I pretty gave up on GBV after Under the Bushes, Under the Stars - I think it was a combo of seeing the Watch Me Jumpstart documentary and Pollard's firing of the entire band that turned me off. The doc in particular just gave me a bad impression of the man - he reminded me of a few music folks I'd know, just really self-absorbed, to the point of making me, just watching the doc, cringe when he opened his mouth. And canning his supposed friends and bandmates only seemed to cement that.

All that said, I've always liked this song. I was watching this very same youtube video recently, and thinking about catching up on some of the later GBV stuff. Especially now that we live in the future and I can download just a few songs per album.

So, any suggestions?

Most people in the music business (classical and pop)are self-absorbed dicks/dickettes: The secret to enjoying stuff is to not look too deeply into personalties.
I like GBV, but they lack quality control (I guess if you put out multiple-multiple albums a year that will happen.) I don't know if these songs are later GBV or not, but my fav'rites are: Things I will Keep; Bulldog Skin; The Best of Jill Hives: and Teenage FBI.
The album Pollard did with Tommy Keene ( THe Keene Brothers: Blues and Boogie Shoes, I think) is pretty listenable.

Get the concert DVD "The Electrifying Conclusion". If there's a song of theirs you like, or even one you forgot about, it's on there. And some of the old members show up to play on the 60+ song set.

GBV! GBV! GBV!

Universal Truths and Cycles and Half Smiles of the Decomposed are both very good. But I'm a total GBV fanboi so ymmv...

And even if none of those work, he's recorded seven albums since this thread started, so those might do it.

/Official Ironmen Rally Song, for my vote

februarymakeup: And even if none of those work, he's recorded seven albums since this thread started, so those might do it.

/Official Ironmen Rally Song, for my vote

I have already got the torrents for three of those albums started. Hopefully, by the time I get them all downloaded, his next ten albums will be ready.

I will say that GBV is one of the absolute best live bands I ever saw and I will always hate that the last time I saw them was in Asheville NC's lame Orange Peel. The whole vibe of that place was actually enough to make GBV seem just awful.

februarymakeup: And even if none of those work, he's recorded seven albums since this thread started, so those might do it.

/Official Ironmen Rally Song, for my vote

winnar.

bob pollard can write a great hook. but he seriously needs an editor.

Uncle Bob, my hero. please get GBV back together.

/hey hey glad girls...

ArturoBandini: I pretty gave up on GBV after Under the Bushes, Under the Stars - I think it was a combo of seeing the Watch Me Jumpstart documentary and Pollard's firing of the entire band that turned me off. The doc in particular just gave me a bad impression of the man - he reminded me of a few music folks I'd know, just really self-absorbed, to the point of making me, just watching the doc, cringe when he opened his mouth. And canning his supposed friends and bandmates only seemed to cement that.

All that said, I've always liked this song. I was watching this very same youtube video recently, and thinking about catching up on some of the later GBV stuff. Especially now that we live in the future and I can download just a few songs per album.

So, any suggestions?

I think I'm one of the few people in the world that thinks Mag Earwhig! is one of their better records, but if you're looking for a balance between the lo-fi sketches of their ealrier work and the half-assed grabs at stardom of their later work, that's a good one.

Love the Fante-inspired name, by the way.

I am a big fan of Mag Earwhig! too, but really when it all comes down to it Bee Thousand is a triumph of rock and roll that none of their other albums come close to. Alien Lanes, Propeller are also solid albums. Really they have tons of material, lots of stuff that sounds like them messing around trying things out, but all that half baked stuff turns into some great songs. Dedicated listening is what it takes to really get into these guys.

I am a Scientist ftw btw

I've always loved this song, but it's pretty amazing that by exactly 1:00, we've already pretty much heard the whole thing, there's barely a new note or lyric or idea introduced after that. I think it might have benefited from an extra day or three in the hopper.

