Jun 23, 2009 By Frank Valish

In his more than 30 years of writing and recording—with The Soft Boys, The Egyptians, solo, and now The Venus 3—Robyn Hitchcock has firmly established himself within the pantheon of great English songwriters, dating back to the eccentric master himself, Syd Barrett. Hitchcock's latest album, Goodnight Oslo, is his second with his Venus 3 band of Peter Buck (R.E.M.) on guitar, Scott McCaughey (Minus 5, Young Fresh Fellows) on bass, and Bill Rieflin (Ministry) on drums, and the album clearly demonstrates the rapport the musicians have established since 2006's Olé Tarantula. More