1993
Robyn Hitchcock And The Egyptians/Respect/A&M
by Mike Daly
Hitchcock's poetic, slightly warped Pop is amply displayed on his new disc, Respect. The mildly countryish "Arms Of Love" at once pleads for and promises a romantic respect from life's endless trials. "Railway Shoes", which sounds like a Sgt. Pepper's-era Lennon/Harrison collaboration, finds a lusty young male trapped in the mold of his conservative father. "Then You're Dust" paints an imaginative portrait of what The End is like. "Wafflehead", a psuedo-rap complete with Barry White imitation (?), explores the sensuality of the crispy breakfast food.
But as if Hitchcock And The Egyptians weren't British enough to begin with, producer John Leckie's lab-coat-and-tie approach to the material often robs it of anything remotely real. If Leckie had treated these songs with more respect, it would have made for a much more consistent LP.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE