What’s The Best Robert Wyatt Record? -

What’s The Best Robert Wyatt Record?

6:06 PM GMT 26/09/2008

RYUICHI SAKAMOTO MAY HAVE said that Robert Wyatt possessed the “saddest voice in the world”, but this arguably shortchanges the records rock music’s foremost treasured old communist has produced. Touching on the outer reaches of jazz, Ray Charles, Buddy Holly, and music from across the globe, he’s accessed multifarious fields of experience in his 40-odd years of music-making as a group member and solo artist, making the political personal and afflicting the comfortable.

With his back catalogue reissued next month by the Domino label, it’s time to ask which of his recordings are the most essential. Do you need Rock Bottom or Ruth Is Stranger Than Richard? Shleep or Old Rottenhat? And which Soft Machine or Matching Mole trump them all? You tell us. As ever, the best comments and recommendations will appear in the magazine. Cheers!

Post your recommendations below...

Posted by Danny_Eccleston at 6:06 PM GMT 26/09/2008

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Old Rottenhat was my first real introduction to the Wyatt cannon. That keyboard sound, the lyrics and that Chomsky quote, that rhythm machine, that voice, all combine to create a unique political musical expression for a new era.

Posted by soldout in san francisco at 2:24 AM GMT 27/09/2008 Report Abuse

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It's certainly not is latest. Even though it has some exquisite moments, it's quite an underwhelming collection overall, I thought. And while I particularly love Rock Bottom and Cuckooland, I'm going to have to stump for Shleep; a beautiful and powerful collection of songs. I don't think his voice has been better, nor has he produced a more cohesively satisfying album.

Posted by WyattHarp at 2:46 PM GMT 28/09/2008 Report Abuse

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I think Rock Bottom is his utterly best. Just the thought of it sends shivers down my spine.It's one of the most beautiful things ever commited to tape.

Posted by Gautxos at 3:00 PM GMT 28/09/2008 Report Abuse

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I go with Rock Bottom but really all his releases have enough gems of angelic wisdom to suffice a life of listening. For Matching Mole, the first album is definitely a slice of tight music-making, songs about songwriting!

Posted by garth at 4:40 PM GMT 28/09/2008 Report Abuse

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Each of Wyatt's releases evoke magical moments unique to their time periods as well as being timeless and eternal. My desert island disc would be Rock Bottom, a musical trip into never never land and beyond.

Posted by mystic at 5:51 AM GMT 29/09/2008 Report Abuse

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It's 'Soft Machine Vol.II', without a doubt.

Posted by tmothy at 4:41 PM GMT 29/09/2008 Report Abuse

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You just have to have Rock Bottom, for the music, the history around it and the people on the album. Case closed. I'll stick to the solo albums and vote for two more (tomorrow I'll probably choose a couple of the others): Shleep (1997) and Cuckooland (2003). Great collections of songs, both of them. Just listen to the beautiful Free Will and Testament on Shleep. The album also has one of the best Bob Dylan songs ever: Blues in Bob Minor. One song from Cuckooland will convince you too: Cuckoo Madame. It is a sad and beautiful record.

Posted by Svenn at 8:39 PM GMT 29/09/2008 Report Abuse

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I was drawn into Shleep and 10 plus years later its still a regular!

Posted by Gordon at 11:27 AM GMT 30/09/2008 Report Abuse

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Ruth is Stranger than Richard, if I have to choose my desert island record. Particularly Muddy Mouse/Mouth, complete with Robert's imitation electric piano and Fred Fith's real acoustic one. A blissful record, a favourite of mine since its release.

Posted by David Squires, Nottingham at 2:34 PM GMT 30/09/2008 Report Abuse

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Though Rock Bottom is his most celebrated, Old Rottenhat rules the roost for me. Easily his most melodic and well-sung collection of tunes.

And let's also put Nick Mason's Fictitious Sports on the list, too. Wyatt singing all Carla Bley tunes backed by Mason, Chris Spedding, NRBQ's Terry Adams, and Bley's band. Chock full of mischief and melody. What a fun and overlooked album this is!

Posted by Charlie Tokyo at 9:02 PM GMT 30/09/2008 Report Abuse

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Rock Bottom without a doubt. One of the strangest and most beautiful albums ever made. O Caroline from the Matching Mole days takes some beating too.

