j o e

Time has done little to erode this classic from the ex-drummer/vocalist of Soft Machine. Rock Bottom was produced by Pink Floyd's Nick Mason and released in 1974, just over one year after Wyatt's now-infamous fall from a window, leaving him paralyzed for life. Whimsical lyrics in the Lewis Carroll vein are clothed in stirring melodies tinged with melancholy. Throw in a substantial portion of musical eccentricism--the backwards, droning loops of South African trumpeter Mongezi Feza (sadly, he would die of pneumonia in a psychiatric hospital the next year) or Ivor Cutler's insane Scottish recitative that closes out the album--and you have a simply unforgettable recording. I don't want to spoil it by describing too much, because it really would. Suffice to say, I think this is a really beautiful album: sad, funny, and very, very strange. Go give it a spin! Recently reissued by Thirsty Ear Records (with a new front cover, complete lyrics, and new liner notes by Wyatt), so you have no excuse. review by Joe McGlinchey — undated —

e r i c

The liner notes describe the package as "Songs and Drones by Robert Wyatt". I am hard pressed to come up with a better description of the music. A minimalist recording of songs consisting of piano and vocals mostly, with some accompaniment from other instruments and prog heavyweights. Wyatt's voice is unique, but one that I have not gotten used to. "Sea Song", which may be my favorite here, is ruined by his warbling at the end, when the music would do just fine. Guest Mike Oldfield lends his guitar to "Little Red Robin Hood Hit The Road" and this is my favorite moment of the CD. The entire disc is very melancholy, more than likely reflecting the moods of a man whose life was forever changed. Wyatt fell three stories out of a window, and would be paralyzed from the waist down for the rest of his life. To be objective, I have not heard any music that is like what is on this CD. I have read progressive rock books that cite this recording as one of the genre's most important. But ultimately, what it boils down to is the question: do you like what you hear? My honest answer is: not really. review by Eric Porter — undated —