SHLEEP

Listening diary 22nd April, 2022: Robert Wyatt - Shleep (canterbury/art rock, 1997)

A strange record from a strange man, but Wyatt has this odd ability to be totally compelling with his strangeness, even when writing about sleep. I hear a lot of Richard Dawson in this, and I have no doubts that a lot of his idiosyncrasies are influenced by Mr Wyatt, particularly in the incorporation of atonal avant-folk in to otherwise straightforward songs. There's nothing here that stands out to me as being exceptional, but it flows by without making much noise and occasionally will bring out a section that really sounds unlike anything else, particularly in the scene of prog rock greats making albums in the 90s. You could even call parts of this post-rock, with its minimalist intricacies calling to mind Bark Psychosis and Talk Talk far more than the 70s prog greats. I don't think I'll ever totally love a Wyatt album, but I'm glad he exists, because he's strange, and we need more strange.

6.5 (5th listen)

Part of my listening diary from my facebook music blog - www.facebook.com/TheExoskeletalJunction