Robert Pollard
Waved Out
(Matador)

Sending me a Bob Pollard record to review is akin to handing the man himself a bottle of Bud. We’re both going to enjoy what’s been offered and quickly ask for another. The minor problem with this scenario is Pollard will likely find that next beer more satisfying than I find Waved Out. It’s not that the second solo LP from Mr. Guided By Voices is in any way lousy. It’s a matter of perspective and expectations: A year has passed since Mag Earwhig!, GBV’s last outing, so the thirst for Pollard’s splendidly melodic, "big" rock has gone unquenched for so long that Waved‘s fairly middling tunes don’t fully satisfy.

Granted, there’s "Subspace Biographies," a charging rocker that earns its place in the Pollard pantheon, and a few other noteworthy tracks ("Make Use,""Wrinkled Ghost," the haunting, jazzy "People Are Leaving"). A lot of the material, however, fails to register for long. But this is Pollard, so his throwaways are stronger than most bands’ A-list stuff. But given the man’s talent and sterling track record, Waved Out, while charming, is a bit inconsequential. Funny thing is, I’m sure I’ll end up listening to it over and over again, albeit while eagerly awaiting the next GBV opus. [Matador, 625

Broadway, NYC 10012]