The Man Upstairs, by Robyn Hitchcock

The Man Upstairs

by Robyn Hitchcock

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1.	The Ghost In You 04:28	buy track
2.	San Francisco Patrol 04:19	buy track
3.	To Turn You On 04:10	buy track
4.	Trouble In Your Blood 04:42	buy track
5.	Somebody To Break Your Heart 02:21	buy track
6.	Don't Look Down 05:08	buy track
7.	Ferries 03:02	buy track
8.	Comme Toujours 03:08	buy track
9.	The Crystal Ship 02:27	buy track
10.	Recalling The Truth 04:26	buy track

about

The Man Upstairs sees Hitchcock uniting with legendary producer Joe Boyd (Nick Drake, Fairport Convention) for one of the most unique recordings of his already quite idiosyncratic career. Rather than simply record a new selection of songs, Boyd suggested what he called ‘a Judy Collins album’ such as Elektra would have released in 1967 – part well-known favorites, part personal discoveries, and part originals. The multi-tiered approach offered Hitchcock the rare opportunity to record as a performer, not “just another singer-songwriter laying their freshest eggs.”

Thus, modern standards like Roxy Music’s “To Turn You On,” The Doors’ “The Crystal Ship,” and The Psychedelic Furs’ “The Ghost In You” are interlaced with lesser-known gems from such pals as Grant-Lee Phillips (“Don’t Look Down”) and I Was A King (“Ferries”), the latter featuring harmony vocals and guitar from the Norwegian indiepop combo’s own Anne Lise Frøkedal. Meanwhile, new Hitchcock originals like “Trouble In Your Blood” and “Comme Toujours” stand among his most fragile and heartfelt, his stark vocal and guitar cast by Boyd against simple, autumnal backing from longtime collaborators Jenny Adejayan (cello), Charlie Francis (piano), and the aforementioned Frøkedal (harmonies).

Recorded and mixed at London’s Snap Studio in just one short week last October, The Man Upstairs further comes adorned with delightfully macabre cover art painted exclusively for the album by GRAMMY®-winning singer/songwriter Gillian Welch.

credits

released August 26, 2014

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about

Robyn Hitchcock London, UK

Robyn Hitchcock is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist.

After leading The Soft Boys in the late 1970s and releasing the influential Underwater Moonlight, Hitchcock launched a prolific solo career.

He lives in Nashville, TN with the singer-songwriter Emma Swift. ... more

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