Josh Saitz

This CD combines two of my favorite things: cover songs and Robyn Hitchcock in one of the most amazing and unique packages I've ever seen. Now I have more than 1,000 CDs and I've never seen packaging as cool and unique as this. I scanned the booklet, but it folds out and has some really cool design. But people don't buy CDs just for the packaging, they are more interested in the music. Robyn Hitchcock is my favorite singer in the world and I think he has one of the best voices in music. He's also a gifted and unique songwriter and his songs are open to interpretation. Even he sometimes changes his own songs when he does them live, adding harmonies, horns, or even a violin. When I got this CD I was expecting a lot of interesting new interpretations of Robyn's classics, but most of the songs are pretty straightforward covers. If you don't know the originals, you won't be lost at all--his songs are very accessible to almost anyone. Triskellion opens the CD with a mid-tempo cover of "Queen Elvis" that works very well in the context and The Very Idea's "Vibrating" takes the song in a new and more whimsical direction.

The songs are contributed by Robyn's fans, who assemble on a mailing list and discussion group and each one sounds surprisingly professional, There are a few standouts and overall, the song selection and musicianship is excellent. A few of the songs are very odd choices to cover, especially one band who cover one of Robyn's infamous stream-of-consciousness songs that is made up on the spot. You can get free samples at their web site and I certainly think this CD is a fitting tribute to an amazing performer.

Nick Winkworth

I finally got my copy of GF2 from the itinerant Sharkboy just a few weeks ago - not exactly the first day of release, I know. As a proud owner of GF1 I certainly wanted to make sure I got my copy, but good though that disc is, it's stuff for the fans only - you probably wouldn't play it for your non-Feg friends. I didn't feel any particular
sense of urgency about it.

Now that I've finally heard GF2 I am totally blown away - this thing is in another league altogether. Believe it or not, this is a CD I actually listen to for it's own sake and I *have* played it for non-Feg friends!

Interpretations range from faithful to unique to inspired to downright quirky. There's not a duffer on here.

As for the packaging ...I'd no idea! lj totally rules! This knocks 99% of the commercial product you've ever seen into a cocked hat. I've been showing this thing to folks around the office (a high tech marketing group - these folks are not easily impressed) ever since I got it.

In short, if you don't have a copy already, you OWE it to yourself to rush out and get one. You'll be amazed, impressed and, frankly (like me), embarrassed you didn't do it before.

Drew Simchik

I promised a long time ago (like 2 months) to say more about the Glass Flesh CDs I bought. And here I am with a half-assed fulfillment of said promise: I'll comment on GF2 first, because that's the one people are probably less likely to have already.

I won't comment on every track, but only on the ones that struck me as especially wonderful or unusual. I didn't love every track, but all of them are at least listenable and, with few exceptions, enjoyable. So -- without intending to slight anyone -- I'll single out a few for comment.

- Two tracks, whose titles I won't mention to preserve the surprise, incorporate bits of other Hitchcock tunes in clever ways (sort of medley-style, not to invoke the Sweeney sisters or anything).

- Ross Overbury's vocals on "Balloon Man" are lovely. It's a minor-key take with a somewhat folky feel to it.

- Charisma-tron's "Satellite" is in the same vein as the Transparencies'"Trash" from GF1: deadpan female vox over minimalist indie-punkish backing. Nice -- I'd love to hear more covers in this vein, because, as you know, women are angelic beings not of this earth.

- "Chinese Bones" is rendered pretty faithfully by The Love Spots, with the tumbling poise of the original stretched into a driving- song sprawl for this version. Very nice.

- The Virgineers flesh out "Surgery" in a terrific psychedelic mode. I always liked this one and this is the way I always wanted to hear it.

- Credit to David Anderson for tackling "Birdshead." That's a tough act to follow but he does so faithfully and beautifully.

- Fairly straightforward versions of "Queen Elvis," "Airscape," and"Alright, Yeah" (by Triskelion, Mark Allen, and Sir Demon Brown). Good
listening.

- The weirdest track is "More Chinese Boys" by Dead Toe. I don't think Robyn wrote it.

If I had to pick three favorite tracks, I'd pick four. They'd be:

- Mark Gloster's "Raymond Chandler Evening," complete with Philip Marlowe's spoken-word contribution. Great expansion of the original and a real pleasure to listen to.

- The fully-formed version of "You've Got." I always found the version on You & Oblivion a little dull, which is not to belittle the JH3
Experience's fantastic cover.

- "Flavour of Night," by the Southern Drinking Companions, sounds less like John Lennon and more like Martin Gore fronting Black Tape for a Blue Girl. It's lovely, especially the vocals.

- And the special bonus prize goes to the only instrumental this time around, a crystalline take on "Glass" by the New Nairobi Trio. I keep thinking I hear a snatch of "We Three Kings" in it but it must be my imagination.

I have pretty low expectations for tribute albums, so saying this is the best one I've ever heard seems like faint praise, but it's not. I'd love to hear more radical reworkings, but that's about the only criticism I can level. I highly recommend it.

Drew

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