Robyn Hitchcock And The Venus 3

Robyn Hitchcock draws on the early influences of punk rock and Pink Floyd, carving out an enviable career as a cult artist, from his stint in The Soft Boys in the late ’70s through his solo work. Despite those underground credentials, he’s only gotten more inclusive in his august years, as evidenced by Goodnight Oslo, made with backing band The Venus 3, which includes Scott McCaughey, Peter Buck, and Bill Rieflin. The feel-good, harmonies-and-handclap vibes—combined with Hitchcock’s usual scampering wordplay—give the record a fizzy lift that sounds like the most fun he’s had in years.