Nothing The Best

Taken from "Check Your Zoo"

Instrumental

A very delicate and literate start to this song, almost Spanish sounding and not the sort of showy guitarmanship you are used to with a Pollard recording. The song obviously wobbles and crumbles apart in a mix of random drumming and stroked guitars but hints at quite a lovely melody under all the grot.

The Golden Pickle

Taken from "Suitcase 2" 2005

Lyrics Unknown

A fly on the wall recording of Bob yelping over a random acoustic strum and some laughs. A Filler, No Killer.

The Girls Will Make It Happen

Taken from "Ataxia" 2008

Lyrics Unknown

Wow. What a song. A driven and pounding Circus Devils Masterpiece. Just on the right side of experimental but also accessible and tuneful. Love the freaky vocal effects. In an alternate universe this would be filling all the Alternative Rock Clubs floors. Easily one of my favourite tracks from "Ataxia" which is a great Circus Devils album, a soundtrack for a film David Lynch hasn't made yet.

Drum Solo

Taken from "Electric Chairs: Professional Music By Nightwalker" 1999

Instrumental

A drum solo with some backward vocals. Thats it really.

Fether Herd

Taken from "Mist King Urth" 2003

Instrumental

Was just thinking that there aren't many Pollard instrumentals is his plethora of songs but I got and find a couple in a row. How odd. This is a rhythmic track, all drums and weird tribal tooting. Odd, as ever. Go Bob!

False Teeth

Taken from "South" 2008

"I SLOW DOWN THE DANCING GRAVE
STEEL AND FIRE ARE MINE TO SAVE
GOT TARGET POINTS ON RACING SHEETS
THATS WHY THEY CALL ME
FALSE TEETH

SLOW MOTION CLOUDS ARE HEAVY METAL
THICK HUMAN SPIT ON A ROSE PETAL
LIKE GREAT THOUGHT WARS
BEYOND BELIEF
THATS WHY THEY CALL ME
FALSE TEETH"

Taken from the sinewy "long lost 60s band" Carbon Whales "South" EP this is a dark and dangerous graveyard stomp. Moody and dark but not one of Mr Pollard most playful pieces of work. Am I playing this record at the correct speed? Hang on, its an MP3.

Artboat

Taken from "Devil Between My Toes" 1987

Instrumental

A lo-fi and muffled garage band instrumental with plenty of recorder hiss and reverb. Stutters along for a couple of minutes and then ends.

Nicky High Pockets

Taken from "Sgt. Disco" 2007

"I’ve landed a job on the high ass seas
You betcha Bob and yessiree
Kind of the wind-that happens to be me

Straddle a soap studded rudder, brother
Parting the waters for sons and daughters
To a riot of gold teeth-which I bequeath

And many twisted vines
And photocopied throats
Are leaving with my boats

Link further communication
From bombs to glaring red
Yessiree, you betcha Bob
That happens to be me "

This song has lived on my iTunes as Nighy Highpockets for a year now. Damn you CDDB for me trusting you. This is a Circus Devils classic that doesnt sound like a typical Circus Devils song. A great melody and I love the "Betcha Bob" bits. Is this a character Bob has created? Some sort of Pirate? Great Song. Love it.

Shrine To The Dynamic Years (Athens Time Change Riots)

Taken from "Suitcase 1" 2003

"The mood of the courtroom was gloomy
tested the waters and looked for a sign
Shrine to the dynamic years
Shrine to the dynamic years
The quest for the gold was frustrating
Roll into a ball yeah
The quest for the ???
???
Shrine to the dynamic years
Shrine to the dynamic years
???
Roll into a ball yeah
Shrine to the dynamic years
Shrine to the dynamic years
???
Roll into a ball yeah
Roll into a ball yeah
Roll into a ball"

Crunching and stumbling and almost indecipherable mumbled vocals before the song explodes into a classic Guided By Voices refrain. I am sure this song has been reworked into another song as the hooks sound very familiar. A good song.