Search - Robyn Hitchcock :: Gravy Deco: The Complete Groovy Decay/Decoy Sessions

Don't Scream, It's only "Gravy Deco!"

08/11/1999

(2 out of 5 stars)

"So, how does a rabid Robyn fan (such as myself) approach an album the aforementioned Mr. Hitchcock would love to see gone forever? Hmmm... A guy below did a track for track of "Groovy Decay" which this has all of plus "Decoy"(oh yeah, this is a "compilation" of the demos issued by Robyn as "Groovy Decoy" in 86 after being so traumatically disturbed by the low quality of the original, and the original). Well, why not? 1. The Rain: Decoy demo: Not bad, but it grows off of you. Decay: Boring...vastly inferior to original. Robyn sounds bored. 2. The Cars She Used to Drive: Decoy demo: Groovy, but done up much better on the live "Gotta Let This Hen Out!" which you need to own NOW! Decay: Horrible. Avoid at all costs! 3. It Was the Night: (1 version) Boring, period. 4. Young People Scream: Decoy: good till the chorus, which sends it crashing down in early 80's hell. Decay: Even better beginning, even worse chorus. 5. How Do You Work This Thing?: (1 version) Funny idea. Okay at best song. 6. When I Was A Kid: Decoy: Not a killer Soft Boys tune to start with, it suffers even more here. Why this one, I wonder? Decay: A bit funkier, buy ohhhh that damn sax! 7. Midnight Fish: Decoy: Sounds unbelievably like a cross between Prince and William S. Burroughs. Fortunately, Robyn left this direction behind. Decay: Needs to be PERMANENTLY left behind! 8. Night Ride to Trinidad: Praised by some, not by me. Silly and avoidable. Disco version: MUST to be avoided, as is the even WORSE remix of the classic "Kingdom of Love" 9. Fifty Two Stations: (1 version) FINALLY!!! A Great song! Must have for all Hitchcock nuts. 10. America (1 version): Groovy song, but much better, again, on "Gotta Let This Hen Out!" 11.Grooving On An Inner Plane: (1 version) Totally unfunky funk tune. Robyn sounds dead. He does not sound great. Proceed immediately to the original version on "Black Snake Diamond Role" 12. St. Petersburg: (1 version) Once again, a great song. Second (and last, except for rabid fan curiousity) reason to own the album. Very eerie, in a pretty sort of way. So all in all I have to wonder why I did the above, save to prove that this album has its moments, but is best left to time. Glad we CAN have it, though."

Not bad considering it's Robyn's worst

Garry Messick | Boynton Beach, FL USA | 03/24/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The production of Groovy Decay is totally unsuited to Robyn. And it doesn't help that the songs are generally sub-par. Even so, the demo versions aren't bad, and there are a few top-notch tunes here ("52 Stations," "St. Petersberg,"America"). For die-hard Hitchcock fans it's worth having. Otherwise, avoid."

Underrated

John Hilgart | Memphis, TN USA | 08/24/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I suspect that Hitchcock's own disaffection with the initial release, and general griping about how this record was produced have predisposed too many fans to dislike it. If you're looking to expand your Hitchcock collection, this is not one to dismiss.In the form of "Groovy Decoy," Hitchcock's revision of the original album, this is as worthy a Hitchcock record as most of his others, and there are some I'd part with sooner than this one. With a cd player, it's easy enough to avoid the egregious "Groovy Decay" versions.For starters, the songs are mostly quite good and sometimes great; I would not call this a sub-par set of compositions at all. "Fifty-Two Stations," "America," "It Was the Night," and "The Rain" strike me as major songs in the Hitchcock canon, representative a more serious turn in his writing. There are two interesting reworkings of Soft Boys tunes into heavier, funkier form, both quite effective. Two of the four "joke" songs are wonderful ("How Do You Work This Thing? and "The Cars She Used To Drive"), and even the odd funk number, "Grooving on an Inner Plane," is a hoot (if too long). That leaves only two songs I'd call disposable, and that's probably true of most of his albums.Moreover, Hitchcock's revision of "Groovy Decay" into his preferred "Groovy Decoy" (both included on the current release) is *not* terribly marred by dated production; he got rid of all the truly egregious versions ("Groovy Decay"). With the exception of a few unimaginative mechanized drum tracks, "Night Ride to Trinidad," and "Midnight Fish," this album seems no more dated in production than many other (terrific) Hitchcock albums (everything from "Element of Light" '86 to "Perspex Island" '91 sounds very much of its sonic moment). The strange sequencing of the current cd is unfortunate, but think of it as a great 45 minute album with a lot of disposable bonus tracks and I think you'll find it a thoroughly satisfying addition to your Hitchcock collection."