The Releases: Cool Planet (LP—GBVi, 2014) / Authoritarian Zoo (Single—GBVi, 2014) / Males of Wormwood Mars (Single—GBVi, 2014) / Table at Fool’s Tooth (Single—GBVi, 2014) / All American Boy (Single—GBVi, 2014)
Well, we’ve reached the end of Guided by Voices’ “classic lineup” reunion. Last week I dove into some of the intra-band conflict that surrounded the recording and release of 2014’s Motivational Jumpsuit; and as its follow-up, Cool Planet, arrived less than three months later, the context of both albums was largely the same.
Except that it wasn’t, really. First off, as the title hints at, Cool Planet was recorded in the midst of a polar vortex that hit the Midwest during the winter of 2013-2014. And while there are few overt references to this over the course of the record’s eighteen tracks, once you’re aware of this fact, it’s not all that difficult to hear several of these songs as products of snowbound creatives, suffering from a severe case of cabin fever.
And even more significantly, the band’s lineup had changed. Kevin Fennell’s acrimonious departure from Guided by Voices was complete; manning the kit in his absence was the once-and-future GBV drummer, Kevin March. And while Robert Pollard would often downplay the signature left by his instrumental collaborators—see last week’s piece for one particularly biting instance—the appropriately-named March immediately makes his presence felt on Cool Planet‘s swaggering opener, “Authoritarian Zoo.”
And while I could spend the remainder of this piece focusing on the musical merits of Cool Planet—it’s both the worst of the six reunion LPs and better than I remembered it—I’m gonna pass on that option. I’m also not particularly interested in diving into what happened in the wake of the album’s release: essentially, Bob Pollard again pulled the plug on GBV, but this time midway through the tour in support of Cool Planet. Besides, the band remained far more tight-lipped about this split than they did in regard to Fennell’s exit, with Pollard only offering the following statement:
“I feel we’ve done some great work with these albums, it wasn’t just a reunion to cash in. But it’s gone as far as it was going to go and to go beyond this point, to any degree or any length would be just going through the motions. It’s time to wrap it up with this particular entity.“
So in lieu of pursuing either of those angles, this feels like an appropriate time to offer up my assessment of the reunion era on its strictly-musical merits. And while I caught the band live twice during the reunion—their effectively perfect set at the 2010 Matador at 21 festival, and a plenty-solid Kevin March-era show in the spring of 2014—I’d really just prefer to focus on the recorded catalog that the reunion produced: six albums, one EP, and twenty-three 7″ singles.
And yes, I’ve already offered up plenty of commentary on these albums, and many of the individual songs. I’ve even rated the LPs in my customary ultra-precise manner: the lowest score being Cool Planet‘s ‘6.8’ and the highest The Bears for Lunch‘s ‘8.2.’ For those less interested in interpreting what those numbers actually mean, this places all six albums within a range that spans from ‘reasonably solid’ to ‘excellent-but-short-of-great.’
So what else needs to be said? Well, as established elsewhere throughout this project, few (if any) bands lend themselves to the mixtape medium better than Guided by Voices. And, as I crafted my own sequel to Robert Pollard’s hand-picked GBV ‘best of’ several weeks back, it seems appropriate to give the reunion era a similar treatment. Again, I’ll follow the 80-minute max run-time afforded by the CD. And while giving the output of only three calendar years a full CD’s worth of time might seem excessive on the surface, I think you might be pleasantly surprised at how good the selections remain.
Here it goes:
1. “The Littlest League Possible” from Motivational Jumpsuit (2014)
Something of a mission statement for Bob Pollard’s entire career, this brief rocker makes perfect thematic and musical sense in the opening slot, just as it did on Motivational Jumpsuit.
2. “Xeno Pariah” from English Little League (2013)
Bright, chiming guitars introduce this highlight from English Little League, and from there on it’s a classic GBV mix of crunch and melody.
3. “Class Clown Spots a UFO” from Class Clown Spots a UFO (2012)
Among the finest songs recorded by the reunited lineup, this title track from Class Clown Spots a UFO can stand alongside the giants from their classic era. The horn fanfare adds a nice bit of novelty, and the layered vocal harmonies in the outro are spectacular.
4. “Islands (She Talks in Rainbows)” from English Little League (2013)
Tobin Sprout’s first Guided by Voices A-side is an absolutely lovely confection of gauzy, swirling psychedelia. It’s one of his greatest contributions to the GBV catalog.
