Planet England
| Planet England | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| EP by | ||||
| Released | September 6, 2019 | |||
| Genre | Alternative rock | |||
| Length | 16:56 | |||
| Label | Ape House | |||
| Robyn Hitchcock chronology | ||||
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| Andy Partridge chronology | ||||
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Planet England is a collaborative EP by English alternative rock songwriters Robyn Hitchcock and Andy Partridge. It was released September 6, 2019 by Partridge's label, Ape House.[1][2][3][4]
Recording and songwriting process[edit]
The recordings were first made in 2006 in Partridge's backyard home studio in Swindon, England, which Hitchcock jokingly described in one interview as "two old psychedelic pensioners rocking away in a shed in a back garden," but also noted that Partridge's well-known production and technical skills made his back-garden shed "the equivalent of the entire firepower of Abbey Road's Studio One." The songs were written together around Partridge's kitchen table, in what Partridge described as a "genuine 50/50 collaboration." Both men sang and played guitar; Partridge played bass and drum programming, and did most of the post-production. The recordings were not completed until 2018, when Hitchcock and Partridge got back together to mix them.[4][5][6]
Both Hitchcock and Partridge remarked in the press that their collaborative songwriting came unexpectedly easily, perhaps because of their similar life experience as vanguards of the 1970s/1980s alternative rock movement and similar set of influences, including Syd Barrett, The Beatles, The Kinks, and Captain Beefheart.[4][5] (The title of "Turn Me On, Deadman" references the backwards-masked phrase that can supposedly be heard in the Beatles' "Revolution No. 9.") Another collaborative album is planned.[7]
Critical reception[edit]
Mark Smotroff of Audiophile Review said that the EP "initially underwhelmed me, but on subsequent listens [its] charms and strengths emerge," giving particular praise to how well the singers' voices work together, and the "unexpected chord changes [and] harmonic shifts" of the "McCartney-esque" song "Got My..."[8] Record Collector magazine said the EP was "a small eternity in gestation but is eminently worth the wait; a plump, luscious yield."[7]
Track listing[edit]
All tracks are written by Robyn Hitchcock and Andy Partridge
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Turn Me On, Deadman" | 3:34 |
| 2. | "Flight Attendants, Please Prepare for Love" | 3:59 |
| 3. | "Got My..." | 3:40 |
| 4. | "Planet England" | 5:43 |
References[edit]
- ^ "Robyn Hitchcock & Andy Partridge - Planet England". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
- ^ "Robyn Hitchcock / Andy Partridge – Planet England". Discogs. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
- ^ Arcand, Rob (August 4, 2019). "Robyn Hitchcock and XTC's Andy Partridge Announce Collaborative EP as Planet England". Spin. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
- ^ a b c Pearis, Bill (August 5, 2019). "Robyn Hitchcock & XTC's Andy Partridge finally releasing long-in-the-works EP". Brooklyn Vegan. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
- ^ a b Enos, Morgan (2019-09-03). "Andy Partridge and Robyn Hitchcock on Being Old Competitors and Now 'Dismal, British' Collaborators". Billboard. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
- ^ Hertweck, Nate (2019-12-08). "Robyn Hitchcock On Nashville Living, His 'Planet England' EP, John Lennon's Legacy & Making "Beatles Music"". Grammys.com. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
- ^ a b "Robyn Hitchcock and Andy Partridge". Record Collector. No. 500. Christmas 2019. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
- ^ Smotroff, Mark (October 3, 2019). "XTC Sensations - Robyn Hitchcock, Andy Partridge, Colin Moulding, Terry Chambers, On Two New 10-inch Vinyl EPs". Audiophile Review. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
