Cool Planet

I've been a Guided by Voices fan since I was a little kid when a friend with some cool older brothers played Earthquake Glue for me. As a serious listener and amateur collector of all things Bob Pollard, Cool Planet is a great record. It doesn't have the pop power of Motivational Jumpsuit (which I would consider their best record since 2004's Half Smiles of the Decomposed), and some of the newness of the "reunion" may mean casual fans might end up skipping this release (a mistake), but it does have a tremendous range of songs that are full of details in a way that only GBV songs seem to be. This alone makes this a great record.Robert Pollard is undoubtedly the most prolific musician of all time. This record -- which may be GBV's 21st or 22nd (Pollard can't remember, and not even I have them all) -- is testament to that kind of work effort. It's admirable that at this point in their ~30 year career, GBV can cut a new record at all. That they can continue to churn out albums of this quality this frequently is unheard of.In Cool Planet, you get brooding low-key ballads, power pop tunes that'll be stuck in your head for weeks, and everything in between. But maybe most importantly, you get a record that shows the tremendous talent of Robert Pollard and company to put together a product that seems absolutely finished (something that some GBV releases have been missing -- particularly last year's English Little League [songs from which are almost totally absent from the current tour]) in hardly no time at all.As an amateur of Pollard records, this one shows a lot of effort went into it. Sometimes GBV can record a great record and then seemingly forget about it so they can go record the next one. This isn't one of those records. In the Cool Planet vinyl, you get lyrics, a mini collage poster print, and a heavy duty clear blue vinyl record. It feels like a completed project, a bookmark of sorts. And with a tour currently underway to support Cool Planet (as of May 2014), this is apparently an important one for the band. I saw the band in Cincinnati, and the new songs work extremely well live. If they're playing anywhere near you, you owe it to yourself -- and to the band -- to go see them as many times as possible.There are quite a few standout tracks from this record. I really love "Bad Love is Easy to Do", a catchy pop song with a nice vocal play between band members. "Table at Fool's Tooth", "Authoritarian Zoo", and "Males of Wormwood Mars" are other particularly strong tracks by Pollard on this record. There's a really strong influence of playing together as a band on this album, something that's occasionally been missing on previous releases. In addition to Bob's songs, Tobin Sprout's cuts are the best on this record they've been since "Class Clown Spots a UFO". "All American Boy" is almost a perfect Guided by Voices song, and the rest aren't far behind.Pick up a copy of this record before they run out. You'll enjoy it. Go see the tour before it's over. But don't despair if you miss out -- there's always the next one. And that's how we like it.

Like I said, last album with the Classic alien lanes and bee thousand lineup from the nineties. Of course you can't keep Bob Pollard down and he would release 20 more albums since lol(I mean that in a good way) Recommended.

GBV has put out more records over the last three years than most bands manage in 10. They stopped doing lo-fi years ago but haven't lost the loose off the cuff feel from their early days. Cool Planet and it's predecessor, Motivational Jumpsuit, should have been released as a double album. They go together like a GBV live show and ice cold keg of beer. Power pop, radio ready rock and even power ballads are all here. Had GBV been a 70s band they would have filled arenas rather than the clubs they play now. Bottom line, if you like solid rock and roll with a bit of an artsy edge, you will love this record. Pollard is at the top of his musical and lyrical game. Tobin Sprout also contributes some wildly catchy, nearly non-sensical stuff. Don't miss this one.

This is not the uplifting Motivational Jumpsuit, but it is still a great record. It is darker, almost melancholy - but it works. The vocals are terrific. Bob has never sounded better, and there are a couple of songs with both Bob and Tobin singing together. That is a real treat. The drums are amazing, front and center, really drives the music. All Tobin's songs are really good, he seems to have stepped out of his comfort zone and come up with some over the top material which sounds both old and new at the same time. My only gripe is that there are several slower Bob songs, but they are all really well done and eventually come to a satisfying climax. Some reviewers mention the similarities to The Who, Bowie, Mott The Hoople, etc. - I agree, and my two cents - the title track reminds me of early Elvis Costello. There are many grade A songs, it's just amazing how they keep coming up with them. They all really work well together to form a cohesive record. I give it 4.5 stars, gladly rounded up to 5.

Well, Bobby P and the the boys have done it again, and in record speed. They must be breaking some records with how frequently they're putting out quality records. Their tour starts Friday in Cincinnati, and I'm glad I downloaded Cool Planet in anticipation.They don't have any bad albums, And this one is super rad. Buy it tens times to support the band. Beer is expensive these days.

good stuff

Cool Planet is definitely the weakest of the recent spate of GBV releases. As usual, Pollard's songs don't sound like they belong in the same Universe with Sprout's, and that's usually okay. However, even for a lo-fi recording, this record sounds like crap. Bob has a couple of decent numbers and Tobin's stuff sounds like Tobin's stuff (which is not a put down, but I really don't see how his recordings have any business on a GBV record). All in all, a weaker effort in the catalog, but there's always next month's new one, and I'm sure I'll pre-order it.

I got to this album about a year after it's release which is understandable when you buy & listen to as many Pollard/GBV creations as I do. The reason I feel compelled to review this particular one is that once played I kept repeating the whole album without skipping a track because the quality of the tunes & songwriting is outstanding. So many great songs that if I started mentioning why each one is so special this review would go on far too long but 'The No Doubters' & 'Males Of Wormwood Mars' just have to be heard. Greatness such as this is rare, long may they keep it going.

As with all new Robert Pollard albums this feels like the best thing he has ever done. Bearing in mind how prolific he is this is truly remarkable. Remarkable too is how his genius seems to go unrecognised. Listen and enjoy

Purchased as a gift - came in great physical condition.

I would describe this record as consistent but unremarkable and certainly not a patch on its predecessor, 'Motivational Jumpsuit'. A sombre mood pervades the album, probably as it was recorded during last winter's 'big freeze'. A pity that chill hangs over many of the songs. Tobin Sprout's compositions are heavier than of late, yet I find his 'All American Boy' just plain irritating. I would much prefer a record containing the usual curios but smattered with the expected brilliance than this underwhelming, GBV-by-numbers fare. It is however generally an enjoyable listen but the great moments just aren't there this time around. I hope they return for the next one.