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Goodnight Oslo

Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3 - Goodnight Oslo Audio CD

A fair review of the Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3 "Goodnight Oslo" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3 reviews here, or go back to the Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3 tabs.

Band: Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3
Title: Goodnight Oslo
Rating:

Release Date: 2009-02-17
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: What You Is 2: Your Head Here 3: Saturday Groovers 4: I'm Falling 5: Hurry for the Sky 6: 16 Years 7: Up To Our Nex 8: Intricate Thing 9: TLC 10: Goodnight Oslo

Great record
Get it and listen to each song and tune closely. Just fantastic. Hitchcock is making the best music of his career, and its been a great career. .

Did he ever get it together!
But with "Goodnight Oslo," Robyn has produced something his fans have awaited for a long time: a thoroughly enjoyable album of unabashed pop. Even at its worst, Robyn Hitchcock's work has always been quirky and charming. It is his best and most accessible work at least since 1988's "Globe of Frogs. "

Much of RH's earlier music, especially solo albums like "I Often Dream of Trains" and "You & Oblivion," seem to dwell in a post-war world where people "crouch in terror and disease" (albeit sometimes in "furry green holes") while awaiting the approaching clouds of radioactive dust (which, coincidentally, seem to have been last sighted over Norway).

Don't get me wrong: I love those albums. They're brilliant and, come high water or nuclear winter, I'll continue to take my Lexapro and listen to them. But it's not exactly surprising that they have failed to make Mr. H a household name, or even to put him on a par with his namesake Alfred. "Goodnight Oslo" is unlikely to change this state of affairs, coming as it does in a post-Top-40 world of niche markets and indie artists. But it is easy to imagine a world in which a copy of this deserving album would find its way to every shelf, a la Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours. "

"Goodnight Oslo" is lighthearted without being lightweight. The themes, love and death, haven't changed. But here they are borne with an unoppressed spirit. In the song "Saturday Groovers," RH is able to take the infirmities of aging ("emphysema, heart disease, and gout") in stride and good humor ("I heard you cleaned your act up, you old trout!"). And though you can almost feel the breath of mortality on the back of your neck in "Hurry for the Sky," you never stop tapping your feet happily.

Their many virtues notwithstanding, RH albums have seldom been noted for the sophistication of their production. In fact, in an interview years ago, Robyn took a gentle tweak at artists who get overly involved in production details: "I suppose we could have spent five days in the studio with Eno getting a great snare sound" (paraphrased from memory). This time out, Robyn name-drops Eno in "Saturday Groovers," and also nicks several pages from his book, including the graduated volume increase at the intro of "Your Head Here. " In fact, in "Goodnight Oslo" Robyn seems to have taken unusual care with arrangements and production, and it sounds good on him. He does not hesitate to add brass or strings where needed to flesh out the Venus 3's armory of guitar, bass, and drums. Guitar effects are used extensively and tastefully.

Robyn's mature voice has taken on a dusky quality, but "Goodnight Oslo" finds Robyn and his cohort in excellent voice. The harmonies are rich and spot on (especially when they're intentionally slightly off), and his articulation is as clear and precise as I've ever heard it.

But ultimately, it's the quality of the songs -- catchy, haunting, and lovely, by turns -- that make "Goodnight Oslo" an enduring and alluring work. This is one I know I'll be coming back to in the years ahead. I expect to be singing along until I might run out of breath.

Challenging Music
Think of the power-pop lushness of Perspex Island followed by the fascinating, more experimental Respect, for instance. Robyn Hitchcock has, occasionally, done the 'one for them, one for me' style of recording, wherein one album will seem geared towards expanding his base, and the next will focus on whatever he wants to do. In many ways, he's doing that here. His last release, Ol�! Tarantula, was a densely packed, hook-laden piece of neo-psychedelic pop that highlighted his strongest radio-ready instincts. That it didn't get any airplay is moot. The fact is, 'Ole Tarantula' was a warm, welcoming collection of music, and his new release, 'Goodnight Oslo', is more of a puzzle. Hitchcock isn't saying that we're unwelcome, but something along the lines of 'my house, my rules. . . you're welcome to come along. '

The album starts out with the insanely catchy "What You Is," which echoes Motown with its backup vocals while remaining very 'Hitchcock-ian. " The listener might be fooled into thinking we've got another Tarantula on our hands, but he immediately veers into the rambling, half-spoken, densely layered "Your Head Here," and follows THAT up with "Saturday Groovers," which channels, I kid you not, the Bay City Rollers with only the mildest ironic touch in his vocals. I'll be honest, it took some effort to keep listening after that one.

However, after that, Hitchcock and the Venus 3 (Peter Buck of REM, Scott McCaughey of Young Fresh Fellows, and Bill Rieflin, augmented by strings here and there, horns here and there, and a stray Egyptian) go into an eclectic mix of music that touches on country ("Hurry for the Sky"), self-reflective (maybe)folk ("Sixteen Years"), the lush, layered ballad "Goodnight Oslo," and the catchy organic shuffle of "Up to Our Nex. " Other tracks keep the hooky goodness coming.

The incredible thing about this is that it all holds together so well. One thing that is always unmistakable is that this is a Robyn Hitchcock album. His personality stamp is on everything here, no matter how eclectic the styles may be. To their credit, the album holds together and flows very well from track to track, and is ultimately a challenging, rewarding experience. In some ways I'm reminded of Jewels for Sophia, another album of his that went from style to style but ended up very well. This doesn't have the ramshackle 'live' feel of that album, but is similar in execution, studio sheen notwithstanding.

'Goodnight Oslo' is a considered but self-indulgent record that is not without considerable rewards. You just have to be patient and willing to follow Hitchcock and the Venus 3 where they want to go. I'm on for that ride.

Best Robyn Hitchcock, after all these years!
Of course, that's what Robyn does, throw in a song or two that you can feel their presence in almost everyone of his LP's with the exception of his Soft Boys days. If you're old enough to have been a Beatles fan throughout their years, you can defintely feel the very strong influence on this LP/CD.

'Oslo' is even more refined than the 'Tarantula' CD. While there is no weak cut on this CD, my favorites include the title tune, "Goodnight Oslo" and "Your Head Here". "TLC" has quickly moved into the #3 spot, as I find this his greatest effort yet. And I own every one of his LP's or CD's.

If you get the chance to see him LIVE, do so! It'll be the best gig you've ever witnessed!

.

every song
Production reminiscent of Queen Elvis and Perspex Island. Every song a pleasure. Very polished. Must have worked their butts off on this one. Love the horns, chicks singing background. Lots of 12-strings ringing out. I know you read the term "best thing since. . . " alot, so I won't write that, but. . . Hitchcock lovers have endured many repackages and completist compilations from this prolific cat, and this is a straight-up GREAT pop record. I mean GREAT. Ole Robyn! Come back to upstate New York some time, buddy. You can finish reading Naked Lunch. Everybody else, buy this record. The download was available early and was an outstanding value.

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