“Robyn Hitchcock” Robyn Hitchcock
Founder of noted UK band, The Soft Boys, with his first solo album to be self-titled. An instant classic. Effortlessly blends four decades of rock from the psych-rock of the Beatles to today’s alt-rock bands. Clear influences include rock legends such as the Beatles, Byrds and Big Star. Hitchcock, who recently relocated to Nashville from his native UK, used a lot of well-known session players to create a full band sound.
— Francis

Recommended: 1, 2, 4, 6, 9. No FCCs detected.

1. (3:42) I Want to Tell You About What I Want – Alt-rock single. Pulsing bass and muted percussive guitar sets up the rhythm. Growling guitars. Mix of spoken and sung vocals. (Segues tightly into #2.) ****
2. (2:53) Virginia Woolf – Edgy, raspy guitar. Melodic, driven rock like the best of the Beatles from the “Revolver” era. ***
3. (2:06) I Pray When I’m Drunk – Fun, country-western romp with twangy guitars and barroom vocals.
4. (3:38) Mad Shelley’s Letterbox – Driving 1960s psyche-rock a la the Byrds. Fuzzy guitars and vocals, with rich Beatles-like harmonies near the end. ***
5. (5:55) Sayonara Judge – Pensive and mellow at the beginning, with shimmering guitar and pedal steel as well. Builds to a big growling middle.
6. (3:28) Detective Mindhorn – Bouncy and fun, with jangly guitars. ***
7. (3:14) 1970 in Aspic – Another country, twangy tune with lyrics that look wistfully back at 1970. ***
8. (2:21) Raymond and the Wires – Tribute to Hitchcock’s dad, Raymond, a science fiction writer and cartoonist. Examines the influence of trains and trolleys over the years. (Segues directly into #9.)
9. (5:06) Autumn Sunglasses – Orchestral pop-rock foundation. Glittery psych-rock trappings such as backward sounds. Chime-y guitars. Vocals are very Beatles-like. ***
10. (3:42) Time Coast – Straight-ahead rock ‘n’ roll. A nod to all the time that has passed in Hitchcock’s music career. (Wait for final drum beat.)