Pollard began releasing solo records in 1996, alongside regular releases from Guided by Voices. These albums were typically recorded with a small group consisting of current or former Guided by Voices members, and they were generally considered to informally be part of the Guided by Voices canon, as that band would regularly perform selections from the solo releases in concert.
After the dissolution of Guided by Voices in 2004, Robert Pollard launched his official solo career with the release of From a Compound Eye in February 2006. Pollard's recent studio work has eschewed the live-band format, instead relying on the multi-instrumental talents of Todd Tobias, who produced several Guided by Voices albums. In 2006, he resumed touring with a new band informally dubbed "The Ascended Masters", which featured Tommy Keene on lead guitar and keyboards, Dave Phillips on guitar, Jon Wurster on drums, and Jason Narducy on bass. After Normal Happiness was released, the band returned to the road but subsequent to the cancellation of some 2006 dates due to a leg injury, Pollard announced his retirement from touring. Pollard, however, has since toured with Boston Spaceships.
Pollard resides just outside of Dayton, OH. with his wife, Sarah.
Soft Smoke
Robert Pollard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This is the land of soft smoke
Clunkers dealers up the offer
Up on supergroove highway
Maximum reality vs. fond'o rhonda
Curlers, shirts and grasshopper skirts
Bedazzled at the end of a popular rope
Year out clear out
Thick miracles evaporate fast
This is the land of soft smoke
The opening lines of Robert Pollard's song Soft Smoke seem to suggest that great things can quickly disappear without a trace. Thick miracles that might seem to last forever can often evaporate just as quickly as they appeared. This poetic language hints at the impermanence of life and the fleeting nature of our experiences.
The line "this is the land of soft smoke" is more enigmatic, but it could be interpreted in a few different ways. Perhaps it refers to the haziness of memories or nostalgia, which can seem nebulous and insubstantial like soft smoke. Alternatively, it could be a metaphor for the dreamlike quality of life itself, as we float through a landscape that is always shifting and changing.
The rest of the lyrics paint a surreal picture full of strange images and wordplay. "Clunkers dealers up the offer" seems like a nonsequitur, while "maximum reality vs. fond'o rhonda" is a collision of high and low cultures. "Curlers, shirts and grasshopper skirts" adds to the surreal atmosphere, and "bedazzled at the end of a popular rope" suggests a sense of being overwhelmed or lost. "Year out clear out" could be a call to action, or a final farewell to something important that is ending. Overall, Soft Smoke is a song that revels in mystery and asks us to embrace the unknowable aspects of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Thick miracles evaporate fast
Amazing events that seem unbelievable disappear quickly and easily due to their fragile nature.
This is the land of soft smoke
The place where we currently exist is one that is unclear and hazy, with not a lot of clarity or definition.
Clunkers dealers up the offer
People who deal in low-quality products are raising their prices to make a higher profit.
Up on supergroove highway
Traveling at a high speed towards a destination on a well-established path.
Maximum reality vs. fond'o rhonda
Extreme realism versus nostalgia for the past.
Curlers, shirts and grasshopper skirts
Various articles of clothing, including hair-curling devices, shirts, and skirts that resemble those worn by grasshoppers.
Bedazzled at the end of a popular rope
Feeling overwhelmed or lost at the end of one's fame or popularity.
Year out clear out
The end of another cycle or year, a time to clear out and start over with new intentions.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ROBERT POLLARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind