Music > Album Reviews

Guided By Voices  - August By Cake

19/04/17

I am told that Guided By Voices’ main-man Robert Pollard has released a hundred albums, including at least 23 with GBV. Now, I know people that speak of GBV in reverential tones but this is the first time I have heard Pollard and his band. A double LP may not be the best place to start with GBV. There are some great songs here. 5 Degrees On The Inside is a rollicking rockers with brass section. Goodbye Note is a fantastic slice of Beatles-meets-Nuggets garage-pop. Absent The Man combines more 60s garage, this time with psyche. The trouble is that most of the songs are not so good. Of the 32 tracks here, maybe three or four match those mentioned above. A fair few of the rest are little more than half-formed sketches for songs, whilst others feature vocals that recall Vic Reeves' pub singer. GBV have been around for years and Pollard is clearly a talent. Far be it from this opinionated oik to belittle someone generally held in such high regard but this album is just not that good. There's the makings of a great single album here but this, as it is, just comes across as sprawling, half-finished, ill-considered and, frankly, a bit of a mess.

5/10