In 2010, Robert Pollard released a solo album called Moses On A Snail that was, hands down, his finest album since he dissolved the latter-day version of Guided By Voices in 2004. Since the man releases, under a variety of names, at least half a dozen albums every year, this was no small feat. That album was SO good, in fact, that it was going to take nothing short of a miracle for Bob to ever be able to top it. 

And so, a miracle: Let’s Go Eat The Factory is the first album of new material to feature the name "Guided By Voices" on the cover in eight years, and the first to feature the "classic" lineup of Bob Pollard, Toby Sprout, Mitch Mitchell, Greg Demos, and Kevin Fennell since the latter four were ousted from the band in 1997 and replaced with Cobra Verde.  That lineup evolved into what would become the second great GbV lineup – featuring Doug Gillard and Nate Farley on guitars – and were responsible for albums such as Do The Collapse, Universal Truths And Cycles, and their intended swan-song, 2004’s Half Smiles Of The Decomposed.  After that, the band was retired and Pollard spiraled into a solo career that’s featured over a dozen albums released under his own name, as well as a couple dozen others under names such as Boston Spaceships, The Takeovers, Circus Devils, The Moping Swans, etc.

However, at the beginning of this new decade it became clear to Pollard, after a great deal of nudging, to reassemble the mid-1990s version of the band, the one considered to be the “classic” lineup, and the one responsible for such iconic albums as Bee Thousand, Alien Lanes, and Under The Bushes Under The Stars.  At first it was to be for just one show.  Then a few shows.  Then a huge tour.  Now, an album.

Given that most of what Bob records ends up sounding like him, it's not much different from anything else he's been doing recently, except that this time out he’s not the only songwriter and there are people playing who are not Todd Tobias. The production is varied, with songs being recorded in studios, basements, on 4-tracks, on boom-boxes, often mixed within the same track. The performance is thoughtful yet loose, and sometimes sloppy, but often quite inspired.  The songs are all worthy of GbV and while none of them have the same “thing” as “Echos Myron”, “Motor Away”, and all the other classics, they are still well-done.  

In ways it's reminiscent of earlier work, but it's more than that...it's the summation of everything they've ever done, collectively or otherwise.  Repeated listenings reveal deeper intricacies and an acute sense of tightness that seems to get lost in the initial shock.  Now, there are some really weird songs on here, but there are some absolute gems as well.  Bob’s material is on par with the best of his recent solo work, however Tobin Sprout is the one who totally steals the show.  Songs like “Spiderfighter”, “God Loves Us”, “Who Invented The Sun”, and the gorgeous “Waves” are so low, so melodic, and so experimental, that they offer great counterpoint to Bob's many flights of fancy.  As for Pollard, he is at his best on “Doughnut For A Snowman”, “The Unsinkable Fats Domino”, and the psychedelic “Either Nelson”, while others like “How I Met My Mother” and “The Big Hat And Toy Show” are ones that take a few tries to sink in.  This is an album that gets better and better with each and every listen and it would not be a stretch to say this is one of the best GbV albums ever. 

My only criticism is that the sloppiness sometimes comes across as a put-on. In fact, there are a lot of aspects of this album that seem as such, from the dirty artwork, with dust specks and bottle-rings, to the haphazard mixing on side two.  It’s like, these guys know how to make killer albums but are best known for making sloppy albums that sound like crap so they are consciously trying to go that route despite all their knowledge. 

I don't want to sound like I am slamming it because, really, this album is amazing. Bob's writing is reaching new peaks and it is most welcome to see Toby songs grace a GbV album once again, and even more to get SIX new songs from him. Of course the first thing folks will notice is, no, this is not an extension of Bee Thousand or Alien Lanes and, in fact, much of this album recalls late-GbV albums such as Universal Truths And Cycles and Earthquake Glue, especially "The Unsinkable Fats Domino". There are other parts of the album, however, such as "The Big Hat And Toy Show" and "My Europa" which recall some of the sonic weirdness that graced 1993's Vampire On Titus, and "Doughnut For A Snowman" could have sat at home easily on Under The Bushes Under The Stars. 

This is the dawning of a new GbV.  Progress through regression.  As sure as there was once the Electrifying Conclusion, here now is the Logical Conclusion.  It's just so obvious.  This band, this lineup... it would have been a damn shame if they had never done anything together again.  Word has it they canceled their upcoming festival spots because they are recording.  I do hope that's true and I really hope that they keep this together and active.  They don’t need to tour if they don't want to, so they don't have to neglect their families and day jobs, but they can always record for fun and put out albums, like the early days, and just like Bob does like six times a year already, and a GbV album will sell a lot more and pay the bills too.  And if they can keep making albums THIS good, or even half as good, then it's a win.