The Top 100 Songs Thingy
Um, The Second Half.
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"I Am A Tree"
4:40
Obviously, Doug Gillard's audition. Is there a better reason for Pollard to make the chap his top sideman for the next seven years than the fact that he brought this prize item to the stable? The blueprint for the excellent Speak Kindly album, this tune was instantly adopted by Pollard, who wanted it for a signature tune. Poor Cobra Verde, who must have realized their fate of losing their ace guitarist the moment they heard the finished Mag Earwhig! cut. -TC
"Bulldog Skin"
3:00
Like most of the material on Mag Earwhig!, this is a sonic bridge between the classic lo-fi sound of Alien Lanes and the ultra-polished production that was to come during the TVT years. In line with the invincibility implied in the song title, Pollard sounds cocky over a woo-hoo-enhanced classic rock riff. But the lyrics foreshadow "certain trouble on the way," after Bob steals a car, makes it swerve and tastes blood: "I made it back / Was no big deal / Now I don't know how to feel." Go figure -- Bob's got a conscience! -JC
"Not Behind The Fighter Jet"
2:13
The band in full on one, pulses forward in marching triplets. Pollard, two beats back, drops in for his troops, arms full of military imagery and sentiments of childhood -- a rocker for all militants and stuntkids. Rarely played live, this one rivals "I Am A Tree" and "Jane Of The Waking Universe" for the best song from Mag Earwhig! -RE
"Choking Tara"
2:15
I've said it a thousand times, but bands would kill for one pop song this memorable. Beaks and claws! Here, it's just another one of many, destined to blend in on this transitional album of wildly varied material until Pollard chose wisely to emphasize it at live shows. But it does stick in the mind. You could wake up tomorrow humming this one. The Creamy Version is the best! -TC
"Portable Men's Society"
4:16
A measured, heavy rocker that conjures phantom memories of wandering around some dark place you shouldn't be, this Mag Earwhig! standout is open to myriad interpretations. A commentary on Pollard's penchant for courting and then discarding backing bands at a whim? How palling around with these guys is a poor substitute for his wife and family? Or a slab of leaping poetry with no deeper meaning? GBV should have played this song live every single night, regardless. -JC
"Little Lines"
2:02
Say what you will about Kevin Fennell; he does mean a lot to this band. But he can't quite capture the Pollard Shuffle like this. You can hear the strut. You can almost see the microphone swinging around in a vertical circle, and a rock-kick to its apex. This is just high-energy GBV -- tossed-off and unforgettable. -TC
"Now To War"
2:44
A classic Pollard minor-key melody, this song was presented in solo acoustic form on Mag Earwhig! but really blossoms in the live setting, or as the electric version released on the Hardcore UFOs box. We don't need the trilling plucked bridge on the album version. We need Bob standing at attention in his soldier suit, barking out with authority: "This is you, this is war / it makes me drink even more!" -TC
"Jane Of The Waking Universe"
2:25
One of the few songs on Mag Earwhig! to feature the "classic" Fennell-Mitchell-Sprout lineup, "Jane" comes across as pure pop but is really something more. Taken in context, this is no less than the Last Ride of the lo-fi GBV. Toby Sprout's brittle slide guitar and straining harmonies pull the rug out from under Pollard's bombast, and although the lyrics could mean anything, somehow the song sounds like a requiem for a band nearly as great as they remember themselves. -WH
"Make Use"
3:16
Bob spreads his wings on his second solo album, and opener "Make Use" is as good an example as any. It springs forth riding a majestic riff and Jim Macpherson's relentless rhythm, Bob's echo-drenched voice cresting in the chorus. "Make use the vast fashions!" and we'll make use of a delicious fuzzy keyboard noise heading into the bridge. Anyone still questioning that this man is GBV? Didn't think so. -TC
"Subspace Biographies"
2:57
It could be an elaborate metaphor for rock band as intergalactic explorers, exhausted but proud to do its job each day. Or maybe it's just a silly tune about space. Either way, it's more proof that those who think Pollard solo records and Fading Captain Series releases are just for diehards are missing some seriously great songs. Empties crushed and fired away. -MF
"Alone, Stinking And Unafraid"
3:38
Only Bob could and would make a side band called Lexo & the Leapers and turn one of its songs into a live barnstormer played at almost every GBV show. It's not the most instantly endearing tune, but certainly paints a vivid picture of the sweaty, drunk group at its defiant best. -TC
"Teenage FBI"
2:53
