The newest Guided By Voices release isn't new at all. Rather, it's a sort of best of that culls the prime cuts from four EP's from the band from the early 1990's. Scalping The Guru, out now via Rockathon Records, serves up the sort of goodness that brought a lot of us in in the first place. GBV heads, rejoice.
"My Impression Now", from 1994's Fast Japanese Spin Cycle, still soars with shades of The Who and Shoes, while "Damn Good Mr. Jam" from 1993's Static Airplane Jive, is a bit rougher, bedroom DIY, American style. "Scalding Creek", from 1994's Get Out of My Stations, is nearly lovely, Robert Pollard and crew marrying his unique melodic sense with flashes of perhaps unintentional noise. That one is a gem, as is "Mobile", a brasher effort from the same EP. Elsewhere, "Scalping the Guru", a super-brief bit of indie-rock from 1994's Clown Prince of the Menthol Trailer, gives this whole set its title.
As even the most casual fan of GBV knows, there's a lot of variety in any survey of the group's output, and in the era covered by Scalping The Guru, the band was making the moves that would bring them to larger audiences. Robert Pollard is heard here navigating his various loves, loves which served as his inspirations as a songwriter and performer. And for every moment that's a chaotic, lo-fi riot, there's another that wildly heartfelt and melodic. I came in on Bee Thousand in 1994 and likely heard some of these EP's after that, but I think I'd forgotten a bunch of these songs. There's so much here, and one marvels at how much inventiveness is contained in just 20 tracks spread across 30+ minutes. To say that this is essential is likely an understatement.
Scalping The Guru is out now via Rockathon Records. More details on Guided By Voices via GuidedByVoices.com.
[Photo of Robert Pollad: me, Black Cat, D.C., 2019]