Wednesday, November 02, 2005
a second, more correct, opinion
And here's another look at the first disc of GBV's Suitcase 2.
1. "This Ream": Bob Pollard touches a guitar for the very first time. 1 of 5.
2. "Rocket Head": "Teenage FBI" as played by people who have absolutely no idea what they are doing. 2 of 5.
3. "The Golden Pickle": This is a "song" in the same way that Ann Coulter is a "woman". 1 of 5.
4. "Your Charming Proposal": First track of any real quality. It's a nice little song that could have been a b-side back around the Bee Thousand / Alien Lanes days. Recorded in '96, though, after Bob had started flirting with a big-time sound for the band. 3.5 of 5.
5. "Searing Tonight": No idea what he's saying, he warbles like a drunken stevedore, and it sounds like he's playing one of those weird one-string stick things that old Asian beggars play in Harvard Square, but this is still an enjoyable little toss-off. 2.5 of 5.
6. "Somewhere Sometime": Live in 1978. Mellow late '60's sounding psych, like that "I Live in the Springtime" song. It's pleasnt, and sounds little like later GBV. 2.5 of 5.
7. "If You Think It's Easy": Again, lyrically and vocally obscure, but musically it's nice. A little folksy acoustic pop number with a solid hook, recorded earlier this year. Hopefully he'll flesh it out with a full band some day. 2.5 of 5.
8. "His Spacetruck is Strange": Two-minute permaphase epic featuring only the Pollard brothers. Could've been on Propellor. Has latent "slow-burn stand-out" potential, due almost exclusively to the singing. 3 of 5.
9. "Tin Can Laughter": Another acoustic demo, this time of a middling rock song with a gloomy pall. alright, I suppose. 2 of 5.
10. "Sacred Space": Demo of "Office of Hearts". Same song, lower fidelity, different words. Good, but inessential. 3.5 of 5.
11. "Soul Flyers": Recorded in 1987, and had it come out then, it would be one of the best songs on Box. good, classic, sweeping guitar solo at the end. 3.5 of 5.
12. "Gods of Richard": Another "Bob alone with guitar" demo that would benefit from a full band reading. No words, but some good riffin' that could have been turned into a prime GBV cock-rock larf. 2.5 of 5.
13. "It's Only Up to You": Some shimmering romantic mush from late '80's GBV. Solid stuff. 2.5 of 5.
14. "Dancing With the Answers": The words to Big Boring Wedding over some droning Paisley Underground sounding stuff. Not inherently awful, but certainly bad in comparison to Big Boring Wedding. The "way up high" bit halfway through is pretty cool, though, and the solo tries hard to attain righteousness. So, you know, some points, here. 2.5 of 5.
15. "Waiting For Your Touch": Creepy stalker Bob undone by a faulty microphone. Can barely hear the guy on this one, until halfway through. 2 of 5.
16. "Soggy Beavers": Awful lyrics, one awesomely awkward chord change, and its forty-five second acoustic demo nature reveal this one to be a total toss-off. Bob probably "wrote" this the way most of us write our conversations. 1.5 of 5.
17. "Invisible Train to Earth": Full-band studio outtake from the Isolation Drills era. That's probably my favorite latter-day GBV album, and thankfully this track didn't make the cut. Not awful, in fact one of the better recordings here, but the song itself is lacking, and would be utterly skippable if included in acoustic demo form. As is, there's pleasure in how the band muscles through the main riff. 2.5 of 5.
18. "Stingy Queens": The lyrics aren't finished, but otherwise this might be the best song on the disc. All the elements of top-notch GBV are here: a catchy pop song, a great vocal melody, and engrossing language. My pick of the disc. 4 of 5.
19. "Something For Susan in the Shadows": Live recording from '85. Another good pop song that outclasses much of what they released in the '80's. Basic, simple, yet effective. Too bad you can't hear Bob at all, though. 3.5 of 5.
20. "Sinister Infared Halo": Bob's demo for Freedom From. Channel right is depressive acoustic Bob; channel left is random noise, found sound, field recordings, etc. A potent mix. 3 of 5.
21. "Happy at the Drag Strip": From 1980. Bob talk-sings a story about a night at the car-race. Put a band behind him and this maybe could be one of Pollard's most obviously Wire-inspired works. 2.75 of 5.
22. "Arms": Self-Inflicted Arial Nostalgia outtake. Kind of a dull blur, but with an annoying scratching sound. And the word "namby-pamby". 1.5 of 5.
23. "Solid Gold Animal Collection": So he had his random four-word naming scheme in place as far back as '83, we see. Would be good, if he didn't sound like he had some big fake drama club smile on his face the whole time. 2 of 5.
24. "Beach Towers": Potential Hot Freaks cover song, here. That means this song is fuckin' terrible. The intro is from some other song I can't remember, and the "oh yeah" reminds me of "Deathtrot and Warlock Riding a Rooster". 1 of 5.
25. "Cosmic Clown": More morose four-track acoustic noodling here, about a sad, dead clown with a gun. "That'll be good enough", Bob says at the end. He's wrong. 1.5 of 5.
IN SUMMATION: If You're a GBV die-hard, then you've probably already bought this. You will dig it. If, on the other hand, you aren't a ridiculous GBV obsessive, this may not be the best direction to toss your fifty bucks. Disc one is more than the sum of its parts, and so gets three out of five.
