New album: Blazing Gentlemen
Artist: Robert Pollard
Label: GBV Inc.
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
Guided By Voices' main man Robert Pollard releases albums as if it were a bodily function. He just released three more albums, an EP and a 7" vinyl single while that first sentence was being typed.
You'd think someone who routinely releases three albums per year would eventually hit a bum note, but not this guy. Fans and critics will always favor some albums more than others, but all of Pollard's GBV and solo output is vital if not overly polished. This is rock and roll we're talking about, so it's not supposed to be airbrushed anyway.
Combining his GBV and solo output, “Blazing Gentlemen” is Pollard's 41st full album release - and that's not counting the double digit EP and single releases along the way. From a sonic standpoint, the controlled chaos of early period Who that has been a common threat throughout Pollard's career is still intact. Opening salvo “Magic Man Hype” rides on a thunderous, crashing groove that will no doubt inspire a windmill or two. “Red Flag Down” plows along like hammers against a mountain, with Pollard's ghost-on-a-bender vocals acting as the cherry on top.
“Picadilly Man” is one of Pollard's most evocative lyrical achievements. Rattling off (seemingly) stream of consciousness lines with the panache of Donovan or a pre-cigarette Tom Waits, Pollard creates a reality that like a good Wes Anderson movie is still a tad askew. If you've ever wondered what The Who or Husker Du would have sounded like if fronted by Syd Barrett, just give “Extra Fools Day” a spin.
No matter which reliable comparisons are used to paint a word picture of Pollard's sonic sculptures, his music is truly unique. Sounding utterly fresh without resorting to gimmickry, "Blazing Gentlemen" is another feather in a rather crowded cap.
Classic album: Jody Watley
Artist: Jody Watley
Label: MCA
Rating: 3 stars out of 5
When it comes to synthesized pop music of the late 1980s, Jody Watley had as much success as just about anyone else.
Formerly of Shalamar, Watley's 1987 solo debut didn't break new ground but it did satiate consumer demand for danceable pop songs. Boasting a handful of Top 40 singles, Watley's debut album quickly elevated her to Madonna/Whitney Houston status.
“Lookin’ For A New Love” received airplay on both ends of the dial, giving Watley the first of many crossover R&B/pop hits. In the cold light of 2013, the production on this song and the entire album reek of 1980s excess, but Watley's vocals remain endearing. She had/has the pipes to hit every note on the chart, but instead chose to serve the songs and spotlight the hooks.
Teetering into the same territory Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards laid out for Madonna, “Don't Ya Want Me” is still a catchy tune to those yearning for those simpler times when spandex ruled the day. “Some Kind Of Lover” is a little less crowded musically, giving Watley room to let her ebullient vocals counteract the songs sugary underpinning. “Learn To Say No” - an almost rocking duet with George Michael - is the album's highlight and the song most likely to be revived by an "American Idol" contestant.
To hammer home the dance factor, the album ends with a 7-plus minute remix of “Looking For A New Love,” which depending on your taste will either delight or repel. Maybe this remix was included for club DJs, but the entire album plays as one long dance track, so its inclusion comes off as a rather benign throwaway.
Watley went on to make better albums, but her debut was the pinnacle of her pop prowess.