What about a GBV's Greatest Misses Collection?

[nmalis]

Consisting of their most crazy, experimental, and unlistenable (though not necessarily bad) songs.

Here's 3 off the top of my head to get us started:

Slopes of Big Ugly
3rd World Bird Watching
Ex-Supermodel (because of the snoring)

Any other suggestions?

[johansen smith]

"the Old Grunt"

[bmmello]

Expecting Brainchild?

How I love that track...

[Ladt]

In stitches. I actually quite like that song, but it shouldn't really work. Take to the sky. Again, shouldn't work, but sort of does.

[johansen smith]

I definitely mis-read this topic. I don't think "the Old Grunt" works on any level.

[Ladt]

Your right- it's just one problem with Mag Earwhig, one of the most frustrating albums of all time- and the good songs are the reason why it's so frustrating- the filler just lets it down - there's a lot of it.

[bmmello]

Yeah Mag Earwhig has some of their best songs (look at Now To War), but the rest makes this one of my least favourite GBV albums.

I can't stand Bulldog Skin.

[captain]

"The Old Grunt" rules. As does Mag Earwhig!. GBV's second best record IMO.

[gee beer vee]

i love bulldog, in a pompous kind of way

(maximum riffage!)

[johansen smith]

Mag Earwhig was my first GBV rekerd, so I've lost all perspective on it's relative quality.

[Jason]

The Nightwalker single "Lucifer's Aching Revolver".

I love it. It sounds like Chrome.

[James Riot]

I really like Bulldog Skin, I just wish they didn't go through the chorus so many times because it kind of wears me out by the end in the same way that Surgical Focus and Glad Girls does. I think the repeat factor in these songs are all examples of Pollard trying to gain radio play, though it never bothered me that Teenage FBI had a repeat verse and chorus on Do the Collapse (however, I think it would be a better song if the lyrics in the second verse were different from those in the first).

[nmalis]

Yeah, but at least you can sing along to Bulldog Skin. I'm talking about songs like Showbiz Opera Walrus.

[johansen smith]

I love "Bulldog Skin," it's fun to sing along to.

[James Riot]

I love what Showbiz Opera Walrus does for Waved Out, I wouldn't remove that track for the world. That song totally reminds me of a crazed White Album outtake of Lennon's. You don't necessarily need to be able to sing along to a song for it to be worthy of inclusion.

[Tom7]

We mustn't miss "Bee Thousand" (the song, Grand Hour EP). That's my favorite sing-along noise fest of all.

[nmalis]

Originally posted by James Riot
I love what Showbiz Opera Walrus does for Waved Out, I wouldn't remove that track for the world. That song totally reminds me of a crazed White Album outtake of Lennon's. You don't necessarily need to be able to sing along to a song for it to be worthy of inclusion.

Relax, I like the song too.

I think people are misunderstanding this topic that I started. What I mean by it is this. Matador is releasing GBV's greatest hits, a collection of their most catchy songs to draw in new listeners. We, on the other hand are long-time fans, and realize that not all GBV songs have to be poppy and catchy to be good. In fact, some of my favorite songs of theirs would be virtually unlistenable to the untrained ear. The GBV Greatest Misses collection is supposed to be filled with songs like that. Songs that only a true fan could love. So now what do you all think?

[cle-rat]

the end of KSatGB features Please Freeze Me, Scissors, Postal Blowfish, and Crocker's Favorite Song -- 4 perfectly excellent songs, but none of which would ever be considered for radio airplay. Those are some "misses" for certain!

[Ladt]

I stick by In Stitches. Not sure about Take To The Sky.

[curly]

how about chief barrel belly or particular damaged?

[newspearmint]

i'd say bughouse.
its pretty tuneful but there is so much noise it hard to make it out.

[gelgis olowana]

Dirty Water

[portablefire]

Dirty Water is without question one of the 6 best songs on EG.

[gelgis olowana]

I without question disagree.

my top 6, in no particular order: Secret Star, Jill Hives, Main Street Wizards, Trophy Mule and My Kind of Soldier

I find Dirty Water unlistenable. I also am not in love with Apology in Advance and Dead Cloud

[Sid Hartha]

Dirty Water is awesome.
That song is one of the 14 best tracks (along with A Trophy Mule in Particular, Apology in Advance, Beat Your Wings, Dead Cloud, I'll Replace You With Machines, Main Street Wizards, My Kind of Soldier, My Son My Secretary My Country, Of Mites and Men, Secret Star, She Goes Off At Night, The Best of Jill Hives & Useless Inventions).

[cungar]

The only song I don't care for that much is Apology In Advance because I think Bob tries too hard with the lyrics. Dirty Water reminds me of a 70's classic rock with that Wah Wah Pedal guitar. Love Doug's guitar there at the end.

[gee beer vee]

Cungar: Agreed. AIA is the only tune that doesn't seem to fit and doesn't do much for me.

14 for 15 ain't too shabb.

[cungar]

Nope not shabby at all. Isn't it amazing how when you first hear GBV records you always think, "this is it, this is the one that's not gonna click with me" and then 2 weeks later you're thinking "how did I ever think that, this whole CD rocks?"

[jimmy jumpshot]

Shifting Swift Is a Lift -- one of his most successful weirder songs on Suitcase

Alien Lanes -- the song off Grand Hour, my introduction to GBV. Great wigged out Halloween party feel to this one.

