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Guided by
Voices: Half Smiles of the Decomposed
Out with a whimper, or out with a bang? That is the question that listening to this 14-song final album from Guided by Voices conjures. Bob Pollard claimed that he would break up Guided by Voices when they had created their quintessential, ultimate album; and he proclaimed Half Smiles of the Decomposed to be that release. But come on, Bob. Are you grandstanding about your current release, modest about your past accomplishments, or do you really think that nothing youve released previously is as defining as this final album? While Half Smiles of the Decomposed is an excellent album in its own right, I doubt it will be remembered as the quintessential Guided by Voices album described by Pollard. In fact, it seems difficult to imagine what a quintessential GBV album would even sound like. Over the bands 20-year career, theyve dabbled in various genres (sometimes tending towards jangle pop, sometimes towards prog-rock, and other times ironically towards their own version of "arena rock"); theyve also dabbled in recording and production styles (from lo-fi to mid-fi to Ric Ocasek). All the while, the one constant in the entire endeavor was Bob Pollards ability to write good songs that were able to connect with a growing number of diehard fans. Like Earthquake Glue, last years GBV release, this album has checked the fist-in-the-air rockers at the door in favor for a more subdued sound overall. The hooks are there, but they are not as blatant as on some of GBVs mid to late 90s material; and repeated listens are required for them to sink in. The driving guitar is still present, but it is more carefully placed in the songs. Largely missing are the soaring vocals present on albums like Isolation Drills and Universal Truths and Cycles. The Closets of Henry is a noted exception, in which Pollards urgent vocals overtop of a jangling guitar are what define the song. Some might disagree, but if any sound is quintessential GBV, its this one. Because lets be honest: theres no one that can sing in a faux-British accent over simple chords and jangling guitars and make it sound quite so heavenly as Bob Pollard can. But not all of the songs here are quite as moving; Asia Minor favors simplicity on the piano over the decked out piano use on 2002s excellent Back to the Lake. Simplicity is also favored when it comes to lyrics on Asia Minor, and while the famously inane lyrics of Bee Thousand and Alien Lanes were engrossing and endearing, it doesnt work as well when Pollard sings Nothing could be finer, yeah, than Asia Minor, yeah. Like all GBV albums, I do believe this one will grow on me over time. Already, songs that at first lacked something to bring me back are proving to be engaging in unexpected ways. The album closer, Huffman Prairie Flying Field, is a recognized highlight, featuring the return of Tobin Sprout on guitar. Starting out with a few measures of stripped down percussion and a synthetic beat, the song then ambles into a mid-tempo pop song with jangling guitar, classic Bob vocals, and clever lyrics all done in 3 minutes and 14 seconds. When its over, you want to hear it again. Quintessential GBV, I suppose. Maybe Bob was right after all.
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