I have been listening to Class Clown Spots a UFO for a couple days now. They had the CD at Amoeba records in San Francisco last week even though I think technically the album was released yesterday. (not sure how that happened)
Overall, I think it is a marginal improvement on Lets Go Eat The Factory. The highs on that record were perhaps higher but the numerous throwaway snippets that constitute most of Class Clown are more compelling. It has a nice loose feel and they really do sound on the surface like Aliens Lane era GBV, instead of yet another Pollard project. There is good variety - acoustic, electric, piano, rockers, ballads, etc. Tobin got a few more songs in this time, even though his voice is sounding more and more fragile. (Perhaps there is a reason they bury his vocals in the mix lately) They apparently put some effort into some of these these tracks - there are some actual melodic keyboard lines and orchestration on some of these songs. Uncle Bob just cant seem to quite find the formula to invest these songs with magic. I like the sound but there is simply no song on here that ranks up with the classic GBV songs. I am simply dying for a Striped White Jets or Its Like Soul Man or Echoes Myron, or something on that level. Overall, it just sounds mostly like throwaways - perhaps on par with Universal Truths and Cycles. Perhaps not.
I will keep listening and keep hoping. Third record due in November.
