Robert Pollard - Subspace Biographies/Hold On Hope

Robert Pollard has recorded 20 albums as the indie band Guided By Voices.  He has 19 solo LPs and countless side projects with groups like Boston Spaceships, Airport 5, Circus Devils, Acid Ranch, Lifeguards, the Moping Swans, Lexo & The Leapers, Hazzard Hotrods and Howling Wolf Orchestra.   He is also famous for being a very heavy drinker (alcoholic) and that makes this first song that I am recommending especially poignant when he sings "I do my job each day / Empties crushed and filed away".   Pollard said in an interview that he realized he was really drinking a lot when he saw the pile of empties he had created.  I also like this song for another great line, "There is nothing worse than an undetermined person."   I remember this line a lot when I am wimping out or someone is bitching about something without putting in the necessary work to get things done.    The song Subspace Biographies is from the solo album Waved Out which came out in 1998.   It is a very catchy and fun song.

SUBSPACE BIOGRAPHIES

 

I will mention one more Robert Pollard song, this time released as Guided By voices in 2000.    This song isn´t much of a secret because it appeared on an episode of the TV series Scrubs.   However, in case you missed it, the song is called Hold on Hope and it comes from the EP of the same name.   I find the song very uplifting when I´m not feeling exactly hopeful.    "Everybody gotta hold on hope it´s the last thing that´s holding me."    The fan video that I have linked to below is also pretty cool.

HOLD ON HOPE

Here is a link to a nice interview with Pollard from 2013.
 

 

Since Pollard has so much music I would really appreciate it if people could recommend other songs/albums of his to check out.