RE:SCORE - Guided By Voices: Suitcase: Failed Experiments and Trashed Aircraft: DISC FOUR (2000)

TOTAL SCORE: 39, AVG: 1.56

It is interesting how time changes our perspectives on things. Looking back on my original post for the final disc on Suitcase I was so enamored with GBV's late 80's sound that I was really into this disc, since it really does focus on tracks from that era. But as I mentioned countless times in these re:score write-ups, my love for that era has dwindled in the last 15 years in comparison to all subsequent eras. I still like a lot of the songs, but not as much as other GBV-related material. Therefore, I am not surprised that the final disc on Suitcase is currently my least favorite one...

That is not to say that the fourth disc on Suitcase isn't without its "must haves". The droning dirge of Suitcase's version of Why Did You Land? almost re-invents the song while still maintaining the melody of the upbeat version found on The Official Ironmen Rally Song single (the same cannot be said for the same single's Deaf Ears, whose version found here is not very good at all). The version of Wondering Boy Poet on Suitcase exchanges guitar for piano, and it is my preferred version of the beautiful song. And though Oh, Blinky suffers from some of the same audio quality issues that plague other could-be-amazing songs on Suitcase, it is not as bad here, and it is definitely one of the highlights of the entire boxset.

After those, it is kind of the same deal as the other discs: a couple of tunes that became Boston Spaceships tracks (Unshaven Bird, Go for the Exit), different takes on tracks (The Future is in Eggs, Wrecking Now), and more late 80's recordings. Where I Come From and Excellent Things are what I would choose as the late 80's highlights on this particular disc.

Here is the updated ranking:

Among Bob's Best

-- none

Gems

99 Wondering Boy Poet

Almost Gems

80 Why Did You Land?

100 Oh, Blinky

They're Good

86 Unshaven Bird

88 Go for the Answers

90 Excellent Things

92 Where I Come From

They're OK

77 Turbo Boy

79 Little Head

81 Time Machines

82 A Farewell to Arms

83 Best Things Goin' Round

85 United

87 Black Ghost Pie

89 Rocking Now

93 Try to Find You

96 Raphael

Could Live Without

76 Trying to Make it Work Again

78 Chain Wallet Bitch

97 My Feet's Trustworthy Existence

98 Eggs

Toss-Offs & Throwaways
84 Sickly Sweet

91 Static Airplane Jive

94 Deaf Ears

95 Good for a Few Good Laughs

Given the scoring above, the album would get 39 points total (and an average of 1.56).