Guided By Voices: Styles We Paid For
I believe that if Robert Pollard were stranded on a desert island, not only would he find a way to lay down music tracks like an indie rock Gilligan, but he'd still be just as productive.
I think Styles We Paid For is the third GBV album this year. Originally slated to be an analog recording, the pandemic and socially distancing put the kibosh on that plan.
As with most Pollard albums, there's chaff to go along with wheat. But thankfully the oddities are fewer than the jangly gems. The only outright hot mess on the album is "War of the Devils." On the other hand, "Mr. Child," still sounds great on its umpteenth spin, as does "Electronic Windows to Nowhere," which is as good as the highest moments in Pollard's career. Yes, really. And of course it comes in at just under two minutes. Other highlights are "They don't play the drums anymore," "Never abandon ship," and "Crash at placebo lake."
I wonder how much the closer "When growing was simple," with its refrain "Don't drink and drive, stay home and eat," is a comment on these Covid times, or if it's just Pollard being Pollard, existing in his own space out of time. Prolific, poetic, experimental as always.
