XTC : Classic or Dud.

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I guess it had to be asked sooner or later. Go 2 or Nonsuch? Skylarking or Drums and Wires?

Marks off for use of the word "quirky" or the phrase "progressive ruralists" ;)

― Dr. C, Monday, 14 May 2001 00:00 (12 years ago) Permalink

Generally classic, though they've pretty much lost me for everything post-Oranges and Lemons. I find that I can't quite get into the harsh angular approach of the first two albums aside from some of the singles, like "Statue of Liberty" and "This is Pop" unless I'm in the right mood. For me the classic period is really Drums and Wires through The Big Express, esp. Mummer. Skylarking never really connected for me, but I really loved Oranges and Lemons. At their best, they were really smart pop with an ultra-listenable lushness fused to an off-kilter approach that made it way more interesting than aural confetti like Alan Parsons Project. For me, the last few have been really hit ("Stupidly Happy") and miss (most of Apple Venus).

― Sean Carruthers, Monday, 14 May 2001 00:00 (12 years ago) Permalink

Absolutely classic....or at least up through ORANGES & LEMONS. Personally, I prefer their more aggressive work (ala GO 2 and DRUMS & WIRES), but their later "bucolic" phase (ala ENGLISH SETTLEMENT, SKYLARKING) is immaculately crafted as well. Seems that Moulding and Partridge, however, are perilously close to becoming the complacent Steely Dan-ish twosome of the post-punk generation...sequestering themselves in the studio, making respectable if not exactly exciting music like APPLE VENUS etc.

― alex in nyc, Monday, 14 May 2001 00:00 (12 years ago) Permalink

I know who you're thinking of, Dr C, but hey I can take it :).

I don't know much of their very early stuff and I have a certain knowledge dip in the late Virgin years, but I would consider Black Sea, English Settlement, Nonsuch and Skylarking to be classic. No question whatsoever. Apple Venus Volume One is a loveable museum piece, Wasp Star fizzes but somehow isn't as likeable as it could be. For the range of their music alone, though (I don't feel the need to choose, although "Making Plans For Nigel" was always awful new wavy Kinksiness), classic.

― Robin Carmody, Monday, 14 May 2001 00:00 (12 years ago) Permalink

Yes, well, Except if ANYone has a total lock on the q-word... I seem to remember them getting agitated in print as well about it (AND about the phrase "clever-clever"), and I guess I don't blame them. I like the IDEA of rereading Images of Non-Urban Englishness via soukous- wired psychedelia: my big block has always been the singing. And if I WANTED to work back through a compendium of personalised ideas of the left-behind 60s, there are worse places to start. But I can't imagine being moved by them.

― mark s, Monday, 14 May 2001 00:00 (12 years ago) Permalink

It pains me to have to state the obvious here, but XTC are bona fide classic, no questions asked. But you all know that of course ...

― Guy Flower, Monday, 14 May 2001 00:00 (12 years ago) Permalink

Well yes, of course classic, although I'm a little underwhelmed by the 'comeback'. Who cares though with Drums and Wires, Black Sea, English Settlement and Skylarking in the can. I love Go2, although seem to be in a very small minority here... and the run of singles with Barry Andrews (Science Friction/Statue Of Liberty/Are you Receiving Me?/This is Pop) is fantastic. Somehow this early period is synonymous with 'new wave', in a good way. Wiltshire's own Devo?

I don't like/get "Oranges and Lemons" -too session slick.

― Dr.C, Monday, 14 May 2001 00:00 (12 years ago) Permalink

Without a doubt: Classique. ENGLISH SETTLEMENT and SKYLARKING could easily be candidates for creme de la creme de la creme status. Brilliant band.

― Tim Baier, Monday, 14 May 2001 00:00 (12 years ago) Permalink

Ah, but *I* wouldn't use the q-word.

Mark, it's funny how your "left-behind 60s" sentence *is* Skylarking in a nutshell for me, but you say something as perceptive about it from the perspective of someone left unmoved, as I think I ever have from the perspective of someone who's moved by it endlessly, constantly, wonderfully. Interesting.

