ROBERT POLLARD (Guided By Voices), CHRIS SLUSARENKO (Guided By Voices, Takeovers, Svelt, Sprinkler) JOHN MOEN (Perhapst, Decemberists, Stephen Malkmus/Jicks, Elliott Smith, Dharma Bums)--- Guests include Peter Buck (R.E.M.), Tommy Keene, Sam Coomes (Quasi), Scott McCaughey (Minus 5), Kaitlyn Ni Donovan & Jay Martin.
Influences
ROBERT POLLARD, GUIDED BY VOICES, ACID RANCH, CARBON WHALES, NIGHTWALKER, PSYCHO AND THE BIRDS, LEXO AND THE LEAPERS, PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH, MOPING SWANS, THE LIFEGUARDS, HAZARD HOTRODS, THE TAKEOVERS, CIRCUS DEVILS, GO BACK SNOWBALL, STYLES WE PAID FOR, ELF GOD, BOZO'S OCTOPUS, MOOSHOO WHARF, STINGY QUEENS, ANACRUSIS, ERIC PRETTY, BROWN SMOOTHIES, ANTLER, BEN ZING, FLAMING RAY, 8TH DWARF, GOD'S BROTHER, KINK ZEGO, PETE EASTWOOD, ACADEMY OF CROWSFEET, NELLY & THE DIRTFLOOR, HEY JOHN BEES, WIM DIALS, MILKO WAIF, AX, WIGSTOMPER, 7 FEET OF SUNSHINE, HEAVY RIVER, THE BUG-EYED MUMS, YUMMY ROPES, BLEEP BLEEP F*CK, TIMID VIRUS, BRAINBOW, THE BAD BABIES, USUALLY TO DEATH, CHRISTOPHER LIGHTSHIP, WE TOO BARK, SUCKO, SCOTT JOY, PRAYING MAN VS. BO DIDDLEY, THE FUNK PUNK 5 & THE ONE TOO MANY.
Sounds Like
"IT'S SO MUCH"...FUN
WE HAVE A WINNER! THANKS FOR ALL WHO PARTICIPATED AND VOTED! A HAVE A NICE BROWN SUBMARINE DAY ON 9/16/08!!!
WINSTON'S ATOMIC BIRD BY THEMANSHERM
A LATE ENTRY BY N8PAK
2009:
BOSTON SPACESHIPS - ZERO TO 99 (GUIDED BY VOICES INC 7)
AVAILABLE AT WWW.ROBERTPOLLARD.NET
Special musical guests include Peter Buck (R.E.M.), Sam Coomes (Quasi), Tommy Keene (Robert Pollard, Paul Westerberg), Scott McCaughey (R.E.M., Minus Five, Young Fresh Fellows) and Kaitlyn Ni Donovan.
In 2007, after swearing off ever starting another band and enjoying a successful solo career for a half-decade since ending Guided By Voices, Robert Pollard was seduced by the camaraderie of former Guided By Voices bassist Chris Slusarenko (Takeovers, Svelt, Sprinkler) and John Moen (Perhapst, Decemberists, Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks, Elliott Smith, Dharma Bums) and launched the Boston Spaceships, putting out two LPs in less than a year. Now, in 2009, on their third record, Zero to 99, they are primed to seduce fans and critics alike with Pollard’s most relentlessly melodic, hook-laden, pop-punk record since Guided By Voices’ Alien Lanes almost 15 years ago.
Pollard is rock’s Woody Allen, a man who indulges himself for the sheer creative joy that comes from making music, with no regard for the law of diminishing commercial (or critical) returns. In this decade alone, he has released dozens of records under many names, ignoring every bit of conventional wisdom in the music “biz” that demands artists pace themselves commercially, releasing a record every few years and supporting it with heavy touring, promoting, et. al.
Yet despite the equanimity with which he approaches his myriad of releases, the Boston Spaceships announce that this is not just any rest stop on the Pollard intergalactic superhighway. “IS EVERYBODY HAPPY NOW?” Pollard defiantly screams on the opening track, as if he knows this is this record that longtime fans have been waiting for. So it’s perhaps ironic that Pollard confirms these suspicions with track two, “How Wrong You Are,” an anthemic Pollard insta-classic that proves quite quickly just how right listeners are to get excited. From the moment the first chorus begins, Pollard digs his hooks in deep and never lets go, culminating in a racous singalong reminiscent of the “You Are Forgiven” refrain in The Who’s “A Quick One While He’s Away”.
