Robert Wyatt

From page 81 of Classic Rock Magazine December 2003



Cover of December 2003 issue.
Liked this article? Bookmark it and save it for later.
Click here to add it to your favourites.

Noticed an error? Help us improve the Classic Rock Archive by reporting any articles that seem have errors.
Please click here to report it.

‘Cuckooland’

(Hannibal)

Not only one of the great male voices in popular music – and this is, albeit just barely, popular music – Robert Wyatt is also a great songwriter, arranger and instrumentalist. And great talent-spotter as well – putting Gilad Atzmon and Karen Mantler (daughter of jazz rock doyens Mike Mantler and Carla Bley) together with Dave Gilmour and Brian Eno to produce music that, despite its roots in be-bop, folk, soul and rock, is almost entirely Wyatt’s own creation.

‘Cuckooland’ manages to soothe, to fly off into ethereal realms, while still pricking the conscience of the listener about such things as asylum policy (‘Forrest’) and the legacy of old enemy Margaret Thatcher (‘Cuckoo Madame’).

It’s wholly original, brilliant, intelligent and deeply emotional, and both easy and demanding listening.

Will Young and his like can rest securely at night, of course, but in years to come Wyatt’s place as a composer of real importantance is assured.

★★★★ ★

Tommy Udo

HIGH CONCEPT Wyatt and his esoteric coterie assemble an emotionally charged and deeply challenging record.

David Bowie ‘Reality’
My Ruin






Privacy | Terms and Conditions | Contact Us | Contributors