Posted by TheManInTheHat at 4:53 PM GMT 01/10/2008 Report Abuse

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Rock Bottom without a doubt. One of the strangest and most beautiful albums ever made. O Caroline from the Matching Mole days takes some beating too.

Posted by Keith Bell at 4:54 PM GMT 01/10/2008 Report Abuse

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Rock Bottom without a doubt. One of the strangest and most beautiful albums ever made. O Caroline from the Matching Mole days takes some beating too.

Posted by Keith Bell at 4:54 PM GMT 01/10/2008 Report Abuse

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Rock Bottom without a doubt. One of the strangest and most beautiful albums ever made. O Caroline from the Matching Mole days takes some beating too.

Posted by Keith Bell at 4:54 PM GMT 01/10/2008 Report Abuse

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Rock Bottom without a doubt. One of the strangest and most beautiful albums ever made. O Caroline from the Matching Mole days takes some beating too.

Posted by Keith Bell at 4:57 PM GMT 01/10/2008 Report Abuse

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Rock Bottom definitely. One of the strangest and most beautiful albums ever made.

Posted by Alucard at 4:59 PM GMT 01/10/2008 Report Abuse

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Rock Bottom definitely. One of the strangest and most beautiful albums ever made.

Posted by keith@keith-bell.com at 5:00 PM GMT 01/10/2008 Report Abuse

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Rock Bottom! Surreal music with a surreal cover (hope they reissue the original LP cover). Seems Radiohead was enamored with 'Little Red Riding Hood Hit the Road' (The cloud of horns on 'National Anthem' and weird backwards/forward vocals on 'Like Spinning Plates') Rock Bottom is an art rock masterpiece.

Posted by Grec Pittsburgh at 4:58 AM GMT 02/10/2008 Report Abuse

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Nothing Can Stop Us. This collection of Wyatt's singles for Rough Trade in the 80's sees Robert at his most political. Wonderful vocals and exquisite arrangements make this a perfect record. And Robert was generous enough to let other artists feature on the B-sides, all of which are included here.
I always feel terribly intellectual after listening to it!

Posted by simon F at 6:44 AM GMT 02/10/2008 Report Abuse

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The 1999 Rykodisc compilation "eps" gets my vote, containing as it does "Round Midnight" "I'm A Believer" "Pigs...(In There)" + four "Shleep" remixes & a general 20+year collection of snapshots of the bizarre outpost of civilization that is Wyatt.......and he & Alfreda live In Louth - voluntarily! What good characters.

Posted by SusceptibleSyd at 3:21 PM GMT 02/10/2008 Report Abuse

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For me the best Robert Wyatt record is The Moon in June on Soft Machine 3. It's a beautiful melody with beautiful drumming. Brings back the best in summernight- memories. Always. That's the power of a classic song.

Posted by Sjef de Heij at 6:52 PM GMT 02/10/2008 Report Abuse

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Soft Machine 2 is my favorite album of all time. Wyatt's contributions and collaborations with Hopper and Ratledge created one of the artistic peaks of the 20th century in any medium. Rockbottom is Wyatt's best solo effort and sounds extraordinary today as it did when it came out.

Posted by mrbassman56 at 9:49 PM GMT 02/10/2008 Report Abuse

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Soft Machine 2 is my favorite album of all time. Wyatt's contributions and collaborations with Hopper and Ratledge created one of the artistic peaks of the 20th century in any medium. Rockbottom is Wyatt's best solo effort and sounds extraordinary today as it did when it came out.

Posted by mrbassman56 at 9:49 PM GMT 02/10/2008 Report Abuse

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The hilarious BBC-version of the Softs' "The Moon in June" is one of many reasons I love compilation "Triple Echo". Besides that I would not be without "Rock Bottom" which is simply brilliant and his latest, "Comicopera". "End of an Ear" is the one to avoid in my humble opinion.

Posted by UThule at 4:16 PM GMT 03/10/2008 Report Abuse

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Much as 'Rock Bottom' has been a favorite and a staple of my existence for 30+ years now, I'd have to go with 'Shleep' as the all-time best Robert Wyatt album to date. I'd also put him in my top ten all-time favorite singers.

Posted by Peter Jesperson at 7:53 PM GMT 03/10/2008 Report Abuse

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No mention of 'The Hapless Child'. Wyatt's deadpan delivery of Edward Gorey's oddball gothic tales of doubtful guests and slowly sinking creatures soars over the all star backing of Dejohnette, Rypdal, Steve Swallow and carla Bley. A strong Contender for his best or, failing that, his second best after Rock Bottom.