And here's another look at the first disc of GBV's Suitcase 2.
1. "This Ream": Bob Pollard touches a guitar for the very first time. 1 of 5.
2. "Rocket Head": "Teenage FBI" as played by people who have absolutely no idea what they are doing. 2 of 5.
3. "The Golden Pickle": This is a "song" in the same way that Ann Coulter is a "woman". 1 of 5.
4. "Your Charming Proposal": First track of any real quality. It's a nice little song that could have been a b-side back around the Bee Thousand / Alien Lanes days. Recorded in '96, though, after Bob had started flirting with a big-time sound for the band. 3.5 of 5.
5. "Searing Tonight": No idea what he's saying, he warbles like a drunken stevedore, and it sounds like he's playing one of those weird one-string stick things that old Asian beggars play in Harvard Square, but this is still an enjoyable little toss-off. 2.5 of 5.
6. "Somewhere Sometime": Live in 1978. Mellow late '60's sounding psych, like that "I Live in the Springtime" song. It's pleasnt, and sounds little like later GBV. 2.5 of 5.
7. "If You Think It's Easy": Again, lyrically and vocally obscure, but musically it's nice. A little folksy acoustic pop number with a solid hook, recorded earlier this year. Hopefully he'll flesh it out with a full band some day. 2.5 of 5.
8. "His Spacetruck is Strange": Two-minute permaphase epic featuring only the Pollard brothers. Could've been on Propellor. Has latent "slow-burn stand-out" potential, due almost exclusively to the singing. 3 of 5.
9. "Tin Can Laughter": Another acoustic demo, this time of a middling rock song with a gloomy pall. alright, I suppose. 2 of 5.
10. "Sacred Space": Demo of "Office of Hearts". Same song, lower fidelity, different words. Good, but inessential. 3.5 of 5.
11. "Soul Flyers": Recorded in 1987, and had it come out then, it would be one of the best songs on Box. good, classic, sweeping guitar solo at the end. 3.5 of 5.
12. "Gods of Richard": Another "Bob alone with guitar" demo that would benefit from a full band reading. No words, but some good riffin' that could have been turned into a prime GBV cock-rock larf. 2.5 of 5.
13. "It's Only Up to You": Some shimmering romantic mush from late '80's GBV. Solid stuff. 2.5 of 5.
14. "Dancing With the Answers": The words to Big Boring Wedding over some droning Paisley Underground sounding stuff. Not inherently awful, but certainly bad in comparison to Big Boring Wedding. The "way up high" bit halfway through is pretty cool, though, and the solo tries hard to attain righteousness. So, you know, some points, here. 2.5 of 5.
15. "Waiting For Your Touch": Creepy stalker Bob undone by a faulty microphone. Can barely hear the guy on this one, until halfway through. 2 of 5.
16. "Soggy Beavers": Awful lyrics, one awesomely awkward chord change, and its forty-five second acoustic demo nature reveal this one to be a total toss-off. Bob probably "wrote" this the way most of us write our conversations. 1.5 of 5.
17. "Invisible Train to Earth": Full-band studio outtake from the Isolation Drills era. That's probably my favorite latter-day GBV album, and thankfully this track didn't make the cut. Not awful, in fact one of the better recordings here, but the song itself is lacking, and would be utterly skippable if included in acoustic demo form. As is, there's pleasure in how the band muscles through the main riff. 2.5 of 5.
18. "Stingy Queens": The lyrics aren't finished, but otherwise this might be the best song on the disc. All the elements of top-notch GBV are here: a catchy pop song, a great vocal melody, and engrossing language. My pick of the disc. 4 of 5.
19. "Something For Susan in the Shadows": Live recording from '85. Another good pop song that outclasses much of what they released in the '80's. Basic, simple, yet effective. Too bad you can't hear Bob at all, though. 3.5 of 5.
20. "Sinister Infared Halo": Bob's demo for Freedom From. Channel right is depressive acoustic Bob; channel left is random noise, found sound, field recordings, etc. A potent mix. 3 of 5.
21. "Happy at the Drag Strip": From 1980. Bob talk-sings a story about a night at the car-race. Put a band behind him and this maybe could be one of Pollard's most obviously Wire-inspired works. 2.75 of 5.
22. "Arms": Self-Inflicted Arial Nostalgia outtake. Kind of a dull blur, but with an annoying scratching sound. And the word "namby-pamby". 1.5 of 5.
23. "Solid Gold Animal Collection": So he had his random four-word naming scheme in place as far back as '83, we see. Would be good, if he didn't sound like he had some big fake drama club smile on his face the whole time. 2 of 5.
24. "Beach Towers": Potential Hot Freaks cover song, here. That means this song is fuckin' terrible. The intro is from some other song I can't remember, and the "oh yeah" reminds me of "Deathtrot and Warlock Riding a Rooster". 1 of 5.
25. "Cosmic Clown": More morose four-track acoustic noodling here, about a sad, dead clown with a gun. "That'll be good enough", Bob says at the end. He's wrong. 1.5 of 5.
IN SUMMATION: If You're a GBV die-hard, then you've probably already bought this. You will dig it. If, on the other hand, you aren't a ridiculous GBV obsessive, this may not be the best direction to toss your fifty bucks. Disc one is more than the sum of its parts, and so gets three out of five.
