Alien Lanes

Last updated

Alien Lanes
Alien Lanes.jpg
Studio album by
Guided by Voices
ReleasedApril 4, 1995
Recorded1994
StudioTobin Sprout's home studio (Dayton, Ohio)
Genre
Length41:15
Label Matador
Producer
Guided by Voices chronology
Bee Thousand
(1994)		Alien Lanes
(1995)		 Under the Bushes Under the Stars
(1996)

Alien Lanes is the eighth full-length album by American lo-fi band Guided by Voices, released on April 4, 1995. [4]

Contents

The album was GBV's first release with Matador Records. According to James Greer's book Guided by Voices: A Brief History: Twenty-One Years of Hunting Accidents in the Forests of Rock and Roll the advance for the record was close to a hundred thousand dollars, one of the more expensive deals in Matador's history. In contrast to the lucrative deal, Greer mentions that "The cost for recording Alien Lanes, if you leave out the beer, was about ten dollars."

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [5]
Entertainment Weekly B+ [6]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [7]
Pitchfork 9.2/10 [8]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [9]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [10]
Spin (1995)7/10 [11]
Spin(2006)Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [12]

In a contemporary review of Alien Lanes, Matt Diehl of Rolling Stone described the album's music as "hooky rock that infuses songwriting smarts and a love of melody with a sometimes spiky, sometimes whimsical sense of experimentation". [9] Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian gave the album a positive review, stating that "Pollard's songs are gems that stay just this side of self-conscious eccentricity". [7] Sullivan noted the songs' lengths, stating that they were "just enough time for Pollard to wheeze a few oblique lines and guitarist Tobin Sprout to trace out a raucous melody." [7] Robert Christgau of The Village Voice was less complimentary, giving the album a "dud" rating. [13]

Legacy

Mark Deming of AllMusic described Alien Lanes as being similar to Bee Thousand , although without "as many obvious masterpieces" and "fewer obvious mistakes." [5]

Pitchfork included Alien Lanes in their "Top 100 Albums of the 1990s" polls, at No. 27. [14] Magnet named it the best album of 1995. [15] The album was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die . [16]

Track listing

All songs written by Robert Pollard unless otherwise noted.

  1. "A Salty Salute" (R. Pollard, Tobin Sprout)  – 1:29
  2. "Evil Speakers"  – 0:58
  3. "Watch Me Jumpstart"  – 2:24
  4. "They're Not Witches" (Greg Demos, Jim Pollard, R. Pollard)  – 0:51
  5. "As We Go Up, We Go Down"  – 1:37
  6. "(I Wanna Be a) Dumbcharger"  – 1:13
  7. "Game of Pricks"  – 1:33
  8. "The Ugly Vision"  – 1:34
  9. "A Good Flying Bird" (Sprout)  – 1:07
  10. "Cigarette Tricks" (Demos, J. Pollard, R. Pollard, Sprout)  – 0:18
  11. "Pimple Zoo"  – 0:42
  12. "Big Chief Chinese Restaurant" (J. Pollard, R. Pollard)  – 0:56
  13. "Closer You Are"  – 1:56
  14. "Auditorium" (R. Pollard, Sprout)  – 1:02
  15. "Motor Away" (R. Pollard, Sprout)  – 2:06
  16. "Hit"  – 0:23
  17. "My Valuable Hunting Knife"  – 2:00
  18. "Gold Hick"  – 0:30
  19. "King and Caroline" (R. Pollard, Sprout)  – 1:36
  20. "Striped White Jets"  – 2:15
  21. "Ex-Supermodel" (R. Pollard, Sprout)  – 1:06
  22. "Blimps Go 90"  – 1:40
  23. "Strawdogs" (Sprout)  – 1:17
  24. "Chicken Blows"  – 2:21
  25. "Little Whirl" (Sprout)  – 1:46
  26. "My Son Cool"  – 1:41
  27. "Always Crush Me"  – 1:44
  28. "Alright"  – 2:56

Personnel

Guided by Voices

Additional personnel

Technical

Cover versions

Tracks from the album have been covered by various artists since its release. These include:

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guided by Voices</span> American indie rock band