After seeing his shows in Cincinnati/Northern KY over the past few years and talking to him a couple of times, he's slipping. The guy can be a pompous ass.

Still...my namesake.

I don't know anything about GBV/Pollard.

I only have "Alien Lanes" and "Vampire on Titus/Propeller" on cd and they are superb records.

Never really knew anything personal about their history etc.

Maybe I should avoid that documentary.

Thanks, guys. Good recommendations. I had to wiki their discography b/c I remembered that the video for "Bulldog Skin" is at the end of the WMJ documentary. So I did hear Mag Earwhig back in the day - but I think I didn't buy it b/c it was the first Cobra Verde album. But I have to admit there are some good songs on there. So maybe I'll start right where I left off...

craigdamage - I don't recall anyone else necessarily feeling the same way I did after watching the documentary. I think there was something about the way he told his stories that reminded me of a specific person I knew at the time. I might not feel the same way if I watched it now. The end of the doc is kind of sad, though, considering how things turned out after it was finished.

Oh, and if you don't have Bee Thousand, you need to get it immediately -- particularly if you like Alien Lanes and Propeller.

ArturoBandini: So, any suggestions?

The album this is on, Isolation Drills, is fantastic, and has even better songs on it (IMHO).

Count me among the fans of Mag Earwig!, but it's hard to think of a GBV album since Propeller that doesn't have at least three or four brilliant songs, and five or six good to very good songs.

In my opinion, Bee Thousand and Isolation Drills have the highest greatness-to-throwaway ratios. Get the former if you like lo-fi garage pop, the latter if you like things a little more polished.

Not bad, I wouldn't move from my chair to change the station, but I also wouldn't lift a finger to tune this in...sounds commercially bland and ho-hum, but not to the point of annoying. I've never heard anything else by these guys, dang I must be getting old.

I've always liked this song. Along with Gold Star for Robot Boy and Red Men and Their Wives it makes for the perfect GBV trifecta

Window of My World is beautiful. that is all.

Archfeld: I've never heard anything else by these guys, dang I must be getting old.


Considering that the height of GBV's popularity was approximately 15 years ago, you're either a lot younger or a lot older than you think you are :)


osmium, Trainspotr, etc - OK, so I d/l'ed Isolation Drills from eMusic. My first impression is kind of the same as what I felt 10+ years ago, that maybe Pollard's songs sound best when they're rough around the edges, have dirt in the lens, etc. But I'm definitely going to give it its due, keep listening, and see if it sinks in a little more.

ArturoBandini: Archfeld: I've never heard anything else by these guys, dang I must be getting old.


Considering that the height of GBV's popularity was approximately 15 years ago, you're either a lot younger or a lot older than you think you are :)


osmium, Trainspotr, etc - OK, so I d/l'ed Isolation Drills from eMusic. My first impression is kind of the same as what I felt 10+ years ago, that maybe Pollard's songs sound best when they're rough around the edges, have dirt in the lens, etc. But I'm definitely going to give it its due, keep listening, and see if it sinks in a little more.

My favorite on the record is Brides Have Hit Glass. Frostman is the one rough cut--at least there's one. I hope the album catches you. Cool man. :)

ArturoBandini:

osmium, Trainspotr, etc - OK, so I d/l'ed Isolation Drills from eMusic. My first impression is kind of the same as what I felt 10+ years ago, that maybe Pollard's songs sound best when they're rough around the edges, have dirt in the lens, etc. But I'm definitely going to give it its due, keep listening, and see if it sinks in a little more.

I could see that, and even agree with you a little bit. There is certainly a different personality to the GBV that cranked out those under 2-minute gems like "Little Whirl", "Kicker of Elves" or "Blimps Go 90". But of all the post-Tobin Sprout records, I think it's the strongest, and I do think it's right up there with Bee Thousand or Alien Lanes. But your results may vary, as the kids say. I never really got into Under the Bushes Under the Stars, and I know people who think it's their best, so who knows?