ROCK BOTTOM

Don't get me wrong! I love Robert Wyatt, I feel much sympathy for him, but I don't think this album is really enjoyable! I definitely prefered the crazed "drunken biped" from the Soft Machine era.

I give one star for "Sea song" and "Alifib" intro, and another one for the eerie atmosphere created by the organ drone over the whole album! I am dissatisfied with Wyatt's vocal performance because I found it embarrassing (end of Sea Song) or just boring and nasal (well, pretty much anywhere else). "Sea Song" is gorgeous until Wyatt almost choked himself by the end of the song, "A last straw" is an Ok track, nothing wrong really, but nothing really moving either. The third track--I have really mixed feelings for it-- I first hated it for the orchestration went a bit over the top, but after a thorough listen, it might be the second best track- after "Sea Song"-- on the album : nice chords progression, and odd time signature and melody. "Alifib" guests former-Machine Hopper, and his great bass soli fit in nicely with the strange organ, then the song veers into what is in my opinion a plain song-- a commonplace melody and strange words, for the sake of being strange! Finally, I don't like the 2 final tracks...again, Wyatt is quirky and experimental for the sake of it...

All in all, I will be over-generous and give an extra star for the 3rd track! I have had the album for three years now and it has not especially grown on me since! Anyway, that is 3 stars for Robert and his --IMO--overrated masterpiece!