Robyn Hitchcock
The Man Upstairs
26 August 2014
Yep Roc
3 stars out of 5
Robyn Hitchcock (no relation to Swedish pop genius Robyn)
has released several dozen records during his long career, both solo (augmented
by the Egyptians or the Venus 3) and with The Soft Boys. The Man Upstairs is his most recent, featuring five original tunes
and five covers. Hitchcock offers his takes on tracks by The Psychedelic Furs,
Roxy Music, The Doors, Grant Lee Buffalo, and Norwegian group I Was a King. The
album features Hitchcock on guitar and vocals, with occasional touches of cello
or piano.
The Man Upstairs
has Hitchcock’s trademark voice—think Eric Idle sneering at your wardrobe while
simultaneously offering you a hot chocolate—but none of his trademark
psychedelic and/or surrealist weirdness—think Eric Idle sneering at your
wardrobe while dressed as a woman and riding a giant stoat while John Cleese,
in nothing but a speedo, gives a rigid salute and sings “God Save the Stilton.”
Or something. If you’re a long time fan, you’ll miss the bizarre lyrical tales
and the ninety-degree turns in the narrative. If you’re a newcomer to the
Hitchcock scene, there won’t be much here to convince you to delve further into
his back catalogue.
reviewed by Richard Krueger
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