Since he emerged with the Soft Boys in the late '70s, Robyn Hitchcock has earned a well-deserved reputation as one of rock & roll's most genial eccentrics, with his playfully surreal lyrics and acid-infused melodies usually hitting the sweet spot between the odd and the pleasing. One thing that isn't cited as often is how consistent and reliable he is -- considering the length and breadth of his body of work, it's remarkable that there are no flat-out dogs in his catalog, and nearly 50 years on from the Soft Boys' first album, 1979's A Can of Bees, the man is still making great albums filled with smart, witty, beguiling psych-infused rock with delicious pop hooks. Hitchcock was 73 years old when he released 2026's The Confuser, but the music sounds like it would sit comfortably beside gems from previous decades like 1986's Element of Light and 1993's Respect, and his vocals and guitar work are admirably vigorous and engagingly sly. Hitchcock recorded The Confuser in Nashville with producer Brad Jones (who also plays keys on most cuts), and Kimberley Rew, his guitar foil from his days in the Soft Boys, plays on five songs. If this falls short of the heady joys of 1980's Underwater Moonlight, the vigor of the music is plenty satisfying, and Hitchcock and Rew seem to be having great fun bouncing riffs off one another on "How to Feel Alright." "I Am This Thing" and "Yesterday's Rain" are similar reminders that Hitchcock hasn't lost the ability or the desire to rock, "Monday for Me" and "Breathless" are fine examples of his gift for dreamlike midtempo numbers, and the closer, "Wasted," is a witty ode to the joys and inconveniences of alcohol that could pass for the work for some wry self-aware lounge singer. It's tempting to brand The Confuser as another in the increasingly long line of well-crafted Robyn Hitchcock albums in a tone of polite dismissal, but that sells the LP and the man's artistry short. Hitchcock has always worked at a high standard, and in 2026 he isn't easing up on himself or coasting on past glories; this is the work of a legitimately great vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter who hasn't fallen into a rut or lost the plot, and he and The Confuser are a joy to behold. We're lucky he's still around and delivering his magic for us.

(by Mark Deming, All Music Guide)