Monday 1 November 2010

Johnny Optimist

Taken from "Elephant Jokes" 2009

Lyrics Unknown

A modern Robert Pollard classic with a great guitar hook and hop about and kick the air vocals. You cannot help but smile when you hear this track. It has funny lyrics and is just basically a happy song. Great.

Bad Baby Blue

Taken from "Gringo" 2009

"Bad Baby Blue
We'll I've been lachrymose too
Bad baby blues
When it's not up to youse yeah
Bad Baby Blue
Got me talkin' to mountains
Bad Baby Blue

Ram your fists down through your ripped out rotten shirt
Back alive I'm feeling bad enough to kill
Spare the seasons of the winters in your soul
Name the reasons, please
And Bad Baby Blue here's to lookin' at you
Bad Baby Blue so very vile I'm with you
I found it so hard to listen to you
Bad Baby Blue you tell me what you laugh about
Bad Baby Blue you tell me when you cry

I wanna kiss my television when you're on
Count your angels in the suitcase of your heart
Angels sitting in your cafeteria mind
You're a bad baby"

Spooky. This track feels slow and discordant but with a punching Vocal. Circus Devils are there to mess with your ears.

Mag Earwig!

Taken from "Mag Earwig!" 1997

"Blessed is the way to a man's heart
Quite so even out of dreadlock
But the bastard of an ex-warhorse kicks
And I smiled like an electric child"

Bob does an impression of a Baby crying. Reminds me a lot of the classic Bee Thousand/Bushes/Lanes era. A fun 40 seconds.

Tuesday 13 July 2010

Cool Off Kid Kilowatt

Taken from "Vampire On Titus" 1993

"Combustions, man--yeah, that's where we live
We're starving for the season
Jonesin' for a reason
Isn't it interesting? Isn't it odd?
Picked to finish last
I will speed my way past
Like a psychodrama, like a skeleton man"

Is one of the instruments on this song someone blowing onto the top of a beer bottle? I'm beginning to hear the early formations of Bee Thousand like melodies here.

After The Quake (Let's Bake A Cake)

Taken from "Suitcase 3" 2009

Lyrics Unknown

A stream of consciousness jingly jangly acoustic number with some crazy lyrics. Funny stuff.

Sunday 11 July 2010

Another Man's Blood

Taken from "Superman Was A Rocker" 2008

"Working and slaving
for another man's blood
Working to save up
For another man's blood
Build up a future
For another man's blood
Working to save up
For another man's blood

It's good for the blood
Of another man

It's good for the future
Of another man's blood

Blood and bondage
And future
Saving
Not living
Slaying
Not giving
Not given
Forgiven
Not giving

Working and slaving
For another man's blood

It's good for the blood

It's good for the blood
of another man"

Dark and Grinding with muffled and spooky vocals. I'm not a massive fan of some of Mr Pollards experimental songs and this is certainly not one of my favourite songs. Again, a song where I'm sure the lyrics turn up in a "proper" song.

Saturday 10 July 2010

Bomb In The Bee-Hive

Taken from "Mag Earwig" 1997

"Here I go around the blame
Here I go with hand over flame
Down on the floor at 9:00
A scene not fully recognized
At precisely 9:00
Here I go with clapping hands
Here I go with "still no plans"
Illuminate the mystery
The film is not for view
The film is not for you."

Good song from Mag Earwig but not one of Bobs best. Sort of middle era, middle of the road Bob and doesnt really build to its potential. Lovely thrashy ending though with some great guitars and drum rolls.

Friday 9 July 2010

Each Is Good In His Own House

Taken from "Moses On A Snail" 2010

Lyrics Unknown

A standout track from the 2010 Robert Pollard Opus "Moses On A Snail". Deceptively simple and achingly beautiful song. Robert Pollard can capture a certain whimsical mood like no other. The lyrics make sense yet make no sense whatsoever but get under your skin. Wonderful.

The Lodger Carried A Gun

Taken from "Suitcase 2" 2005

Lyrics Unknown

A gentle rustic track. A Pretty song that sounds a bit early REM (obvious cheap parallel). Beautiful.

Sunday 7 February 2010

I Share A Rhythm

Taken from "Suitcase 3" 2009

Lyrics Unknown

A quickly strummed track, stuck together with sellotape and nails. I'm sure Bob is freestyling as he goes along, trying to get the sound right, to get some phonetic connection to the "real" song that will come later after a little work.

A Farewell To Arms

Taken from "Suitcase 1" 2003

"A farewell to arms
A man with his charms
???
???

You can die if you want to
You can live in a penthouse ???
???

A farewell to arms
A jacket in with his charms
Another man with a ???
A farewell to arms

Every boy ???

A farewell to arms..."

Isnt this a Hazzard Hotrods songs? My Pollardian mind is reaching here. Muffled vocals over a slinky groove. Words are not clear but this is song has a fantastic feel to it. An enigma.

Volcano Divers

Taken from "Fast Japanese Spin Cycle" 1994

"Volcano divers
Volcano divers
You got a lot to say
But hey don't say it
So much reported and
So much distorted
Divers
Volcano divers"

Now I've heard of some Extreme sports.... Great classic sounding GBV. Simple but brilliant sound with a screeching guitar that mysteriously appears halfway. Short and sweet.