The Grand Rapids EP (2024)

 The Grand Rapids EP

(2024, Splendid Research Records)

What's that? It's not that? It couldn't be that? It is that!  As the Fading Captain series continues to fade into the annals of time, so did some of Pollard's tendencies to spring back into action with his insatiable appetite to create more bands! At any given season, one could expect a new surprise moniker to pop up proclaiming Pollard's new band! However, as the solo LPs grew in stature, and Boston Spaceships made a swift and incredibly prolific statement before disbanding, and GBV eventually reunited into it's most dizzying run yet, the side projects became a thing fans recalled rather than expected. The brief appearance of Cub Scout Bowling Pins in 2021 (featuring all members of the current GBV lineup), brought a welcomed refresher back to the mix for the Pollard heads eager to see where his creative channels continue to flow. 

Then, out of nowhere it appeared! Rip Van Winkle: the new project on Pollard's new record label, Splendid Research. Here, Bob teams up with close friends and creative Dayton allies Joseph Airport to form a no-wavey, impromptu sounding EP that haunting, sparse, and spontaneous. For fans of Acid Ranch and Howling Wolf Orchestra. 

The LP and CD were pressed to 1000 copies each.

SIDE A:

Prose Kaiser- 3 Instrumentally, feels plucked from the early 80s. There's a strong song here, and love the Sonic Youth-esque guitar interplay. The kind of song that you know would be awesome to see a band play in a warehouse setting. 

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He Did the Clock- 2 Getting acid flashbacks of the days of the Fading Captain Series for sure. The tryout tape for art school that got away and there's something in me (the "Razor Bug admiration part of Pollard's art?), that I admire. Love that Pollard still goes for it in these moments, groaning and all. 

-1- 1 I dig the songs absolutely almost nonexistent title for some reason.  That's about the only plus for me on this one. Big fan of the free jazz, Nation of Ulysses-esque trumpet stylings at the end though.

Images From a Dead Planet- 1 At nearly 4 minutes, this proves to the patience tester. Feels like Acid Ranch improvisational instrumental jams. 

SIDE B:

Storage- 3 A minute and a half acoustic number from Pollard. About the quality you might find one of the Eat 7''s. A fine number that's looking to fit in here, but sticks out like a welcomed bastard child!

No Crows For Valdez- 1 Pollard sings ring-a-ding-ding-ding over improvisational snare drumming and guitar plucking. 

Circle of One-2  Coming in at just over a minute, this sounds like the song playing in the head of a dying cowboy. Or so I'd like to imagine. I'm not even sure I'd LIKE to imagine that but here we are.  Scrappy percussion, some harmonica, offbeat drumming, out of tune guitars. 

The Metal Clips That Go Over-3 A scrappy, much welcomed tremolo soaked lead out in an avant reworking of "Baba O'Reilly"? Rip Van Winkle is here!