Guided by Voices

The uber-prolific Robert Pollard unleashes ten more tunes from the seemingly infinite Guided by Voices archive on this ten-song, 23-minute EP from the ongoing "Fading Captain" series. Consisting of material written for Isolation Drills and Universal Truths and Cycles that didn't make the final cut, most of this stuff finds Guided by Voices in rock mode, though in a slightly more esoteric manner than the relatively straightforward approach of Isolation Drills. "Visit This Place," "Request Pharmaceuticals," and "Dig Through My Window" are A-list Pollard compositions, while the skeletal "Keep It Coming" and "For Liberty" are on hand to remind fans this is a Guided by Voices record, complete with self-indulgent throwaways, and the title cut is goofy even by this band's often-loopy standards. In short, if you're a fan who can't get enough (and there must be a bunch of them out there), you'll find much to like; if you never cared for Guided by Voices, this will not change your mind; and if you sit on the fence, this is a good bit more approachable than the usual Guided by Voices side release, but you still might be better off waiting for their next "real" album. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide