But whereas Elvis goes for the hard rocking sound of his namesake, Robyn is more comfortable with the bluegrass / folk sound that he found with his collaborators. I refer to this album and the idea of Southern American music in my review of Elvis CostelloвЂ™s new album. This one however is about an American girl and how he is вЂњ looking for the animal behind eyes.вЂќ вЂњCreeped OutвЂќ is a sister song to вЂњEnglish GirlвЂќ which appears earlier on the album. вЂњDemons and FiendsвЂќ is somewhat of a doo-wop, almost a cappella affair, with very sparse strums of guitars interspersed amongst more thoughtful lyrics. Hitchcock goes back to his Lennon Beatlesque pop style with вЂњEverybody Needs Love,вЂќ which features deft guitar work by the trio.

They are gorgeous enough to make one want to listen to her voice alone at times, and subtle enough for you not to notice at others. Gillian WelchвЂ™s harmonizing vocals are simple perfection. вЂњIf You Know TimeвЂќ has some of the best political lyrics IвЂ™ve heard this year, including all of the tracks off of Future Soundtrack for America. вЂњTelevisionвЂќ is done so honestly and earnestly, that you forget itвЂ™s a song about the love between a man and his TV. At times ironic, political, touching and cynical, the album is a quiet meditation, a gathering of RobynвЂ™s thoughts at the time. Spooked is a haunting (no pun intended) portrait. Regardless of where you know him from, it shouldnвЂ™t change your outlook on this new project. Few will know him as an actor, but thatвЂ™s something he has dabbled in, appearing in the remake of The Manchurian Candidate this year. Many will remember Robyn Hitchcock as the lead for his band the Egyptians, and still others for his earlier gig in the Soft Boys. The result is one of this yearвЂ™s best singer / songwriter album releases of the year. The trio met, exchanged mutual admiration and phone numbers, and decided to record together.

The latter two had been fans of HitchcockвЂ™s for years and when Robyn went to see a Gillian Welch show in 2003, he became a fan of theirs. But alongside the quirk is some stark and revealing beauty created by Robyn Hitchcock, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings. From the opening Bing a bong a bing bongвЂs of the first track вЂњTelevision,вЂќ you just know that youвЂ™re in for a quirky album.

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