Album Review: Guided By Voices - The Bears For Lunch

When Robert Pollard revived the 'classic' '92-'96 line-up of Guided By Voices back in 2010 – the incarnation responsible for the amazing triumvirate of albums Bee Thousand (1994), Alien Lanes (1995) and Under The Bushes Under the Stars (1996) – and announced plans to record new music, fans hoped for the best. Few were surprised when three new albums arrived in 2012 – Bob is one of the most ludicrously prolific artists in history – but many have been taken aback by the quality. The first, Let's Go Eat At The Factory, was really good. The second, Class Clown Spots A UFO, was great. The third, The Bears For Lunch, is up there with their best work ever. Incredible.

The album's songs switch between lo-fi and conventional, the patchwork style they favoured back in the day, the momentum of the 19 tracks dragging the listener along like a tide. Most songs are brief, with few outstaying their welcome. Pollard deals in the majestic, favouring innovative – occasionally strange – arrangements liberally scattered with hooks, which unveil themselves in the most random of places in songs such as Hangover Child, The Challenge Is Much More, White Flag and the captivating She Lives In An Airport. His offsider Tobin Sprout deals in more pastoral fare, still seeming mid-Beatles fixation on tracks like Waving At Airplanes and the beautiful Waking Up The Stars. The obtuse lyrics deal with tropes of drinking, planes and mythical characters, but they've always been an enigmatic lot.

Few such reunions result in new music at all let alone an album up there with the best of a long and distinguished career. Bring on the next batch.