both new songs on streaming now the b-side "Your Cricket is Rather Unique" is the better of the two imo but I enjoyed the non-Pollard songs most off August By Cake
I've been going through their discography in reverse chronological order, currently on English Little League, and it's absolutely incredible how consistent they are with the amount of output they have. Bob Pollard should be revered as one of the greatest songwriters of all time imo. And I haven't even reached their classic period.
Is this your first time listening to Guided By Voices? I discovered them a little before English Little League came out and it was one of my favorite music listening experiences. So much amazing stuff. And Guided By Voices is really just a small part of the Pollard music universe.
It is my first time listening to full albums, previously I'd just heard the most popular songs. After GBV I'm going to dive into his side project/solo stuff but it will likely take me years to get through everything. I'm kind of bummed that there's so much material that I can't really spend as much time with each album as I want to haha
Exclusive Album Premiere: Robert Pollard Talks Guided By Voices' Massive New Album 'Zeppelin Over China' It's very very good!
Surrender Your Poppy Field record came in the mail the other day maybe I should have created a thread for it??
Warp and Woof brought me back into GBV obsessiveness. Space Gun and Zeppelin Over China are similarly rewarding. I'd hardly gotten used to Sweating The Plague before SYPF was here. Arthur Has Business Elsewhere stuck in my head. Went 2 see them on NYE in LA and can't remember the last time I was on my feet for 4+ hours and didn't even notice.
I would say if you start with Propeller (‘92), and listen to everything from there until Half Smiles Of The Decomposed (‘04), which was the end of their original run- you will come across most of their best work. I won’t disagree that there are gems to be found elsewhere , but the quantity is just too much to keep up with for anyone with a job and wide ranging tastes in music LOL
I agree that the original run should definitely be prioritized. However, the stretch of albums between 2018’s Space Gun to present day is just absolutely incredible and should definitely be given a chance!
I swear I have been MEANING to listen to them and not gotten around to it. Will truly try to prioritize in the next few weeks based on this endorsement. Ive seen GBV I think .... 5 times? (Which isn’t a lot compared to diehards) but my first few shows in 01-02 were formative experiences for me as a teenager. I remember being front row at a show in DC, and Bob handed a 17 year old me a beer, saying “TAKE THIS, BROTHER, AND MAY IT SERVE YOU WELL.”
Don’t let the mid-00’s (IMO) middling records get you down. Starting with Space Gun (or even August by Cake) you’re in for another round of amazing records
Ric Ocasek produced! He famously didn't let Bobby Pollard and the boys drink while in the studio, so it produced some .... tension, and interesting results. It was the first GBV album I heard as a FAN - was only 14 at the time, and had heard most of the 90s classics via borrowing my Dad's CDs. I was immediately hooked because of the clean production.