Superman Was a Rocker is best described by its origin story: Former Guided by Voices frontman Robert Pollard rummages through a bunch of old cassettes, happens upon a handful of unreleased instrumental songs, overdubs some vocals, and releases a half-hour long album. could be touted as a thrilling return to Pollard's four-track glory days, but the record is more accurately an update of largely subpar pre-recorded material. Though Pollard is often thought of as something of a savant, his best records have been products of intensive craft and focus. As a collection of reworked outtakes, is innately handicapped and limited; not one song on the album is host to the inspired energy that characterizes Pollard's best work.