Silverfish Trivia EP (2007)

Silverfish Trivia EP

(2007, Prom Is Coming Records)

7 songs in 22 minutes, Pollard's mini-LP, nonetheless, winds up in the EP bin of releases.  His first, and only, release on his Prom Is Coming record label, Silverfish Trivia is simply not worth the price of admission.  From the over-long, insufferable "Cats Love A Parade" to it's 3 (!!!) instrumental tracks, Silverfish Trivia mainly serves as another catalog number in Pollard's own Library of Congress. 

Even the "single" off the EP (ya know, the one posted online in press releases), "Circle Saw Boys Club" is an awkwardly constructed and seriously lacking pop song in its own right. Pollard does make a bold move with the inclusion of a full on strings only opener and closer, the opener worth  hearing, and surprisingly catchy. 

Initially, the EP was intended to see release as an LP. However, based on the time-line, the project was cut into 3 separate releases. Songs originally planned for inclusion eventually saw release on  Standard Gargoyle Decisions, and Coast To Coast Carpet of Love (with unreleased tracks appearing on the Guided by Voices labeled Suitcase 3). 

SIDE A:

Come Inside- 4 All instrumental string track “composed” by Pollard.  Just a viola and a cello with bass guitar accompaniment.  But let me tell you, this is quite a catchy and gleefully morose song.

Circle Saw Boys Club-  3 Meandering, soft pop song with no real choral section other than the upward melody of the title near the end, I guess.  A mellow and airy listen.

Wickerman Smile- 2 Acoustic strums over church-organ swells. Ehhh, at least it’s not an offensive noise.

Touched to Be Sure- 2 As cerebral and airy as a silent hot-air balloon. Sounds like the introduction to a self-help video for most parts. Eventually transforms into a run-away Who wannabe part. Faster, faster, louder, fart.

SIDE B:

Waves, Etc.- 1 Second instrumental of the EP, but this time around it’s not a good one. Just some soothing noises and snyths acting as “strings.” Uh.

Cats Love a Parade-  1 At nearly 8 minutes, this might be the longest GBV /Pollard solo the cannon. Multi-sectioned, you’re guessing? Yup. First part; we got that mystical, wizardry pop that Pollard can evoke so easily. Second part; slightly more fey wizardly pop. 3rd part’s industrial, gear head garbage. 4th part’s back to mystical bullcrap rock. 5th part finally bring upon the end. Ahhhh and ugggh.

Speak in Many Colors- 2 Instrumental part 3 of the album, the second with string arrangements. Unlike the opening track, this puts the kibosh on the EP with a less refreshing, longer version of “classical” crap.