When Robert Pollard last played Metro on New Year's Eve 2004, he held court for almost four hours while famously commemorating the ending of his former band, indie-rock icons Guided By Voices. Pollard returned to the same stage Friday night, this time on an inaugural tour celebrating a beginning — that of his solo career.
The bushy-haired frontman immediately made it a point to announce that he'd entered a new era. He refrained from playing any GBV material until the encore, and in his140-minute performance, adventurous material shared the spotlight with punchy melodic rock.
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But Pollard also assumed a veil of seriousness, his singing veering from contemplative to sensitive, authoritative to lonely. Branching out, he challenged expectations with calm interludes, keyboard flights and drowsy ballads. Better still, his trademark shattered-glass chords, smash-and-grab hooks and swelling tempos took up residence in full-bodied arrangements, epitomized by the aura-rich "Love Is Stronger Than Witchcraft" and peppy "Dancing Girls and Dancing Men," irresistible nuggets Pollard anointed with faux English inflection. Yes, he eventually got sloppy, and trimming 10 forgettable songs from the set would have made for a leaner presentation. When Pollard delved into a warped trip such as "Fresh Threats, Salad Shooters and Zip Guns," or took a series of left turns on "50 Year Old Baby," his four-piece backing band didn't flinch. Composed of guitarist/keyboardist Tommy Keene, Superchunk drummer Jon Wurster, Frank Black guitarist Dave Phillips and ex-Verbow member Jason Narducy on bass, the group is the most solid, powerful and deliberate unit Pollard has ever assembled. Its taut riffs, sharp timing and diamond-cut grooves fleshed out the psychedelic and power-pop tunes with woven textures and muscular weight.
If Pollard keeps his current company, his Act 2 could be as good as his first.
