I watch a lot of YouTube,
There are quite a few videos of people rating an artist’s
album releases and what order they rate them.
Never has anyone done this with GBV releases.
I could have done this prior to the album releases
from the current line-up.
But I find the more I listen to any given album,
since 2017’s “August By Cake” up to this album,
I find more and more I grow to love.
“How Do You Spell Heaven” for instance,
even though I liked it,
at first, I thought it was their weakest.
But that may be because it’s more complex
and perhaps has more depth than the others.
It has since become one of my favorites of all their albums.
“Mirrored Aztec” on the other hand is pretty immediate.
There are a couple more complex songs,
but it’s a more accessible rock album,
than some of the bands more challenging releases.
As a matter a fact,
“Mirrored Aztec” is a good jumping off point for new fans,
for the reason the band doesn’t change their sound
to be more accessible.
“Mirrored Aztec” is a great rock record,
Pretty consistent through-out.
“I Think I Had It, I Think I Have It Again” is one of those
GBV songs that you never heard but instantly know.
“Bunco Men” has been a favorite GBV song of mine since
its first appearance as a demo in 2000 on the first Suitcase box set.
The great thing about this new version is Bob and the band
Don’t change the arrangement or try to outperform the original version.
Kind of like when they perform the classic songs live.
Apparently “Bunco Men” has never been performed live.
So, it will be great to have this song be a regular in GBV’s future live performances.
“Please Don’t Be Honest” starts out kinda Power Post Punk then goes into
a Dreamy Psych thing, then back again.
Love it!
“Show Of Hands” also has that psych thing going with the strings.
Another great track.
“Math Rock” is another GBV goes Prog song,
80’s King Crimson, with a healthy dose of GBV.
With the children choir, directed by Kevin March,
could be a Bob Ezrin production.
Another Great Track
“Biker’s Nest” is GBV in Post Punk mode.
Love that sound of the strumming of the deaden guitar strings,
very Gang of Four, could be a Circus Devils out-take.
The album never really slows down,
one new classic GBV song after another,
“Lip Curlers”, “Transfusion”, “Haircut Sphinx”,
“Screaming The Night Away” would be great additions
to the live set.
“Party Rages On” is another great album closer,
great solo by Doug at the end
This album has such a flow to it,
that it seems to go by fast.
So, I usually just start it over again.
Now the album cover.
Not a Robert Pollard creation, perhaps the first non-Pollard
album cover since the TVT years.
I think the covers amazing.
It has a Psychedelic Peter Max vibe to it,
which suits the album itself.
Growing up, I had a double record set called
“93/KHJ 30 Boss Goldens 30”,
which has a similar psych looking cover.
The minute I saw the cover of “Mirrored Aztec”,
the image of the KHJ album popped into my mind.
Another great Guided By Voices album,
A++++ |