One of the few GBV songs that has not aged well, at least this sickly slick studio version spit-shined with harmony vocals and synths best left in Cars frontman/producer Ric Ocasek's discard pile. But in a live setting, this item remained a shout-along favorite til the bitter end. Lyrically, this is a humorous description of the school children by whom Pollard was surrounded during his years as a teacher, locking in on his every move and making sure he can't get away with the kind of antics best saved for knocking back a sixer with his bandmates. "When you're around me / I'm somebody else," indeed. -JC
"Zoo Pie"
2:18
The polarizing moment. You've heard the group has gone and sold out, with Ricky and Steve Gottlieb. You listened patiently through the metallic chug of "Teenage FBI" and wonder what else is up this faux-leather sleeve. But MacPherson and Gillard now make you forget you ever doubted, with magnificent riffs tumbling and escalating all over the aluminum platter, and into your once again welcoming heart. -TC
"Mushroom Art"
1:47
Pollard as bereaved psychedelic painter: "Living without you is difficult, but our dead dreams awake in my mushroom art." If there's a better opening couplet to a song about a failed relationship, it hasn't been brought to my attention. The rollicking hook and relative brevity makes this a DTC standout. -TC
"Much Better Mr. Buckles"
2:24
In the thick of the band's much-maligned "Slick Ocasek" era, beautiful GBV nuggets do exist, if you know where to look. "Much Better Mr. Buckles" is one, and without a doubt, the oddest-titled song to fill, unbidden, my waking mind. Pollard almost sounds oblivious to the undulating waves of guitar overdubs shimmering around him, delivering this Under The Bushes-style melody in reserved fashion as Gillard does the exact opposite, staking his claim to GBV guitarist fame with a screeching, shining lead. -TC
"Picture Me Big Time"
4:01
A weird hybrid of GBV approaches, from the mid-fi production to the pure-prog guitar progression unleashed by Doug Gillard to the seemingly disparate subjects of the verse (Pollard up along the range, being driven insane by his better half) and chorus (the band from Beantown that drove the "now" sound). The twin-guitar duel in the last minute is Thin Lizzy funneled through the Dayton rock underground. -JC
"Pop Zeus"
2:28
Is there any question who this song's about? It is this man who shits out magic; he who gives love to angry children. Call him Max, Pop Zeus, Zerman, whatever. Just show him some respect and help him find his helmet. All hail Bob Pollard, electric newspaper boy! -BF
"Slick As Snails"
4:19
Another winning entry from the Doug-n-Bob show. This evenly paced tune is one of the essential elements that makes Speak Kindly a strong contender for "best GBV side project album." Gillard does an inspired job emulating a full band as Bob delivers his royal hook with aplomb. "Be strong in your aim / map your course, and set sail / But know well: life is quick, and very slick. Slick as snails." -TC
"Tight Globes"
3:07
You pull up to the stoplight, and behold the beauty in the vehicle next. Legs wrapped in smooth rubber, fresh from the sweat factory. Damn, tight globes! It's all in my mind, but perhaps we'll be best friends for a week. Play that riff, Doug, my good man. Play it 'til they won't forget it. -TC
"Fly Into Ashes"
2:24
The less-polished acoustic version of the track included on the Hardcore UFOs box set surpasses its full-band studio counterpart in almost every way. For example, Pollard's singing is hopelessly out of tune in both takes, but in this laid-back demo-sesh version, his missed notes are charming. The dual-guitar strumming (also imperfect at moments) and straightforward guitar solo are similarly pleasant in an early-Beatles kind of way. Next up: Tobin takes a turn on "Til There Was You." -BF
"Dayton, Ohio, 19 Something And 5"
1:45
Another great driving song. You almost feel like you're riding around in Dayton with the town's favorite hometown boy narrating the scene as you go: "Children in the sprinkler, junkies on the corner / The smell of fried foods and pure hot tar." The title is inspired as well, suggesting this urban Ohio now, 10 years ago, and forever. -BF
"Skills Like This"
2:47
"I want to reinvent you now" -- this song isn't much more than a kick-ass Doug Gillard riff and some echo-laden Pollard posturing, but since it came in the Isolation Drills era, it got enough attention to blossom into a full-length barnstormer, and remained a live favorite 'til the end. -TC
"Sister I Need Wine"
1:40
Well, yeah, he does. I guess we all know that by now. Pollard's sung about his love of alcohol before (most notably on the 1990 drinking concept album Same Place the Fly Got Smashed), but in 2001, wading through a divorce, he got really sentimental about it. Along with "How's My Drinking," this acoustic, string-laden number lucidly explained that getting on the wagon was not in the cards. -TC
"The Enemy"
4:53