Zero to 99 barrels like a freight train from there, delivering track after track of vintage Pollard pop rock, with a band more than up to the task of not only hanging on for the ride, but helping to fuel the engine. From the Buzzcocks-esque guitars on “Found Obstruction Rock ’n’ Rolls,” to the Keith Moonish, Tommy-era drums of “Question Girls All Right,” to the McCartney-like bass riffs on “Trashed Aircraft Baby” that would fit right in on Abbey Road, Zero to 99 is a 37-minute feast for fans of classic pop/punk rock.
This is quintessential Pollard, a record that holds it own alongside widely acknowledged classics like Guided By Voices’ Bee Thousand, Alien Lanes and Under the Bushes Under the Stars. One gets the sense that Pollard is having the most fun he’s had in decades, before he was pulled reluctantly from obscurity and thrust into the limelight with GBV in those heady, post-Nirvana mid-1990s. The Boston Spaceships have not only landed; they’re conquering the goddamn planet.
Robert Pollard was a fourth-grade schoolteacher until 1994, when Guided By Voices broke into the national consciousness with the release of the album Bee Thousand. With over 900 songs registered to his name with BMI, Pollard is among the most prolific and acclaimed songwriters of his time, having been named of one Rock’s “Top 50 Front-Men of All-Time” by SPIN magazine. Zero to 99 was recorded in Portland, OR and Kent, OH with producers Jonathan Drews and Todd Tobias.
www.bostonspaceships.com
www.twitter.com/bostonspaceship
www.robertpollard.net
yello......the re-working of dorothys a planet is amazingly great......i always loved it on suitcase and the studio version amplifies it to sweetness......... maybe on the next boston spaceships a version of stingy queens or the fool ticket or shoddy clothes or excellant things or ahhh its up to you Bob .......i'm just a ramblin...ranting......
I happened across you guys on some page and looked because I used to live in Boston (thinking you were actually a Boston band) and realized it was a fantastic new band from Robert Pollard and friends.
I truly want to wish my best to you guys in all things. -Sheriden
Now here's the obligatory Myspace shameless self promotion, that we've all come to know and love from our fellow musicians (I made this one myself, if that makes it any better and I'll do another post later without it, if you reject it):
Unfortunately,I really don..t think he will, my fellow European Pollardian.Those later G.B.V.-days were perhaps the last chance we euros had.In Sweden..s case,the "Universal Truths" tour,and what a glorious one it was! I,myself will not miss the next B.S. tour,if any,and will gladly travel over the pond for it.B.S. may be ,in my opinion, the most exciting thing the man has EVER done! /Cheers my fellow Pollardians!
I look and look everyweek. Nothing but crap coming to Austin. Please bring a us a real show. This so called "Live Music Capitol of the World" needs some real rock n' roll! I'll give you my savings if you tour! Swear! but then I get in free because I'll be broke. Deal?
Amazing album,the song "Found obstructions" is what initially caught my attention.I..ve never really heard you guys(B.S.) or the Bob sound quite like that.A late seventies super-energetic Buzzcocks vibe going on for sure but with an added nasty,noisy B.S. twist! Can..t wait for the complete album,it..s in the mail.Great video with the one and only Jackpot records.I was actually there in August and bought a huge pile of records from your brother.Wonderful store in a lovely city(the nicest city in the N.W.,if not the U.S.)/Cheers from Stockholm
Just got my Zero to 99 CD from Rich T. It's fantastic! The new songs are great, as are the Suitcase favourites like Meddle and A Good Circuitry Soldier.
Damn, fellas, 'Question Girl All Right' is a GREAT song. Going on vacation to the beach today and will be playing the hell out of this one......nice work, look forward to hearing the rest of the album. Take care, peace and love, cL
Hey,you are the most exciting and energetic rock band around today! "Planets" is even better than "Brown"(an amazing accomplishment),the energy just keeps coming,song after song so inspired! What with a song like "Lake of fire",where does shit like that come from.../Cheers from Stockholm
