Guided by Voices, Bee Thousand (CD)

The unevenness of Bee Thousand is probably more obvious than when it came out in 1994. The other strange thing about it is that its aggressive rock moves are the surprising part by 2011 standards. The lo-fi and primitive qualities have come to seem almost normal for underground rock—the surprising part, if anything, was how much Guided by Voices infused their primitive work with 70s heaviness. The two seem less likely to coexist so naturally today. The packaging is generally typical for its era, but the iconic (if simple) front cover image still stands up today.