This came out in 2004 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
The most satisfying collaborations are often the most unlikely ones. And it’s hard to think of a more unlikely pairing than eccentric English pop-rocker Robyn Hitchcock and rustic Americana duo Gillian Welch and David Rawlings.
Despite — or perhaps because of — their obvious cultural, musical and generational differences, these three new friends fashion one of the prolific Hitchcock’s strongest and most consistent albums in ages. Spooked delivers the former Soft Boy’s unique combination of sweet pop melody and surreally silly lyrics (“Guess what? I’ve spoken to Norm / We’re gonna live in the trees”). But here they are lovingly blanketed in Welch and Rawlings’ warm acoustic guitars and sincere harmonies, grounding Hitchcock’s songs without weighing them down and fleshing out his sound without padding it. These dozen cuts offer plenty of winsome folk and roots, a little Bob Dylan (of course), some sitar-soaked Beatles pop, dashes of gospel and blues — and absolutely nothing to get spooked about.
