Reviewed :: Mars Classroom - The New Theory of Everything

Late last year when it was announced that Robert Pollard had a recorded an album's worth of material with Gary Waliek of our beloved Big Dipper we nearly fell out of our chairs. But after we gave it some more thought we realized that this dream team collaboration, made perfect sense. After all we witnessed Pollard's Big Dipper fandom first hand when he tapped them to open a show at The Paradise for his Boston Spaceships in 2008. Not to mention that he was perched at the side of the stage for Big Dipper entire set that evening, showing his obvious appreciation. Was it that fall evening in Boston that the seeds of Mars Classroom were planted? Who knows. More importantly what would the pairing of the magnanimous Robert Pollard and Gary Waliek, founding member of both Volcano Suns and Big Dipper sound like?

Rest assured, Mars Classroom works on every level. With assistance from Pell Mell's Robert Beerman , Pollard and Waliek have issued an instantly satisfying collection of mostly chiming guitar power-pop with a few curve balls to keep us on our toes. The album works so well because of the pristine and varied guitar driven underbelly that Waliek provides throughout, which allows Pollard to insert some of his most direct and stirring melodies. The New Theory of Everything is book ended by two of Pollards most instantly satisfying tracks. The title track had us reaching for the repeat button from fist listen and the albums final track, Wish You Were Young is a gorgeous, albeit melancholy gem, that reminds us a bit of the quieter moments from GBV's 2001 TVT released, Isolation Drills. But our odds on favorite track is the jagged Pre Meds A Trip which finds the trio upping the noise and prog factor all the while pummeling you with blistering pop hooks. But then again this record has a habit of revealing a new favorite with each listen.

Depending on who you ask you might get a slightly different answer, but to say that Robert Pollard has been on hot streak over the last few years is a gross understatement and Mars Classroom manages not only to continue the streak it manages to raise the bar a bit. Tell you're old college buddies, you know the ones you talked into that GBV reunion show, to pay attention, Mars Classroom is the Pollard pop record they've been waiting for, and frankly so have we. Let's hope this is not the last we hear from Mr's Pollard, Waliek, and Beerman as Mars Classroom because it's too good to be a passing fling.

Buy it via The Factory of Raw Essentials|Official|Facebook

Reviewed :: Robert Pollard - Space City Kicks

Just like clockwork, the new year arrives and Robert Pollard is ready to unleash another slew of releases to the faithful. With upcoming collaborations with former GBVer', Doug Gillard on the forthcoming Lifeguards LP and Mars Classroom, in an almost too good to be true line up that fetures Big Dipper's Gary Waleik, and Pell Mell's Robert Beeman, to be released this March. Not to mention the next Circus Devils or Boston Spaceships album that he'll write this weekend or next. But, first up on Pollard's 2011 docket is the release of an 18 track solo offering, Space City Kicks.

The material found on Space City Kicks treads the line between charming pop experimentations and fully realized rock anthems. From the brash punk of the albums opener, Mr. Fantastic Must Die! to the perfect power pop of Touch Me in The Right Place at The Right Time, Space City Kicks is the ideal album for those still coming down after the recent GBV reunion and proof that Bob's got plenty of tricks left in his bag. He achieves perfect balance with seemingly, off the cuff skeletal snippets and fist pump inducing pop rock, the likes of, we haven't heard since, Alien Lanes or more recently on 2006's superb,From A Compound Eye.

Once again Robert Pollard recorded the tracks at Waterloo Sound in Kent,OH with assistance from frequent collaborator, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Todd Tobias. Space City Kicks continues the tradition of Pollard solo albums by offering enough immediately satisfying tracks to hook us in on first listen, but the real pay off comes after repeated listens when the albums best moments reveal themselves. Pollard sounds as loose as we've heard him in a while especially after last years reflective and poignant, Moses on a Snail. Space City Kicks incorporates the best of Bob's post-GBV output; marrying the abrasion of Circus Devils with the big hooks of Boston Spaceships and the melancholy of quieter moments found on past solo releases. Space City Kicks is a superbly crafted pop record riddled with memorable hooks abundant melodies and to our ears the first great record of 2011.

[MP3/Stream] Robert Pollard - Touch Me in The Right Place at The Right Time

Pre-order Space City Kicks, released on January 25th on Guided By Voices, Inc.