Robert Pollard

Has any artist had a run like Robert Pollard since he struck out on his own with the launch of GBV Inc. in 2008? With the release of Moses on a Snail, Pollard has put out an unbelievable twelve albums in a span of roughly two years--and that's not even including all the various EPs, singles and a (third) box set of outtakes and unreleased tracks. Moses on a Snail contains a dozen amazingly strong Pollard compositions. Even for the ridiculously prolific songwriter, this was a notable writing session as ten of the twelve songs were written in one sitting. As Pollard describes the process, he started with a notebook of working song titles, and penned 22 songs in a single afternoon's creative burst. He discarded over half, and ten songs were picked to later revise and flesh out. He made demos to send to frequent producer / collaborator Todd Tobias, who recorded the instruments before Pollard did his final vocals. This batch of songs finds a somber, more reflective, yet ultimately triumphant Pollard on such instant classics as "Arrows and Balloons," "Each Is Good in His Own House," "It's a Pleasure Being You" and the enormous title track, which culminates in a dramatic (and atypical) minute-long guitar lead to close the album. Elsewhere, the elegiac "Teardrop Paintballs" delivers seriously heartbreaking melodies, and the (dare we call it) mellow "The Weekly Crow" reminds us to mention that there will be a Pollard composition on the forthcoming Glen Campbell album. Clocking in at a concise 36 minutes, Moses on a Snail begs to be played over and over again as it reveals itself more with each listen. It's an album that prompts the question: "What is Robert Pollard going to do next to top this one?"