Guided by Voices are one of those bands that seem to exist more by reputation and in terms of the influence they exert than through commercial success. As prime exponents of the lo-fi independent aesthetic, they’re one of those bands who’ve achieved their enviable status on their own terms. It seems only fitting, then, that cult labels Bad Paintings and Critical Heights should come together for a limited cassette-only tribute to GBV. Featuring a slew of critically-acclaimed artists, ‘An Unmarketed Product - Guided By Voices songs by other people’ is far from commercial, but extremely cool in every respect – rather like GBV themselves.
What matters most of course is the music, and while each of the artists marks their own distinctive style on the songs, they equally capture and preserve GBV’s talent from succinct tunes with some snappy choruses.
Fawn Spots’ take on ‘Motor Away’ from 1995s ‘Alien Lanes’ retains the spirit and overall shape of the original, and compared to much of the fuzzed no-fi shouty racket they’re released to date shows considerable restraint. That said, it’s till distinctly Fawn Spots, being a rush of trebly guitars and shoutiness. It makes for a great start to a collection that reflects both the diversity of Guided By Voices’ material and the spectrum of artists who’ve been in some way touched by or indebted to their vast output.
Across the release, the standard is high and the selection – and treatment – of material is varied. Luke Saxton strips the jangling 60s pop of ‘Echoes Myron’ to a sparing acoustic arrangement and brings a more overtly melancholy hue to the song. ‘Over the Neptune’ comes soaked in feedback and bathed in discord courtesy of H. Grimace. It’s at once current and vintage-sounding, a lo-fi take on the proto-grunge of ‘Bug’ era Dinosaur Jr.
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Keel Her have been getting a fair bit of attention lately, making their contribution here something of a draw, and their rendition of ‘Crutch Came Slinking’ is a definite standout, a beautifully wistful, dreamy performance that sees cinematic 60s pop executed in a staunchly lo-fi fashion.
York band Worm and Nine Black Alps’ Sam Forrest’s contributions, in the form of ‘I Am A Tree’ and ‘Gleemer’ respectively are both deserving of mention – the former is a neatly executed grunge guitar explosion played with passion and vigour, while the latter is a delicate, ponderous affair, and each is magnificent in its own way.
As tribute albums go, this is perhaps one of the most fitting you’re likely to hear all year.
Bad Paintings Online
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