Please Be Honest (2016)

"Guided by Voices is whoever and whatever Robert Pollard decides it is. As usual, he wrote and sang all the songs for 2016's Please Be Honest. But this time, he also played all the instruments himself, not bothering with other musicians when he has the magic of multi-tracking at his disposal. Between the sturdy but rudimentary performances and the buzzy lo-fi audio, Please Be Honest is a dead ringer for the wobbly homemade sound of GbV's pre-Alien Lanes era. Many of these tracks sound like demos, but they have a "first thought, best thought" enthusiasm that suits Pollard's angular melodies better than excessive polish. Between the budget-priced production and Pollard's songwriting choices, Please Be Honest feels like the rough, exciting early work that made him a cult hero in the first place. But as a celebration of GbV's core virtues, Please Be Honest really does honor the sound of the band as much as the skills of its frontman and founder." (AllMusic)