PS 'End of an Ear' goes in the 'Avoid these' column

Posted by Chris Gravestock at 5:23 PM GMT 04/10/2008 Report Abuse

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Trouble with this is you really need something from Nothing Can Stop Us / Old Rottenhat / Dondestan, plus something from the other parts of his oeuvre. Rottenhat in particular is sorely under-rated.

Ooooh... Could it actually be Shleep? A remarkable thing when it arrived in 1997, only deepening in splendour as time rolls on. Absolutely the third part of a trilogy with Rock & Ruth. Hmm.

Or... Is it just futile to look past Rock Bottom? It's the obvious choice, but there's a reason for that. Lunar, tidal, a sea-changeling: a tough succour; heartfelt beyond everyday vocabulary; endlessly astonishing. Aether actualised. And other such purple prose.

Nevertheless, for many years, I listened to Rock Bottom every full moon, without fail, & I expect to be doing so at the end of my days, still thrilling to it. Not just Wyatt's best LP, but very probably my favourite LP of all. An epiphanal experience, every time.

(I've no axe to grind against Mike Oldfield, BTW, but imagine if Rock Bottom, rather than Tubular Bells, had been the big household-name hit? I'd love to live in that world.)

So, yep. Rock Bottom. Natch.

Posted by David McArdle at 10:16 PM GMT 04/10/2008 Report Abuse

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This is a toughy...
SM Vol II is superb from start to finish, one of my favourite records ever. 'Moon in June', the original and the BBC version are way cool! The first and second Matching Moles are good too despite the split in writing duties. 'God Song', 'Signed Curtain' etc. are brilliant. Rock Bottom and Ruth are a pair in my mind. The Rough Trade years were excellent. Centipede anyone? And Robert's version of 'Shipbuilding' brings a tear to my eye.

My friend Wicky Stuntmaster used to live next door to Robert and Alfreda in Louth as a kid and used to sell him Cuban jazz records at the local shop. His mother used to warn him off as 'the grumpy old man in the wheelchair who used to play with Jimi Hendrix or something'!

Robert, you are a living legend and an institution. I wish I could've made it to your Meltdown fiesta.

Posted by Afro Zen at 1:13 PM GMT 05/10/2008 Report Abuse

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One of the best retrospectives of his work is undoubtedly "Going Back A Bit" on Virgin Universal. Includes singles, album tracks and samplings from the Nick Mason album and "The Hapless Child". "eps" is pretty good too - especially Pigs...(In There). I happen to be a fan of End Of An Ear. Primitive, naive, indulgent? Yes, but equally evocative of a melancholic, lost time as the subsequent Rock Bottom. Give it another listen!

Posted by Esther NoseJob at 2:39 PM GMT 05/10/2008 Report Abuse

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A few more thoughts after trawling through the archives:
With RW's accident in June 1973, England lost one of it's greatest drummers. Although he later claimed that he no longer understood "my adolescent self, the drummer biped". His infinitely creative and profoundly nuanced approach is poorly served by the studio albums. That's one of the reasons there are so many Soft Machine boots. Live At The Paradiso (Voiceprint) documents a brilliant performance (March 29th, 1969) and is mastered a bit "hot" - thus revealing all the incredible cymbal and snare work. It had originally been planned for legit release but was deemed to be too crude a rendition of the just completed Vol.2.
Another facet of this brilliant human being.

Posted by Esther NoseJob at 5:06 PM GMT 05/10/2008 Report Abuse

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Of all the heartbreaking, timeless records Wyatt's released over nearly four decades,
Old Rottenhat just about shades it. Embraced by post-punk Peelies, and stuffed full of sparkling, life-affirming pop melodies, this was the album that proved Wyatt was no mere survivor of the late '60s counterculture. Truly indispensable.

Posted by Mark Catterall at 6:36 PM GMT 09/10/2008 Report Abuse

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this is like asking which child is the favourite ... but I'm very partial to the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Soft Machine albums, the first Matching Mole album ("Signed Curtain" and "O Caroline" are gorgeous songs), and all the demos that float around from the initial 4-piece Soft Machine are absolutely gorgeous.

