Robyn Hitchcock Appreciation Thread

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Mark Kaufman, Feb 15, 2010.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Dave Gilmour's Cat

    Dave Gilmour's Cat Forum Resident

    Anyone?!
     
  2. chrism1971

    chrism1971 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Glos, UK
    So named after Robyn misheard the lyric of this :
    ...which also features in the song 'Listening to the Higsons'.
     
  3. chrism1971

    chrism1971 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Glos, UK
    Great package, it's ousted the individual CDs of that era from my main collection (tho I still have em), nice card double-sleeves for each CD with new pics of the era and some notes. New bonus tracks on the 3 original CDs and an extra CD of outtakes (some from 1992 ish) and live tracks, all good. Probably sounds better than either the mid-80s or mid-90s CD issues.

    Incidentally, although the A&M CDs/LPs haven't been reissued, there was a nice Best Of with some bonus tracks issued around 1994 by A&M. Personally I'm very fond of my 1989 US LP of Queen Elvis, purchased when I happened to be on a February holiday in Florida from the UK....:)
     
    Dave Gilmour's Cat likes this.
  4. JohnS

    JohnS Senior Member

    Location:
    London, UK
    I have the CD version of the 'Luminous Groove' box set. It comes in a slipcase (very sturdy - heavy-duty cardboard) and the CDs are all in cardboard gatefold 'mini-LP' style packaging - booklet stored in one side, CD in the other (just the CD, no 'inner sleeve' for it as such) - with the 2CD rarities set in its own gatefold version.
    'Fegmania' has an 8-page booklet with 3 large photos of Robyn and then notes on the recordings - personnel, dates, studios, bonus tracks info etc.
    'Gotta Let this Hen Out' has an 8-page booklet of mainly photos of the band out and about and in what looks like a press interview backstage, plus basic credits on the back page
    'Element of Light' has a 12-page booklet with lyrics to the original album tracks, plus notes on the recordings - personnel etc as before.
    'Bad Case of History' has an 8-page booklet with one of Robyn's fantasy essays '('The Legend of Old Bass') and some nice vintage snapshots of RH and the band from the era, plus notes on the tracks.
    This booklet is probably the only one you could count as having custom-written notes, i.e. Robyn's story, if that counts, but there's no 'David Fricke-style' career overview or commentary with the box set as such.
    The CD sleeves are high quality card with pin-sharp printing - none of that 'just scanned' fuzziness you sometimes get! - and of course the bonus tracks - and the full 2CD set of rarities, live tracks and demos - make it essential even if you have the original 3 albums!!

    Some info and scans on discogs:
    Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians - Luminous Groove
     
  5. Dave Gilmour's Cat

    Dave Gilmour's Cat Forum Resident

    Thanks very much. I'm sold!
     
  6. Dave Gilmour's Cat

    Dave Gilmour's Cat Forum Resident

    Thank you. Really appreciate the details.
     
    JohnS likes this.
  7. bzfgt

    bzfgt The Grand High Exalted Mystic Ruler

    It sounds way more like "hen"! I never knew that, good intel!
     
    John Porcellino likes this.
  8. Sax-son

    Sax-son Forum Resident

    Location:
    Three Rivers, CA
    I stumbled across Robyn Hitchcock and the Egyptians much later than his peak. I like his musical style as they are much aligned with my own. They played at a local theater here once, but I didn't know anything about them at the time. I am sorry that I missed him when they were here.
     
  9. John Porcellino

    John Porcellino Forum Resident

    Location:
    Beloit, WI
    With all the talk about Luminous Groove... I never bought it cuz at the time of release I was always broke and by the time I got money it was too expensive. I did eventually buy the individual reissues for the bonus tracks. Anyhow, I just checked Amazon and you can download mp3s of the whole box for like $16, so I just did. I have many of the songs on the bonus discs already on various releases, but there was a lot I hadn't heard.

    I know, mp3s etc, but thought that was a pretty good price and I should share the info.
     
    bzfgt and Dave Gilmour's Cat like this.
  10. RTW

    RTW Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago
    Perhaps I'm in the minority here but I should speak up.

    I grossly dislike what Yep Roc did to the Robyn Hitchcock catalog.

    - The remasters are painfully loud. I'm not sure why nobody is talking about this.
    - The bonus tracks are, in a noble attempt not to entirely repeat previous bonus tracks, notably second rate.
    - The box sets relegate too many quality outtakes to messy bloated "exclusive" compilations that don't play like albums.
    ----- Thus, long standing great compilation albums like Invisible Hitchcock or You and Oblivion have been dismantled.
    ----- Or even worse, not all of the tracks once compiled appear in the new configurations.
    - The first box set, I Wanna Go Backwards, ignores the second solo LP, Groovy Decay/Decoy. That one was relegated to digital download only, even though it was both remastered and given bonus tracks. So there's no way to own the entire catalog in physical format. (i.e. don't throw your Rhinos away!)
    - The second box set, Luminous Groove, overreaches to include live/outtake material from the A&M years, as if saying, "Screw it, we can't afford to license the A&M albums," which clearly deserve their own reissue.
    - The division of the boxes between solo and Egyptians work is nebulous at best, and a chronological take would have better suited the material.

