Wey Wey Hep a Hole Ding Dong: Robyn Hitchcock the song by song, album by album thread

A remix of 'End of Time' was released as a promo CD. I never bothered to track it down, but has anybody here heard it and can comment?
Robyn Hitchcock – End Of Time (2013, CDr)

 

I'm going to be out of commission today, so here's my vote for Love from London as a whole: 2/5. It's not terrible, but there are some bad production choices, principally with the programmed drums, and, while there are some ok songs, there aren't any great ones, and while the bad ones aren't that bad, I just don't have any desire to listen to the record again. It's just kind of blah.

 

I like the album OK, it's light years better than Luxor although not one of his best by any stretch. Solid, decent album.

 

Yes go ahead and vote on the album Love From London. I’m also away at the moment so I’ll tally up scores later.

 

Definitely one of my least listened to RH albums. It's not terrible as such, but it lacks most of the things I like best about him, and seems distinctly MOR by his standards. I think this listen through will do me for another few years. 2/5

 

Another 2/5 from me. I was surprised how few tracks I liked when I returned to this album, especially as it shares much in common with Tromso.

 

A baffling album in which most of the endearing and engaging aspects of RH's work are conspicuous by their absence. The drum programming doesn't help but the 90s MOR approach is bizarre given it was released in 2013. There are only three or four songs which come anywhere near his normal high standard and of those I would say Harry's Song and Strawberries Dress are the only truly impressive tracks. The rest is paste.

I've always viewed Luxor as a throwaway collection and The Man Upstairs is 50% covers, so I would say that this is the probably the worst of his fully realised albums. The odd track will crop up when I'm listening to music on shuffle but I doubt I will ever again revisit this album in its entirety.

Love From London 1.7/5.

 

I like it, though it’s definitely a failed experiment and the sound sucks.

3.5/5

 

Love From London

This has some good songs but is very patchy and I never listen to it. I won’t crucify it, however, because it’s better than Luxor, which I gave a 2/5, and way better than The Man Upstairs, which I have been really (painfully) struggling to reacquaint myself with over the past week or so.

3/5

 

Love From London as a whole -- 2/5. It has 3 good songs and a lot of not.

 

Our votes for Love From London.
1-0
2-5
3-1
4-1
5-0
Average: 2.3143

 

Studio Albums, color*-coded for your enjoyment:

Note: I've now added Love From London..

A Can of Bees 3
Underwater Moonlight 4.7
Invisible Hits 3.9 (song average)
Only the Stones Remain 3.7457 (song average)
Black Snake Diamond Role 4.275
Groovy Decay/Groovy Decoy 2.1571
I Often Dream of Trains 4.8574
Fegmania! 4.3385
Element Of Light 4.37
Invisible Hitchcock 3.4573 (song average)
Globe of Frogs 3.1278
Queen Elvis 4.2167
EYE 3.5643
Perspex Island 2.9929
Respect 4.3786
You and Oblivion 3.7284 (Song average)
Moss Elixir 3.925
Jewels For Sophia 3.1556
A Star For Bram 3.24
Shadow Cat 3.0415 (Song average)
Nextdoorland 3.3
Side Three 3.425
Luxor 1.55
Spooked 3.0857
Olé! Tarantula 4.4188
Goodnight, Oslo 3.6722
Propellor Time 3.6
Trolley Bus 2 2.9
Tromso, Kaptein 4.1333
Love From London 2.3143

Ranked:

1. I Often Dream of Trains
2. Underwater Moonlight
3. Olé! Tarantula
4. Respect
5. Element of Light
6. Fegmania!
7. Black Snake Diamond Role
8. Queen Elvis
9. Tromso, Captein
10. Moss Elixir
11. Invisible Hits
12. Only the Stones Remain
13. You And Oblivion
14. Goodnight Oslo
15. Propellor Time
16. EYE
17. Invisible Hitchcock
18. Side Three
    
19. Nextdoorland
20. A Star For Bram
21. Jewels For Sophia
22. A Globe of Frogs
23. Spooked
24. Shadow Cat
25. A Can of Bees
26. Perspex Island
27. Trolley Bus 2
28. Love From London
29. Groovy Decay/Groovy Decoy
30. Luxor

5 albums and one EP to go!

*u

 

Our votes for "End of Time"

1-0
2-1
3-4
4-2
5-0
Average: 3.0386

Our votes for "Love From London" hidden song/tag. (because no 90s albums would be complete without one.)

1-0
2-0
3-1
4-0
5-1
Average: 3.75

 

at the time of writing...

 

Today, I'm going to start holding up songs from There Goes The Ice.

There Goes The Ice was originally released on double vinyl only in 2013 and was a compilation of digital only singles that had been released exclusively on Robyn's site between 2010-2013 along with two new tracks.

It was also released digitally on Yep Roc's webstore -- it was still available on the Yep Roc store back in May, when I purchased a digital copy of it. Sadly, though, it does not seem to be there any longer. I think Robyn and Yep Roc are ending their long-term relationship.

The tracklist was:

1. Halo Mary
2. Bellyful of Arms & Legs
3. To Be Human
4. Comme Toujours
5. Violet Rain
6. Thank You Time Girl
7. There Goes the Ice
8. Twitch for Sam Surfer
9. After The Bullfight
10. I'll See You

In addition I'll hold up the following stray from the era:

• Sam's Gone Away (by Robyn Hitchcock and the Venus Three, from Son of Rogues Gallery (Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs and Chanteys, 2013)

 

Today's song is "Halo Mary", written by Robyn Hitchcock.

It doesn't stream at all. WE may end up doing this whole album in one day. :-(

 

"Bellyful of Arms & Legs" also doesn't stream.

 

Nor "To Be Human."

 

Nor "Comme Toujours" (another version was releaed on The Man Upstairs and does stream, so we'll get to that in good time.)

 

Nor Violet Rain.

 

Nor Thank You Time Girl (recorded at Ardent Studios with Jody Stephens on drums.)

 

However, "There Goes The Ice" does stream, performed by Robyn Hitchcock and KT Tunstall.


It think this is the same version as the one on the album but it's shortened a little.

 

No "Twitch For Sam Surfer."

 

And here's "After The Bullfight"...

 

And here's "I'll See You"