I have to say, I'm shocked by how good the reviews are!

[cungar]

Anyone who's been reading the reviews on GBV.com has to notice that almost without exception they are touting Earthquake Glue as the second coming of Bob. WILL THE RECORD BUYING PUBLIC TAKE NOTICE??

"Louder, bolder and as infectious as Ebola, Earthquake Glue seems intent on silencing anyone who might have offhandedly quipped that Pollard's best days are behind him. In the massive recorded canon of GBV, there has been some throwaway fodder, but less so here; every track on Earthquake Glue holds its own. "

"So how does GBV's latest long-player stack up against the band's extensive discography? I'll give you the short answer: Earthquake Glue is their best album since 1996's brilliant Under the Bushes, Under the Stars. "

"Earthquake Glue's opening track, My Kind of Soldier, will make you happy, instantly; She Goes Off At Night's psychedelic mod-punk confection consigns all Britpop bands to the dustbin of history; and The Best of Jill Hives could fill a stadium, but probably never will, unless you come out of your consumer coma and get yourself to your nearest record shop now."

"The fact is that Earthquake Glue is a very divisive record for GBV fans. It does what Universal Truths and Cycles was supposed to do, that is mix the production and songwriting values of Isolation Drills with the experimentalism and lo-fi feel of Bee Thousand. Where Earthquake Glue leaves it's predecessor in the dust is that this is one of the strongest set of songs GBV has ever put on record and the performances more closely mirror the greatness of their live shows."

[largeheartedboy]

The album is also getting higher profile reviews that UTAC did, this should translate in to more sales.

Any late-night TV appearances slated for the band?

[gelgis olowana]

wouldn't it be ironic if their least poppy CD does what Everywhere with Helicopter, Back to the Lake, Cheyenne, Glad Girls, Chasing Heather Crazy, Teenage FBI and Hold on Hope didn't do? break GBV on the next level?

dammit, I totally love this CD

[newspearmint]

i like reading the good reviews. but i don't think gbv.com would post them if they weren't positive. I know there are some bad ratings out there. those chumps at spin magazine gave an un enthusiastic rating of C, or something like that.

[cungar]

I don't know if you can say it's their least poppy CD although parts of it are definitely as un-pop as it gets (Secret Star, My Son, My Secratary, A Trophy Mule) there are also some great pop tunes (Useless Inventions, Jill Hives, My Kind of Soldier).

Of course I couldn't see radio playing any of those. Maybe back when bands like REM, Talking Heads, The Clash and Blondie could have hits but those days are gone. Anyway Jill Hives is as good a pop song as Surrender by Cheap Trick and that was a hit so....

[gelgis olowana]

I agree that My Kind of Soldier and Best of Jill Hives are fabulous pure pop songs, but it just seems that the overall pop song ratio on Earthquake Glue is the lowest of any GBV record since maybe Mag Earwhig. Even Jill Hives isn't as polished or radio-friendly as some other stuff with the echo-ey vocals, the heavy bass and the unresolved ending ...

[gee beer vee]

yeah, there's some bad ones too.
i think that site metacritic.com (?) is good for a look. i'm double checking right now to see if memory serves.

[Sid Hartha]

This review is a bit "mixed":
http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/reviews/story/0,11712,1018629,00.html

[cungar]

I don't know, seems pretty favorable to me.

This line kind of baffles me:

My Son, My Secretary and My Country captures the brashness of swinging London as it embraced bleary-eyed psychedelia.

Makes it sound like something off of Austin Powers.

[Bailey Quarters]

http://www.columbusalive.com/2003/20030814/081403/08140303.html

[cungar]

Beware of critics who harp on Bob's drinking. They usually have nothing but belittling comments and never really liked the band. That review continues the trend.

[Bailey Quarters]

actually, the reviewer is quite a fan of bob and the music and has been for many years. but i agree with you, in that reviews that focus on the drinking over the music are to be taken with a grain. with that said, i believe bob opens his drinking to criticism as he perpetuates the drunk uncle persona quite a bit.

Earthquake Glue is kicking my ass though, and in a great way.

[debaser]

I think there must be some kind of GBV-bad-review template out there, it goes something like this.

a. Make joke about this being GBV's trillionth album.
b. Mention that it just isn't as catchy as bee thousand or alien lanes.
c. Make joke about Bob's drinking.

Switch a with c as desired.

Earthquake Glue is fantastic, but the fact is most of the songs aren't as catchy than a lot of his earlier stuff. That doesn't mean they're not better songs though. Take Beat Your Wings for example, it doesn't really have an obvious hook, it's relatively long, and the build-up is quite subtle. It gives me the same buzz I get from listening to Echoes Myron, but just in a different way. Lyrically and texturally though, it's amazing. My only complaint about the album is the same complaint I've had about every GBV album since forever, the lack of a good closer. He always seems to put a good closer second or third last, and then tack something weird on the end. Only exception to this is the excellent 'Privately' off Isolation Drills. Personally I think he should have stuck Dead Cloud or Main Street Wizards on the end, just to go out with a real bang. I love those songs.

[James Riot]

How about Secret Star? - that's what I would call going out with a bang

[cungar]

Agreed

And they should have left My Son... as the opener. The way it lays the ground for I'll replace you with machines is a great lead in. In fact they started the Indianapolis concert that way.

[R.Wilder]

Reviews should always be taken with a grain of salt. It's only a personal opinion that may be based on a quick listen of the album. I love "Earthquake Glue" but it took two or three listens for it to dig into me. If I had reviewed it after only the first time through it would've been a thumbs down disappointment. If I review it now, though, I'd add the cliche, "My favorite GBV record is the most recent one ---and EQ is currently my BIG FAV!"

On the drinking thing ---face it, some people have a talent for drinking and Robert Pollard is one of those individuals. Others take offense at such stamina of strong DNA. Screw 'em. I'll be home tonight with a six of lager, a few shots of bourbon and another glorious evening of GBV noise. Travelling the light years from "Devil Between My Toes" and "Earthquake Glue" with intermitten stops. Who knows where I may land ---"Fast Japanese Spin Cycle?" "Mag Earwhig?" "The Pipe Dreams of Instant Prince Whippet?" The classic territory of "B000", "Alien Lanes" or "Under the Bushes?" Or maybe smack dab in the middle of "Suitcase." I'll let the vagaries of intoxicated impulse carry me from "EQ" backwards through the discography.

Bottles bend the walls of sound, sparkle the suds, take the shots and crank it up.

[Jason]

I recall an interview from a year or two ago where Bob said that he likes the closing song on an album to have the same kind of feel as the closing credits of a movie.

So he'll often put what might be a traditional "final song" next to last.

[Timothompson]

Listening to the online stream, I'm thinking it's the Who by Numbers mixed with Genesis. I mean mid-to-late 70s prog rock is bleeding all over this album.

Not too many hooks (vocal or guitar)...not really catchy...but nice production and lead guitar work by Gillard. Definitely not pop though.

"my kind of soldier" is poppy and good.

[gelgis olowana]

the synth solo in Main Street Wizards is pure Tony Banks. I guess that's Todd Tobias playing it, but goddamit, he's channeling Tony Banks circa And Then There were Three ....

[Sid Hartha]

Todd is really becoming the 6th GBV member. They should bring him on tour.

[Ladt]

Doug's solos are amazing, especially the beat your wings one. And The Mites and Men one, actually I could go on.....
Yeah, I think this is GBVs most who influenced album yet.