Guided By Voices- Crawlspace Of The Pantheon (GBV Inc Records)
Another year, another Guide by Voices album. But album #44 is filled with all newly penned Pollard tracks this time around. It features the same line up dating back to August By Cake (the double lp with bassist Mark Shue on the cover). It features vocals: Robert Pollard; vocals: Bobby Bare Jr.; guitar: Doug Gillard; bass: Mark Shue; drums: Kevin March. String and horn arrangements by Doug Gillard. It's produced by Travis Harrison at Serious Business Music. Lead off track," Lost In The Sun," blasts away with Doug's guitar right into a rockin' rhythm section. This song sets the tone for the rest of the album. It's a short one reminiscent of the early GbV days. Nothing wrong with that! Bob rattles off bands possibly to include on his next Suitcase series, "there goes The Ivory Gate, dressing like thrift store mods, hanging with Surfer People, that's when rock and roll got old, then came The Vacant Names, playing their finger blame games, when they took the wheel, from here on out was not the same" Anyway you look at it, "Lost in the Sun, is a one two punch to kick off the album. Track 2, "Out With A Theory," is a repetitive, slower track. Bob's lyrics here are in fine form as well, "and they wrote some songs in a Cheap Trick cover band, and they wanted to record in Mitch Easter's garage; but it shouldn't work or it maybe couldn't stand, and it all swept up in part of the mirage. go out with a theory." It has a feel of recalling their days opening for Cheap Trick. (Be sure to look up their cover of "Downed.") "One Last Blow" is throbbing bass anthem with Bob's vocals tweaked to come off as muffled distortion(Remember "Zoo Pie?"). But be sure to wait for the shredding guitar jam at the end. If you've read this far, the first single off the album is classic GbV. "We Outlast Them All" is the sonic sound of their past complete with a beautifully harmonized chorus thanks to Bobby Bare Jr. "and we outlast them all every keepsake, every law with a school girl's voice a career for the curtains that rise and fall. and we accept them all every gift mouth large or small from the cold to a smoldering heat of the hearth." It's been on my stereo non-stop. Listen here:
"A Grand Ceremonial Jester" is another too short nonsensical number trying to make sense of. "Dagon's Plunger" attacks with a throbbing bass, smashing drums, and scorching guitar. It meanders into numerous melodies that makes it the longest track on the album. "Advance Without Dropping" is the second single released prior to the album dropping. "I've got no criticisms, I've got no fight, I've got no witticisms, with any kind of bite to you, my son, to you" Pollard told FLOOD Magazine: "I say 'my son' a lot in this song but it's not necessarily to my son, Bryan. It could be to any young person. I've got about five or six guys I hang out with that I refer to as my son. One of them is in my band." Listen here:
Track 8, "No Shoe Fits (Floating Babies)," clocks in a little over two minutes, but you would never believe it. It's packed with jamming instrumentation, Bare Jr.'s harmonies, and Bob's witty lyrics. "floating, do you see me? I'm floating around on the royal throne, seemingly floating unless the queen is stoned, but not nonplussed, sangfroid human goes rolling home, mother nature's son, too much air on my hair, and I am floating…" But you need to hear this to believe how well it works. "Arthur Square" is another favorite with its "Motor Away" similarities, but here it's a fully-formed anthem. Is Bob reflecting on his own age? "and I don't care about the clothes that I wear, I'm not concerned and I cut my own hair, I'll just go on and be dressed as the fool 'cus I'm too old to pretend I still look cool." Well, he still looks cool to me. "Landscaping" features bassist Mark Shue adding autoharp. It's a dreamy, slower ballad filled with colorful imagery. "even still with it's coterie of liars, thieves and spies, statuette of a broken horse still good in your eyes." Track 11, "(How Would You Like A) Chariot Ride," is the fullest sounding song Guided by Voices has put out since Do The Collapse. It could easily be slipped into an 80s soundtrack with its over the pop production. The album closes with the newest single, "When You're My Clown (Nothing Happens)." It's a droning number that also gets an extra touch with Bobby Bare Jr.'s harmonies. Listen here:
Yes, Guided by Voices releases a lot of music. And I mean A LOT. Even though I'm huge fan, this album hooked me from start to finish. Apparently the band has taken a break from touring this year. I know Doug's got a great new album he's promoting. Bobby Bare Jr. is touring. I'm sure the rest of the band is busy as well. ERIC EGGLESON (posted 5/29/26)
(Photo credit: Sandlin Gaither)
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