ROCK BOTTOM

The next album from 1974 for me to both encounter and celebrate is Robert Wyatt's second and so renowned "Rock bottom". Wyatt had earlier released "The End of an ear" 1970 but this is his witohout competition most known record. The cover hasn't many colours, perhaps the music is so good it doesn't need to sell, it's like The Beatles' "White" album.

The music of Wyatt's "Rock Bottom" is a wonderful mixture of styles and musical expressions. It has a crazy experimental approach with avant-garde influences as well as the calmer soft jazzy Canterbury sound which I love from Caravan's records. Extraordinary compositions together with instrumentality without borders make this such interesting music. The light vocals of Wyatt, the basses of Richard Sinclair and Hugh Hopper and Laurie Allan's drums together with trumpet, clarinet, saxophone and viola of guest musicians of high standard make us understand what a band we are listening to. On one song for example Mike Oldfield plays guitar.

Two songs would I consider ebtter than the others: "Sea Song"(10/10) which made me so astounded when I heard it for the first time and the odd but catchy "Little Red Robin Hood Hit the Road"(10/10). Three other songs surprises us every second with glimpses of glory: "A Last Straw"(9/10), "Little Red Riding Hood Hit the Road"(9/10) and "Alifib"(9/10). I haven't mentioned "Alife" yet. It's the album's least intriguing song even it it is very good too(8/10). I won't write so much about the record. So many have done it before me but I can recommend it for very prog lover. An average on 4.58 makes this a five star record.