To sweepingly generalize, Robert Pollard fans seem to reside in one of two camps regarding the production quality of his recent solo LPs: Most either genuinely dig it or don’t really care since they unconditionally love the man’s work, while a smaller contingent wouldn’t object if Uncle Bob decided to “go in a different direction.” Of Course You Are finds Pollard collaborating with Ricked Wicky cohort Nick Mitchell (who played every instrument), and all factions will be happy, but perhaps the latter in particular.
The guitars are cranked, which greatly serves the heavy riffage of garage pop like “My Daughter Yes She Knows,” “Long Live Instant Pandemonium” (a ridiculously punchy highlight) and “I Can Illustrate,” and the clean, clear sonics benefit the slow jangle of “That’s The Way You Give It To Me” and the swirling psych of “Losing It.“ How important is a record’s sound? Personal preference will sort that out, but the tunes are what ultimately matter—and Pollard’s songcraft remains intact regardless of presentation.
—Matt Hickey
