Rob Dickinson

Fans of singer-songwriter Rob Dickinson's old band The Catherine Wheel should not expect to hear the same spacy, silvery guitars and feedback-filled solos on Dickinson's new album, Fresh Wine for the Horses. Nor should they expect any visceral ditties like TCW's "Happy Days" -- with its angst-ridden line "Eat my...

By Niki D'Andrea

January 26, 2006

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "18478561",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "16759093",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "17980324",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "16759092",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "17980324",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 24
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "16759094",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 24
        }
      ]

Fans of singer-songwriter Rob Dickinson's old band The Catherine Wheel should not expect to hear the same spacy, silvery guitars and feedback-filled solos on Dickinson's new album, Fresh Wine for the Horses. Nor should they expect any visceral ditties like TCW's "Happy Days" -- with its angst-ridden line "Eat my dust you insensitive fuck" -- or surreal sonic overtures like "Black Metallic." Dickinson's got a new bag now, and it's filled with acoustic guitars, palatable pop-rock riffs, and pieces of Leonard Cohen and Dave Matthews. The philosophical Brit writes like both and can sound like either, which is impressive when you consider Cohen's baritone growlings and Matthews' weird tenor. And Dickinson's still got a knack for writing solid songs that go great with wine and pining; he's as evocative as ever in songs like "Handsome," where he croons, "I follow mudslides, I follow mudslides in my head/And some of them may leave you wasted/A part of you is dead." Long live the lovelorn.

KEEP NEW TIMES FREE... Since we started New Times, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Phoenix, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.

Niki D'Andrea has covered subjects including drug culture, women's basketball, pirate radio stations, Scottsdale staycations, and fine wine. She has worked at both New Times and Phoenix Magazine, and is now a freelancer.

Contact: Niki D'Andrea