Give it to the Soft Boys!
Robyn Hitchcock’s original band, The Soft Boys were definitely in a class of their own in the late seventies/early eighties. Highly reminiscent of Syd Barrett’s absurd psychedelic style yet also infused with punk’s manic new energy, their sound was very distinctive and instantly likeable.
The Soft Boys released a pile of singles and 2 full LPs during this time period: A Can of Bees, which still had that raw punk edge, and the classic Underwater Moonlight, which really saw the band stretch into a formidable psychedelic pop outfit with a sound all of their own. Much of Robyn Hitchcock’s solo material is also very good, but I have not heard the Soft Boys reunion album from 2002, Nextdoorland.