5. “Everywhere Is Miles from Everywhere” from The Bears for Lunch (2012)
While it works fine as a closer to The Bears for Lunch, “Everywhere” is punchy enough to maintain the momentum built up by the first four songs. Its chiming guitars and richer production recall the excellent “post-classic” album Isolation Drills.
6. “The Unsinkable Fats Domino” from Let’s Go Eat the Factory (2012)
Alongside “We Won’t Apologize for the Human Race,” this was the song that introduced the reunited lineup’s return to the studio. It holds up as one of the best tracks that they recorded during the hyper-prolific three-year run.
7. “Keep It in Motion” from Class Clown Spots a UFO (2012)
About as simple as it gets, but utterly charming nonetheless. It’s a pleasure hearing Pollard and Sprout trading off vocals on a song that could easily serve as a mantra for their shared creative endeavor.
8. “Breathing” single B-side (2012)
Tobin Sprout was in such strong form throughout the reunion that even several of his B-sides were near-classics. Frustratingly, “As the Girls Sing Downing” (one of the best of them) isn’t presently available on any streaming services. However, this lovely flip side to Class Clown Spots a UFO‘s “Jon the Croc” is.
9. “Hangover Child” from The Bears for Lunch (2012)
Lumbering drums from Kevin Fennell introduce this mid-tempo gem from The Bears for Lunch, while Mitch Mitchell’s power chords recall GBV’s golden era. However, the ethereal atmospherics provided by Tobin Sprout’s keyboards firmly establish this as a product of the rejuvenated lineup.
10. “Authoritarian Zoo” from Cool Planet (2014)
The stomping opener from Cool Planet finds Kevin March providing plenty of rhythmic heft; but Greg Demos’ little McCartney-esque bass flourishes in the chorus are the subtle highlight here.
11. “Build a Bigger Iceberg” single B-side (2013)
Another gorgeous B-side from Tobin Sprout. Apparently somewhere along the line Sprout indicated that the actual title of the song was supposed to be “Build a Better Iceberg.” Either way, it’s great.
12. “The Challenge is Much More” from The Bears for Lunch (2012)
I’ve leaned very heavily on singles (and B-sides) up to this point, and will continue to do so for the rest of the playlist. It works though, as Bob Pollard did a solid job of picking singles throughout the reunion. However, this is a choice album cut from the reunion’s highpoint.
13. “Waves” from Let’s Go Eat the Factory (2012)
Another album track, this time from Tobin Sprout. “Waves” introduces that ‘hazy atmospheric’ thing that would be Sprout’s signature throughout the reunion era, and it stands as a genuine highlight of the under-appreciated Let’s Go Eat the Factory.
14. “Noble Insect” from English Little League (2013)
I mentioned a few weeks back about how Pitchfork skewered this one in their review of English Little League. And sure, Pollard’s repetitive recitations of “Japan, Japan” might be grating for some. However, this moody track harkens back to GBV’s early adoration of R.E.M., and plays well to the collaborative strengths of Pollard and Sprout.
15. “Billy Wire” from Class Clown Spots a UFO (2012)
This one kicks a pretty significant amount of ass; and the melodic turns of the chorus are both catchy and unexpected. Another one that feels like it could have emerged from the mid-nineties.
16. “White Flag” from The Bears for Lunch (2012)
I devoted a great deal of my piece on The Bears for Lunch to this one, and I fully stand by that decision. The best song to come from the reunited lineup, and probably a top ten GBV/Pollard track. Absolutely fantastic, and in a genuinely surprising way.
17. “Copy Zero” from Down by the Racetrack (2013)
I felt like I needed to include something from the lone EP that the reunion produced, and this was my easy choice—even if it felt like a token addition. However, hearing it a few more times during the making of this playlist convinces me that I missed out on a real gem the first few times around.
18. “Jupiter Spin” from Motivational Jumpsuit (2014)
Another moody one from Tobin Sprout, “Jupiter Spin” was technically a double A-side with “The Littlest League Possible.” It stands among the more psychedelic tracks in GBV’s catalog.
19. “Waving at Airplanes” from The Bears for Lunch (2012)
A Tobin Sprout double-shot concludes with this album standout from The Bears for Lunch. It wasn’t a single, but “Waving at Airplanes” certainly could have been one.
20. “Chocolate Boy” from Let’s Go Eat the Factory (2012)
A gorgeous melody from Bob Pollard transforms this odd tale of Dayton lore into a genuine earworm. Tobin Sprout’s Mellotron-esque keyboards are the (chocolate) icing on the cake.
