His Greatest Misses
The title of this 17-track Robert Wyatt compilation —
previously released only in Japan — references his lack of
commercial success while taking great care to showcase both his
ambitious vision and diversity as an artist. Most of what is here is
readily familiar to fans, from his fine if strangely arcane versions
of “I’m a Believer” and “Shipbuilding” to the utterly, almost
heartbreakingly beautiful “At Last I Am Free,” “Arauco,” and the
starkly ingenious composition “Solar Flares” (previously a rarity).
Early gems like “Little Red Robin Hood Hit the Road” are showcased
along with later ones like “Heaps of Sheeps.” Ultimately, there is
nothing really new here, but that shouldn’t stop anyone who doesn’t
already have some version of this collection milling about from
picking it up and putting it on a few dozen times in a row. It’s
guaranteed to change your perception of pop.
