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. Besides, the Ryko package -- which emulates the Japanese package perfectly -- is a stunner. ~ Thom Jurek