21. “Save the Company” from Motivational Jumpsuit (2014)
One of the five simultaneously-released singles from Motivational Jumpsuit, I initially was underwhelmed by “Save the Company,” but it’s another one of those slow-burn Pollard gems that improves with each listen. I might need to go back and bump up my rating for the single.
22. “All American Boy” from Cool Planet (2014)
Tobin Sprout’s Beatle-esque piano ballad—there are shades of both Lennon and McCartney in here—was his second GBV A-side. It’s one of his signature songs, and the highlight of 2014’s Cool Planet.
23. “She Lives in an Airport” from The Bears for Lunch (2012)
This standout from The Bears for Lunch is all swagger and vaguely suggestive bravado. And I’m totally here for it.
24. “Jon the Croc” from Class Clown Spots a UFO (2012)
Another Class Clown ass-kicker with an unexpected melodic turn in the chorus; like “Billy Wire,” but not like “Billy Wire.”
25. “Doughnut for a Snowman” from Let’s Go Eat the Factory (2012)
This here is an A-tier melody from Mr. Pollard. Seriously, how does he spin these things off so easily? A lesser songwriter might accidentally stumble upon something half this good, and then run it into the ground for five minutes. Pollard gives us ninety seconds, and moves on to the next one.
26. “Skin to Skin Combat” from The Bears for Lunch (2012)
As I’ve mentioned before, Tobin Sprout was on a roll throughout the reunion; and this was especially true on The Bears for Lunch. Tracks like this lo-fi new wave gem are a big part of what makes Bears the best of the six reunion LPs.
27. “Planet Score” from Motivational Jumpsuit (2014)
Planet Score is a record store in St. Louis. I hit it up when I was in town a few years back. Alongside Cleaners From Venus’ Midnight Cleaners, I picked up a copy of the then-latest GBV release, Scalping the Guru. While “Planet Score” is far more polished and punchy than the songs that appear on that essential collection of mid-nineties EP tracks, it’s cut from the same cloth.
28. “All of This Will Go” from Class Clown Spots a UFO (2012)
Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but here’s another lovely and unassuming Tobin Sprout song. Released in the middle of a year that saw three new GBV records, it was easy to miss a low-key gem such as “All of This Will Go,” but fortunately we can still unearth them at any time.
29. “Flunky Minnows” from English Little League (2013)
The first of five singles to arrive in the run up to English Little League, “Flunky Minnows” was a solid ambassador for GBV’s fourth reunion-era LP. It’s another one of those Bob Pollard tracks that ages like a fine wine.
30. “Waking Up the Stars” from The Bears from Lunch (2012)
In making this playlist, I decided to cap the number of Tobin Sprout songs at ten. While I certainly could have justified including more, I figured that any ‘official’ GBV reunion-era compilation would unlikely give Sprout near-equal billing to Robert Pollard. Thus, I had to make a few tough cuts: the aforementioned (unavailable on streaming) “As the Girls Sing Downing”; the hazy “Pillow Man” (on AppleMusic, but not Spotify); and several other strong album cuts that might’ve provided a glimpse into the more experimental side of the reunion (“Spiderfighter” held on until the late rounds). However, the Toby portion of our program ends with this sweet acoustic ballad from The Bears for Lunch.
31. “Vote for Me Dummy” from Motivational Jumpsuit (2014)
But as great of form as Tobin Sprout was in throughout the reunion, let’s not forget whose band this really is. “Vote for Me Dummy” is a classic Bob Pollard banger; albeit one that would seem disturbingly prescient with a couple years of hindsight.
32. “No Transmission” from Class Clown Spots a UFO (2012)
And let’s also not forget that this was a reunion of a true rock and roll band; and a fucking great one at that. The rollicking closer from Class Clown Spots a UFO, “No Transmission” is, to me, how Guided by Voices should be remembered: a scruffy group of ass-kicking everymen, led by one of the most singular talents that pop music has ever produced.
Ratings: Cool Planet (6.8) / Authoritarian Zoo (★★★★) / Males of Wormwood Mars (★★★1/2) / Table at Fool’s Tooth (★★★1/2) / All American Boy (★★★★)*
*Singles are star-rated by their A-side; albums and EPs use the “Russman Reviews” scale.
Bob-ism of the Week: “Authoritarian zoo / I hear they’re coming for you / A private animal’s gimp / Now it’s regarding your limp / But tell me what can you do?” (“Authoritarian Zoo”)
Next Week: Pack your Suitcase for one final trip through Bob Pollard’s archives.
