On their major label debut, the Dayton, Ohio band has acheived a marvel,
created the sound of a new "classic rock" that sounds familiar yet utterly
contemporary, because songwriter Robert Pollard has absorbed every influence
he's picked up during his forty-something life listening to the radio, from
the Beatles and before to post-punk, and used them to fuel his own wigged-out
artistic vision. Pollard is long overdue for recognition as one of the great
pop songwriters of this generation, dwelling in relative obscurity except for
a handful of avid critics and fans. This is largely due to GBV's consciously
lo-fi sound, their early albums mixed on four-track in Ohio basements. But
even on their early releases, which are worth tracking down, they had a way
with an infectious hook. On this release, produced by Ric Ocasek, you can
really "picture them big time," since the production value, on radio single
"Teenage FBI" and ballad "Hold On Hope" as well as others is big, epic,
almost a Phil Spector wall of sound. Strings are even added to "Dragons
Awake." The edge is still there, with guitarists Nate Farley and Doug Gillard
mining pop-rock riffs that would make sonic minerologists like Rick Nelson of
Cheap Trick proud. As a lyric goes from Pollard's recent solo album, Kid
Marine, proclaims, "file it under milestones."