After an unrelated, scratchy sounding 20-second intro straight out of Bee Thousand, "The Enemy" works itself into a stellar strut with a two-note guitar riff. Pollard seems to again be commenting abstractly on the dissolution of his marriage: "Secrets bleeding to untold families / Lovers in flight over the gravesite / We become statues / In a ten-acre garden." The track is crowned when a vintage acoustic progression segues into a minute-and-a-half of pure arena-rock majesty. -JC
"Run Wild"
3:48
One of the best realizations of the more studio-centric GBV approach: a killer, swaggering riff and a confident Pollard ready to lay waste to you with the pure power of rock'n'roll: "Leave your things in the street / And run wild." This one has it all, from Bob nailing the high notes, unleashing the fake English accent and topping it off with suitably surreal lyrics ("Wooden heads on the chopping block / And other hearts pumping ink"). -JC
"The Brides Have Hit Glass"
2:51
A tender moment of drunk wintry regret, that just happens to come served on a killer riff. Through the sonic clarity of the TVT era, it's pretty obvious Robert's singing about a marriage breaking up, and in his own slightly macho, indie-pop-star way, he's pretty eloquent about it. "Once again I'll roll the dice," he admits, "and try to hang on to my shrinking paradise." -TC
"7th Level Shutdown"
3:19
More melancholy from an overlooked gem of an album. When Isolation Drills was Pollard's bombastic frontispiece, the Soft Rock Renegades turned out this grungier yang, graced with items such as this one. It's the realistic hangover to Drills' triumphant night on stage, with reflective tales of blackouts and wasted nights consigned to memory's rubbish bin. -TC
"Stifled Man Casino"
3:20
And Bob and Tobin reunited, and it was good. The pair hadn't released any co-writes since the Tonics And Twisted Chasers record, and this first album by Airport 5 was a boon in the summer of 2001. It also marks the first mail-made Fading Captain record: Toby did all the music himself then sent it to Robert, who gussied up the tunes. "Stifled Man Casino" is the finest example, and in its own unassuming way, it brings GBV full circle. -TC
"Invisible Train To Earth"
1:54
Most wonderful is the juxtaposition of verse-opening lines "Big screens are wailing at the crowd" and "Big whales are screaming at the clouds." That, and the Perfect Rock Shout at 1:12. With this kinda hook, how did this not end up on an album? Such is the mystery of GBV. (Luckily, you can still get it at TVT's site.) -TC
"Titus And Strident Wet Nurse"
2:26
This has one of the greatest song openings in the GBV canon, full of anticipation and drama. The effect driving the whole thing is this ear-piercing ring -- something like a siren crossed with orca mating calls -- that continues to play as the song builds up around it. I like to think of it as a whale whistle to a signal the fighter whales and tell them their time to attack has come. The Strident Wet Nurse has grown too strong and she must be put down. Her and her hot golden crown. -BF
"Calling Zero"
3:01
Mac! Welcome to the fold. An impeccable arrangement by the Superchunk frontman, with sumptuous reverb on Bob's vocal making this mail-order mix sound preordained. Bonus points for rhyming the titular phrase with "Colleen's Hero." -TC
"Wire Greyhounds"
0:35
UTAC finds the boys heading "back to the lake." To Matador Records. To "lo-fi." Um, kinda. But fa reals, this 30-second opener does the trick. In blurts and babbles, and "blurring sweat-heads," Bob instantly puts the TVT era behind him, quicker than you can say "For christ's sake, Charlie." -TC
"Christian Animation Torch Carriers"
3:54
An indie rock epic that arises from an underappreciated album to take its place among GBV's best songs. It takes a little while to get going, Pollard skirting the various motifs in a restrained fashion. But after assuring us "there's nothing wrong," the group launches into an uplifting chorus that turns out to only be the first of many plateaus. Doug Gillard takes two extended guitar solos, the second of which bursts into the song's true chorus, and naturally, reading that its lyrics are "christian animation torch carriers / however will you learn the sign language?" won't serve to explain its pure catharsis. -TC
"Storm Vibrations"
4:59
If I didn't know any better, I'd say this song is about unrequited love. The singer is frustrated by some woman that dumped him. "Does it hurt you?" he wants to ask her, "To love, I mean?" The two lines work well as a conflicted summary of his internal dialogue. But I do know better and this song is just about the rock. These are just two lines that sound cool when double-tracked over blaring guitars and rumbling Keith Moon drums (not to mention roaring jet airplanes, being sent to kill the aforementioned girlfriend, no doubt). -BF
"Everywhere With Helicopter"
2:36
