Another hidden gem from the 1,100-strong Robert Pollard Megacatalog.

Notable for a style, length, and shuffly, mid-tempo urgency that throws back to the classic trio—as well as packing a chorus that soars like any of the best 5% of anything The Captain’s released.

Without them I’d go through withdrawal
I’d hear the talking through the wall
Without them I’m not brave at all

Discovered via the Seriously-No-Really-You-MUST-Have-This GbV fan compilation, Empties Crushed and Fired Away, an extremely thoughtful and 100% awesome 28-song collection, lovingly curated by Matthew Perpetua, creator of the delightful and influential Fluxblog.

Of Empties Crushed, Matthew said:

This is a compilation of Guided By Voices songs — well, some are technically credited to Robert Pollard or some other “side project” name — and it is intended for newer fans. It does not contain any music from Bee Thousand, Alien Lanes, Under The Bushes Under The Stars, or the greatest hits record, in part because it was originally intended for a person who has heard most of that music. You could take this disc as a next step after those entry-level albums, or just let it be an introductory thing, because it’s full of really great, accessible tunes that sell the band about as well as the actual hits collection does. That’s kinda the thing with Pollard/GBV — you can fill up one cd with killer songs, but then you just have several other discs worth of great leftovers. Pollard’s cup runneth over, and over, and over, and over.

Far as I’m concerned, ECaFA represents the cream of the crop from Bob’s ridiculously prolific (and, often as not, ridiculously C-plus) post-97 oeuvre.

If you gave up on everything after (the original and maybe-best-poppy-Pollard-song-ever) “Teenage FBI,” give Bob another throw. The man still makes with the magic.

Since Matthew’s old link is long dead, Daddy’s happy to share: get it now (103 MB zip).