Guided by Voices (GBV) is an American indie rock band formed in 1983 in Dayton, Ohio. It has made frequent personnel changes but always maintained the presence of principal songwriter Robert Pollard. The most well-known lineup of the band consisted of Pollard, his brother Jim, Mitch Mitchell, Tobin Sprout, Kevin Fennell (drums), and bassist Greg Demos. Noted at first for its lo-fi aesthetic and Portastudio four-tracks-to-cassette production methods, Guided by Voices' music was influenced by early post–British Invasion garage rock, psychedelic rock, progressive rock, punk rock and post-punk. The band has had a prolific output, releasing 35+ full-length albums along with many other releases, and has garnered a dedicated cult following. Their songs are known for their frequent brevity and for ending abruptly or intertwining with homemade sound effects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tobin Sprout</span> American artist and musician (born 1955)

Tobin Sprout is an American visual artist, musician, songwriter, and children's author. He is best known as a former member of the indie rock band Guided by Voices. He served as a secondary major songwriter and guitarist of the group from 1987 to 1997 and again from 2010 to 2014.

<i>Bee Thousand</i> 1994 studio album by Guided by Voices

Bee Thousand is the seventh album by American indie rock band Guided by Voices, released on June 21, 1994, on Scat Records. After its release the band became one of the more prominent groups associated with the "lo-fi" genre, a movement defined by the relatively low fidelity of audio releases. Musically, the album draws inspiration from British Invasion-era rock music and punk rock. Following the release of Bee Thousand, the band began to attract interest from other record labels, eventually signing with Matador for their next album.

<i>Mag Earwhig!</i> 1997 studio album by Guided by Voices

Mag Earwhig! is the 10th studio album by American indie rock band Guided by Voices. Following the dissolution of the group's "classic" lineup, band-leader Robert Pollard recruited Cleveland group Cobra Verde as his backing band, while retaining the Guided by Voices name. It was the second release to feature future long-term collaborator Doug Gillard. Gillard had previously played on and co-wrote the song "Mice Feel Nice " on the Tigerbomb EP. Most of Mag Earwhig! was recorded in a professional studio in Cleveland by the new lineup and marked a departure from band's trademark lo-fi sound; additional songs were also recorded in Dayton, Ohio.

<i>Isolation Drills</i> 2001 studio album by Guided by Voices

Isolation Drills is the 12th studio album by American indie rock band Guided by Voices. It was their second and final LP released under TVT Records and their second to feature a major rock producer in Rob Schnapf. The album was also their first to chart on the Billboard 200, peaking at number 168. The album notably features instrumental contributions from Elliott Smith and David Sulzer. Previous longtime band member Tobin Sprout also returned as a guest and contributed with playing piano. While Jim MacPherson plays drums on the album, his replacement Jon McCann is featured in the cover photos, as MacPherson had left the band immediately after the recording to focus on his home life.

<i>Vampire on Titus</i> 1993 studio album by Guided by Voices

Vampire on Titus is the sixth studio album by American indie rock band Guided by Voices.

<i>Propeller</i> (Guided by Voices album) 1992 studio album by Guided by Voices

Propeller is the fifth album by American indie rock band Guided by Voices.

<i>Same Place the Fly Got Smashed</i> 1990 studio album by Guided by Voices

Same Place the Fly Got Smashed is the fourth album by American indie rock band Guided by Voices.

<i>Devil Between My Toes</i> 1987 studio album by Guided by Voices

Devil Between My Toes is the debut studio album by American indie rock band Guided by Voices.

<i>Tonics & Twisted Chasers</i> 1996 studio album by Guided by Voices

Tonics and Twisted Chasers is a standalone album by American indie rock band Guided by Voices initially released as a 19-track limited-edition fanclub-only vinyl LP in 1996. The following year, it was released in a limited CD edition, with five additional tracks. The album was primarily recorded by principal songwriters Robert Pollard and Tobin Sprout.

<i>Waved Out</i> 1998 studio album by Robert Pollard

Waved Out is the second solo studio album by the American indie rock musician Robert Pollard, released in 1998 on Matador Records.

<i>Not in My Airforce</i> 1996 studio album by Robert Pollard

Not in My Airforce (1996) is the debut solo album by American indie rock musician Robert Pollard, released simultaneously with Tobin Sprout's Carnival Boy, just as the "classic" Guided by Voices lineup was dissolving.

<i>The Grand Hour</i> 1993 EP by Guided by Voices

The Grand Hour is a 1993 EP by Guided by Voices. "Shocker in Gloomtown" has remained in GbV concert setlists, and was in 1994 covered by the Breeders.

<i>Clown Prince of the Menthol Trailer</i> 1994 EP by Guided by Voices

Clown Prince of the Menthol Trailer is a 1994 EP by Guided by Voices.

