The Curse of being a Pollard fan (Actually, a Rentals post too!)

You may know this, but I’m sort of a fan of Robert Pollard. This has been a blessing and a curse.

The good part? At any point I feel like it, I can order 6 side project / ep / singles and 98% of it will be great, 1% will be disappointing and the other 1% will be stuff I’ve already heard. It is fantastic. It is like constantly winning the pop lottery, I just choose the time and place.

The bad part? When you look at the Robert Pollard and his planned releases, you can’t help but feel like “why the fuck can’t other bands do this?” I just bought the new Rentals EP, and it is pretty not bad – but I get four songs. It has been about 38 years since a Rentals release, and I get a four song EP (and one bonus video, fuck that!).

Now, before sucking on the power-pop Pollard tit, this would have been ok. But I want more. The EP is pretty good, nothing amazing but it is still quite enjoyable and makes me want more. Why can’t I have more? Good things come to wait, I know, but where is the album? Where were all the albums? I’m not comparing Matt Sharp to Robert Pollard by any means, but the guy is talented and he should have a huge back catalog of wicked awesome shit.

I should pick up his country EP and his solo record and stop complaining, but alas.. that isn’t the point. My point is that I’m spoiled by being able to pluck pop gems from the Bob Tree whenever I feel like it, but I have to wait years in between to hear some good solid pop music from someone who should be pumping it out much more frequently. (Is that grammatically correct, why does that sound weird?

Buy the EP though, it is pretty good. I’m still digesting the New Pornographers’ new album.. it hasn’t slapped me across the face like Twin Cinema did, but it is growing on me. It is definitely more “Neko Case” and less “Destroyer.”

Swerve N’ Curve 2007

Good rally this weekend, full write-up and photos coming tonight or tomorrow – along with a write-up from Cyclespace.com and perhaps video?

I straight up LOL’ed

For realz

Definitive Songs: Guided By Voices’ Suitcase Disc 1

Image Credit: GBVDB

I’m going through both suitcases (4 disc Guided By Voices boxsets with 25 songs on each CD) to pick out the best GBV songs on there.. because I usually just listen to them on shuffle and skip around. This will take a while.

Here is disc one’s best songs:

The Kissing Life - Super quiet song starts out with just guitar, but comes in with a strange keyboard/guitar harmonic.

Tear it Out – Another quiet one, most likely recorded on Bob’s tape deck. This song is over 4 minutes long, a GBV rarity. “I challenge you to drink the milk you spilled.” Reminds me of Don’t Stop Now for some reason.. maybe the emphasis of “free of us” in the lyrics.

Dorothy’s a Planet – “No more moon missions, it’s time for Dorothy’s a Planet“

Let’s Go Vike – The instrumental intro reminds me of the Velvet Underground for some reason, has the same feeling of “Run Run Run” until it picks up later in the song.

Pink Drink (demo) – From the generally awesome “Power of Suck” demos.

James Riot - Solid rocke, super full sound, and surprisingly a “Do the Collapse” demo!

Spring Tigers - Outtake from cancelled “Back to Saturn X” record. Most surprisingly “produced” sounding song on the disc (and I use the term “produced” lightly)

Born on Seaweed - I love the lyrics on this. It is just Bob and a guitar. Ends abruptly and at the perfect time.

Flesh Ears from June - Pollard’s vocals are upfront on this song. Classic demo sound – fuck… can this man make a bad song? (no)

Have It Again - Perfect minute long song from Pollard. “What would you give to be 19 or 20 again?”

Taco, Buffalo, Birddog and Jesus - This could be an early REM song. From an aborted LP “Learning to Hunt”.

Thanks to GBVDB again and again. My most visited website.

3/4 Year Favorite Record Run-Down

Here is a quick list of my favorite records of the year so far, in no particular order:

Robert Pollard – “Silverfish Trivia EP”

LCD Soundsystem – “Sound of Silver”

The Takeovers – “Bad Football”

Not released in 2007:

Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros – “Rock Art and the X-Ray Style”

Keene Brothers – “Blues and Boogie Shoes”

Robert Pollard & Doug Gillard – “Speak Kindly of your Volunteer Fire Department”

I am Kloot – “Gods and Monsters”

Crud, I need to buy more albums released this year. I obviously buy a lot of older albums that I previously missed, and a lot of those are Pollard projects. Sue me! SUE ME! Please, sue me. I’m dying for some litigation.

I’m also dying to hear your top albums so far, dear reader.

make it stop

The bad news keeps rollin’ in.

