Robert Wyatt, Old Rottenhat (side A)

Musically, 1985's Old Rottenhat contains some of Wyatt's sparsest and most personal work.  Lyrically, it contains some of his most direct and blunt political content.  The contradiction runs until the end, where it's interrupted by a short song with lyrics about poor little Alfie trying to sleep.  The music is built mostly of mid-80s digital keyboard sounds, possibly from a DX-7, with bits of percussion and drum machine patterns underneath.  Wyatt's voice is recorded and mixed plainly but competently, and a clean mastering job holds the album together nicely.  The beautiful cover painting is appropriately minimal, but it hints at a more abstract album than the generally catchy Old Rottenhat.