After penning a evaluate of 2018’s Area Gun—and compiling a well-received (sarcasm) rating of Guided By Voices’ 25 LPs as much as that time—I half-seriously informed MAGNET’s editor that I used to be retiring from writing in regards to the band and its genius auteur Robert Pollard. (I did find yourself doing a blurb in regards to the then-upcoming Warp And Woof a number of months later.) It wasn’t that I’d stopped listening to and/or caring about Pollard’s songs; slightly, serving because the rag’s go-to GBV product tester had gotten stale—and never only for readers. Aside from, “Man, this man’s so good,” I’d run out of issues to say.

When you proceed studying, you’ll understand that’s nonetheless the case, however the launch of Welshpool Frillies, GBV’s twelfth outing (not a typo) since Area Gun, has prompted a short return. Sorry.

For my cash (free stream), Welshpool Frillies is the perfect effort from this incarnation of GBV (second in line is 2020’s Mirrored Aztec), which options guitarists Doug Gillard and Bobby Naked Jr., bassist Mark Shue and drummer Kevin March. Many diehards want the normally longer, less-direct fare that has dominated latest data like La La Land, Crystal Nuns Cathedral, et al, however I’m a simpleton for melody, so I discover the shorter, insistently catchy tunes on Frillies extra interesting normally, and that they stand with Pollard’s most interesting from any period moreso than the previous. No, he’s not re-creating “Sport Of Pricks” or “Echoes Myron” (why would he?), however attempt listening to the chiming “Seedling” (with an irresistible Shue bass fill about 20 seconds in and a sneaky-good Gillard riff all through) or the acoustic “Chain Dance” and never really feel some old-school GBV vibes. And please don’t suppose that something famous right here implies that Pollard’s rapidly conjured his tackle Now That’s What I Name Pop; he’s nonetheless absolutely able to majestic, twisting/turning Who-esque moments like “Rust Belt Boogie” and the closing title observe in addition to mini-suite “Don’t Blow Your Dream Job.”

So there you go. Anyway, I just lately reworked the GBV album rankings, which MAGNET plans to submit quickly. Wait’ll you see the place Welshpool Frillies ended up. Get these optimistic feedback prepared as I head again to the retirement residence.

—Matt Hickey