| Home | Fading Captain Series | GBV News | The
Band | The Music | The Critics & Fans | Merchandise
| Other Stuff |
NudeAsTheNews.com
Troy Carpenter
GUIDED BY VOICES
Do The Collapse
TVT
Crystal clear sounds? String arrangements? Ric Ocasek? What has happened to
Guided By Voices?
The answer is "all of the above," but somehow, it is also "not much".
The
incredibly prolific Bob Pollard and his rotating band of guitar-pop
mercenaries have spawned forth the 11th studio LP under the Guided By Voices
moniker, and the most conspicuous aspect to Do The Collapse is its
crystalline production, miles from Pollard's usual rusty garage pop sound.
Further in the direction hinted at with 1998's Mag Earwhig,
Do The Collapse
was recorded in Hendrix's Electric Lady studios in NYC by the ex-Cars
frontman, who Pollard was apparently attracted to via Ocasek's work on the
first Weezer album.
Fans of GBV are by definition fans of Pollard's unique songwriting, and as
such, they will enjoy Do The Collapse. But inevitably, such listeners exist
for whom aesthetic and integrity are far more important than the songs
themselves, and from that perspective Do The Collapse treads shaky ground,
unabashedly wearing its newfound sheen like a gold tiara.
The production quality allows Pollard to explore textures he has likely
always wanted to. Take the arena ballad "Liquid Indian," where layers of
distorted guitars and keyboards don't drown out either Pollard's vocal hook
or the backing harmonies, both of which stand out confidently in the mix.
"Mushroom Art" is a great example of Pollard's sporadic genius flourishing in
its new surroundings.
The new sound provides clarity to all parts of the
song. He has one classic, powerfully overdubbed guitar riff, a succinct
middle eight, and weird lyrics ("like a bejewelled crow on a quilted tent /
our dead dreams awake!"). Add a ten-second "solo" section of Doug Gilliard's
lead guitar, and the nugget is complete: 1.45.
The addition of former Breeder Jim Macpherson on drums adds extra power and
cohesiveness to GBV's lineup.
It might be a bit of a shock to hear GBV as a
"regular" rock band, but Do The Collapse goes a way to show that they've been
that at heart for a while.
There are, of course, throwaways among the 16 tracks, but fans of '90s indie
rock and '70s cheese-pop alike will find plenty of wondrous treasures as
well. As for Pollard's aspirations at pop superstardom, only the years will
tell. But for now let's just hope the tunes keep on flowin'.