Guided By Voices - 'Human Amusements At Hourly Prices' (Matador)
4/5
By: Toby L
Thirty-two tracks weighing in at an impressive seventy-eight minutes (yup, that's an average of each tune lasting just two minutes forty-three seconds, ladies and gentlemen...), indie-stalwarts Guided By Voices have done the 'greatest-hits' thang the comprehensive way.
Yet, despite their undeniable cult-status, there's an air about 'Human Amusements At Hourly Rates' that provokes the thought of this compendium best serving as an introduction to those still uninitiated to GBV's up-tempo, frolicking pop-nuggets - all content immediate, if seldom monumental - rather than those previously acquainted.
Competent for sure, America's answer to Teenage Fanclub Guided By Voices, since 1987, have produced a dashing of memorable, grisly guitar stomps previously thought confined to the bed-wetting, Lemonheads generation - predominantly those college-students that still deemed their dope-smoking and occasional sexual-exploits a 'rock 'n' roll' thing.
But, not to disregard the tunes, when 'The Best Of...' gets going, it strides through a wealth of immediately embracing, fittingly loveable, straight-forward ditties - the frantic storm of 'I Am A Tree', dreamy, opening flutter of 'A Salty Salute', sustained squeal of 'My Kind Of Soldier' and 'Game Of Pricks' as standout herein as amidst their original contexts. When lo-fi and scratchy - the harmony-ridden, acoustic '14 Cheerleader Coldfront' - the effect is just as endearing.
Shockingly, it's consistent throughout, never compromising nor cutting the charm - proven via a Byrds-y 'Echos Myron', thundering 'Glad Girls', storytelling 'Cut-Out Witch', dreamy, bass-driving 'The Best Of Jill Hives', Beach Boys vocalising of 'Teenage FBI' - but at the expense of stylistically never progressing; GBV's endeavour has been that of constructing gentle anthem after gentle anthem, whilst never considering just where the formula could spread to.
It's hardly a criticism to assault a band whose sole endeavour is to merely recreate a magic formula over and over, but with their sheer obviousness, Guided By Voices have skipped mainstream-notoriety through a timid rigidity to circle the roundabout rather than take a sharp exit. There's at least solace in one sector of the story, however - there ain't no duff-track in sight. Which, for a band spanning over a decade and a half, is one serious, serious testimony.
Artists in this article: Guided By Voices
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