“We Outlast Them All” is the perfect name for Guided by Voices’ latest single — the first off of their 44th studio album, Crawlspace of the Pantheon, out May 29 on Guided By Voices Inc Records.
“The entire song, the music, and melody was written all the way through in one take,” says frontman Robert Pollard. “Could be our ‘We Are the Champions,’ but it’s not necessarily about us. It could be about any couple or group of people or organization that perseveres over a long period of time. If it is referring to us, it’s actually somewhat self-deprecating as the goal is simply to ‘seek to occupy the crawlspace of the pantheon.’”
The upbeat rocker is the first glimpse from said crawlspace, an album that — like its 2025 predecessor Thick, Rich, and Delicious — was recorded in-studio, a rarity for a band with members scattered around the country. “I just felt that using that approach yielded a pretty good record,” Pollard says. “I think the performances were very tight and energetic so I thought we should go for it again — albeit a slightly more serious tone.”
Pollard adds that he worked “much more diligently on this set of lyrics,” he says.
“I chiseled away at lines and sections to make sure the phrasings were totally acceptable. I wanted them to have an overall emotionally conceptual feel. At times it feels somewhat autobiographical, especially a few specific songs. ‘Lost in the Sun’ I think is about being out on the road, maybe out West. ‘Out With a Theory’ is almost the ballad of the history of Guided by Voices. Namely the early- to mid-period lineups.”
The history of GBV stretches many decades and lineups back, with multiple records out per year, but the band never manages to lose its sheen. Solid guitar rock, inventive melodies and instrumentation all contribute to the Dayton, Ohio, band’s longevity.
“I do think that everyone in the band turned in top-rate performances, which they pretty much always do,” Pollard says of this latest release. “The album was fun, I enjoy it, and now it’s on to the next one. Without over analyzing, that’s pretty much the process and always has been.”
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