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Start Date: November 22, 2021
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GUIDED BY VOICES

'Isolation Drills'

Originally released 2001

This reissue released 2021

2 x LP

20th anniversary edition

Remastered

Deluxe 5-panel gatefold sleeve

Although this reissue double LP is brand new and sealed, there is a crease across the bottom left corner (please see picture).

Fair Touching

Skills Like This

Chasing Heather Crazy

Frostman

Twilight Campfighter

Sister I Need Wine

Want One?

The Enemy

Unspirited

Glad Girls

Run Wild

Pivotal Film

How's My Drinking?

The Brides Have Hit Glass

Fine To See You

Privately

Guided by Voices fans who embraced them as the saviors of lo-fi pop after discovering such four-track-in-a-basement masterpieces as Bee Thousand and Alien Lanes had better learn to live with the fact those days are gone for good -- the high-gloss production of 1999's Do the Collapse made it clear that GBV topkick Robert Pollard wanted his band to compete in rock's big leagues, and Isolation Drills only confirms that notion, sounding even more polished and precise than its precursor. However, if you loved GBV for their songs rather than their sometimes-charming sloppiness, then you'll be glad to hear that Pollard and Company have never used professionalism to better advantage than they do here. While Ric Ocasek's production on Do the Collapse was sympathetic, he clearly favored the pop side of the band's personality at the expense of their muscle (most clearly evidenced by the pseudo-new wave keyboard patches). But with Rob Schnapf behind the controls, Isolation Drills sounds like the real rock album GBV have always wanted to make; Pollard's hooky-but-rollicking melodies pay audible tribute to his great love for mid-'70s rock throughout, while Doug Gillard and Nate Farley's guitars finally crunch as much as they chime, making the band's rock moves as credible as their pop gestures ("Glad Girls" and "Chasing Heather Crazy" even finding them managing both at the same time, to superb effect). And Guided by Voices has never made an album this consistently strong from start to finish; with the possible exception of "Frostman" (which appears to have been processed to sound like it was recorded on four track), every song here matters, with Pollard's vocals at the top of their form (it helps that most of his lyrics actually make sense for a change -- sounds like Bob's been having relationship problems again) and the band sounds tight, forceful, and emphatic throughout. God knows if the indie rock audience will ever forgive him for such obvious craft, but the side of Pollard's personality that thought touring with Cheap Trick was a great idea finally gets the album he's been waiting for with Isolation Drills.

Although this reissue double LP is brand new and sealed, there is a crease across the bottom left corner (please see picture).

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch.

Thanks for looking.