HITCHCOCK: SYD’S KID

Robyn Hitchcock is following in the footsteps of Syd Barrett, right down to having a y in his name where an i should be. Like the legendary founder of Pink Floyd, Hitchcock likes the sparks that fly when demented subject matter is put in pure pop form. With his former group, the Soft Boys, and on his own he’s made some records that pull it off.

On stage at the Lingerie on Friday, though, the English singer-guitarist and his band delivered their charged-up music-hall pop so seamlessly that it never became forceful or quirky enough to fulfill Hitchcock’s aspirations of eccentricity. Beyond that, Hitchcock could have used either some true perversity a la Nick Lowe in the music and a touch of innocence in his personality. Instead, he gave off an air of grim determination, and his surreal chatter seemed less like left-field revelations than mere double talk. In the end, it felt as if we were being put on rather than let in on something.