I’m stuck here at work right now. Not a big deal, I’ll just go drink some beers.

The ULTIMATE BAD NEWS? I won’t be able to pick up my motorcycle until Tuesday.

The good news? I’m going to pick up the new “New Pornographers” album, as well as the new “M.I.A.” and perhaps some other junk. Albums albums albums albums albums al bums al bums al bums al’s bums al’s bums al’s bums al’s bum’s al bum’s al bum album

Us V Them

Ugh.

I don’t know why, but I haven’t really felt like writing lately. In fact, I haven’t felt like doing much of anything lately, and I hate that feeling. Last night, I watched a nature documentary and “Perfume: A Story of a Murderer” while I sorted through a bunch of paperwork and bills/registrations/etc. Adult stuff.

I’ve been waking up in the morning this last week feeling completely drained, almost hungover. But I haven’t been drinking during the week. I realized that the daily grind has finally caught up to me. Grinding it out in front of a computer everyday in an office is killing me. I had plans to work on my bike last night, but I just tightened a few things, went to Whole Foods and came home. WTF?

So things need to change soon. Speaking of changes..

I pick up my motorcycle tomorrow evening. I’m pretty excited for this, and plan on taking it for a ride up the PCH once rush hour subsides. I’ll take pictures of it once I get it home tomorrow.

I’m also fixing up my garage, but still need shelves and additional lighting. And a broom. Let’s keep things tidy!

Let’s see.. anything else new? No, and that is a shame. Oh yeah, big scooter rally this weekend. Very excited for that.

Turbonegro playing Oct. 7th

I had the worst day of work today. 

Just give me my motorcycle, please. I’d really like to replace my Primavera’s rear brakes / clean out carb / replace gear cable / split the cases.

Drained. Can’t think of anything great. Trying. Can’t!

 

All my diseases

Bad news.. I just got back from the doctor and he says I have the following:

- West Nile
- SARS
- Y2K
- Identity Theft
- Handsome Disease
- Cat Scratch Fever
- Formula 50 Vitamin Water Deficiency
- Heroin Addiction

I  don’t think I’m going to make it. Goodbye, cruel world!

Found some song titles

UPDATE: I feel real bad, I didn’t credit Jim and Jenny for co-thinking up all of these. I just typed without thinking, which is a crime in Darfur.

Whilst cleaning, I found the following list of drunk song titles:

- Dog Serum
- Digital Lady
- My Cozy (Where is it)
- Pilates N-Word
- Dying for a Soft On
- Minor League Boner
- Juggle For me Clown
- Just Two, None for the Jew
- Never Dare an Indian
- Enjoy Yr Mush

Look for the album soon.

Day off! Love is Stronger than Witchcraft 7″

It is my free summer day off. Thanks, place of employment!

I cleaned, swept, mopped, and scrubbed all morning. Just as I got done, my records came in the mail. I’ve listened to a bit of the Takeovers, and “Fair Touching” from Lexo and the Leapers.

However – My “Love is Stronger Than Witchcraft” 45 is great. It sounds great on vinyl, and reaffirms this as one of my all time favorite Robert Pollard songs. The strange, slogging Circus Devils’ “Dolphins of Color” is included as a b-side. I guess Tommy Keene was guitar on that recording.

Yay for day off! Yay for clean apartment! Yay for going and putting some money in the hands of that motorcycle guy to pick up my gold queen!

Hello.

What’s this?

Oh, hello. You will look nice next to my Primavera.

Coming soon, to my garage near me. (P.S. Yes.)

New Orleans: 2 Years Later

This is an amazing Flickr set from a guy I started following through some Vespa photos. He also likes to take a lot of pictures of street art and what not. I always look at his photos. You should check them out here.

It is becoming out of control…

.. me want bikes. BIKES.

Looking at this tomorrow:

Image Credit

It is a 1972 Honda CL350 Scrambler. It looks like this one above, but with low bars, no mirrors, and better paint.

This is the 1974 Honda Elsinore 125. My dad used to have an Elsinore when they first came out. They are basically the dirtbike that revolutionized the Honda as a contender in the motocross circuit, with its super lightweight frame and zippy 2-stroke engine. I want to get one, clean it up and take it out on some narrow dirt trails. Then take it on the Mongol Rally.

Image Credit: Bikez.com

This is the Triumph Thruxton. I took a few pictures of these on my Beach Invasion posts. They make me pee in my pants a little.

Where are all the updates?

In my head!

I’ll let them out tonight. Work has been busy, and at home I’ve been doing other things.

-Robert