PRESS RELEASE
October 12th, 2005

MERGE RECORDS TO RELEASE ROBERT POLLARD SOLO ALBUM JANUARY 24th, 2006

FROM A COMPOUND EYE CD/2xLP MRG272

From A Compound Eye, due out on January 24th, 2006 on Merge Records will be Robert Pollard’s first solo album since dissolving Guided By Voices in 2004. When things came to an end for GBV, Pollard promised that this would not mean the end of his songwriting and recording career. It actually provided a fresh start. In leaving his band behind, Pollard was able to free himself from the expectations of "the next Guided By Voices record", allowing him to record when he wanted and what he wanted, with whomever he wanted.

With From A Compound Eye’s 26 songs clocking in at over 70 minutes, Pollard has finally made good on his threats of releasing a double album. And the wealth of new material is astounding. Highlights include some of the best of the Pollard / GBV canon ("Dancing Girls and Dancing Men", "I’m a Widow" and "Love Is Stronger Than Witchcraft"), as well as other nuggets that find Pollard tweaking his style and experimenting with new sounds. "A Flowering Orphan" has an elegant, if somewhat skewed, chamber pop feel, while "U.S. Mustard Company" and "I’m a Strong Lion" are buoyant and shimmering pop tunes. "Kensington Cradle" features a noisy sound collage that works perfectly, while "Conqueror of the Moon" is epic and daunting in its prog-rock grandeur. And that’s just scratching the surface of the bredth and depth of the songwriting here. From A Compound Eye proves once again Robert Pollard’s gift as a songwriter of remarkable talent and amazing vision.

*From A Compound Eye will be released on Must Destroy Music in the UK/Europe.

Look for Robert Pollard on tour in support of From A Compound Eye in early 2006.

Track listing:

(Side One)

1) Gold
2) Field Jacket Blues
3) Dancing Girls And Dancing Men
4) A Flowering Orphan
5) The Right Thing
6) U.S. Mustard Company

(Side Two)

7) The Numbered Head
8) I’m A Widow
9) Fresh Threats ®Salad Shooters And Zip Guns
10) Kick Me And Cancel
11) Other Dogs Remain
12) Kensington Cradle
13) Love Is Stronger Than Witchcraft

(Side Three)

14) Hammer In Your Eyes
15) 50 Year Old Baby
16) I Surround You Naked
17) Cock Of The Rainbow
18) Conqueror Of The Moon
19) Blessed In An Open Head

(Side Four)

20) A Boy In Motion
21) Denied
22) Lightshow
23) I’m A Strong Lion
24) Payment for the Babies
25) Kingdom Without
26) Recovering

All Songs Written by Robert Pollard
© 2006 Needmore Songs (BMI)

Except "Gold" by Robert Pollard-Jim Pollard
© 2006 Needmore Songs (BMI)

And "Kensington Cradle" by Robert Pollard-Todd Tobias
© 2006 Needmore Songs (BMI) / ©2006 Visibleman Music (BMI)

Produced, recorded and mixed by Todd Tobias @ Waterloo Sound, Kent, OH.

Robert Pollard: guitars, vocals, dobro, steel whistle
Todd Tobias: drums, bass, guitars, keyboards, percussives
Chris Sheehan: piano on "Gold" and "U.S. Mustard Company"
keyboard on "Blessed In An Open Head" and "A Boy In Motion"
Scott Bennett: harmonica on "Gold"; guitar solo on "I’m A Widow"; whistling on "Conqueror Of The Moon"

www.mergerecords.com

www.mustdestroymusic.com

www.robertpollard.net

For U.S. Press Contact:

Martin Hall – National Press
919.688.9969 x114
martin@mergerecords.com

Christina Rentz – Regional/Tour Press
919.688.9969 x120
Christina@mergerecords.com