The Grand Hour [EP] by Guided by Voices

Guided By Voices: Robert Pollard, Jim Pollard, Tobin Sprout, Mitch Mitchell, Kevin Fennell. Personnel: Robert Pollard (vocals). Recording information: Encore Studios, Dayton, OH. Fitting six songs in just under ten minutes, THE GRAND HOUR is a most concise display of Guided By Voices' skewed pop aesthetic. The EP is a cut-and-paste assemblage of British Invasion-influenced guitar pop, Wire-esque exploded song structures, and that patented "we're GbV, we don't need no stinkin' production values" style. Highlights include the extremely catchy, Move-like "Shocker In Gloomtown," the surprisingly straightforward Bo Diddley beat of "Break Even," and post-dated title tracks for the band's ALIEN LANES and BEE THOUSAND albums. "Off the Floor" features two different songs playing simultaneously in each stereo channel, while the multi-part "Bee Thousand" is a particular gem. Tobin Sprout chants a nonsense "wubba-wubba-wubba" refrain over acoustic guitars that alternate with Robert Pollard screaming unintelligibly a...