Guided by Voices Styles We Paid for Review
So, there is this thing I realized today when I opened the parcel from Rockathon Records, the self proclaimed "Factory Of Raw Essentials" and shop-front for all things Guided By Voices (GBV) and its leader, Robert Pollard. The package contained their brand new album, Styles We Paid For, which I had pre-ordered tardily concluding twelvemonth.
As I held this album, the third new GBV record I'd put my hands on in the by 12 months or then, it dawned on me that for some of us (ahem) older fans of a certain vintage who perchance grew up in the 1960s this band is filling a void for a much needed regular new music fix. I use the word "prepare" specifically (and in a good way, mind you) as it refers to a conditioned pattern of music conquering (if you will) dating dorsum some l years.
For a tail-end Baby Boomer like myself (born in 1961), I came of age (musically at least) at a time when there was an incredible flow of new music from artists on the radio seemingly all the fourth dimension. So-chosen "singles" — 45 RPM vinyl records, usually containing two songs — were flowing like water from our faucets.
I compared my new singles with those of my friends in the neighborhood. Every several months the pelting brought a shower of new albums which our brothers and sisters were getting. Indeed, specially in America, The Beatles and other British Invasion bands like The Rolling Stones seemed to release a new album every six months, with singles in between.
And so as a fiddling kid I was arguably conditioned to await this sort of release schedule from my favorite artists. By the time the Beatles separate upward I was getting old enough to salve my job money and was buying singles when I could (The Archies' "Bang Shang A Lang" was a fave). So I looked to new bands to fill up the void simply it wasn't quite the same continuous experience. Still, I loved those hit records past Alice Cooper ("Elected" and "Schools Out") and Procol Harum ("A Salty Dog"), Mott The Hoople ("All The Young Dudes") and many many others.
Soon, the in one case-a-twelvemonth menstruum of prog and vocalizer songwriter flavored rock anthology releases sort of took over my psyche — Aye, Zappa, Jethro Tull, Nektar likewise every bit solo Beatle things and Neil Young. So, I didn't quite recall about that frequent instant gratification stuff too much until 1978 when I got into Elvis Costello. Then all of a sudden — or so information technology seemed —- waves of singles were coming out from all over. From England on Strong Records and then Radar Records so even American labels were putting out lots of new records. The barrage of new artists and albums flowing out of the stores and airwaves was genuinely exciting. Nick Lowe. Rockpile. XTC. Joe Jackson. The Law. Divide Enz. Talking Heads. Blondie. Devo. And I can't forget 1 of my favorites from Canada: Martha & The Muffins!
Suddenly… record collecting and music in general seemed to become fun again… for a while anyhow!
Fast forrad, and hither I am in 2021 a fairly deep GBV fan collecting the singles, side projects, albums and annihilation from the Pollard universe. And I am thinking nearly that affair … that notion of constant new-music-gratification…I realized that GBV is filling that deep-rooted need for new music from a ring I can believe in consistently with heart and soul. Like The Beatles, Zappa and Elvis Costello (and a agglomeration of others) before them, I take put my hand on the book of fandom and said: "I believe, unconditionally!" So far, I've just had possibly i GBV purchase that I'yard pretty sure I won't play again. But that leaves hundreds of other GBV albums and singles to enjoy in. And there is the promise of more new GBV goodies every several months.
Can you feel the music-love in the air?
So, Styles We Paid For is the outset new GBV album to arrive in 2021 although it is technically their last one for 2020. And it is near welcome. Like virtually GBV albums, by the second and third spins tracks like "Slaughter-house," "Countless Seafood" and "Mr. Child" are already sinking their rock earworm hooks into my eye. "Electronic Windows To Nowhere" is a bully Cars-y chugger. "In Calculus Stragem" is a big guitar epic with some especially beautiful playing from the ever-k Doug Gillard.
"They Don't Play The Drums Anymore" is really interesting every bit it actually breaks a fleck of new ground for GBV! A neat Afro-groove flavored drum loop cuts in and out of the vocal which seems to lament spending too much time staring at computer screens vs. playing existent instruments.
There is so much skilful to explore on Styles Nosotros Paid For, a nice sounding — well pressed, tranquillity, dark black vinyl — and worthy follow up to last yr'south terrific Mirrored Aztec (click here for my review of that) and Surrender Your Poppy Field as well every bit the eerily-premonition-marry-titled Sweating The Plague before it (click here)
Just what nigh that new GBV side project?
For those of yous not in the know, Guided Past Voices' leader Robert Pollard is brilliant on and then many levels, including his ability to reimagine his work under different guises. Released near simultaneously with Styles We Paid For is the beginning music from a new side project band called Cub Scout Bowling Pins. This six-song blue vinyl 33 ane/iii RPM 7-inch EP features all the members of the current line of of GBV. Whatever it is, it is pretty grand and a fine complement to the new album.
For me, Side Ii is where the winner songs are: "School Schoolhouse," "Funnel Cake Museum" and the very chimera-gummy title track, "Sky Beats Iowa." Seriously, this is a three song cycle I accept played over and over which is the all-time compliment I can offering. There are hooks for days hither.
Wrapping up with Styles We Paid For, the band had a fun contest and the fans responded creating their own twists on the new album'south cover art. You can find it on Twitter via the Hashtag: #StylesWePaidFor. Neat fun!
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Source: https://audiophilereview.com/audiophile-news/what-did-i-learn-from-playing-guided-by-voices-new-album-styles-we-paid-for/
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