The Volares
The Night We Taught Ourselves To Sing
Inactive Entertainment/Rockadelic Records

If Bob Pollard ever decides to retire Guided By Voices, lets hope The Volares are still around to carry the torch. Led by James "Bucks" Burnett, a former Dallas record store owner and curator of quirk (Tiny Tim shrines, 8-Track advocator, the Mr. Ed-stock Festival), The Night We Taught Ourselves To Sing is a loving homage to vintage pop-rock that could have been a # 1 record in 1969. With harmonies that evoke Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young, and a smattering of Led Zeppelin III bombast, Bucks, who composed all the selections, has truly channeled the spirit of his idols. Studio veterans and multi-instrumentalists Dare Mason and Paul Averitt assume the role of John Paul Jones/ George Martin/ Brian Jones as they abet Burnett's vision with expertise. "Down To The Lane", a paean to Mr. Burnett's late friend, the legendary Faces bassist/songwriter Ronnie Lane, would have been a stellar track on Nod Is As Good As A Wink.

Special guest Julianne Regan's lead vocal on "Asleep In Egypt" gives us an indication of what Pink Floyd would have sounded if they replaced Roger Waters with Christine McVie. Heck, even Jimmy Page, whom Bucks met through Mr. Lane, gave this disc his seal of approval (check out "The Spirit Reveals Itself," "Elegy for Tiny Tim," in all their Houses Of The Holy grandeur). Mood rings and polyester not required, but highly recommended for those who pine for Don Kirshner's Rock Concert and The Midnight Special.

Tom Semioli