist. But... the only ones from the 2000s that I honestly keep going going back, not out of sheer obligation, are:

Keene Brothers
Moon
Go Back Snowball
Hold on Hope EP
Suitcase #1
Live at the Wheelchair Races
Crickets

Wow same list for me but I would add 'waving at astronauts' by lifeguards & 'let it beard' by Boston spaceships & 'new theory of everything' by mars classroom

Oh you said 2000s - my bad

earth man blues is the only one from the past 5 yrs i've gotten that feeling with

For me Crystal Nuns Cathedral is the best one. But they’ve all been at least pretty good.

They have all been surprisingly strong, imho, though some better than others. I like the recent turn towards longer songs as well, never thought I'd see the days of 40-minute, 10-track GBV records. Last year's Tumblers and Gogglers By Rank (such a GBV title!) was particularly strong. Haven't played the new one yet, it just arrived yesterday.

good pal works for KJHK out of Lawrence and the kids were going to toss a bunch of great vinyl, he saved a bunch (he’s a grad student closer to my age) and sent me two EPs the other day: Plantations of Pale Pink which is nice raw trash and the Surgical Focus 7”, which I love…. “Surgical Focus” might be the GBV song I feel silliest about loving, but the vocal melody just gets trapped in my skull, it’s so good.

Surgical Focus has that lovely descending guitar line on the chrous, right? Great song. I think I have that 7 somewhere too.

Who tosses modern vinyl these days? It’s so easily worth $$$ in the current market...

next on the list, thanks Alfred

Surgical Focus has that lovely descending guitar line on the chrous, right? Great song. I think I have that 7 somewhere too.

Who tosses modern vinyl these days? It’s so easily worth $$$ in the current market...

Is plantations the one with The Who vs Porky the Pig? I used to have that one too

Yes calstars, that's the one— piss yellow vinyl

soft clay orifice
quivering
like new structures
and formations
a perversion not known to the perfect ones
a stinging
disruption, alas
it is quick like the ultimate
brush-off
is it time yet?
we've coupons and stamps
and valuable cramps from
~~ LIQUID INDIAN ~~

Couldn’t tell if that was real or not

Is it?

wah-wah-ooh

Oh it’s real
I love that one!!!

Welshpool Frillies is the first GBV in a while that's doing it for me

The apparent resistance to being categorised as a 6 Music Dad station also feels extra muddled when you factor in things such as the recent eight-part 30th anniversary Britpop series – a subject so worn and threadbare surely even Lamacq has run out of things to say on it – or the Strokes’ Albert Hammond Jr playing 13 Guided By Voices tracks back-to-back in one Artist in Residence show.

(from https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/aug/08/bbc-6-music-radio-station)

ugh i am so SICK of this!!

It’s the “OK boomer” of the indie music world; a flippant and generalising piss-take that doesn’t possess much weight or sting but carries an undercurrent of ageism, and characterises its target as culturally shallow.

It's worse than that -- it's also sexist and is oozing with ageism. For me, it stings pretty bad because it erases my existence. Does not feel good!

deCIDE now!

Three (3) albums released in 2023...

which makes a total of...

24 (!!!) full-length records released since 2012 (the reunion).

That number does not include the seven (7!) full-length records released under Robert Pollard's name in the same time frame...

nor any singles, side-projects, collabs, etc.

...insanity!

What’s most surprising to me is how great much of that material is! Dude is on a great run lately. And another new side project coming next month, Rip Van Winkle, with a debut EP.

Whenever I see this thread bumped I wish Hadrian was popping in for a surprise visit.

Swimming river flow
Rifle, bullet, arrow & bow
Plaster, paint & tile
Lepus, canine, cat & reptile

― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Monday, August 1, 2016 7:00 PM (seven years ago)

take a little time to stumble
show a little faith in something larger than your life

(guitar solo)

UTBUTS at breakfast this morning, all killer no filler

B1000 / AL / UTBUTS = best all-time three-album run consideration?

(and throw in not in my airforce and waved out if going for an all-time fiver)

carnival boy too, yeah?

I'd throw in Propeller an Vampire on Titus.

same, plus the siltbreeze etc eps