Daily Trojan
September 2, 1999
Robyn Hitchcock's Jewels For Sophia
by Andrew Olds
The greatest skill of singer-songwriters is their ability to tell a story. Throughout his 18 years in the music industry, Robyn Hitchcock has been regarded as an elegant (though eccentric) storyteller. Jewels For Sophia, Hitchcock's 19th album, captures moments of his past glory, but many of the songs fall short of their intended goal.
On Jewels For Sophia, Hitchcock calls on several famous acquaintances in the music industry, such as Grant-Lee Phillips of Grant Lee Buffalo and Peter Buck of R.E.M.. Still, Jewels For Sophia is mostly Hitchcock's show.
At his best, Hitchcock creates a textured backbone on which to lay his quirky vocals. Songs such as "The Cheese Alarm" and "NASA Clapping" are eccentric tales that Hitchcock is able to bring to life. By adding an electric guitar above the steady strumming of his own acoustic, these tracks are neatly textured and upbeat.
Unfortunately, Hitchcock's eccentricity causes him to lose his connection to his audience. Like many tracks on the album, the rolling "Viva Sea-Tac" fails to evoke any emotion. Other songs, such as the opening "Mexican God", are more a collection of thoughts than a tale.
Though Jewels For Sophia experiences a few moments of brilliance, Hitchcock is unable to string together a number of well-crafted enjoyable stories. His latest album gives no signals of an imminent commercial breakthrough, but merely reinforces his reputation as an eccentric songwriter.
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