Robyn Hitchcock releasing ‘I Often Dream of Trains in New York’ live CD/DVD this fall

Oddball troubadour Robyn Hitchcock will commemorate last year’s I Often Dream of Trains tour this fall by releasing a new live CD/DVD package devoted to his beloved 1984 solo album.

Due out Nov. 11 on Yep Roc Records, the 19-track I Often Dream of Trains in New York will include the John Ediginton-directed concert film that aired over the summer on the Sundance Channel, as well as an accompanying audio CD.

The performance on the CD/DVD was recorded Nov. 22, 2008, at Symphony Space in New York City. Despite the current trend toward performing classic albums in their entirety, Hitchcock didn’t actually play all of I Often Dream of Trains — although he does touch on most of it — and what he did perform isn’t in the same running order as the album.

Hitchcock was joined for the concert by Terry Edwards (keyboards, horns, bass and vocals), Tim “Captain” Keegan (guitar, vocals) and some of the compatriots from Jonathan Demme’s “Rachel Getting Married,” in which Hitchcock appeared and performed.

The set is filled out with an outtake (“That’s Fantastic, Mother Church”) from the album, as well as a pair of older songs (“America,” from 1982’s Groovy Decay, and “Goodnight I Say,” from 1985’s Fegmania!) and “Up to Our Nex” from last year’s Goodnight Oslo.

The album also will be released as a 500-copy limited edition:

The collector’s edition packaging features exclusive cover art in a sleek, tri-fold wallet and includes a kit to make a working phenakistoscope. When opened, the package exposes two stands, shaped in Robyn’s silhouette, which hold the rod and the components of the scope. Each disc of the deluxe DVD/CD package has unique artwork that creates an animation when placed on this one-of-a-kind phenakistoscope.

Finally, Hitchcock will embark on a short U.S. tour with the Venus 3 next month.

See full tracklist, cover art and tour dates after the jump…

Tracklist: Robyn Hitchcock, I Often Dream of Trains in New York

1. “Sometimes I Wish I Was a Pretty Girl” (cassette fragment)
2. “Nocturne (Prelude)”
3, “Flavour of Light”
4. “Cathedral”
5. “Sounds Great When You’re Dead”
6. “Uncorrected Personality Traits”
7. “I Used to Say I Love You”
8. “Winter Love”
9. “This Could Be the Day”
10. “Ye Sleeping Knights of Jesus”
11. “Trams of Old London”
12. “My Favourite Buildings”
13. “That’s Fantastic, Mother Church”
14. “Heart Full of Leaves”
15. “Autumn Is Your Last Chance”
16. “I Often Dream Of Trains”
17. “America”
18. “Up To Our Nex”
19. “Goodnight I Say”

Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3 tour dates:

Oct. 2: Austin City Limits Festival, Austin, TX
Oct. 4: Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, San Francisco, CA
Oct. 6: Spaceland, Los Angeles, CA
Oct. 8: Mississipi Studios, Portland, OR
Oct. 10: Crocodile Cafe, Seattle, WA
Oct. 15: Malco Theatres’ Studio On The Square, Memphis, TN
Oct. 17: The Bluebird Cafe, Nashville, TN

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