From debut album to the newest one
Ohio‘s rock veterans GUIDED BY VOICES, led by singer-songwriter-maestro Robert Pollard must be the hardest working band ever. Two weeks ago, they launched their 41st album
in 42 years, titled Universe Room. No idea when these voices sleep and they’re not done yet.
.
Debut LP
DEVIL BETWEEN MY TOES
1987
COVER
STREAM
.
41st LP
Universe Room
2025
COVER
STREAM
In order to not miss a beat TURN UP THE VOLUME scans the musical
horizon daily, for 10 years now, to pick ace tracks and add 5 new
ones twice per week, to the one and only JUKEBOX that matters.
For a couple of years now TUTV added 10 new tracks every 7 days.
This year we will put 5 new ones in the Jukebox twice a week.
ALL TOGETHER
.
The 5 fresh ones.
TRACK BY TRACK
© Eva Vlonk
Band: HEISA
Who: Belgian LOUD rock trio whose sound draws influences from bands such as
Black Midi, Tool, Battles and Swans, blending dissonance with a strong sense of identity. Their music balances chaos and control, mixing unsettling atmospheres with hypnotic rhythms and sharp distortion.
Track: FLOWERS
2nd single from the band’s third LP
‘TROIS’, landing on March 208th.
Heisa hit hard again. Flowers is a slow
progressing outburst of earsplitting noizz turmoil.
Schizophrenic guitars, bashing drums, and spooky
vocals conspire to mess up your head.
Instagram – Facebook
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Band: SUNDAY JUNKIE
Who: Alt pop duo from Worchester, MA
who came together last year.
Track: HOLY, HOLY
Piece from their debut album,
due out sometime later this year.
Tom Martin (vocalist) : “I had issues with drinking in the past, and the lyrics on ‘Holy, Holy’ pretty heavily revolve around using alcohol as a means of self-medicating and ignoring a larger, underlying issue,” Martin adds. “It can be pretty insidious when it seems to provide relief, but the toll it’s taking is more evident to those around you and they just hope you can eventually see it too. The line ‘Honey on our tongues / Sucking on the rind’ is more of a reference to having everything at your fingertips, not realizing it, and choosing to throw it away instead.”
Fiery vocals.
Ablaze emotions.
Expressive electricity.
Amplified pop tune.
.
Instagram – Linktree
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Band: GUIDED BY VOICES
Who: The rock oldtimers
from Dayton, Ohio.
Track: DRIVING TIME
Highlight from their 41st (yes, forty-first) album in
42 years. You can stream Universe Room right here.
.
Press photo
A mind-bending zigzag stream
of temperamental tension.
.
Instagram – Linktree
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Band: THROWING MUSES
Who: Legendary indies fronted by
mesmeric voice Kristin Hersh.
Track: LIBRETTO
Newest cut from the Muses‘ upcoming, 11th longplayer,
baptized Moonlight Concessions. It arrives on March 14.
Nobody strums her acoustic guitar
the way Kristin Hersh does.
Instagram – All Albums
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Band: SILK
Who: New project of guitarist/songwriter Michael Smyth
of Irish shoegazers Virgins who released their excellent
debut LP nothing hurt and anything was beautiful last
year.
Track: FAZE
Debut single.
“Its pure shoegaze, molten guitars drenched in dreamy chorus and reverb, all whirring over impossibly dense fuzz, vocals buried in the mix serve as an additional instrument more than the message. Mimicking the minimal lyrics to the song, the sound of Silk
exists in the purgatory state of half awake-half dreaming.”
Lose yourself in this ocean of accumulating
guitars and its hallucinatory resonance.
TURN UP THE VOLUME
Daily noise that works faster than a stream of caffeine
4 January 2025
GUIDED BY VOICES (Dayton, Ohio) are probably the most
productive band ever in rock history with 40 LPs in 41 years!
When do these guys sleep?
Wait! They have bagged #41.
It’s named Universe Room
and will come our way on
7 February.
Press photo
Robert Pollard (frontman/songwriter) told Rolling Stone about the new longplayer:
“I wanted to create, hopefully, an experience, kind of a wild ride, where the listener would
want to hear it multiple times in order to grasp all the sections and fields of sound to discover something new with each listen. I trimmed down the songs so that there wasn’t a lot of repetition, so you get a lot of sections that happen only once or twice.”
Following Fly Religion and The Great Man the Ohio voices offer
preview #3 with the meditative musing DAWN BELIEVERS.
Wake up people,
and believe in GV.
Daily noise that works faster than a stream of caffeine
20 November 2024
New album artwork
GUIDED BY VOICES (Dayton, Ohio) are probably the most
productive band ever in rock history with 40 LPs in 41 years!
When do these guys sleep?
Guess what? They have canned #41. It’s named Universe Room
and will see the day of light, next year, on 7 February.
Press photo
Robert Pollard (frontman/songwriter) told Rolling Stone about the new longplayer:
“I wanted to create, hopefully, an experience, kind of a wild ride, where the listener would
want to hear it multiple times in order to grasp all the sections and fields of sound to discover something new with each listen. I trimmed down the songs so that there wasn’t a lot of repetition, so you get a lot of sections that happen only once or twice.”
