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BMA
Dan Bigna

Guided By Voices
Do The Collapse   
TVT

Thanks to Mark Hyland for transcribing

Guided by Voices
Do The Collapse (TVT)

An unusual thing I noticed is that Rick Ocasek (of slick 80's synth pop act
The Cars) is listed as producer. After all, GBV are supposed to be
progenitors of the contemporary lo-fi sound, (that characteristic background
wispy tape hiss and gritty distortion always lent each GBV pop gem a certain
style and charm). However, for the sake of progress it was probably time the
band moved on, and I can happily say that the tunes on this release are as
good as anything GBV have done in the past. Singer/songwriter Robert Pollard
always claimed that GBV aspired to arena rock anyway, and Rick Ocasek's
polished production work has given the tunes a little push in that
direction. But that is a bit of a joke really, because GBV have always
meticulously crafted left of centre pop tunes which share much in common
with New Zealand's many Velvets inspired pop bands, but very little with the
blistering overkill of stadium acts like Kiss. Sure, the sound leakage has
been cleaned up, but from the opening riffs of the first track "Teenage FBI"
the listener knows they are in for a special treat as only this band can
deliver.