Scalping the Guru


Scalping the Guru is a 2022 compilation album by American indie rock band Guided by Voices. The collection includes tracks from the extended plays Static Airplane Jive, Get Out of My Stations, Fast Japanese Spin Cycle, and Clown Prince of the Menthol Trailer, released in 1993 and 1994 and has received positive reviews from critics.

Reception

Scalping the Guru received positive reviews from critics noted at review aggregator Metacritic. It has a weighted average score of 78 out of 100, based on four reviews. Editors at AllMusic rated this album 4 out of 5 stars and named it the Best of 2022, with critic Fred Thomas writing that this period of Guided by Voice's career had "some of the strongest indie rock of its era as well as being emblematic of the lo-fi movement the band was at the forefront of". Pat King of Paste rated the compilation an 8.5 out of 10, calling it "a must for longtime fans who have logged countless hours trying to nab original copies of these EPs". PopMatters' John Garratt rated Scalping the Guru a 7 out of 10, calling the music "fun, rough, and artful" and "a treat".

Track listing

  1. "Matter Eater Lad" – 1:11
  2. "Damn Good Mr. Jam" – 3:32
  3. "Hunter Complex" – 1:39
  4. "My Impression Now" – 2:06
  5. "Scalding Creek" – 1:36
  6. "Mobile" – 1:24
  7. "Melted Pat" – 1:41
  8. "Glow Boy Butlers" – 1:51
  9. "Hey Aardvark" – 0:48
  10. "Spring Tiger" – 2:19
  11. "Rubber Man" – 0:31
  12. "Big School" – 2:24
  13. "Volcano Divers" – 1:16
  14. "Indian Fables" – 0:41
  15. "Pink Gun" – 0:36
  16. "Dusty Bushworms" – 2:29
  17. "Gelatin, Ice Cream, Plum" – 1:25
  18. "Grandfather Westinghouse" – 2:24
  19. "Johnny Appleseed" – 2:21
  20. "Scalping the Guru" – 0:59
Tracks omitted include "Queen of Second Guessing", "Blue Moon Fruit", "3rd World Birdwatching", "Snowman", "Marchers in Orange", "Dusted", "Kisses to the Crying Cooks", and "Broadcaster House"

Personnel

Guided by Voices
Additional personnel