WXPN Radio

The premier guide for new and significant artists in rock, blues, and folk - including NPR-syndicated World Cafe

XPN2 - XPoNential Radio

24/7 Musical discovery. A unique mix of emerging and heritage blues, rock, world, folk, and alt-country artists.

World Cafe Archives

Join the World Cafe through performances and interviews with celebrated and emerging artists.
Listen
  • font size decrease font size decrease font size increase font size increase font size

Robert Pollard - From A Compound Eye - Merge

The former GUIDED BY VOICES frontman didn't wait long after disbanding his long-standing group to unleash his first post-GBV solo album. Pollard is an extremely complex and extremely prolific songwriter who has always managed to delight his fans with a heady combination of intelligent wordplay and pop hooks.

From A Compound Eye is no less adventurous than any Guided By Voices album... 26 tracks in all. Pollard's seemingly stream-of-consciousness lyrical accumen is in fine working order here, as is his ability to make every song somehow memorable, hum-able, and anthemic. Songs like "Love Is Stronger Than Witchcraft", "Kick Me And Cancel", or "Flowering Orphan" (Pollard is also the absolute king of interesting song titles) all flourish amidst this dense musical atmosphere.

You certainly don't have to be a Guided By Voices fan to appreciate this Pollard solo album. For the uninitiated, this may actually be the perfect starting point for an exploration of one of America's singularly talented rock stylists.

Written by Dan Reed