Robyn Hitchcock Appreciation Thread

I agree with this assessment. I pulled it out again recently, thinking I was missing something. Aside from the first track, the album is pretty dull. Nothing like "Eye" or "Trains." Still, one dud in a vast catalog is pretty remarkable.

 

I think so. I'm a completist, but I do think the recent reissues are worth the money. I do have six or so copies of IODOTs, but that's cool with me (but I can't find a vinyl test pressing, dang it!)

The Italian BSDR is worth seeking out; it has the saxophone mix of "The Man Who Invented Himself" that didn't make it to the last round of reissues.

I have more Hitchcock-related recordings than anyone else in my collection. Boxes of shows on cassette tape, 99% of his CD releases, a good 90% of the vinyl, and plenty of schwag -- autographs, t-shirts, signed lithographs.

 

I bought the complete Rhino CD reissue of Groovy Decay when it came out (for completeness' sake) but I don't know how long it's been since I gave this album a real, focused listen... probably since not long after it came out.



I have to say, the album has aged much better than its reputation and Mr. Hitchcock's assessment would suggest. The opening track - Night Ride To Trinidad - is a bit much as are the disco remixes, but there are lots of great songs on this album and I've enjoyed a couple of listens this weekend.

I also found a vinyl copy of There Goes The Ice last weekend:



...so I'm on a bit of an RH binge at the mo'

 

That what i was saying on some posts , earlier , it's so underrated ,excellent record , very strong batch of songs

 

I'd say it's better than Eye, actually. Lots of great songs on this, but the one that makes the hair stand up on the back of my night is "After the Bullfight." I wish he'd do more like this.

 

I always loved 52 Stations, America, The Rain and St. Petersburg, but somehow the [over] production of the album rubbed me a bit wrong and the album's reputation took-on a negative caste. But of course you are right... these things are all a matter of degrees and I'm now more than happy to give Robyn and Hillage a pass on whatever production crimes they were accused-of in 1985.

 

It doesn't have much in common with Eye or Trains. I really enjoyed acquiring the Phantom 45's as they were released - there's something quite wonderful about hearing two songs at a time from an artist - and Ice is a welcome wrap-up. The tracks were recorded under a bunch of different circumstances, it's a potpourri... and a wonderful collection because of that.

 

Reviving this semi-old thread. Curious to know if any of you have done a detailed comparison of the I Wanna Go Backwards box to the Rhinos for BSDR, Trains, & Eye. It looks like some bonus tracks from the Rhinos were dropped, some retained, and others moved to the "While Thatcher..." bonus CDs within the IWGB box.

I have the Rhinos but am thinking about picking up the IWGB box. Guess I'll need to keep it all. How does the mastering compare?

 

Back in the 80s Robyn was one of my favorites. Couldn't get enough of Soft Boys Invisible Hits, Gotta Let This Hen Out, Invisble Hitchcock, and the Man Who Invented Himself comp. Saw him live in '88. The last album of his I remember loving was Eye. Lost track of him in the '90s and never got caught up.

 

Tromso Captain is downloadable from Freegalmusic.com which my public library gives me access to, as do lots of public libraries.

After spending some time with Love From London, it seems like a slight step down from Propeller Time (which I think is pretty great, even if it has miserable cover art). Not much of a rhythm section listed on LFL, & it sounds like at least some of the tracks had programmed bass/drums.

 

I've seen Robyn plenty of times. Best time I think was when I saw him at an unannounced New Years Day show at the 8X10 in Baltimore. Solo and it was fantastic. I've also seen him with the Egyptians at Lisner Auditorium in 1992 with House Of Freaks (RIP Bryan Harvey and his family) and Matthew Sweet. He rolled through Baltimore with the Minus 3 @Ottobar with Peter Buck......Mr. Buck is one tall dude. Great shows all of them.

 

Playing now:



I've been listening to Robyn for the past day and a half. With a cheery smile and a poison blowpipe.

.

 

Anyone in the NJ area, my buddy just booked a Robyn Hitchcock show for March 1st along with great NJ band The Grip Weeds...

http://www.mancavenj.com/

 

Whoa. The Grip Weeds are indeed a really good band. Would love to see this. Hope video turns up.

 

More compression.
http://dr.loudness-war.info/index.php?search_artist=robyn hitchcock &search_album=
I thought the DR site had more info than this but if the YepRock reissues are the same as the box set...

Oh, I've also borrowed a friend's box set to rip the bonus tracks that I don't have and they're pretty compressed looking.

 

DR values like that can mean, for example, that there is more low end. I think the best way to tell is by listening.

 

Ice is sure hard to find, alas.

 

There's plenty of bass on the Rhinos.

 

My point is that DR values don't always refer to compression.

 

I've listened to them (YepRoc), they're LOUD!

 

Question for collectors: Has the Soft Boys-era tune called "Which Of Us Is Me" ever been released on CD or digitally since it came out on a 4-track bootleg EP in the 1980s? It's my Hitchcock Holy Grail. I had that EP but wore it out and it quickly became too noisy to convert... All before I knew how rare that track would be. I once found an unusably poor-quality version online in a set of stuff referred to as "The Radar Demos"; which wasn't even close to the track that came out on the EP

 

I'm surprised that this thread has got so far with only one mention of Robyn's first solo album, Black Snake Diamond Role. Song for song, I think it's the best thing he's ever done in his solo career, and on a par with Underwater Moonlight. It's got the quality and range of a career 'best of.' What artist wouldn't be happy to retire with a Greatest Hits that contained 'Acid Bird', 'Meat', 'Do Policeman Sing?', 'Brenda's Iron Sledge', 'Out of the Picture' and 'Love'? I find the 80s to be his real purple patch, and though his output since then has been patchy, he's never been ignorable. There's something great on every album, and he pulls things together for a completely commanding release a couple of times a decade. I think Tromso, Kaptein was his most recent masterwork, though Goodnight Oslo was excellent as well.

 

No one's mentioned I Often Dream of Trains.

Love the guy.Have ever since Underwater Moonlight came out in 1980.If it ever came out on vinyl by Hitchcock chances are I have it.Including a US A&M test pressing of the Queen Elvis LP.

 

Really? What are the 20 extra tracks only on the lp set (not on the CD set)?

 

I did a double take at this as well, but after a little research, it seems that (and this makes complete sense) the bonus tracks from the individual CDs are relocated to 'Thatcher' on vinyl, so the albums appear as originally released (with the exception of 'Black Snake Diamond Role', presumably). I don't think there's anything on one set that isn't on the other, but I'm prepared to be proved wrong by somebody who actually has the vinyl set!