Guided by Voices
“Cheyenne” b/w “Visit This Place”
2002, The Fading Captain Series
“Cheyenne” is a song that only Robert Pollard would write. In the world of 2002, at least. That’s why it’s my favorite of the four Universal Truths and Cycles 7″ singles.
That said, it’s not any kind of left turn.
It’s made up of familiar pieces. It works on classic pop song machinery perfected long before Guided by Voices existed. “Cheyenne” is a product of the 1960s and of wearing out needles spinning piles of records by The Beatles and The Bee Gees (60s-era albums such as Idea and Odessa) and The Who over years and years.
It’s not the parts of “Cheyenne” that are so unique; no, it’s the way that they’re handled.
It’s like an artist’s line. You see an illustration and you instantly know who drew it. Only one person makes curves and crosshatches like that.
“Cheyenne” is about the mix of total pop with a curious dash of Pollard’s art-rock influences.
It opens already rich with melody as Doug Gillard’s lead guitar takes us by the hand. When Pollard opens his mouth, he starts with the chorus. He needs to call out to the muse Cheyenne (whoever or whatever the hell she is) right away, hitting some higher notes than he usually does. It’s an instant hook, not leaving your head anytime this decade.
The verses are where things get weird. They sound flown in from some lost rock opera. They’re in a rush. They cram in as many syllables as possible (“And if an innocent minute lives for the light/ The time is right/ Define a line/ To hold back the night – inside”) and Pollard lays into them like he’s arguing a point. They’re as fast as the chorus.
No regular-ass power pop band would do that. That’s some old British freakbeat stuff where pop songs often grow in the direction of prog. Also it’s cool as hell and executed with raw confidence.
The B-side throws down comparable thunderbolts. It’s not power pop, but it is pop with power. Guided by Voices had become a well-muscled horse through the TVT years of long, hard touring and Pollard wanted to reflect that in the studio. “Visit This Place” is a swell little psych-tinged hook monster with guitars that land like anvils. The crushing opening chords sound like a perfect moment for one of Pollard’s famous leg kicks on stage.
And then the song got left off the album and that’s fine. Cool B-sides have their place, too.
Sounds tight!