Suitcase 3: Up We Go Now (disc 10) (2009)

Suitcase 3: Up We Go Now

(2009, Guided by Voices Inc.)

For a proper introduction to Suitcase 3, check here on Disc 9. 

Disc 10: I Can't Think... Yeah

Raphael Muzak- 3 The same song as found on the first Suitcase collection, disc 4. Slightly different in that an electric guitar overdub has been added to the aforementioned demo. A somewhat bullshit attempt to rehash a song, perhaps. HOWEVER, the extra guitar layer is pretty cool and proves a welcomed addition.

Tear The Ticket In Half- 3 Did your strange uncle ever take you on a Sunday car ride and pop in a creepily warped cassette into his car tape deck? At the end of the day, you arrive home alive and unscathed but the song still haunts you?  Well, this may have been that song.  The vocals were definitely overdubbed on a warbled basement tape.  It's pretty cheesy, but in this case the vocals actually improve this kind of gross song. 

I'm An Acting Student- 2 Drunken acoustic demo with an okay guitar hook and bellowed vocal melody. 

I'll Come (And When It Does It's Mine)- 3 Another Elephant Jokes outtake.  The shame about this upbeat (however poorly mixed) hi-fi track is that the verses are solid as hell, the chorus, however, sounds like a slapped on, dreadfully rushed effort. This unfortunate reality keeps it from being the true lost gem it was meant to be. Lead guitar riffs is dripping with cheese as well.

Psychophobia- 1 Just over a minute.  Okay, whatever.  Fuck this.

Take Me Back- 1 Acoustic demo that meets the minute and a half mark. Sounds like a hot summer's day back porch demo done with a friend out of sheer boredom. Listening to this makes you wonder if even Pollard's friend said he didn't need a copy of this one.

Sonny The Monster- 3 The first time I heard this song I didn't know what the fuck to do with myself.  It sounds like an introduction to a very dated 1980's cartoon. Pollard isn't singing, and it's weird '80s electro-percussion and studio effects proves to be unsettling and creepy. Apparently longtime friend and collaborator Bruce Smith sang and co-wrote it.  I still don't quite understand this. YET, I understand that I can't get enough of this fucking song. My confusion and love could allow me to write an essay on this track. Proceed with caution and smiles. GBV this is not, but needs to be heard. Baffling. 

I Share A Rhythm- 1  Rapid acoustic strums. Buried Pollard vocals. There is nothing here.

Before My Eyes- 2  Lo-fi track from the early '80s, apparently intended for the FIRST aborted GBV LP Pissing In The Canal.  Not too bad, but the choruses lack a true hook, and the weak verses don't help matters.

Freedom Rings [Original Version]-1 This is the demo of what would later appear Boston Spaceships Our Cubehouse... LP.  This worn out tape doesn't offer anything special, and lacks any of the kick that the BS version delivers.

Cochise- 1 Another Elephant Jokes outtake. This vocal-less swirling hard rock drums and guitar blast is bull.

When's The Last Time -2  Sounds like an early track from the 1980's. A mix of mid-'60s folk rock and Fleetwood Mac Rumors type chorus.  Displays Pollards range for melody and his knack for being a general song-smith, but this particular song is not really worth of more than a couple spins.

That's Good- 1  No it's not. Sad bastard strums with broken-man babble behind it. 

You Gotta Lotta Nerve- 1  Early Pollard/Mitch Mitchell collaboration. Mitch bangs the drums and they both chant some shit, until the guitar makes the briefest of appearances.  Fun, but not much else. 

Vagabond Lover- 1  Fucking stop this, please. Friend and credited producer on this box set sings some line over and over complete with a faux accent. Then a Casio keyboard comes in. I'm going to end this here.

Banners- 3  Seems to be of the early 1980's, and a song with a message, perhaps. Thin, electric guitar with a reflective Pollard sounds as though he's singing protest folk. Proto-goth? Maybe. Decent melody though.

100 Colors- 3 Yup, you guessed it, yet another Elephant Jokes outtake.  Upbeat, jilted, brisk, and pretty damn catchy.

Old Engine Driver- 3 WHOA! The same guitar strums for "Hey Aardvark" off Static Airplane Jive. The same recording, in fact, but different lyrics. The original "Hey Aardvark" wins out as the classic of the two.

Joe- 3 Demo version of what sounds like a vintage GBV vocal melody. Nice skeletal track of some greatness that was on it's way to seeing the light of day.  Interesting.

Axtual Sectivity-  1 WAIT A HOT DAMN MINUTE!  This is a slightly under mixed version of the song "The Power of Suck" that appears on the Crickets collection.  Yes, it's the basically the same, just slightly more compressed, and has 4 more seconds of silence at the beginning. You can read the review for that version by clicking the link, that version was released 2 years prior to Suitcase 3.  Gets a "1" for shameless renaming, and attempted disguising.

Call Me- 3  Blink and you'll miss it boombox recording of clean jangle guitar part, razor thin bass, and wet paper snare drum.  This song is short and simplistically beautiful.  Sounds like a mid-80's recording.

Believe It- 1 Another possible Acid Ranch ottake?  Mitch, Jim Pollard, and Bob making a minute and a half of noise.  Nothing comes of this.  Oh, I just burped. Did you wanna hear about that?

Class Clown Spots a UFO [Original Version]- 4 The demo of what would soon be a modern classic off the reunited LP of the same name. This song was also originally "Crocker's Favorite Song" off King Shit.... However, unlike the King Shit... version, this is much more faithful to the 2012 LP version, and is still catchy as all fuck.

You You You- 1  Me Me Me. Listening to this. Why why why?

Dibble- 1  This song is named "Dibble." Believe it or not it, that title might be better than this 18 seconds of recorded and cataloged Casio keyboard bullshit. Woof.