Guided By Voices' Robert Pollard Signs To Merge

Robert Pollard of Guided By Voices

Considering the sheer volume of work Guided By Voices frontman Robert Pollard has produced in the last 25 years, it's not surprising he had a bit of a struggle finding a label to release his first post-GBV solo project. But once again, Pollard has landed on his feet, signing a deal with Merge Records. He will continue to release other projects under his own imprint, Fading Captain, three of which could be released in 2006. All work specifically under his name will come out on Merge. Pollard told Billboard.com that his first Merge release, From A Compound Eye, has "all four P's: pop, punk, prog and psychedelic." The schedule for Pollard's first tour minus GBV is in the works, but it's scheduled to happen around the same time From A Compound Eye, a double disc affair, comes out — January 26.

Along with From A Compound Eye, Pollard and Guided By Voices will release the second part of their Suitcase series on October 31. It's a staggering four-disc, 100 track set that features Pollard rarities, with each song credited to a different made up band name.

There is also a GBV book on the horizon. Guided By Voices: A Brief History — Twenty-One Years Of Hunting Accidents In The Forests Of Rock And Roll is due out November 7 and was written by former GBV bassist James Greer. A week later, the long awaited DVD of GBVs final show, The Electrifying Conclusion, performed on New Year's Eve 2004 in Chicago, will be released November 15.

Here's the track list for From A Compound Eye:

# Gold
# Field Jacket Blues
# Dancing Girls And Dancing Men
# Flowering Orphan
# The Right Thing
# U.S. Mustard Company
# The Numbered Head
# I’m A Widow
# Fresh Threats Salad Shooters And Zip Guns
# Kick Me And Cancel
# Other Dogs Remain
# Kensington Cradle
# Love Is Stronger Than Witchcraft
# Hammer In Your Eyes
# 50 Year Old Baby
# I Surround You Naked
# Cock Of The Rainbow
# Conqueror Of The Moon
# Blessed In An Open Head
# A Boy In Motion
# Denied
# Light Show
# I’m A Strong Lion
# Payment for the Babies
# Kingdom Without
# Recovering

source: chartattack_by Olena Kutin