The fifth release from Robert Pollard in three years is aptly titled. The founder of the influential indie rock group Guided By Voices is all business. Robert Pollard Is Off To Business is a bit of a departure from Pollard’s usual body of work. It only has ten songs on it. For a man that usually packs twenty-plus tracks into every album, this is a risk, but Pollard is finally betting on quality over quantity. The songs are characteristically short and fast, only now they pack more of a punch. Each track is given more life, more care. The opening is like a second coming of The Who, with Pollard’s vocals cleaner and stronger, sounding more like Roger Daltry than ever. With each track, Pollard finds better and better hooks. The songs are simple enough to slyly draw you into a dreamy summertime mood. “Gratification to Concrete” is the standard of the album, encompassing all the elements into one three-minute pop song. The entire production, helmed by Todd Tobias, is sharp and solid. Pollard runs the album like a machine, each component working for the overall product. However, the sum of the album is greater than its parts. Each song is essential for the overall tone and balance achieved. These songs work precisely because Pollard is a master craftsman. He puts his distinctive mark on each piece the way any craftsman does. The album speaks like a testament to Pollard’s business attitude. After all, with dozens of albums and thousands of songs under his belt, he’s got the process down. The album is even being released on Pollard’s new label, Guided By Voices Inc.—the surest sign of a businessman. This guy’s incorporated. He’s probably even got an office.
– Charlie Swanson
Robert Pollard: www.robertpollard.net