Old Rottenhat is the fourth studio album by Robert Wyatt. It was released in November 1985, and in 1993 it was reissued in its entirety as part of the CD Mid-Eighties. The album was produced and performed solo by Wyatt, and is dedicated to Michael Bettaney, a UK MI5 intelligence officer who in 1984 was convicted for acting as an agent-in-place for the Soviet Union.

Critical reception

The New York Times wrote that, "while the tunes are low-key, they often have surprising rhythmic shifts or twists of chromatic harmony." David Fricke of Rolling Stone found the lyrics pedantic in comparison to those of Nothing Can Stop Us, but considered the album musically effective, praising the tracks "The Age of Self" and "Gharbzadegi".

Track listing

Side one

Side two

Personnel

Recording details

"Thanks to Charles Gray and Vicky Aspinall for invaluable help and advice and thanks Duncan".

Album cover

The artwork for the album cover was created by Wyatt's wife Alfreda Benge.