Simultaneous new MP3s available!

[Patrick]

From the upcoming album, Matador and gbv.com have just posted 2 new MP3s simultaneously:

"My Kind of Soldier":

http://www.matadorrecords.com/guided_by_voices

"I'll Replace You With Machines":

http://www.gbv.com/illreplaceyouwithmachinespreview.htm

Patrick

[Ladt]

Darn good they are too, although I can only stream them. Is it like that for everyone?

[9000]

no problem downloading. check your temp files for the file or try right clicking and saving the link.

[johansen smith]

"My Kind of Soldier" is nice, but "I'll Replace You With Machines" sounds too much like "Kickboxer Lightning."

[Ladt]

It just sounds like a mixture of all of Pollard's "Rock" songs to me- the one you mentioned Johansen andThe heavier ones on Isolation Drills.

[bitterfruit]

"My Kind of Solider" is the type of Pollard magic that I prefer and love compared to whatever they are doing on "I'll Replace You With Machines" that sounds like someone is being whipped with piano strings.

[cungar]

Good toe tapping songs but I'll agree that there's nothing new here. They both have the same kind of driving rhythm guitar that the song UTAC had. Seems to be the kind of a generic late GBV sound. Hopefully the rest of the album will have more innovative stuff.

Like all GBV songs I'm sure they'll grow on me.

[mojo]

ahhh we just got CDR's over here, and now theres GBV echoing all around the office... this is a VERY good thing indeed

the album sounds even better on second listen... damn I wish I had a cd player in the car... :)

[bitterfruit]

I'll reserve overall judgement until I hear the entire album, but I'd like "I'll Replace You With Machines" much, much better if it did not have the over-the-top production and effects.

[Ladt]

To be honest they were the only things I really liked about the song! And I thought you might like My Kind Of Soldier Bitterfruit.

[bitterfruit]

I do like "My Kind Of Soldier" quite a bit actually. I can even picture Bob singing it, using his right hand's upwardly bent index finger along with each exaggerated syllable in parts of the song.

I just don't like the effects on the other track. It seems to take away somehow from the overall piece. It's so laden with weird production efforts that it sounds muddy.

[cungar]

Anyone know for sure if these are the final mixes? It is 3 months until the albums release. I agree with the muddiness of the mix. When I played them on my home system (after I burned them to CD) I was fiddling with the EQ because all you can hear is guitar and vocals. The drums are just a thud or a crack and there's practically no bass audible.

[bitterfruit]

If you listen to the track hard enough, you can actually hear that it's a pretty good tune underneath all the dramatics.

[cungar]

Well that was always the challenge back in the lo-fi days wasn't it?

[bitterfruit]

I'd prefer the natural elements of recording lo-fi to attempt to discern the greatness of the tune rather than deal with the very unnatural elements of misused production wizardry any day.

[cungar]

Agreed. I listened to "I'll replace you with machines" on headphones last night and noticed a water sound effect as well as the cracking sound. It sounds like someone splashing water in a pool. Maybe someone in the studio got the idea that the theme of the song cried out for some sort of industrial sound. Who knows.

[Patrick]

Guys,

these are low bitrate MP3s. The CD and especially the vinyl will sound much clearer. That said, the album has a generally garagey sound to it - which I think is perfect.

Patrick

[johansen smith]

people complaining about the sound quality of Guided by Voices? are you new?

[cungar]

128 K is pretty standard. Unless you're an audiophile you're not going to hear much difference with a higher bit rate. That said I'm pretty sure that this is how the songs are intended to sound. I don't think Bob is planning to release a SACD version.

[bitterfruit]

Originally posted by johansen smith
people complaining about the sound quality of Guided by Voices? are you new?

You're missing the point. This ain't Hazard Hotrods.

[Squall91]

I like both the songs. Mmm...

[cungar]

So do I. I'm just not blown away by them. I heard a Bob quote saying that My Kind of Soldier was one of the best things they've ever done. I'd have to differ with that assessment.

[bitterfruit]

I may complain a little about one of music's greatest talents, but I do actually revere Bobby P. like he was my daddy.

Wanna be really pissed? Read this:

http://pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/m/minders/cul-de-sacs-and-dead-ends.shtml