Posted by Keef at 5:39 PM GMT 13/10/2008 Report Abuse

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All Robert Wyatt albums are excellent, but excluding all the Soft Machine, Matching Mole and assorted other bits and pieces I would have to say that my favourite is Rock Bottom, with honourable mentions to Nothing Can Stop Us, Old Rottenhat and Cuckooland. Also check out the excellent 5 disc EPs set.

Posted by Mooninjune at 10:32 PM GMT 15/10/2008 Report Abuse

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RE: tmothy right on, my brother. which only makes the poor production on the first album that more damning.

Posted by dannyv at 4:31 AM GMT 22/10/2008 Report Abuse

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The 2. Soft Machine, the 1. Matching Mole and Rock Bottom. By the way, Domiono just release the whole cataloge only as Vinyl?

Posted by Walter Lindenberg at 7:56 PM GMT 05/01/2009 Report Abuse

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Started this obsession with Shleep and never looked back... still compelling 12 years after the fact. Rock Bottom is a close second.

Posted by Alejandro Dagnino at 4:57 PM GMT 06/02/2009 Report Abuse

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I've been listening to Robert Wyatt since the Soft Machine days; I even had the good fortune to see him live with Soft Machine on a triple bill in late 1967 or early 1968 in Norfolk, Virginia (?!): Jimi Hendrix Experience/Soft Machine/Eire Apparent. He had a collar, tie and pocket with pocket handerchief painted on his bare chest.

I think 'Shleep' is his perfect album. Beautiful songs, beautiful playing by everyone. Without 'Shleep' there would be a large hole in the Wyatt discography.

Song-wise, I have loved and will always love 'Moon In June' from Soft Machine 'Third'. Fantastic!

Posted by Steve at 4:44 AM GMT 27/02/2009 Report Abuse

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Rock Bottom it's got to be

Posted by robin at 7:42 PM GMT 23/03/2009 Report Abuse

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Robert Wyatt is my idea of the most heroic figure in all of modern music. His 'catalogue' is a total treasure. But I think I'd have to say that the most recent "ComicOpera" is the height of his output to date. Which quite possibly means that his next one will be even better. (Sort of the Duke Ellington view, I guess, but I figure that fits neatly with Wyatt's place in music history. He's a masterpiece on his own terms. Bless him forever.)

Posted by Stuart Troutman at 3:39 PM GMT 28/03/2009 Report Abuse

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I own one single (45rpm) having sold all my vinyl over the years replacing it wit cd's. The single is simply the best single ever -Shipbuilding sung by Robert

Posted by B.O.F. at 12:14 AM GMT 04/04/2009 Report Abuse

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Rock Bottom. Mongezi Feza, Ivor Cutler, Richard Sinclair, Fred Frith, Hugh Hopper and Laurie Allen plus some of the best songs ever written make this - for me - the best Robert Wyatt album.

Posted by Adrian Smith at 8:56 PM GMT 07/04/2009 Report Abuse

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For me, it's Nothing Can Stop Us. Politically spot-on at the time and still stands up, particularly Arauco and At Last I Am Free. But Rock Bottom comes a close second.

Posted by Badfire at 5:41 PM GMT 11/04/2009 Report Abuse

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What about "the end of an ear"? Thought it deserved at least one mention....

Posted by a french fan at 3:13 PM GMT 09/10/2009 Report Abuse

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Without meaning to leave out any of the albums (they are all wonderful in their unique, peculiar way) my choice would be:
1 - Rock Bottom
2 - Dondestan
3 - Cuckooland
From Soft Machine: nr. 2
From Matching Mole: Little Red Record
And let's not forget the EPs, wonderful versions of Victor Jara's "Te Recuerdo Amanda" and Hugh Hopper's "Amber and the Amberites", Peter Gabriel's "Biko" and, of course, Elvis Costello's "Shipbuilding".
End of an Ear and The Animal's Film are good examples of Wyatt's more experimental bent, and very worthwhile, provided one is in that frame of mind.
"Arauco" has been mentioned. Sorry. Nice song, but Robert's vocals are below par. "At last I am Free" and "Strange Fruit", however, are to die for...

Posted by Ricardo at 8:22 AM GMT 14/10/2009 Report Abuse

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"nothing can stop us"

to me it is his greatest album, a collection of so different covers, spanning all genres, without shame...great.

Posted by michele at 3:07 PM GMT 15/10/2009 Report Abuse

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