We're Not Who You Think We Are
Album: Ole! Tarantula
Year: 2006
. . .
The centerpiece of Ole! Tarantula is just a plain ole classic Robyn Hitchcock song, starting out with the intertwining of Robyn’s and Peter Buck’s guitars, and featuring some spot on backing vocals when needed.
Oh, and it’s on the short list of Prettiest Songs Ever Recorded, Robyn Hitchcock Division. So there’s that.
Album: Ole! Tarantula
Year: 2006
. . .
Ole! Tarantula was recorded in Seattle, which clearly inspired Robyn’s second greatest song about that city — after “Viva! Sea-Tac,” because come on — the perfectly-named “Belltown Ramble.”
With drummer Bill Rielfin playing his toms throughout — eschewing any kind of driving beat — “Belltown Ramble” musically invokes the meandering that Robyn describes in the song. Basically, Belltown is a section of Seattle in between the Pike Place Market and the Space Needle — whom, as we learned in “Viva! Sea-Tac”, is such a nice guy — and I’m pretty sure I’ve wandered around down there myself at least once. Though, of course, not the way that Robyn did.
[Read more…] about Certain Songs #1983: Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3 – “Belltown Ramble”
Album: Ole! Tarantula
Year: 2006
. . .
After the turn of the century, things got a little dodgy for Robyn Hitchcock. It wasn’t that he went away or anything, it’s just that I wasn’t digging his music as much.
Part of it was that he released a combination of live albums (Storefront Hitchcock, Robyn Sings!), compilations (A Star For Bram, Obliteration Pie), and even snuck in a Soft Boys reunion album — which I’ll definitely write about when I get there — all of which kinda overwhelmed the two actual studio albums he released in that period.
[Read more…] about Certain Songs #1982: Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3 – “Adventure Rocket Ship”