Robyn Hitchcock-Eye (1990)

 

Artist: Robyn Hitchcock

Title: Eye

Label: Twin/Tone

Format: CD

Cat #: TTR 89175-2

Year of Release: 1990

Country and Year of Edition Issue: US 1990

Sold Price: $4.99

Listed Condition: VG+/VG+

Sell Date: 10/27/20

Discogs Last Sold: 7/27/20

Low: $1.98

Median: $4.00

High: $9.99

Current low price: $2.89

Current Number on Sale at Discogs: 12

Have/Want: 275/21

Where Sold: Baltimore, MD

Time it took to sell: 10 years

Where and When Bought: Newbury Comics Boston New upon release around $12

Gwiz-gau Letter Grade: B

Sad To See It Go?: No

I was very excited when this came out.  I Often Dream Of Trains was my favorite Hitchcock, and I had bought everything up to this point.  Although during his late 80's major label run I preferred the newer releases to most of his other indie titles, I was looking forward to a more stripped down approach promised in advance of the release of Eye.

And yet, it was a title I barely played and didn't commit to memory--unlike Globe of Frogs and Queen Elvis.  I thought the songs were a tad boring this time and although I stuck with Robyn on Perspex Island and beyond, I fell off the rails as a top level fan willing to buy a seat far in advance the way I did for the Queen Elvis tour.  They don't even list the two Boston area shows I witnessed,  the ticketed one at the Berklee Performing Arts Center in 1989 and a surprise solo set at the Rat earlier that year or the year before.   I maintained his discography through about the mid aughts, they were all in the buy used promo-play once-file away variety.  Looking at his catalog I did this with 5 albums all the way through 2004's Spooked before dropping off completely, although I think I bought a few in one shot in a half.com 75 cent catchup frenzy sometime around then.   I'm looking through the list of many NYC dates since 1992 and I can't seem to remember attending a single one of them.  Maybe once or twice at the Knitting Factory or Bottom Line in the 90's, or maybe a South By Southwest show in Austin.  I seem to remember a show with Grant Lee Buffalo, but I honestly can't remember if I merely wanted to go or actually went, as I have no recollection of actually seeing Grant Lee Buffalo.  I feel like I've seen him in his "gray" period and not just twice back in the 80's.    I guess I'll have to check Robyn out again if live music ever happens.

As for the topic at hand, Eye, upon further review, the same thing comes to mind: it is fucking long.  This is an album that needs to be chopped down, not expanded with bonus tracks as was the case in 2007.  Some good songs stand out: "Flesh Cartoons" and "Transparent Lover" (in the background as I write this),  a reprise of "Queen Elvis" and the opener "Cynthia Mask" also.  "Beautiful Girl" is the first one I remember from listening 30 years ago.  

I got through the end,  strong tracks "Satellite," "Aquarium" and "Queen Elvis II” close it. 

One eye, not three.