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The Onion (A.V. Club)

It doesn't sound substantially different from what Pollard has done before... but the record cycles through Pollard's disparate influences in songs as charged-up and fully realized as anything he's delivered in maybe a decade.

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All Music Guide

From a Compound Eye winds up standing apart from the pack of Pollard projects even if it doesn't stand that far apart.

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cokemachineglow

FaCE manages to be new, fresh and experimental while still retaining the listenability of much of Pollard’s seemingly never-ending canon.

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Stylus Magazine

Whether it’s the end of an era, the beginning of a new one, or just a lucky break in what looks to be a still-incessant deluge of output, From a Compound Eye bypasses the earlier seven LPs-plus released in his name to mark the emergence of Robert Pollard as a solo artist proper.

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Spin

Twisted, quirky pop gems. [Feb 2006, p.86]

PopMatters

From a Compound Eye sounds very similar to classic Guided by Voices.

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NOW Magazine

GBV fans should definitely check this one out – there's a lot to like.

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Drowned In Sound

What it lacks in instant appeal it makes up for on repeated listens as the hidden gems shine through, and whilst the different styles it adopts can make From A Compound Eye feel slightly untidy and overstocked on occasion, the ambition and craftsmanship present makes warming to it hard to resist.

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Entertainment Weekly

A lovable slog peppered with a few mini-classics. [27 Jan 2006, p.85]

Pitchfork

The most fascinating Bob-project in years.

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Prefix Magazine

In both material and performance, From a Compound Eye quickly reveals itself to be classic Pollard.

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Under The Radar

The album is more a collage of ideas than anything else. But that is exactly what you would expect from Pollard. And just what you would want. [#12, p.92]

Mojo

His sheer enthusiasm and peerless pop nous are enough to carry things along. [Jan 2006, p.124]

Tiny Mix Tapes

What you will get with From A Compound Eye is your typical gourmet spread of Pollard delicacies from the modern eras of Bob.

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ShakingThrough.net

Unsurprisingly, the track list is all over the map, stylistically, technologically and qualitatively.

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Alternative Press

Contains all the usual suspects: a few great songs, a few throwaways, a bunch of head-scratching song titles and indie rock's best take on the Who. [Mar 2006, p.124]

Uncut

As ever: endlessly clever, utterly inessential. [Feb 2006, p.81]

Billboard

"Compound Eye" is difficult as a complete listen but works well in smaller chunks. [28 Jan 2006]

Q Magazine

Pollard's ear for a pop hook remains unswerving. [Mar 2006, p.109]

Paste Magazine

Entrenched fans will be pleased to have another wing to explore in his ever-expanding mansion of song. [Feb/Mar 2006, p.110]

Blender

As double albums go, it's a hell of an EP. [Mar 2006, p.114]

Neumu.net

An abundance of morose, meandering material in search of a hook.

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Village Voice

That Eye is neither great nor terrible and often very good can be attributed to one part talent and two parts luck. But the fact remains that Pollard is far too willing to leave all the heavy lifting to the listeners.

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Austin Chronicle

While Pollard's nothing if not prolific, if ever he needed an editor to cut some passages and refocus others, it's here on From a Compound Eye.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this album is 8.7 (out of 10) based on 8 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

aaron gave it an8:
great album, although i would strongly reccommend the "fiction man" album first, if you havent heard it... same production style, but that album is built more around immediately gratifying hooks. this one will definitely take a bit longer to sink in, not just because its a 70+ minute disc, but most of the songs themselves are pretty strange... for various reasons: production, more mid-song change-ups, more complex hooks...etc.etc.etc.

Brian M gave it a7:
7.5 really. Like most of Pollard's albums, this one will take some time to digest, and even then, not all of the hidden gems will be evident until many months or years later. That's the general feeling I get from the album. With every spin, I find something else to appreciate. It's not a masterpiece, but one of his strongest solo albums. The only downside is the legnth of the album.

John L gave it a10:
Created from cold corpse and surgeon...American Superdream Wow!

Culley S gave it an8:
I may be biased in my review, because I am (admittedly) a very big Robert Pollard fan. I first heard GBV back in 1995, when a friend made me a mix-tape. I immediately went out and bought "Bee Thousand" and about three other LPs featuring stuff from "Forever Since Breakfast" and some live/rare lps. Since that time, I haven't taken on everything Pollard has put out (who could!), but have made an attempt. I've acquired over 50 Pollard-related works including live shows, LPs, EPs, singles, solo albums, DVDs, side projects, and the book "Hunting Accidents." I think "From a Compound Eye" is easily the strongest solo album Pollard has put out. I first heard the album almost a year ago when copies were running around the Internet. While I thought the album was a bit long (even by Robert Pollard standards), I was very pleased by a great number of the tracks. "Love is Stronger than Witchcraft," "Dancing Girls and Dancing Men," "I'm a Widow," and "Gold" were all standouts. Pollard proves he still has a talent (and a lot of skill) as a lyricist and songwriter. Whereas some releases can be passed over, "From the Compound Eye" is likely essential for any GBV or Robert Pollard fan.

Todd R gave it an8:
I guess the overused line with Pollard is that he needs an editor, but each album he releases has enough gems to keep me interested.

Kyle D gave it a10:
Enter the Kingdom Without.

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