4. Propeller (1992)

If Pollard really wanted Propeller to be a farewell album as he’s stated in the past, maybe he shouldn’t have kicked the album off with the sound of a crowd chanting “G-B-V! G-B-V!” Maybe he meant it to be ironic, but in retrospect it’s impossible not to hear that opening salvo as anything less than an announcement that this band has finally arrived. From the trippy mythology of “Weedking” to the ersatz Britpop of “Metal Mothers” to the punk anthem that would create the mold for all future GBV punk anthems, “Exit Flagger,” Propeller is where the blistering noise, the sophisticated songcraft, and the flawless execution of Guided By Voices came together for the first time. Luckily it wouldn’t be the last.