Here’s the lead single, a firm rocker named FLY RELIGION.
24 April 2024
New album artwork
GUIDED BY VOICES (Dayton, Ohio) are probably
the most productive band ever in rock history with
40 albums in 41 years! Hello?!
The 40th one is titled Strut Of Kings and slated for release on June 28.
Here’s the lead single SERENE KING. Indie GBV rock as we know it.
STREAM
.
BUY
.
US TOUR
Every week 10 new rad tracks added
In order to not miss a beat Turn Up The Volume scans the musical
horizon daily (doing it for years now, actually) to stay in touch with
all new things sonically great and shares the results on a weekly
basis.
Check the 10 new rad cuts just
added to this rad 2024 playlist.
ALL TOGETHER
.
TRACK BY TRACK
Band: GUIDED BY VOICES (Dayton, Ohio)
Probably the most productive band ever in
rock history (40 albums in 41 years!)
Track: SERENE KING
It’s the first single from GBV’s new, upcoming, 40th (!!) album (since 1983), named
Strut Of Kings and slated for release on June 28. Firm familiar indie rock, as we know it.
.
Instagram
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Photo credit: Thandiwe Zivengwa
Artist: SPIELMANN (Leeds, UK)
Ben Lewis aka Spielmann has been around the block, as a songwriter, producer, band member, DJ, promoter and now, after a good decade and varying degrees of success,
as a front person and songwriter in his own right.
Track: JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE
“In this one we follow our narrator through breakdowns at parties, potential book deals, writing letters to his MP and anxiety attacks. It’s an anthem for the modern person who wants to have it all, but is probably realising something has to give.”
It’ll feature on his debut EP, titled ‘Fifteen Minutes With Spielmann’, and landing on 31 May.
This is glorious, full-orchestrated pop, that transfers you in an eye/ear blink to a sonic dreamland with its affecting melodiousness, riveting chorus and warm-hearted vocals. Three minutes and twenty seconds with Spielmann sounding not like everybody else.
Instagram
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Band: JAMES
Manchester‘s indie pop veterans
Track: LIFE’S A FUCKING MIRACLE
Standout, life-celebrating, pop bliss from their brand new LP Yummy.
.
Instagram
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Band: THE WESLEYS (Montreal, CA)
Up-and-coming DIY pop/rock quartet
Track: A LOT TO LOSE
From the band’s brand-new self-titled 9-song strong debut album.
Drawing inspiration from iconic bands like The Clean, Teenage Fanclub, The Pixies,
and The Replacements, this band deliver a captivating musical experience that will resonate with fans of diverse tastes. Continuing their DIY approach, this remarkable debut album effortlessly introduces new sonic dimensions and emotional depth to their ever-expanding musical repertoire, showcasing the band’s innate ability to craft mesmerizing melodies.
Stream/buy it here.
A Lot To Lose is probably the poppiest piece on the LP.
Jangly vibes, glistering guitars, 60s The Byrds-like harmonies.
Instagram
________________________________________________________________________________________________
📸 Peter Heuer Photography
Artist: STRESS DOLLS (Buffalo, NY)
The moniker of songstress Chelsea O’Donnell
Track: CLOSE ENOUGH
“I wrote “Close Enough” in the midst of the pandemic, a period where I didn’t see some of
the people who mattered most to me for weeks at a time. On a subconscious level I think that inspired the lyrics in the chorus about being “close enough” to someone, but the other half was me thinking about the process of falling in love, and how you can be so wrapped up in another person that, no matter how physically and emotionally close you are to them (“even if you were a part of me/ even if you were alive in me”), it doesn’t feel like enough to express how you feel.”
Another top guitar pop piece from the Buffalo singer-songwriter.
Tantalizing tunefulness, glistening guitar sparks, and gratifying vocals.
.
Instagram
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Promo photo
Band: THE FOLK IMPLOSION (US)
The musical project of Lou Barlow (Dinosaur Jr, Sebodah) and John Davis.
The duo are gearing up for their first longplayer in 25 years.
Walk Thru Me lands on June 28. More info here
Barlow: “A big part of what I consider to be the Folk Implosion
is taking disparate things and turning them into pop.”
The smooth first single Moonlit Kid is a tribute to, yes, owls.
.
Instagram
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Album artwork
Artist: RICHARD THOMPSON
London‘s 75-year-old legendary folk songsmith’s
career exceeds more than 5 decades.
New track: FREEZE
Another arresting new cut from his upcoming, 20th full-length,
named Ship To Shore and will arrive on 31 May.
.
Instagram
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Artist: MOSS
Singer-songwriter from Hull, UK
New track: BLACK DAHLIA
Moss: “Black Dahlia, for me symbolises an evolution from being a bedroom musician, estranged to the music world, to now playing on stage & finding my place & family in Hull’s vibrant music scene over a six-year period. The record’s almost a diary entry into my life, as I got fed up with people taking me for granted & so I kept telling myself I need to ‘do it for YOU’”.
The feverish, mood swings vocality and mixed emotionalism
of Jeff Buckley came to mind almost instantly. Say no more.
