Robyn Hitchcock's latest, self-titled album is slick, surrealist, psychedelic and oh-so-smart. Over the past 40 years, Hitchcock has released more than 20 records between his solo material and his work with The Soft Boys, the psychedelic art-rock band he founded in 1976. Both R.E.M. and The Replacements have cited The Soft Boys' 1980 album Underwater Moonlight as a major influence, and producer Brendan Benson (of rock band The Raconteurs) wanted Hitchcock to harken back to the sound of that album when making his latest solo record.

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