Online review by 'cambridgemusicreviews'
Robyn Hitchcock returned to his Cambridge musical roots with a performance at Junction J2.

Robyn Hitchcock describes his songs as “paintings you can listen to.” And as paintings they would of course be mostly surrealistic miniatures, colourful and intricately crafted. His expressive vocals and perfectly judged sparse guitar is hypnotic. The often quoted influences of Dylan, Lennon and of course Syd Barrett can be heard but he has a voice and viewpoint all his own. Take a listen to the special delight that is ‘My Wife and My Dead Wife’, or ‘I Often Dream of Trains’ and ‘The Cheese Alarm’ and be impressed. Tonight there are also some eccentric meanderings between songs, musing abstractly on the delights or otherwise of Cambridge and his extensive musical career.

He has continued to record and perform since his beginnings in the late 70s with psychedelic/pop band ‘The Soft Boys’, working as a solo artist and also collaborating extensively. His most recent album is ‘The Man Upstairs’, featuring original songs and covers including a brilliant version of ‘The Ghost in You’ by The Psychedelic Furs (remember them?). Unfortunately that wasn’t played tonight but as a bonus instead the show ended with guest appearances from Cambridge musicians Nick Barraclough on mandolin and banjo and Kimberley Rew on guitar. This included an encore of ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’, the famous experimental Beatles track, fitting seamlessly into the show.


Online review by Slate The Disco
Coming just a year after his last Cambridge show, Robyn Hitchcock returns this time in support of acclaimed new album ‘The Man Upstairs’. The LP features stark, beautiful originals as well as readings of others’ which are often much more affecting than their originals. It’s the latest in a prolific and varied career which has included a stint with short-lived post-punk outfit The Soft Boys as well as formidable backing bands for his solo career like the Egyptians and Venus 3.

The more straightforward furrow on his new record is for a while left alone, Hitchcock preferring to muse on cheese alarms and a satirical take on an Olympic anthem: ‘Dismal City’.

In these songs his irreverent wit seeps in lyrically from his fairly long and always hilarious between-song monologues. After such a talk on a tennis court situated on the site of The Junction in the 70s, microphone stands and Spandau Ballet, he plays ‘I Often Dream Of Trains’ from LP of same name, a crowd favourite and great reading.

‘My Wife And My Dead Wife’ is also a welcome hark back to his Egyptians material; Hitchcock’s charm and quick thinking always makes for funny moments when he’s between tunes.

Being a hometown show, locals radio DJ Nick Barraclough and fellow Soft Boy Kimberly Rew are on hand to provide mandolin/ banjo and guitar respectively. The pace is changed as they shift through a few covers and old songs with the familiarity of old friends.

It’s nice to see the three of them together onstage enjoying themselves and that enthusiasm does translate, but the absence of most of Hitchcock’s latest and most well-received album for some time is somewhat disappointing considering the sublime ‘San Francisco Patrol’, ‘Comme Toujours’ and several more aren’t touched. When he’s such an excellent songwriter in his own right a Beatles cover does seem a little superfluous. The moments where he fully inhabits his own songs alone are stunning, so it’s maybe a shame he doesn’t take the opportunity to do so more often.