[DarkAngel]

Recently picked up hits collection Human Amusements and found it enjoyable and quirky, style is like lo-fi early Pixies and Big Star combined. Want to try some albums but they have so many plus spin-off works........

What are the essential GBV albums to begin with if you only had 3-4?

 

[GuineaMcPig]

Bee Thousand is usually considered their best album. 20 songs, almost all of them under 3 minutes, and recorded on a budget 4-track in Robert Pollard's laundry room. Enjoy!

 

[markl]

I seem to be in the minority of people who think the band's later (and better-recorded) stuff is actually better than the early.

I like Isolation Drills by far the best, followed by Do the Collapse and Universal Truths and Cycles.

 

[DarkAngel]

Talk about prolific, look at this 1987-2004 output:

18 GBV albums
7 Robert Pollard albums
5 Tobin Sprout albums


Quote:

Bee Thousand is usually considered their best album. 20 songs, almost all of them under 3 minutes, and recorded on a budget 4-track in Robert Pollard's laundry room. Enjoy!

Bee Thousand does seem to be one album most agree upon as essential GBV.

 

[chrisczarra]

I like Under the Bushes Under the Stars from thier lo-fi period. Do The Collapse has some great stuff and sounds much better (Rick Ocasek produced). I heard Isolation Drills is even better, as is the latest one (can't remember the title).

 

[DarkAngel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by markl I seem to be in the minority of people who think the band's later (and better-recorded) stuff is actually better than the early. I like Isolation Drills by far the best, followed by Do the Collapse and Universal Truths and Cycles.

OK, ordered used copies of GBV:
-isolation drills
-do the collapse

I will take Mark's advice even though he has inflated idolization of Nirvana/Cobain works making them much more important than they really were, he he.

Just received used GBV copies of:
-bee thousand
-bushes under stars

 

[grinch]

i have universal truths and cycles. i like it.

 

[yage]

too bad they're breaking up... see them live if you can. pollard is amazing when drunk (and he is, for every show)...

i've particularly enjoyed:

bee thousand (already mentioned)
alien lanes
mag earwhig!
isolation drills

alien lanes is lo-fi, mag earwhig is less so, which leaves isolation drills as the most polished gbv album in the list. their 'best of' compiliation pretty much has their essential songs on it (which is to say, the ones most requested at concerts by drunk fans).

 

[DarkAngel]

OK time for an update on my GBV sojourn. So far I seem to like and will keep the middle period albums like:
-mag earwhig
-bushes under stars

The only early album I find worth keeping is:
-propeller

Have tried these early albums and found them lacking in various ways, they sound like loose collection of musical experiments/jams many only partially developed, they are now sold:
-bee thousand
-alien lanes
-vampire titus
Am puzzled why everyone seems to like Bee Thousand, seems pretty weak overall effort compared to others.

Later works are just arriving, have not heard yet:
-isolation drills
-do the collapse

 

[DarkAngel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkAngel Later works are just arriving, have not heard yet: -isolation drills -do the collapse

I listened to the two albums above but was not impressed......sound generic with all the creative energy gone, they have been sold.

After trying many albums my favorites and the one I will keep are:
-propellor
-bushes under stars
-mag earwhig

 

[sleepkyng]

alien lanes and bee thousand are my favorites

there's something really raw and genuine about bee thousand that brings people back, because it really makes indie rock now seem shallow and lame.

alien lanes has got some of my favorite songs and i really enjoy the interesting play on the concept of a "song," especially ex supermodel which is hilarious