Guided by Voices, the Dayton, Ohio-based indie rock band, are back with their 37th album, "La La Land." This album marks another milestone in the band's storied career, which has been marked by a string of excellent releases this year, including "Crystal Nuns Cathedral" and "Tremblers and Goggles By Rank." The band has been on a hot streak, with a compilation of 90s EPs and singles set to be released at the end of the month. Robert Pollard, the band's lead singer and songwriter has described "La La Land" as a "companion piece" to "Tremblers and Goggles By Rank" and promises to explore "a path of diversity in styles and in longer, more adventurous song structures."
What Worked
Like last year's Tremblers and Goggles By Rank, Bob Pollard, and crew stretch the GBV sound on their latest release. Songs like "Cousin Jackie" stretch up to four minutes with numerous tempo changes, a far cry from the minute-and-half experiments the band was known for in the 1990s. But the entire record isn't a complete diversion from the norm, as songs like opener "Another Day to Heal," "Face Eraser," and "Insect Dwelling" each find ways to reinvigorate the Guided By Voices sound in less than three minutes apiece.
What Didn't Work
At the center of the short 11-song album is the nearly six-minute "Slowly on the Wheel," which drags on for the entire run-time. It's the only misstep on another solid entry by the prolific band.
Share this post