Propellerless here,
I have to apologize; I’ve got behind on the reviews lately.
From losing my job and place of residence to
pretty much starting over has taken a lot of my time.
I have been posting reviews of the Hot Freaks mailing lists,
to keep things going.
But now that I have a job, and a place to live,
things are getting back to normal.
None of what I went through had anything
to do with the Covid outbreak.
So, for this review I’m going to pay catch up with the Hot Freaks Mailing List,
Next time I will review GBV’s recent album, “Mirrored Aztec” and
get back to reviewing, before the next two albums come out.
But I will continue with the Hot Freaks updates.
I also want to give my YouTube channel a plug,
It’s not GBV related.
My YouTube channel is “Island Horizon Videos”.
I live in Hawaii and I make ten to twenty-minute videos of the horizon,
with no camera movement, just the sound of the ocean.
I was doing this before the Covid outbreak,
but it’s perfect for those in lockdown or just to relax.
Now back to what I call,
“Catching Up With Hot Freaks”
or for those non-subscribers,
“What You Are Missing on Hot Freaks”.
Week 11
Guided By Voices - Live from The Metro in Chicago, IL - July 11, 1998
Featuring the rare four-man GBV line-up, with Bob, Doug, Jim MacPherson and Greg Demos.
This forty-four-song set features many songs from the then unreleased “Do The Collapse”
and eps which accompanied the album.
Lots of songs from Bob’s second solo album “Waved Out”, which was released
about 3 weeks earlier.
I found this show on YouTube, but this version sounds superior
to the YouTube version.
You can understand everything Bob says during the “banter” sections.
It must have been from a different source.
Week 12
Cash Rivers And The Sinners
"Whatever We Give You" b/w "The Purple Hair"
from the forthcoming smash album, “Bad Side Of The Coin”.
I’m a big fan of Cash Rivers and the Sinners
and I’m not even a Country music fan.
Cash always mixes rock into the music along with other genres.
I thought there wouldn’t be any more from Cash,
I’m glad to see that’s not the case.
More from Cash Rivers in Week 20.
Week 13
Robert Pollard - Space Gun demos
This is the kind of stuff I subscribe to Hot Freaks for.
Same reason I buy every Suitcase.
I love hearing how songs go from the demo stage
To its finished form.
Even in demo form,
you can hear the magic in Bob’s songs.
I hope Bob continues with the complete albums of demos,
I would even buy them on cd, even though I have the download.
Week 14
Guided By Voices - Doses Of Nonchalance
Live at Spaceland, Los Angeles, April 21, 1995
It doesn’t get more classic than this,
A forty-seven-track set with the Alien Lane era line-up,
with Bob, Tobin Sprout, Mitch Mitchell, Kevin Fennell and Jim Greer.
Of course, thirteen of the tracks are Bob’s banter,
which is always fun.
Sounds great for such an old show.
Spaceland is such a small place, I’ve been there.
I wish I were in Los Angeles at the time to see them there.
Week 15
Guided By Voices - Kit Kat Acoustic Break
1997, Quad Recording Studios, New York City
Mag Earwhig era line-up,
Bob, Doug, John Petkovic, Dave Swanson and Don Depew.
Twenty years ago, I downloaded this from Napster, remember that?
I haven’t heard that version in a long time,
but I don’t remember it sounding this good.
The band performs seven songs,
“Not Behind The Fighter Jet”, “Bulldog Skin”, Chocking Tara”
and “Now To War” from Mag Earwhig.
The acoustic versions of “My Impression Now” and “Quicksilver”
from this show has always been my favorites.
Also an early version of “Teenage FBI” perhaps before the
“Wish In One Hand” version.
You get one big download with the songs and the interview sections,
Plus, individual downloads of just the songs.
Week 16
Guided By Voices
Heedfest 10: Dayton, Ohio, August 30, 2019
Excellent show, almost three hours long.
Great set list, I really like hearing the new songs done live.
because I’ve never thought of GBV as an oldies band.
I really don’t think their best days are behind them.
But there are a lot of GBV classics, some real surprises.
Week 17
Robert Pollard
Shaking Hands With A Ghost
Six previously unreleased demos recorded circa late 2000's.
What has always amazed me about Bob is he writes like a mad man.
He has so many songs, that haven’t gone past the demo stage,
but are useable.
I wouldn’t doubt if some day these pop up on an album.
Week 18
Robert Pollard "Never Abandon Ship" (demo)
Guided By Voices "Never Abandon Ship"
Week 19
Douglas Scott Gillard - Part 1
A partial overview of Doug's career and solo musical history, featuring mostly rarities.
Includes demos, covers of Harry Nilsson’s “Jump Into The Fire” and Brian Eno’s “Needle’s in the Camel’s Eye”.
Plus stuff from Death Of Samantha, Gem, Children’s Crusade and ESP Ohio.
Week 20
Frankenstein's New Nut Huggers: The Very Best of Cash Rivers and the Sinners
Like I said before, I’m a big fan of the Cash Rivers releases.
This isn’t just a best of collection,
But it also serves as a preview of Cash’s upcoming album, “Bad Side Of The Coin”.
It seems that every Cash Rivers release is better than the next,
judging from the previews, this is definitely the case with the new album.
Week 21
Guided By Voices - 2019 Rara Avis
Fifteen songs from four shows in 2019 recorded live in Washington DC,
Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and London.
Some surprises like, fast and slow versions of “Gold Star For Robot Boy”,
three songs from “Alien Lanes”, “Hey Aardvark”, “Town of Mirrors”
and a rock version and a Cash Rivers version of “I’m A Strong Lion”.
Week 22
Robert Pollard "In Calculus Stratagem" (demo)
Guided By Voices "In Calculus Stratagem
Both songs from “Styles We Paid For”, in stores December 11, 2020.
Plus, demos of each song.
Very interesting to hear Bob’s demos and see what the band does with them.
Bob and the band seem to be on the same page.
Thanks for hanging in there,
In two weeks my “Mirrored Aztec” review |
Guided By Robert Pollard