This one starts off with yet another trademark GBV guitar line and chanting vocals vaguely reminiscent of Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song." This is followed naturally by wacky, abstract lyrics that make me question Guided by Voices' sanity in a good way. Due to Pollard's less-than-fabulous enunciation, the exact words are always unclear, and reading the lyrics doesn't help matters much ("trees and knees are lovely"). So random. It makes me think of roller coasters and cotton candy. -SF
"Car Language"
4:44
Gillard's Guitar sends ominous shards raining down on an rumbling, bass-heavy landscape. For once, it ain't about a good time. And it ain't about hitting it and quitting it, tossing down your melody, gulping down that Rolling Rock and screeching around the corner. Now let's take our time and let the rhythm settle in. Imagine being stuck in gloomy afternoon traffic. You can't Motor Away. The chattering of horns and silent hiss of air conditioning. The mounting commotion. This is Car Language. Soak it up. -TC
"Red Whips And Miracles"
8:23
Because haven't we all wanted to hear Bob tackle an eight-minute prog epic? Of course, he can't keep up. By 2:13, he's just breathing rhythmically and doing emphatic spoken word ("make more smoke. eat more meat. choke."). But Gillard keeps on rocking, taking it through a luvverly piano breakdown and building the song back up to a stunning climactic cascade. -TC
"My Kind of Soldier"
2:36
The brilliant spark that ushered in a new era, ultimately the final one for GBV. A simple, rhythmic rock anthem layered with fuzzy guitars and sing-a-long lyrics, "Soldier" opens this complex and underrated album with an accessible invitation to rock. -TLW
"Useless Inventions"
2:53
"Copyright divine interventions." Bob's secret to indie-rock success revealed. Another one's in the books here, and "useless" though it may be, in the traditional sense, it packs a rocking punch, stuck in the middle of Glue. -TC
"The Best Of Jill Hives"
2:42
For the naysayer of late-era GBV, this song single-handedly proves Pollard's still got it. In tried-and-true fashion, he pens a verse that's just as catchy as the chorus and rides them both just barely long enough to install them in a listener's memory banks, thus creating instant craving for a second helping. -BF
"Mix Up The Satellite"
3:23
A perfect example of Earthquake Glue's unique sound, crystalline and convoluted. This mini-epic winds its way around your soul with twists and turns that upon first listen seem odd, but later end up sticking to your ribs. Hard to make sense of the lyrics; "to save us light, you gave us night?" But by the time Pollard cries "Mix Up The Satellite" for the second time... Yul B. Ded. -TLW
"Secret Star"
4:42
The influence of the Who on GBV is often detectable in their music, but the force is especially strong with this number. Like a classic Pete Townshend composition, "Secret Star" is broken into several pieces: the thumping nonsensical opening, the celestial break, the piano-driven ballad and build-up that follows, and, of course, the triumphant rock ending. An easily overlooked highlight from the group's penultimate album. -BF
"Red Ink Superman"
5:30
Jee-zus, this song is ridiculous. The first 1:43 is absolute nonsense. A weird Ween-like haze. The song finally starts and evolves into a ragged jam. Finally, a rawking outro with Pollard chanting "We'll even the score in World War Four." I fear that day is drawing nigh. -BF
"Everybody Thinks I'm A Raincloud (When I'm Not Looking)"
3:20
GBV begin their final record with this song, an instant classic that well sums up many of the band's patented melody-maneuvering skills. The transitions in particular are essential Pollard. Oh so easily he guides the listener from hummable the opening verses to the riffing guitars of the middle sections to the inevitable, almost-edible hook. A few years ago, this songwriter might have only gone through the progression once and called it a day. But here he lets us ride through twice (for free) and pushes hard for the grand finale. -BF
"Window Of My World"
2:58
So very "rock-musical." Queue the ragamuffin cockney boy! -RE
"Asphyxiated Circle"
2:50
Just a regal melody, resulting in a latter-day GBV highlight. Bob shows his pipes are as strong as ever right off the bat, and then gets pretty with the "human frailty on parade" chorus. As good a reason as any to miss this band -- they quit while they were ahead. -TC
"Huffman Prairie Flying Field"
3:14
The final song on GBV's final album, "Huffman" rises admirably to the occasion of that coveted spot. It's a classic rock nugget, great for blasting down the highway with the windows down. The lyrics almost read like a love letter to fans and those who've appreciated Pollard's work. "If that's where you think you'll go, then that's where you'll go / And if that's what you want to feel, then that's what I will sell you." If it weren't so hard to hit the high note, one could imagine Bob singing this one as he leaves the stage for the last time -- "Come start up my head / been closed and locked up / for far too long!" -TC
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