Guided By Voices can be an infuriating band to follow. Because of the prolific nature of their output, the quality of their releases can often vary dramatically. That said, 2021 seems to be a good year for them. Earlier this year, they released Earth Man Blues, an album where this iteration of the band sounded tighter and more lush than they’ve ever been. Now, they have announced their second album of the year, the wonderfully titled It’s Not Them. It Couldn’t Be Them. It Is Them!, and shared a new single, the sugary-sweet “My (Limited) Engagement“.
The song fits the template of a good Robert Pollard composition. It’s short and to-the-point, dominated by perfectly crunchy guitars and a punchy vocal melody. Its lyrics are a soup that you can read into at your own peril, like much of Robert Pollard’s work. It doesn’t have the psychedelic touches that made Earth Man Blues such an interesting album in their discography, but Robert Pollard still has the ability to channel pure bliss with his voice. It’s standard, but excellently executed indie rock.
While it’s been a long while since they’ve put out an entire record with the consistency of Bee Thousand or Under the Bushes Under the Stars, songs like this make them worth following, even as Robert Pollard’s troupe enters the fifth (!) decade of its existence. It’s best to keep expectations in check when talking about a Guided By Voices record–they are certainly not going to reinvent the wheel at this point in their career–but I can only hope that this song is a sign of good things to come for these indie rock granddaddies.
Amped! 