Rip Van WinkleThe Grand Rapids EPSplendid Research [2024] Album Overview: Rip Van Winkle was originally announced as a mysterious Robert Pollard project. Now, with its release, we know a bit more about the EP as several members of Joseph Airport—Ben Perry (guitar), Joe Patterson (bass), and Jason Short (drums)—round out the band, with Pollard, of … Read more
Mysterious Robert Pollard project in limited edition (1000 LPs, 1000 CDs) IYKYK. In stores Friday February 23rd (Splendid Research Records SR-1) Pre-order at Rockathon
2023 was a great year in music! Solid release after solid release made this year’s list one of the hardest to put together in TFN’s 17-year history. The simple fact is that TFN receives hundreds of albums every year for review so it is never an easy task. In regards to our annual best-of list … Read more
Guided By VoicesNowhere To Go But UpGBV Inc. [2023] Sixteen. That’s how many albums the current lineup of Guided By Voices has managed to release since they formed in 2016. The band (as a concept) just celebrated its 40th anniversary a few months ago, with a pair of shows in Dayton that drew fans from … Read more
Guided By Voices (the ever-evolving act led by Robert Pollard) has announced details on their third album of 2023 (and 39th overall), Nowhere To Go But Up (due November 24 via GBV Inc). One of the most fully realized works that GBV has created, the forthcoming LP showcases an expert rock band at the top … Read more
Formed in 2001, the psychedelic rock trio Circus Devils features vocalist Robert Pollard, backed by brothers Todd Tobias and Tim Tobias. In their first album in six years, and their 15th overall, Circus Devils is back with Squeeze The Needle (due October 27 via GBV Inc.); a funhouse romp full of rock and roll swagger … Read more
On September 15th, former Guided By Voices guitarist and co-songwriter Tobin Sprout will release a two-LP set of 28 unreleased demos, live recordings, and alternate versions of songs from throughout his career. The material on Demos And Outtakes 2 spans from his first solo album, Carnival Boy (1997), to his latest LP, Empty Horses (2020). … Read more
Guided By VoicesWelshpool FrilliesGBV Inc. [2023] Figuring out how to rate a new Guided By Voices album is hard. Do I compare it against the most recent albums or their entire discography? How will I feel about it after the next four come out? Will the hardcore fans think I’m being too harsh? Will the … Read more
The ever-prolific and always active Guided By Voices is back at it again with their second release of 2023, a brand new full-length record entitled Welshpool Frillies, due July 21 via GBV Inc. As a follow-up to the record’s first single, “Seedling,” the band returns with a second single entitled “Meet The Star,” along with … Read more
Gramercy ArmsDeleted ScenesMagic Door Record Label [2023] Gramercy Arms is a NYC musical collective brought together around the songwriting of Dave Derby, who keeps the focus of this third album locked in on polished power/pop that’s inspired, as the band bio says, “by the artistic heyday of the 70’s and 80’s-era.” Derby sings, plays guitar … Read more
Guided By VoicesLa La LandGBV Inc. [2023] After releasing two excellent albums last year (Crystal Nuns Cathedral and Tremblers and Goggles By Rank), Guided By Voices are getting 2023 started early with La La Land, their 37th album (depending on how you count). If you’ve been keeping up with the band the last few years … Read more
The music world has been slowly uncoiling from the pandemic which gave us another onslaught of great 2022 releases this year. This created another tough think tank around what albums would make The Blazing Top 50. There are plenty that we missed and one rule at TFN is that a review had to be posted … Read more
Guided By VoicesScalping The GuruGBV Inc. [2022] If you were to poll fans of Guided By Voices what they thought were three consecutive years that highlight the sweet spot of recordings from the band, 1993-1995 would be one of the top answers. One obvious reason of course is that the classic LPs Bee Thousand (1994) … Read more
Guided By VoicesTremblers And Goggles By RankGBV Inc. [2022] Depending on how you add them up, Tremblers And Goggles By Rank is Guided By Voices’ thirty-sixth album. For the current lineup, featuring Doug Gillard and Bobby Bare Jr. on guitars, Kevin March on drums, Mark Shue on bass, and Travis Harrison handling production duties, this … Read more
“Lizard On The Red Brick Wall” is the banger lead track from Guided By Voices forthcoming album, Tremblers And Goggles By Rank, which sees its official release Friday July 1, 2022. The song pushes a more wild post-punk meets psychedelic GBV that is completely fresh and another stand out from their massive catalog of tracks! … Read more
Mitch Mitchell’s Terrifying ExperienceAppalachian TontineThrill Kill City Music [2022] Somewhere in a Dayton, Ohio neighborhood, squalls of guitar feedback escape into the night air. Cans of cheap beer and ash trays are scattered around the makeshift home studio, where riffs seemingly transported through time from somewhere between 1967 and 1975 keep pushing the levels on … Read more
Guided By Voices have shared their newest album, Tremblers And Goggles By Rank which will be released on July 1 via GBV Inc. To kick off the album cycle, they previously shared a new single “Alex Bell” (which is also available on a limited edition 7″ including b/w “Focus On The Flock”) and now, they … Read more
Guided By VoicesCrystal Nuns CathedralGBV Inc. [2022] If I asked you today to make me a list of current rock bands that have been putting out consistent albums over the last several years what names would you write down? Still thinking? Is Guided By Voices on your list and looking fairly lonely at the top? … Read more
Always going to be a great day when we post a new Guided By Voices single. This track is the latest from Crystal Nuns Cathedral that is officially out on March 4, 2022. The even better part is that “Never Mind The List” comes at you with a mind blending video by Aaron Dunkel. GBV … Read more
Guided By Voices are set to unleash upon the world their 35th album, Crystal Nuns Cathedral, on March 4, 2022. This record comes to you just four months since It’s Not Them. It Couldn’t Be Them. It Is Them!, as Crystal Nuns Cathedral contains twelve songs determined to challenge for the title of greatest Guided … Read more
2021 was great year in music! Solid release after solid release made this year’s list one of the hardest to put together in TFN’s 15 year history. 2021 brought us plenty of surprise entries, more psych rock, an excellent new London scene, modern soul, good old indie rock and simply something new and interesting for … Read more
Guided By VoicesIt’s Not Them. It Couldn’t Be Them. It Is Them!GBV Inc. [2021] It wouldn’t feel like the year is coming to an end without getting one more Guided By Voices record to rock out to until the calendar flips to 2022. The band’s 34th album, It’s Not Them. It Couldn’t Be Them. It … Read more
Guided By Voices will release It’s Not Them. It Couldn’t Be Them. It is Them! on October 22nd via GBV Inc. “High In The Rain” is the second single from the forthcoming album. Also, if you are keeping score the band is 2 for 2 on hit it out of the park singles from this … Read more
Guided By Voices Announces their latest LP, It’s Not Them, It Couldn’t Be Them, It Is Them which will be out October 22nd via GBV Inc. This hook heavy track is hard to ignore! You can pre-order the album HERE at Rockathon Records. It’s Not Them It Couldn’t Be Them It Is Them TRACKLISTING 1. … Read more
Cub Scout Bowling PinsClang Clang HoGBV Inc. [2021] If you are going into this band completely blind then it is important to know that Cub Scout Bowling Pins is a new secret identity for the current lineup of Guided By Voices. Like so many other Robert Pollard related “side” projects, Cub Scout Bowling Pins has … Read more