Planet England - Misplaced Pages

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.

Recording and songwriting process

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.

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. (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.

Critical reception

Mark Smotroff of Audiophile Review said that the EP "initially underwhelmed me, but on subsequent listens charms and strengths emerge," giving particular praise to how well the singers' voices work together, and the "unexpected chord changes harmonic shifts" of the "McCartney-esque" song "Got My..." Record Collector magazine said the EP was "a small eternity in gestation but is eminently worth the wait; a plump, luscious yield."

Track listing

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

"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.
^ Pearis, Bill (August 5, 2019). "Robyn Hitchcock & XTC's Andy Partridge finally releasing long-in-the-works EP". Brooklyn Vegan. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
^ 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.
^ "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.

v t e Robyn Hitchcock
Solo albums	Black Snake Diamond Röle Groovy Decay I Often Dream of Trains Eye Moss Elixir Jewels for Sophia Luxor Spooked Tromsø, Kaptein Love from London The Man Upstairs Robyn Hitchcock Shufflemania!
with The Egyptians	Fegmania! Element of Light Globe of Frogs Queen Elvis Perspex Island Respect
with The Venus 3	Olé! Tarantula Goodnight Oslo Propellor Time
with Andy Partridge	Planet England
Live albums	Gotta Let This Hen Out! Give It to the Thoth Boys – Live Oddities The Kershaw Sessions Storefront Hitchcock Storefront Hitchcock L.P. Live at the Cambridge Folk Festival Robyn Sings This Is the BBC
Outtake albums	Groovy Decoy Invisible Hitchcock Mossy Liquor A Star for Bram Obliteration Pie Shadow Cat The Man Downstairs: Demos & Rarities
Compilations	Gravy Deco Robyn Hitchcock Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians: Greatest Hits Uncorrected Personality Traits
Box sets	I Wanna Go Backwards Luminous Groove
Related articles	The Soft Boys

v t e XTC
Andy Partridge Colin Moulding Terry Chambers Barry Andrews Dave Gregory
Studio albums	White Music Go 2 Drums and Wires Black Sea English Settlement Mummer The Big Express 25 O'Clock Skylarking Psonic Psunspot Oranges & Lemons Nonsuch Apple Venus Volume 1 Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2)
Compilations	Waxworks: Some Singles 1977–1982 Beeswax: Some B-Sides 1977–1982 The Compact XTC Chips from the Chocolate Fireball Explode Together: The Dub Experiments 78-80 Rag and Bone Buffet: Rare Cuts and Leftovers Drums and Wireless: BBC Radio Sessions 77–89 Fossil Fuel: The XTC Singles 1977–92 Upsy Daisy Assortment Transistor Blast: The Best of the BBC Sessions Coat of Many Cupboards Apple Box Psurroundabout Ride
EP	3D EP
Singles	"Statue of Liberty" "This Is Pop?" "Life Begins at the Hop" "Making Plans for Nigel" "Generals and Majors" "Towers of London" "Sgt. Rock (Is Going to Help Me)" "Respectable Street" "Senses Working Overtime" "Ball and Chain" "Wonderland" "Love on a Farmboy's Wages" "Thanks for Christmas" "All You Pretty Girls" "This World Over" "Wake Up" "Grass" "The Meeting Place" "Dear God" "Mayor of Simpleton" "King for a Day" "The Disappointed" "The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead" "Easter Theatre"
Other songs	"Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her" "Garden of Earthly Delights" "Wrapped in Grey"
Related media	A Testimonial Dinner: The Songs of XTC Fuzzy Warbles 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Great Aspirations Homespun Homegrown Take Away / The Lure of Salvage Waspstrumental XTC: This Is Pop Planet England
Other topics	Discography The Dukes of Stratosphear Ian Reid Seagull Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her (band)

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