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Zeppelin Over China Tracklisting
Release Date: February 1, 2019
Label: GBV Inc Total Length: 1:14:23 Zeppelin Over China is a major and majestic work in the GBV canon, spotlighting the scope and genius of Robert Pollard's songwriting. With 32 songs in 75 minutes, the massive Zeppelin reaches lofty heights on its musical journey. Pollard continues to deliver endless invention and emotional wallop in 2 and 3-minute guitar rock gems. Pollard has assembled his greatest supporting cast ever -- Doug Gillard (guitar), Kevin March (drums), Mark Shue (bass), Bobby Bare Jr. (guitar) and Travis Harrison (engineer) -- and this line-up's virtuosic talents spur him to his most ambitious work yet, a grand album of emotional resonance and narrative drama. After well-deserved acclaim for the mind-boggling milestone of Pollard's 100 career albums, Zeppelin Over China is a wonderful entry point for new listeners to experience Guided By Voices for the first time. Not resting on his laurels, Pollard’s tireless tenacity pays off with spectacular results. Read More
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Robert Pollard’s is a stadium voice most at home in more intimate clubs, where devoted Guided By Voices fans can get the full effect of his vocal power. There are no nosebleed seats here; every seat is a good seat. And if you’re up front, Bob will share his beer and liquor with you. It’s a family affair.
At age 61, Pollard’s voice has not changed much at all over the years. He can still project it into every corner of a room like a master. This former athlete has retained his incredible lung capacity, total control over his breathing and timing, and is still possessed of a preternatural sense of rhythm. He truly has a gift.
Following close on the heels of Space Gun (released March 23, 2018), Zeppelin Over China will be released Feb 1, 2019. As is typical of GBV releases, the album squeezes 32 songs into 75 minutes.
Guided By Voices’ current lineup consists of the omnipresent Robert Pollard (vocals), Doug Gillard (guitar), Kevin March (drums), Mark Shue (bass) and Bobby Bare Jr. (guitar). Zeppelin Over China was engineered by Travis Harrison.
When you listen to Zeppelin Over China, you can expect a guitar-driven record with a good amount of layered vocal tracks, vocal harmonies and string arrangements. Pollard’s voice effortlessly rides the guitar-generated waves of each song. These songs rev and rev their engines, creating a delicious sense of anticipation, and then take off at a full clip in their own musical drag race.
There’s the tension and flow of “Your Lights Are Out.” There’s “Holy Rhythm”- a song with a beefy, muscular guitar sound and layered vocal tracks. “Think. Be A Man.” treads with the heavy footsteps of pure rock’n’roll. “Jam Warsong” is somewhat bluesy with a chugging beat and swaggering rock guitar. “Nice About You” is a slower song with a satisfyingly crunchy guitar hook. “Where Have You Been All My Life” features Bob’s patented British accent, driving rhythm and a great tempo shift near the end of the song. I daresay that any one of us fans would love to imagine Bob singing these words directly to us. In “Cobbler Ditches” the lyric “playing ‘Motor Away’” gives a nod to 1994 GBV release Alien Lanes. On a personal note, Alien Lanes and “Motor Away” provided my first introduction to Guided By Voices. I remember traveling in the tour van of some musician friends from Athens, GA to Atlanta to see GBV at the Cotton Club. They put this album in the tape deck and the first song I remember hearing was “Motor Away.” I will never forget that trip or that show, and I’ve been hooked on GBV ever since.
Zeppelin Over China is classic Guided By Voices… another brilliant sonic achievement.
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