Robert Pollard preview

Robert Pollard
Double Door, Chicago
Monday, October 6, 2008

Oh, Bob. When people realized Guided By Voices actually was going to break up in 2004, an onrush of goodwill spilled forth that seemed to forgive the Fading Captain sloppiness and TVT years at once. After that last tour, all went back to normal and Robert Pollard resumed trolling small venues. This fall we have two more Bob albums (including the seventh under his own name since 2006) and what more to say?

In fairness, both Robert Pollard Is Off To Business (Guided By Voices Records) and Brown Submarine (credited to Boston Spaceships) represent some of his most focused work since those supercharged later-Matador and TVT albums. Business‘ “No One But I” sounds eerily like a distressed “Official Ironman Rally Song” and the ensuing track, “Weatherman And Skin Goddess,” cracks the five-minute barrier.

His tone isn’t the familiar “Let’s get loaded!” though who has ever known what he’s really on about?

The High Strung open.

— Steve Forstneger

Click here to download “Go For The Exit.”

Category: Stage Buzz, Weekly