Guided by Voices- Bee Thousand
This is less of an album and more of a rock collage. There is some structure here, slow songs and fast songs mixed together, and the energies of each song are also varied so that the nineteen tracks don’t feel like a slog. There is some kind of structure, but that doesn’t stop everything from seeming off kilter. Part of that comes from the variety of styles on display here. The songs range from acoustic guitar to something the Velvet Underground would be proud of, and everything in between. One might be tempted to say this is because they were uncertain about which direction to take their sound while they were recording, but it comes across more like they’re showing off. “Look how good we can emulate these guys,” they seem to be saying. Because of that though their own sound is hard to pin down.
If I had to try to find some kind of consistent sound, I wouldn’t look to the music, I’d look to the lyrics. If this band has a fingerprint, it’s in its lyrics. Each song contains a phrase, just one or two, that is emphasized or sticks in the brain. Granted there aren’t that many lyrics in a two minute song, but something about the writing still makes them stick out. Some choice ones are: “You say when, I say I’m falling,” “Parallel lines on a slow decline,” “To train the bear to not get up/ Slay the beast and win the cup,” “I’m an incurable/ And no else behaves like me,” and I could go on. Robert Pollard, lead singer and songwriter, has a definite voice and ear for epigrammatic language.
So, that enough to make this band worth checking out? I don’t know. I don’t feel like I’ve gotten a good enough picture of this band yet. I need to know if they not only have interesting lyrics but their own sound as well. I saw no evidence of one on this album, but I refuse to believe they never developed a distinctive sonic identity. As to the rating, I have a definite feeling that there are better albums from this band. This album is missing something, an ethos, a heart.
3/5 Check it out for the lyrics but I can’t speak for the music. It’s kind of a grab bag of styles, so everyone will probably have their own favorites. That being said “I am a Scientist” seems to be pretty well liked, if Spotify’s rankings are anything to go by. But these songs are so different you shouldn’t try just one.