It's sometime difficult to fathom the thought processes of
Robert Pollard, but more often than not, it turns out the guy knows what he's doing. More than a few fans and observers were puzzled when
Pollard debuted a new edition of
Guided by Voices in February 2016, less than 18 months after the ignoble breakup of the "Classic Lineup" that had been touring and recording since 2010. But a spin of 2017's
How Do You Spell Heaven, the second album from the reconstituted band, shows that in terms of chops and imagination,
Pollard certainly traded up. This version of
GbV can do more than just play
Pollard's songs -- they bring a tough but intelligent rock & roll swagger to the music, and seem as comfortable with his glam and prog rock influences as his pop hooks.
Doug Gillard's lead guitar work shines on these tracks, especially the stomping instrumental workout "Pearly Gates Smoke Machine," and
Bobby Bare, Jr. lends him impressive support. The rhythm section of Mark Shue on bass and
Kevin March on drums is excellent, bringing a muscular snap to the performances as well as an enviable sense of color and shading. And with a band this good behind him,
Pollard has stepped up as a vocalist, singing with a vigor and commitment that he hasn't achieved in recent years. As a songwriter,
How Do You Spell Heaven finds
Pollard in an expansive mood, with more (relatively) grand scale rock numbers on board than pocket-sized pop tunes. But if
Pollard has this good a band at his disposal, why wouldn't he want to make use of their talents?
How Do You Spell Heaven is one of the best and smartest rock albums
Guided by Voices has given us since
Isolation Drills, and this music confirms
Pollard is no dummy when it comes to putting together a band. [
How Do You Spell Heaven was also released on LP.] ~ Mark Deming