Customer Reviews

I Wanna Go Backwards

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is worth every penny simply for the double-disc of unreleased material, 'While Thatcher Mauled Britain'!!

This set does make the Rhino versions retain value for about three songs each (so far), but those are mostly demos. If you fell victim to "out-of-print" prior to owning them, you're in absolute heaven here as those six or so will go totally un-noticed under the expansive shadow of W.T.M.B. considering that the 3 albums here are just as expanded as the Rhino versions!

If you're considering a dive into Robyn, this is a brilliant start even though 'Eye' is notoriously one of his least favored records.

If you want to simply know how a box set SHOULD be done, this is a model for sure! For me, it replaces the wound left by YepRoc's Billy Bragg volumes (a completist had it all already), and Robyn continues to exist as THE example for how the bulk of humanity has no taste whatsoever. The fact that he doesn't have the magnitude of respect nor icon status as Elvis Costello or...(shudder)...Springsteen, is shameful.

I have every Rhino re-issue, and don't regret the first second nor the first penny of buying both the CD AND Vinyl versions of this set!!

Easily, my best purchases of 2007.

Yep Roc's I Wanna Go Backwards box set is a great deal, even for people who own all three albums in their previous editions. The remastering is very well done, and the bonus tracks are welcome additions. The set contains the Hitchcock solo albums Black Snake Diamond Role, I Often Dream of Trains, and Eye, as well as two bonus discs. The latter are comprised of demos recorded around the time these albums were made, but most of them have been available on the albums Invisible Hitchcock and You & Oblivion. Still, they're all remastered and so it isn't a loss for people who own those two already.

Black Snake Diamond Role was Hitchcock's first solo album after his group The Soft Boys disbanded. Its rock sound is a bit softer and more whimsical version of the Boys, but the songs and lyrics are in many ways just as strong. The standout tracks are "Brenda's Iron Sledge" (a standard at Hitchcock's live performances), "The Lizard", "Acid Bird", and "I Watch the Cars". The version of "Grooving On A Inner Plane" included as a bonus is the best version of that particular track, and there are a few great songs from Invisible Hitchcock as well, like "All I Wanna Do Is Fall in Love" and "It's a Mystic Trip".

I Often Dream of Trains is considered by many to be Hitchcock's masterpiece, and rightfully so. It is an offbeat album of haunting beauty. One could never call Trains a rock album, but there are many different styles present and they all gel to create an ethereal experience that is uniquely Hitchcock. My favorite tracks from this album include "Cathedral", "Sounds Great When You're Dead", "Flavour of Night", "Trams of Old London", "Autumn Is Your Last Chance", and "I Often Dream of Trains". The bonus tracks on this are also quite good, especially "Winter Love" and "My Favorite Buildings".

Eye is another album in the vein of Trains, but it is even more stripped down as a mostly acoustic set. While there are some brilliant songs on here, like "Queen Elvis" (I and II) and "Raining Twilight Coast" -- and there is no doubt Hitchcock is one of the most talented and original guitarists of our time -- for me it is actually one of Hitchcock's least memorable albums. Among the best tracks on this album are "Chinese Water Python" (a lovely instrumental), "Executioner", the upbeat "Beautiful Girl", and the bonus track "The Beauty of Earl's Court".

The two bonus discs are not "all new" material as advertised -- as I said before, most of these tracks are from Invisible Hitchcock and You & Oblivion -- but there are some surprising new tracks included, such as the demo for "Queen Elvis" (which, for my money, is even better than the two versions of this song included on Eye), "You're So Repulsive", "Opiatrescence", and an excellent live performance of "Dr. Sticky", which is new to me but apparently appeared on the 1995 re-release of Invisible Hitchcock.

The only issue I have with this release is the packaging. While the outer purple and green box is gorgeous, and the new liner notes, drawings, poems and stories by Hitchcock are most welcome, the discs are housed in cardboard sleeves which are initially attractive, but offer no protection. I would have much preferred standard jewel cases or something similar, but the overall quality of the set overrides any complaint I may have about the packaging. It's a must-have for Hitchcock fans and is more than satisfactory as an introduction to the man's work.

Robyn Hitchcock may be a bizarre songwriter but he sure can get to the heart of what makes us human. His influences include Syd Barrett, John Lennon coupled with his own unique surreal songwriting sensibilities to provide us with a unique perspective on life, love and, of course, death.

This collection features his albums "Black Snake Diamond Role"(1984), "I Often Dream of Trains"(1981), "Eye"(1990)and features a compilation that collects rare singles, b-sides, demos, live tracks some of which have appeared on "You and Oblivion" and "Invisible Hitchcock" among other compilations/albums. Featuring some different bonus tracks. If you have the previous Rhino reissues do you need this? While it's not probably essential, it is nice to have. The bonus tracks are resequenced to different albums from the previous ones and there are some new rarities that show up as well.

Each CD in this box set replicates the original sleeve artwork gatefold sleeve (I don't seem to remember all of these being in gatefolds to begin with)with lyrics (and in some cases notes on the original release)in one section and the CD in the other. Unfortunately, they have no inner plastic sleeve to protect them from scratching but otherwise the artwork and materials are top notch.

Sound quality is extremely good as well. I couldn't find any remastering credits for the albums except for "Britain" and can only assume that Donal Whelan and Charlie Francis did the whole set. This is a terrific choice for fans of Hitchcock, Barrett and late 60's fans of Lennon (as well as fans of The Soft Boys). Since some of Hitchcock's original CD releases didn't always have the best mastering (for example my Glass Fish release of "Invisible Hitchcock" has never sounded all that great to me), fans will appreciate the remastering here.

This collection may be slightly incomplete, but I think some of the (very few) missing tracks in question will pop up on later releases in the reissue series. The only other problem I have with this nearly flawless set is the tracklisting on Trains. I prefer the Rhino version, but all of the good tracks are still on the disc as bonus songs. This set is a must for new fans and long-time fanatics alike. I can't wait to go backwards again with the Egyptians set coming out this spring.

I totally love this so far (I loved Eye & Dream Of Trains, and liked Black Diamond much before getting this), but be warned - much of the "unreleased" stuff has actually been put out. It has heavy overlap with Invisible Hitchcock and with You & Oblivion.

That said, the sound is much improved over the cruddy old CDs much of this has been on to date and is worth it just for that.

(and no knock on Amazon, but you can buy it from Yep Roc direct cheaper plus get all the the MP3s free right away when you do - just sayin.)

This is an amazing collection of songs.

The man never stops writing.

The demos alone are worth it.

If you love Robyn Hitchcock as much as I do, then this box is an absolute necessity.

This 5CD set should contain everything associated with Hitchcock's Black Snake Diamond Role, I Often Dream of Trains, and Eye. It should be a one-stop shop for those fans who are looking to upgrade or gather all stray tracks. But: beware that the horn mix of "The Man Who Invented Himself" is absent from Black Snake or the bonus discs. The horn mix was the sole version of the song included on various official editions of Black Snake. While the "zinc pear" mix (included here) is also esstential, the horn mix is the version that many fans know and love. It should--without question--be included as a bonus track. Also missing: "Mellow Together," which was included on several official editions of I Often Dream of Trains. Without these two familiar, historic tracks, the set has no value for long-time fans. New fans should be aware that, while they will be getting a ton of great tunes on I Wanna Go Backwards, they are getting an incomplete history.