GUIDED BY VOICES
Half Smiles of the Decomposed (Matador)
Reviewed by Sherman Wick

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After twenty-one years, Robert Pollard has decided to disband Guided By Voices. The band will be sorely missed, especially since the new record, Half Smiles of the Decomposed, represents a musical comeback for a band that has sputtered on the last couple of records. The new record is not an indie rock classic like Bee Thousand (1994) from the group's prime, but comes as close to the sound, composition and execution, since signing to TVT Records and releasing Do the Collapse in 1999.

Robert Pollard, founding member and leader, has returned the band to its strengths: quirky pop. The songs are less streamlined and straight-ahead rockin', and combine more diverse music styles - from glam and punk to folk and psychedelic. Another pleasant surprise is the return of Tobin Sprout on guitar; he was important to the group's success until leaving in the mid-'90s. Highlights fill the album. The opening song, "Everybody Thinks I'm A Raincloud," sets the tone: a sing-song anthem that will fit in well in their famous drunken live shows. "Gonna Have to Die" is a superb wending rocker perfect for cruising. The next cut is an acoustic number, "Windows of My World," that transforms into a textured piece of beauty. And the great songs keep coming: "The Closets of Henry" is another indie-guitar rocker ornately arranged to make you want to jump up and down. Guided By Voices fans will not be disappointed by this release, nor will fans of slightly askew guitar pop. Oh yeah, and don't forget to catch them live at their drunken best before the band calls it quits.

© 2004 - Sherman Wick