53. Guided By Voices: Strut of Kings

Released: 28 June 2024

Chosen By: Paul

Comments - 

Ben - sound like REM. I prefer the faster paced songs, fictional env dream being a stand out for me. I like the guitar sound. Perhaps a bit wedding present-y. They have quite a distinctive sound and I feel it limits the music a bit, not enough depth/colour for me. That’s it.

Paul - While I broadly agree with Ben I'm going to be a bit kinder to it. I like the 60s-psychedelic feel to Show Me the Castle and the weirdness (and shortness) of Dear Onion and the sadness behind This Will Go On. Fictional Environment Dream is very REM-like and none the worse for that. 

I feel the album does get a bit bogged down and proggy after this though and I start to lose interest a bit before Bit of a Crunch and particularly Serene King come along to show how good they can be. I've largely enjoyed, but don't suppose I'll be returning to, this record and I'm not put off listening to more GBV.

Stu - Taking a listen now! I’ve known these guys for years and I’ve picked up many of their LPS to take a look! Bizarrely this is my very first listen to a full lp of theirs!! Just coming up to the first completion and my immediate response is one of apathy. I’m listening hard but the drums and guitars are not on my ear pleasure wavelength. I have a long list of American bands similar in style to these guys. Wilco, Weezer and more! Oddly I don’t care for them either. I’m just totally not engaged for some reason, and I can’t really explain why?! We all hate some bands and can list reasons why BUT some bands just fall down that crack in the pavement! I get the REM likeness which is does nothing to inspire me even though I adore REM! Sadly, these guys are simply listed as known but ignored on my record shelves. The closest I can get to an honest appraisal of my feelings towards this group is that the guitar sound is a little dirge maybe! Thinking MUDHONEY, SEBADOH, that GRUNGE style. That’s definitely a very unrepresented GENRE in my collection. Buffalo Tom, Gigola Aunts, Lemonheads etc; maybe it’s an Americanism? Giving it another listen but not hopeful!! Good choice BUT not for me!! I peeled the orange 🍊 and was disappointed to find it was just pith with no juice

Dean - Now that's what I call a review! I found myself suffering from a dislocated 'Elbow'.

And I thought that should that severed limb ever find a mate, it might be with other dismembered parts of other unloved and unwanted band parts struggling to find audience and identity.

So this family of limbs and body parts has to find a home somewhere and surprisingly, it found a home in my heart - just a little. But with so many others making similar demands and pulling equally on those heart strings, I've since abandoned GBV and search for another lodger.

Worth a listen never the less.