* artwork by Robert Pollard
Robert Pollard and Doug Gillard of Guided By Voices are LIFEGUARDS. The two first worked together outside of the GBV realm on the 1999 fan-classic Speak Kindly of Your Volunteer Fire Dept, which included "Do Something Real" the anthemic theme to Steven Soderbergh's film Full Frontal. Their debut release as Lifeguards, Mist King Urth, emerged in 2002 on Pollard's own Fading Captain Series label to fervent fan approval. In 2010 Pollard and Gillard reconvened for the first time since the end of GBV in 2004 to create the astounding follow up: Waving at the Astronauts. Gillard wrote and recorded 10 complex and beautiful instrumentals at home then sent the finished compositions off to Pollard who graced the tracks with some of the most unforgettable melodies and strangely poetic lyrics of his career. In May 2010, Pollard recorded his vocals with Gillard and Travis Harrison at Serious Business Music in NYC where drums and overdubs were added and the record was mixed.
From the ragged and triumphant rock masterpiece "Paradise Is Not So Bad," to the chugging "Sexless Auto" and the off-kilter ramble of "What Am I," this is the latest gem from a songwriting team whose limits are larger than any arena you might try and squeeze them into.
While there are no Lifeguards shows announced at this point, you can catch both Bob and Doug in one night when Gillard opens for GBV on New Year's Eve at New York's Irving Plaza!
Nearly sold out, the final copies of the album's first 7" single "Product Head b/w Naught Windsor" are available right now.
WAVING AT THE ASTRONAUTS TRACK LIST
PARADISE IS NOT SO BAD
NOBODY’S MILK
(DOING) THE MATH
PRODUCT HEAD
YOU’RE GONNA NEED A MOUNTAIN
SEXLESS AUTO
TRIP THE WEB
THEY CALLED HIM SO MUCH
KEEP IT IN ORBIT
WHAT AM I?
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