Robert Pollard, the principal songwriter and core member of Ohio’s Guided By Voices, is known for his prolific musical output. “How Do You Spell Heaven” is not only the band’s 25th studio album, but also its second album released this year.
Since the band’s formation in the mid-’80s, GBV has developed a strong cult following, thanks in part to some of its more successful lo-fi albums including “Bee Thousand” and “Alien Lanes.” Taking into consideration solo work and various side projects, “How Do You Spell Heaven” also marks the 101st album in Pollard’s discography. While this release is nowhere near groundbreaking, Pollard’s talent for songwriting still shines through. Somehow, he has not run out of steam.
Pollard’s knack for catchy melodies is immediately apparent on the album’s triumphant opener, “The Birthday Democrats.” The meaning of the song may be somewhat ambiguous, but its lyrics – “You fall like a drip on a wedding gown” – offer up strong images and fit comfortably over the song’s gritty guitar. Towards the end of the track it devolves into an unrelated song fragment, reminiscent of home recording techniques. This should feel familiar to GBV fans — given that many early releases were created on four track tape recorders.
In some ways, the album refuses to stay in one place for too long. For example, “Steppenwolf Mausoleum,” starts off with a foreboding acoustic guitar riff and later features a hook similar to that of David Bowie or Marc Bolan. Many of the tracks also avoid traditional song structures, and only a few of them pass the three-minute mark. Some might consider these songs to be fragmented or underdeveloped, but they are simply the unique result of Pollard’s pop sensibilities matched with an erratic songwriting style.
On the other hand, tracks such as “King 007” and “Boy W” are tedious to listen to. They either borrow from bad aspects of classic rock or take on a stiff and stilted sound – like post-punk without its necessary edge. “Pearly Gates Smoke Machine” is a nice guitar-heavy instrumental, but as the longest song on the album at four minutes, it feels a bit overstretched. It feels like Pollard is sacrificing quality for quantity in these moments. In the already massive GBV discography, songs like these will easily be forgotten.
But there are still songs throughout this album that make it worth listening to. “Diver Dan” and “Cretinous Number Ones“ are both satisfying rock ‘n’ roll jams, and “Just To Show You,” the album’s sentimental closing track, proves that Pollard is still capable of eliciting emotion through simplicity and sincerity.
It is important to look at this release from a larger perspective. Not many bands are capable of recording 25 studio albums, and Pollard’s incessant songwriting effort is still respectable. For that reason, many dedicated GBV fans have stuck around and will continue to stick around until Pollard finally runs out of energy. “How Do You Spell Heaven” is a welcome addition to the Guided By Voices discography.

Check out the video for “Just to Show You” below: