V/A Guided By Voices Tribute

2010 saw Robert Pollard getting the band back together, reuniting with the "classic" lineup of indie stalwarts Guided by Voices for a rip-roaring American tour that focused on the band's material from the '90s, when they were cranking out killer albums like Bee Thousand and Alien Lanes on a yearly basis. It's standard fare for most under-appreciated indie bands to eventually get their due, and aside from selling out concert halls they couldn't have sniffed in their prime years, GBV gets the love on this tribute album, which features several indie artists covered songs as short as 45 seconds and as long as 3 minutes. The Flaming Lips show up to take on "Smothered in Hugs," Vivian Girls' Kickball Katy (as La Sera) does "Watch Me Jumpstart," Crooked Fingers do "Tractor Rape Chain" and more. The artists probably spent more time recording their covers than Pollard spent writing the songs in the first place. 

Abstract by Jeremy Gordon