Vibrations in the Woods -- Waved Out, love the basketball bouncing(?) percussion at the end

I Get Rid of You -- off of Speak Kindly, woefully underated -- from Gillard's great Doors/The Endish opening to Pollard's dead on lyrics and melody

Driving in the U.S.A. -- Suitcase. GBV at their most hectic...I can just picture a young Mitch Mitchell leaning out the pasenger side window of Pollard's car with a Louisville Slugger ready to take aim at some poor Ohio farmer's red mailbox

Superior Sector Janitor X -- you could almost throw all of Titus into the steer clear category for new GBV listeners (well maybe not Jar of Cardinals, Fertile Jim, or Wondering Boy Poet), but this one, Wished I Was a Giant, and Donkey School are great ones.

I Wanna Be a Dumbcharger -- Alien Lanes

That's all I can think of now, I'm sure there are lots more though.

[James Riot]

"I get rid of you" has long been my favourite on Speak Kindly, it's great to hear someone else back that up.

[bmmello]

Originally posted by Sid Hartha
Dirty Water is awesome.
That song is one of the 14 best tracks (along with A Trophy Mule in Particular, Apology in Advance, Beat Your Wings, Dead Cloud, I'll Replace You With Machines, Main Street Wizards, My Kind of Soldier, My Son My Secretary My Country, Of Mites and Men, Secret Star, She Goes Off At Night, The Best of Jill Hives & Useless Inventions).

Why you took out Mix up the sattelites? That song was my first favourite from the new album.

[cungar]

I think it was a mistake. Maybe he hasn't downloaded it. Hey Sid Hartha, download Mix up the Sattelites, it's one of the best.

[gelgis olowana]

speaking of Mix Up the Satellites, who plays the keyboards on these songs? I swear the synth solo on Main Street Wizards sounds exactly like Tony Banks of Genesis

[bitterfruit]

I didn't particularly care for "Useless Inventions" so much when I first heard it for very specific parts of the song, but it's growing on me quite a bit.

I still don't care for "I'll Replace You With Machines." "Secret Stars" still strikes a deep chord as it did in the beginning.

I'm still not sure that I agree with the recent banter about "My Kind Of Solider" being Bob's best song ever.

[johansen smith]

I was listening to the album last night, and when "I'll Replace You With Machines" came on, it clicked and I'm now convinced it's the best song on the album. take that, first impressions!

[bitterfruit]

From a person who's favorite GBV release is "Suitcase," I wouldn't guess that "I'll Replace You With Machines" is your personal best song from the album.

Not to say that you can't like really lo-fi basement tape material AND the highly produced nature of "I'll Replace You With Machines." It's just strange.

[johansen smith]

I really like the opening vocals, kind of off-kilter. the track reminds me a lot of the songs on Plantations of Pale Pink, of all things. I also love the psych chords on "Beat Your Wings," which is probably my next favorite track from the new album.

[bitterfruit]

I'm not ever sure that I can identify the instrument that's being used to make that awful muddy whipping sound, but it drives me insane. Without it I think "I'll Replace You With Machines" would be a great little tune.

By the way, I wasn't intending to make disparaging remarks about "Suitcase." I love it too----just not my favorite.

[captain]

Originally posted by jimmy jumpshot
Shifting Swift Is a Lift -- one of his most successful weirder songs on Suitcase


wow! thanks for mentioning that one--one of my favorites on all of Suitcase.

[Sid Hartha]

Originally posted by bmmello
Why you took out Mix up the sattelites? That song was my first favourite from the new album.

The overly fussy chord changes throughout really bug me. Otherwise, the album's more or less perfect.

[cungar]

Originally posted by bitterfruit
I'm not ever sure that I can identify the instrument that's being used to make that awful muddy whipping sound, but it drives me insane. Without it I think "I'll Replace You With Machines" would be a great little tune.

Sounds like a plunger being pushed in a toilet to me. Try not to picture that next time you hear it.

[James Riot]

I'd like to refer to something Radamez said on this one - what would a song about machines be without machine sounds in it?

[cungar]

You mean like Welcome to the Machine by Pink Floyd?

[James Riot]

Yeah, and even how Pink Floyd's "Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast" has the sounds of Alan cooking breakfast throughout.

[cungar]

And Time has clocks.

[tinobeat]

and "Money" has the cash registers...

ah, "Dark Side..." what memories it brings back.

[bitterfruit]

Anything Pink Floyd makes me puke.

[tinobeat]

whatever, man... most of the music you like wouldn't have happened without them.

that might be a bit far-fetched, yes, but I guarantee there's a pink floyd album for everyone. Not everything they did is overblown prog, you know..

I think Bob would agree with me, so on the basis of that wild speculation only, I WIN!

mwahahaha

[bitterfruit]

Next you'll say that Rush gave us the Pixies, who gave us Nirvana, who gave us Creed. Rush and Creed both give me gastrointestinal problems.

Ha. Now I win.

[tinobeat]

*shaking fist*

damn you!

except that I can't think of two more different bands than Rush and the Pixies..

so then, I wouldn't be saying "rush gave us the pixies" next, so your whole argument is based on a fallacial premise.

it looks like the pendulum of victory has swung oncemore in my direction...

[Maelstrom71]

Just wanted to take us all back to the subject...
I think the word unlistenable is equal to "Alien Lanes" on "The Grand Hour". I fact that goes for the whole EP with the great exception of "Shocker...".

Well, isn´t that the way to go... my first post and all - and what do I do... I tell everybody how much a GBV-record suck! :)
It´s just that I think that it not stands up to the high quality that other Pollard-work has.

[captain]

Huh?!? How about "I'll Get Over It" and "Break Even"? Why do people overlook these?!?