Forty-something former teacher Pollard's musical reputation rests on 15 years as the frontman of the still-active Guided by Voices. His second solo effort is a progression from his sizeable back catalogue with more emphasis on songwriting, production techniques and the voices from rock music's past. There are elements of new wave and English psychedelia throughout, while the live sound of Caught Waves Again evokes the unsettling honesty of John Lennon's White Album input. Recent tragedies in Pollard's hometown, Dayton, Ohio lie behind stand-out track People Are Leaving. Its plaintive melody and affecting vocals call for the level of praise usually reserved for Pollard's contemporaries, REM. Fifteen short songs thread together to form an album free of indie-rock contrivances and cliches.