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Album Review: 'August by Cake' by Guided by Voices
August by Cake, like most albums from Guided by Voices’ later period, is somewhat of a mishmash of lo-fi andmid-fi recordings. It is almost always mildly overdriven and blanketed in crunchy compression.
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'August by Cake' by Guided by Voices (Guided by Voices/File)
B
illed as the 100th record by prolific American musician Robert Pollard, the double LP August by Cake is also his band Guided by Voices’ second post-post reunion album (yes, the influential American independent band broke up twice, for the first time in 2004, and again in 2014.)
It is also one of the most instantaneously likeable records Pollard has released in a while, either under his own name, Guided by Voices or the myriad of other monikers he uses (Teenage Guitar, Circus Devils, ESP Ohio).
In the nineties, Guided by Voices — along with US indie stalwarts Pavement and Sebadoh — were seen as the purveyors of what came to be known as “lo-fi,” short for low-fidelity, in which bands would record at home, utilizing minimalist equipment, such as 4-track or 8-track recorders. The result was recordings filled with hiss, buzz but also an added-sense of humanity, personality and mystery. With band leader Robert Pollard’s notoriety, a dedicated, cult-like fan-base was built around him.
August by Cake, like most albums from Guided by Voices’ later period, is somewhat of a mishmash of lo-fi andmid-fi recordings. It is almost always mildly overdriven and blanketed in crunchy compression.
What sets it apart from older recordings is how the record puts Pollard’s pop melodic sensibilities at the forefront, setting aside the progressive pop and progressive rock twists on other records. There are still some wicked eclectic tracks, sure, but the first few tracks on
August by Cake set the overall tone. The track, “5 Degrees on the Inside,” opens confidently (and jokingly) with Pollard proclaiming “Ladies and gentleman, I present to you August by
Cake,” before launching into a fittingly celebratory rocker with a trumpet hook.
Another track, “When We Hold Hands at the End of the World,” immediately puts forth the kind of happy melancholic melody that fans of underground music instantly recognize as Pollard’s sound.
Similarly, “Goodbye Note,” written by returning-guitarist Doug Gillard, is even more pensive but just as driving. The rows of immediately memorable songs are something that has been missed in the past few Pollard records.
No doubt, the new band Pollard assembled for the album (Guided by Voices is essentially Pollard with a rotating cast of musicians) is responsible for this quality. Like Guided by Voices in the late 1990s, this iteration of the band is more about providing solid musicianship than attitude-heavy sloppiness.
Bass player Mark Shue in particular lends a slinky fluidity to the songs, punching them with catchy rhythmic tendencies. As such, off-kilter, midtempo Pollard ballads like, “We Liken the Sun” are still delivered with a crispy, robust confidence instead of a haphazard drunken feeling.
Similarly, “What Begins on New Year’s Day” harkens back to Guided By Voices in the early 2000s, a poetic acoustic track that shows just how advanced the 59-year-old musician’s songwriting is.
In August by Cake, Pollard offers his band mates a chance to shine, providing not only color but a pleasant surprise. Instead of sounding senseless or compulsory, tracks, such as the aforementioned “Goodbye Note,” pile on an instantaneous quality.
Drummer Kevin March’s “Overloaded” is power-pop at its best. His “Sentimental Wars” is reminiscent of the best moments from former/veteran band member Tobin Sprout in its beautiful nostalgia, and it is one of the album’s best tracks. Meanwhile, bassist Mark Shue’s “Absent the Man” is an infectious garage-pop goodie, and guitar player Bobby Bare Jr.’s “High Five Hall of Famers” is a melodious drowsytempo rocker with grungy tendencies — monotonous but delightfully so.
As always, Pollard’s way with words provides lots of good hooks. “Warm up to Religion” provides obscure musings about a “happier face in stained glasses.”
While there have been other Pollard records that are as immediately enticing, only few can claim to be as inviting as August by Cake. For once, the rare opportunity presents itself when Pollard does not sprinkle too much leftfield progressive rock tendencies on a record. A Guided by Voices album with immediate melodies may not sound like much, but it is a unique beast that must be celebrated.
