8. Universal Truths And Cycles (2002)

More than any other release from Guided By Voices’ post-“classic lineup” period, Universal Truths And Cycles embraces the scattershot methodology of those mid-’90s classics. Alternatively pretty and pummelling, the record successfully captures the unpredictable flow of prime-era Guided By Voices. At the same time, it puts its higher production qualities to good use by attempting to recreate the energy of a GBV live show. This clever balancing act results in one of the band’s most enjoyable records, front-to-back. Straightforward jams like “Cheyenne,” “Back To The Lake,” and “Everywhere With Helicopter” are counterweighted by strange acoustic wonders like “Factory Of Raw Essentials” and “The Weeping Bogeyman.” Lo-fi enthusiasts won’t find much to hang their hat on here, but by 2002, the myth that Pollard’s songs only worked when tied to the lo-fi aesthetic was well-debunked.