<i>Hardcore UFOs: Revelations, Epiphanies and Fast Food in the Western Hemisphere</i> 2003 box set by Guided by Voices

Hardcore UFOs: Revelations, Epiphanies and Fast Food in the Western Hemisphere is an anthology box set released by Guided by Voices in 2003.

<i>Under the Bushes Under the Stars</i> 1996 studio album by Guided by Voices

Under the Bushes Under the Stars is the ninth Guided by Voices album overall, and the last until 2012's Let's Go Eat the Factory to feature the "classic" lineup including Tobin Sprout, Mitch Mitchell, and Kevin Fennell in addition to leader Robert Pollard. The album is noted as Guided by Voices' first stab at professionalism, being recorded in 24 track studios rather than their customary 4 track. Sessions for the album were reportedly arduous, spread as they were across at least four studios and as many sets of producers, and many titles and configurations were vetted before a final sequence was reached.

<i>Tigerbomb</i> 1995 EP by Guided by Voices

Tigerbomb is an EP by the indie rock band Guided by Voices. It was released in 1995 on Matador Records.

<i>Sunfish Holy Breakfast</i> 1996 EP by Guided by Voices

Sunfish Holy Breakfast is an EP by Guided by Voices, a band from Dayton, Ohio. It was released on 19 November 1996.

<i>Carnival Boy</i> 1996 studio album by Tobin Sprout

Carnival Boy is the debut solo album by the former Guided by Voices member Tobin Sprout, released in 1996.

<i>Scalping the Guru</i> 2022 compilation album by Guided by Voices

Scalping the Guru is a 2022 compilation album by American indie rock band Guided by Voices. The collection includes tracks from the extended plays Static Airplane Jive, Get Out of My Stations (Siltbreeze), Fast Japanese Spin Cycle, and Clown Prince of the Menthol Trailer (Domino), released in 1993 and 1994 and has received positive reviews from critics.

References

  1. ↑ Martin, Garrett (December 28, 2020). "The 20 Best Indie Rock Albums of 1995". Paste . Retrieved November 1, 2021.
  2. ↑ Perpetua, Matthew (July 8, 2012). "Guided By Voices Close Out CBGB Festival with Onslaught of New Tunes". Rolling Stone . Retrieved November 1, 2021.
  3. ↑ Yassin, Jibril (May 20, 2016). "The 10 Best Power Pop Albums To Own On Vinyl". Vinyl Me Please. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
  4. ↑ Alien Lanes at the Guided by Voices database
  5. 1 2 Deming, Mark. "Alien Lanes – Guided by Voices". AllMusic . Retrieved June 25, 2011.
  6. ↑ Flaherty, Mike (March 17, 1995). "Alien Lanes". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  7. 1 2 3 Sullivan, Caroline (April 14, 1995). "Guided by Voices: Alien Lanes (Matador)". The Guardian . p. A12. ISSN   0261-3077.
  8. ↑ Hyden, Steven (October 2, 2016). "Guided by Voices: Alien Lanes". Pitchfork . Retrieved October 2, 2016.
  9. 1 2 Diehl, Matt (March 23, 1995). "Guided By Voices: Alien Lanes". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on April 21, 2009. Retrieved June 25, 2011.
  10. ↑ Randall, Mac (2004). "Guided by Voices". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp.  349. ISBN   0-7432-0169-8.
  11. ↑ Ross, Alex (April 1995). "Guided by Voices: Alien Lanes". Spin . Vol. 11, no. 1. pp. 198–99. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  12. ↑ Milner, Greg (November 2006). "Discography: Robert Pollard". Spin . Vol. 22, no. 11. p. 78. Retrieved January 9, 2017.
  13. ↑ Christgau, Robert (February 20, 1996). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice . Retrieved December 6, 2011.
  14. ↑ "Top 100 Albums of the 1990s". Pitchfork . Archived from the original on June 23, 2009. Retrieved July 6, 2009.
  15. ↑ Hickey, Matt. "Guided By Voices Released "Alien Lanes" 24 Year Ago Today". Magnet . Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  16. ↑ Robert Dimery; Michael Lydon (March 23, 2010). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition. Universe. ISBN   978-0-7893-2074-2.
  17. ↑ Modell, Josh (June 8, 2010). "Owen Pallett covers Guided By Voices". The A.V. Club . Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved March 19, 2013.
  18. ↑ "Wreck and Reference – Alien Pains". The Flenser. April 2, 2018. Archived from the original on January 27, 2020. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.