.
Instagram
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Band: JENNY DON’T AND THE SPURS (Portland, Oregon)
Outfit known for their high energy Country Western style and captivating stage
presence, they’ve garnered a global following with their infectious enthusiasm,
and extensive discography, featuring three albums, an EP, and nine singles.
Track: UNLUCKY LOVE
From the band’s new forthcoming LP, titled Broken Hearted Blue ,
out on June 14. Pre-order info here.
Photo by Jen Noel
Jenny: “I was listening to a lot of Lee Hazlewood while writing this song. I have always been captivated by his songwriting and how he weaves feelings of nostalgia, despair and hope into his songs. His blend of self-deprecation and romanticism strikes a chord, particularly the universal experience of loving someone who loves another. Despite this reality, we still find ourselves lost in daydreams about them. If these were transformed into a song, this is how I would envision it.”
Country Americana at its romantic and heavy-hearted best. Heart-and-soul vocals and easy-going, lovey-dovey vibes for the midnight hours. Wurlitzer jukeboxes were invited
to play this kind of lullabies in bars where the lonely gather for some companion.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Band: PEARL JAM
The iconic veteran grungers
from Seattle
Track: WRECKAGE
Song from their 12th longplayer, titled
DARK MATTER and out on April 19.
A pure PJ power rock ballad.
12 February 2024
Last August THE BREEDERS celebrated the 30th birthday
of their best and most known album THE LAST SPLASH.
This year it’s touring time. They already visited Australia and New Zealand last month
and next June/July they’ll perform in the UK and Europe for the first time in seven years.
Antwerp, Belgium, 2017 – Photo by Turn Up The Volume
Along with the news, the quartet shared their cover of the Guided By Voices‘
2005 ripper Shocker In Gloomtown accompanied by a coll animated video.
WATCH/LISTEN
All 23 tour dates HERE.
24 November 2023
Album artwork
Ohio‘s imperishable rockers GUIDED BY VOICES‘ released their 3rd LP
of 2023. I repeat their 3rd LP of 2023. It’s titled NOWHERE TO GO BUT UP.
Order info here.
It’s their 39th album in their 40-year career. Unquestionably the hardest-working
band in music’s history. Their only contender are Aussie psych-prog rockers King
Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard with 25 LPs in 13 years. The question of course is how
long KGATLW will be around?
PASTE Music says: Everything just fits, and there are only a few stop-and-start, proggy shifts in tempo that Pollard has enjoyed lately—all of which pay off beautifully here. There is no doubt that these songs will blast off live, as Pollard has never shied away from the spotlight. In a true “not leaving the mound until the last pitch moment,” he almost became sick on-stage singing his guts out, as the band delivered an unheard of 100-song set at a New Year’s Eve show in 2019. And there really is no precedent for a band like Guided By Voices, or an artistic visionary like Robert Pollard. With so many essential entries still being released even after his 40th year of piloting the ship, how could you not trust the man at his word when he gives it to you so plain and simple? Full review here. Score: 9/10.
TUTV: The creativity and productivity of maestro Robert Pollard is phenomenal.
I’m sure a day in his Ohio lasts for 48 instead of 24 hours and I’m sure he writes songs
while he sleeps, eats and works out. And it’s not like he produces rubbish. GBV doesn’t make bad albums. Some of them are better than others, of course. But you always get
a rip-and-riff roaring mix of rock/grunge/post-punk entertainment. Just like on this new one.
ALBUM
.
GBV: Instagram – Bio – Discography
New striking strokes
14 June 2023
Artwork new album
Ohio‘s imperishable indie rockers GUIDED BY VOICES must be the most productive
band ever (with King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard at #2) and they even had a
couple of hiatuses (1983–2004, 2010–2014, 2016–present).
Last January chief-in-command Robert Pollard and his compadres released LP
number 37, the top-notch La-La Land and they just announced another new
one, baptized WELSHPOOL FRILLIES. It drops on 21st July.
“Welshpool Frillies finds the gang back together, in a Brooklyn basement with producer
Travis Harrison. Much of it was recorded live to tape. The catchy ear worms in these new
songs are undeniable, as the kinetic energy of the band is captured in its most raw and pure form. The album is brash, no-frills, and punky, inspired by the wiliness of 90s-era GBV.”
Here’s the first single, named SEEDLING.
A jangly jingle reminding me of the early
R.E.M. days.
Tune in.
And there’s more news. The band will celebrate their 4Oth birthday in September in their hometown of Dayton, Ohio with two club gigs and with a great cast of musical friends such as Dinosaur Jr., Kiwi Jr. Built To Spill, Heartless Bastards, and Wednesday.
4 January 2023
With 23 albums in 12 years, Aussies psych-prog rockers King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard must be labeled the most productive band in the book of Guinness World Records, closely followed by Ohio rockers GUIDED BY VOICES who canned 36 longplayers in 39 years. And #37 called LA LA LAND sees the day of light on 20 January 2023. Pre-order here.
The two singles/clips: Queen Of Spaces / Instinct Dwelling
– QUEEN OF SPACES –
– INSTINCT DWELLING –