Dirt Culture
Issue #2
ADam

Guided By Voices
Isolation Drills
TVT Records

Okay, this is my second shot at reviewing this record.
Why did I change my own words? Well, because I have
listened to Isolation Drills constantly since I
received it, and as with other GbV records, I began to
discover new and brilliant things with every listen.
This really is THE BEST GBV RECORD since 1995’s Alien
Lanes. REALLY, IT IS!!!

It may not be the lo-fi, half-a-song gems of old, but
nor is it the overly produced, slick as dick attempts
of more recent days. GbV will never put out a bad
record, it’s just not gonna fucking happen, but this
crushes the two previous releases, just by being the
truly perfect arena-rock record that Bob Pollard has
dreamed about. Skills Like This just flat out fucking
rocks, the way the Who rocked, the way GbV rocks. The
songs on Drills are just better songs than those on
the last two or three bigger label albums. Chasing
Heather Crazy and Glad Girls are beautiful pop gems,
even if they aren’t a minute and a half long. Every
song deserves repeated listens and worship, minus
possibly Snowman, with its somewhat off-key bellowing.
It’s a short song, it doesn’t hurt. I just received my
tickets in the mail for the House of Blues show in LA
on April 6. I may not be getting laid tonight, I may
not have a dime to my name, but I’ve got my fucking
GbV tickets. I need a moment alone.