Luminous Groove [Box set]

Robyn Hitchcock | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 19, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 5
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Yep Roc Records
• ASIN: B001B0IPJQ
• In-Print Editions: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #48,068 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

The second in a series of Robyn Hitchcock retrospective box sets from Yep Roc, the five-disc ''Luminous Groove'' box set shines a light on Robyn's rock & roll renaissance with the Egyptians. In 1985 Robyn's newest group, with ex-Soft Boys Andy Metcalfe and Morris Windsor plus keyboardist Roger Jackson, marked the next stage in the career of one of popular music's most unique creators. ''Fegmania!'' is a return to band format, showcasing the new outfit through sonic tapestries around Hitchcock's signature skittered melodies and private lyrics. On ''Element of Light,'' The Egyptians glide between regal pop and driving psychedelia, resulting in one of the most deliberate and nuanced rock records of the decade. ''Gotta Let This Hen Out!'' captures a blazing live set by the Egyptians from London's Marquee club in early 1985. The band blasts through new and old Hitchcock classics, effortlessly blending the show into what amounts to a live best-of collection and reminding fans that Robyn's legend is built as much on loud guitars as it is on eerie metaphors and jagged melodies. All three albums contain new bonus tracks exclusive to ''Luminous Groove.'' In addition to these three seminal albums, the set also includes two exclusive bonus discs entitled ''Bad Case of History'' which features previously unreleased studio recordings, including the final 1994 sessions, and a CD of unheard live material. Just as with Yep Roc's first box set collection ''I Wanna Go Backwards,'' the curation of ''Fegmania!,'' ''Element of Light,'' and ''Gotta Let This Hen Out!'' into one box set encapsulates a critical portion of the creative life of Britain's Mad Hatter of pop and further illuminates Hitchcock's gloriously mysterious ''Luminous Groove.'' ''Luminous Groove'' is also available as an eight-LP vinyl set.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars His throwaways are better than most artists' greatest hits., October 15, 2008

By 

JT "ManyHands" (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Luminous Groove (Audio CD)

More songs about cathedrals and food.

The sticker on this box advertises 54 bonus tracks. To me, however, the reissued LPs ARE the bonus tracks to another great set of Robyn Hitchcock previously unreleased recordings. RH is one of the very rare artists who's throwaways are better than a lot of other artists' greatest hits records.

I used to listen to Soft Boys and RH records in the 80s and in the past few years, I've rediscovered him. He quickly became one of my very favorite songwriters, as well as a favorite singer and musician. One thing that I think makes him great is that his outtakes are as good or better than songs on his 'official' releases. Two of his recent records, Jewels for Sophia and Moss Elixer, were immediately followed by full length outtakes records: A Star for Bram and Mossy Liquor. All four records are equally good, to my ears.

I was thrilled, therefore, to hear last year's boxset "I Want To Go Backwards". It had three of my favorite RH records, each with extra tracks like singles, bsides and outtakes. It also had two extra cds full of more bonus tracks. Again, it seemed like RH's creativity is endless: I have all the old records and most singles, but he keeps releasing older recordings of perfectly brilliant songs.

This new release has nearly the same format as "...Backwards" and every fan of RH will find plenty to love. The three LPs reissued here are were recorded with the Egyptians, so they are more pop-oriented and have plenty of trebly guitar and fretless bass. These are three records that I listen to a lot less than the folkier ones, but hearing them here reminded me how terrific they are.

I bought this boxset for the extra tracks, of course. fegMANIA has a few from singles that I have, a recent live "heaven", which is interesting and different than the record's version. The disc also features a few tracks that are related to fegMANIA, but seem to have been recorded recently. Whatever the case, they are good songs. "Gotta Let This Hen Out!" has more live songs than the original LP, but they might have also been on the Rhino reissue. The extra tracks are a handful of Egyptian live songs from a 1989 show that sound like board recordings; they're not altogether bad, but they are a sort of anticlimax after the high energy sound of "...Hen...". "Element of Light" is the record that features the best and most extra tracks: a few singles and outtakes that are all excellent.

The double bonus cd, "Bad Case of History", is the reason that this set gets only four stars. The first disc is nearly flawless, full of interesting songs that I've never heard. Disc two is a live Egyptians set that is only marginally interesting. None of the versions approach the quality of the studio records, and there is plenty of out of tune harmony singing that is distracting. I can't imagine wanting to listen to it again, though there are a few covers that I haven't heard them do elsewhere.

RH fans will find this box indispensable. This is not a 'completist only' release, though. People who want more of a great singer and songwriter will get quite a lot of great songs for $50.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well Worth It!, August 26, 2008

By 

Michael J. Swedene "midy" (NYC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Luminous Groove (Audio CD)

Oh my god!

I forgot how great these albums are. I have been an uber-fan of his for over 20 years. The man never disappoints.

If you are on the fence,get off of it and buy this.

If for nothing else, the live Egyptians (disc 5) shows just how tight they were.

The man is a genius.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Luminous Groove - 5cd - Robyn & the Egyptians box, August 26, 2008

By 

Joseph Morris "Joe Morris" (Elmwood Park, NJ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Luminous Groove (Audio CD)

First off, the bonus tracks are great. Always nice to hear the Egyptians backing up Robyn. Bad Case of History, Upside down church, Surfer Ghost.. great stuff. I can understand why Robyn still sings with his old friends (saw Robyn sing with Morris recently at Hobokens - HAVE to have back up vocals for Flesh Number 1!)

The packagings first rate. Element of Light has lyrics, all the albums are gatefold, with nice pictures, recording info. For the live disc (disc 2 of A bad case of history, the dates/venues are given (Ritz 1989, and so forth)

I think this is a good place to start with Robyn. Maybe if you give this to someone, along with a copy of I Often Dream of Trains, I can't imagine that they WON'T like the songs..

And, again, hes never had such a great band. Of course they were getting too old to do it forever, but it would be nice if they were to tour this album.

Interesting bits: Robyn doing a demo of Bass playing all the instruments himself, a live Railway Shoes in the 90s, a live Unsettled (!) as a bonus track on the You gotta let this hen out!

Will the Robyn fan need it. Yeah, probably. From what I understand, the sounds been remastered, and thats as good an excuse as any to listen to Airscape. Its a nice package. The bonus tracks are good (always good to hear new Robyn Hitchcock and the Egyptians).

If you have the albums (Element of Light, fegmania! Gotta Let this hen out) maybe trade them in, buy this just to have them in one collection. I'm not sure that theres much that was left off to make up for the bonus tracks. A very listenable set. Okay, the loss of the Can Opener off the Rhino issue of Element is tragic, but I think this is a very good set

Its more Robyn. What more can you ask for?

[BTW Robyn is touring the I Often Dream of Trains later this year. (Yes hes playing the album in its entirety live!) Get your tickets now!]