    It is nice that they bothered to put the box sets out on vinyl, I will give them that.
     
    Rob Hughes and dlemaudit like this.
  11. VeeDub

    VeeDub Senior Member

    Location:
    Denver, CO
    Thank you, RTW. I've been meaning to jump on here to at least address the Yep Roc masterings, which are definitely louder than the Rhinos, which are in turn slightly louder than previous editions (of those I've heard). I do like the Rhinos, but the Yep Rocs...not a chance. There are no real positive EQ differences or anything else to make up for the compression to recommend these over others.

    Agreed on Groovy Decay/Decoy, although I haven't done a deep enough dive on the Backwards & Luminous bonus tracks to outline it in the detail you have. I do appreciate those bonuses as being just more Robyn, but that's about it.
     
    RTW likes this.
  12. ad180

    ad180 Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Thanks, I’ve been too busy this weekend to respond. Count me as one who prefers the Rhino editions to the Yep Roc versions. Better mastering. Whole albums with great bonus tracks.
     
    RTW likes this.
  13. RTW

    RTW Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago
    To me, the Rhinos are definitive.
     
  14. chrism1971

    chrism1971 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Glos, UK
    A couple of points. Groovy Decay was omitted becasuse Robyn doesn't like it, simple. The A&M stuff is out as they own it, neither RH or Yep Roc have a say in it. I think they did the best with what they had, and the more the better.

    Sound wise, the original vinyl will always be definitive.
     
  15. dlemaudit

    dlemaudit Forum Resident

    Location:
    France, Paris area
    what a shame
     
    bzfgt likes this.
  16. Rob Hughes

    Rob Hughes Forum Resident

    Hm. Think I'll pick up some Rhinos when I get some cash flow.
    Thanks for the tip, guys! RH
     
    ad180 likes this.
  17. notesofachord

    notesofachord Riding down the river in an old canoe

    Location:
    Mojave Desert
    I'll admit that the YepRoc's are quite loud - not unlistenable or painful, just louder than necessary. I must say though that I find the outtake collections to be brilliant. Disc 1 of When Thatcher Mauled Britain (from I Wanna Go Backwards) is especially an extremely rewarding listen. All I can say is that if you don't pick up the YepRoc box sets, please, please, please, at the very least pick up Invisible Hitchcock and You and Oblivion. The material on these collections is fantastic. Trust me.

    That being said, the YepRoc boxes, while loud, are still sound good overall and are a well-packaged and convenient way to get the main albums and copious, excellent "bonus" material.
     
    bzfgt likes this.
  18. John Porcellino

    John Porcellino Forum Resident

    Location:
    Beloit, WI
    Seconded! On many days Invisible Hitchcock is my favorite record of his.
     
    notesofachord likes this.
  19. 1970

    1970 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Oregon USA
    For those of you who missed out on the first run of "Tromsø, Kaptein" and are still searching for a copy, your long wait is over.

    #

    "By popular demand, Tiny Ghost Records is delighted to reissue Tromsø, Kaptein on limited edition vinyl and CD.

    Tromsø, Kaptein is the eighteenth studio album by Robyn Hitchcock, originally released by Norwegian label Hype City Records in 2011 and was only made available in Norway.

    Pre-orders accepted now. CD orders will be mailed out on February 10, 2018. Vinyl orders will be mailed out on April 5, 2018."

    robynhitchcock.bigcartel.com

    #
     
    Maurice, factory44 and Reader like this.
  20. Mr. Odd

    Mr. Odd Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston, MA, USA
    Not one of his better efforts.
     
    Disco Robot likes this.
  21. 1970

    1970 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Oregon USA
    ^ Agreed. Though it's a must-have for the die-hard fans. "The Abyss" is a great track.
     
  22. Disco Robot

    Disco Robot Forum Resident

    Location:
    33417
    Caught him live in Portland last week. Really wonderful show where he "opened" for himself with acoustic solo acoustic set, with the main show done with a full band. Now I'm deep diving through his catalog.

    I picked up a copy of Tromsø, Kaptein at the show, and in contrast to the last few posts, I really love this album. Due to how it was originally released, I had assumed this would feel tossed off, but this is far from the case.
     
  23. bzfgt

    bzfgt The Grand High Exalted Mystic Ruler

    Tromso, Kaptein is fantastic! One of his best of the 21st century, along with the 2017 s/t album, Ole Tarantula, and Love From London.
     
    Disco Robot likes this.
  24. Mr. Odd

    Mr. Odd Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston, MA, USA
    I agree that Ole Tarantula is one of his best of the 21st century (along with the other two Venus Three albums), Love From London is a mess of weak songs and completely inappropriate pop production. I know he wanted to try something different but it just doesn't work for his material.
     
    Sprocket Henry likes this.
  25. Sprocket Henry

    Sprocket Henry Forum Resident

    Agree with this. I was shocked at how bad Love From London was when it came out. I think his latest record is superb too.
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine