Kiss the Quiet Man
Two things come to mind regarding "Kiss the Quiet Man":
1. Robert Pollard cannot always be trusted to pick the best songs available for his albums. This track is better than at least half of his new album, Robert Pollard is Off to Business. While that is a strong album that finds Pollard concentrating on fewer, longer songs, there is filler, or in the very least songs that could have used an additional hook. "Quiet Man," however, despite being one of the most conventional songs he has recorded of late, is very catchy and worthy of inclusion on the album. Of course, I appreciate the fact that he's willing to offer a top-notch tune as a B-side, so it's a bit of a wash, I suppose.
2. In the course of writing this blog, I've obviously listened more critically to a lot of Pollard's back catalog, particularly the earliest Guided by Voices work (collected on the Scat boxed set, creatively titled, Box). Again and again I have noted that GBV mach 1 sounded a lot like the many, many jangly, poppy rock bands that seemed to populate every college town in the mid to late '80s. As Pollard's songwriting improved -- taking on odd tangents, experiments and textures -- he largely left that sound behind. It's always there, lurking somewhere in the background, however, its presence only occasionally detectable. "Quiet Man" is one of the songs where it comes to the fore. This would not sound out of place on Sandbox, for instance. It's nice to hear him take a nostalgic look back every now and again despite the otherwise relentless march forward.
1. Robert Pollard cannot always be trusted to pick the best songs available for his albums. This track is better than at least half of his new album, Robert Pollard is Off to Business. While that is a strong album that finds Pollard concentrating on fewer, longer songs, there is filler, or in the very least songs that could have used an additional hook. "Quiet Man," however, despite being one of the most conventional songs he has recorded of late, is very catchy and worthy of inclusion on the album. Of course, I appreciate the fact that he's willing to offer a top-notch tune as a B-side, so it's a bit of a wash, I suppose.
2. In the course of writing this blog, I've obviously listened more critically to a lot of Pollard's back catalog, particularly the earliest Guided by Voices work (collected on the Scat boxed set, creatively titled, Box). Again and again I have noted that GBV mach 1 sounded a lot like the many, many jangly, poppy rock bands that seemed to populate every college town in the mid to late '80s. As Pollard's songwriting improved -- taking on odd tangents, experiments and textures -- he largely left that sound behind. It's always there, lurking somewhere in the background, however, its presence only occasionally detectable. "Quiet Man" is one of the songs where it comes to the fore. This would not sound out of place on Sandbox, for instance. It's nice to hear him take a nostalgic look back every now and again despite the otherwise relentless march forward.
Labels: Etc.
posted by John at 6:13 AM
2 Comments:
"etc."? where is this available?
That's just my catchall tag for things like singles and such that aren't what I consider full releases. This was on the single for "Weatherman and Skin Goddess."
Post a Comment
Links:
Create a Link
<< Home