― Robin Carmody, Monday, 14 May 2001 00:00 (12 years ago) Permalink

Dud. I could never get past the singer's irritating pompous delivery. They had a couple of semi-catchy singles 13 or so years ago, but after 1992, did anyone really care? Dud.

― SleepTilItHurts, Tuesday, 15 May 2001 00:00 (12 years ago) Permalink

5 months pass...

For me, Drums & Wires and English Settlements are the reasons I still care about XTC. I am not a massive fan, but then again, they have made some songs I really love. I'm sympathetic to anyone who can't get past Andy Partridge's delivery, however.

― DeRayMi, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Classic all way through.. but most classic via "Black Sea"... I also love "White Music", "The Big Express", "Psonic Psunspot/25 O' Clock", "Nonsuch", and "Apple Venus Vol. 1"....

"Oranges and Lemons" is the only relative dud IMHO.

― Brian MacDonald, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Classic, and I think they will only age better with time.

Particularly classic: Black Sea, Skylarking, Nonsuch, Apple Venus, Vol. 1, and why in god's name wasn't "Shipped Trapped in Ice" or "Wonder Annual" on the wildly mediocre Wasp Star?

― dleone, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

2 years pass...

Most of my life I've thought I should like XTC but really haven't, despite trying quite hard. However, recently I've been listening to Apple Venus volume 1 and I think it's terrific. It's the only one of their LPs I've been able to get into; by the looks of the above comments there's something wrong with me, but I have listened to most of these records over the years. Apple Venus Volume 1 sounds like nothing else I've ever heard.

I guess I should get volume 2.

― Keith Watson (kmw), Saturday, 19 June 2004 18:26 (8 years ago) Permalink

This far down and no one has mentioned Colin Moulding yet? I have wished so many times he would put out a solo album. Well, he's not dead yet, so I guess I can still hope.

Skylarking: Best Beatles influenced album ever, by anybody, past or future

Black Sea: So classic

First album: Also classic. Especially with the extra tracks on the CD.
Of special note is the cover of "All Along The Watchtower". Hilarious, unforgettable, and wonderfully funky. Beats the crap out of the original.

There is no need to ask if they were classic or not.

― Bimble (bimble), Saturday, 19 June 2004 22:45 (8 years ago) Permalink

I only have Skylarking, English Settlement, Nonesuch and Oranges & Lemons but I like them all.

Here's a query: What is the correlation between XTC positivity and Olivia Tremor Control fandom? It seem to me each act reinterpreted 60s pop singles in a different, though sorta similar way.

― ben welsh (benwelsh), Sunday, 20 June 2004 01:03 (8 years ago) Permalink

And what of Andy's secular humanist pontificating/chest beating in the lyrics?

― ben welsh (benwelsh), Sunday, 20 June 2004 01:04 (8 years ago) Permalink

CLASSIC:
Black Sea
Skylarking
English Settlement

NEITHER CLASSIC NOR DUD
Nonesvch
Drums and Wires

DUD
Oranges and Lemons
Wasp Star

― j e r e m y (x Jeremy), Sunday, 20 June 2004 01:43 (8 years ago) Permalink

C: Drums and Wires; Black Sea; English Settlement; Skylarking

D: Mummer; Oranges and Lemons; Nonsuch (or whatever that's called)

Also C: Lots of their singles, like "Heaven Is Paved with Broken Glass"; "Blame the Weather"; etc.

Weren't as good after Terry Chambers left, I don't think. Not a band I listen to any more, but always glad to hear individual tracks like "It's Nearly Africa" and esp. "Jason and the Argonauts."

― eddie hurt (ddduncan), Sunday, 20 June 2004 01:55 (8 years ago) Permalink

To those who dud Oranges & Lemons: Do you also dud the album's first track, "The Garden of Earthly Delights"?

― ben welsh (benwelsh), Sunday, 20 June 2004 02:02 (8 years ago) Permalink

No, nor Scarecrow People (I think that's the one ... whatever the one is w. the longish instrumental intro.)

― j e r e m y (x Jeremy), Sunday, 20 June 2004 02:04 (8 years ago) Permalink

Good, cuz that's my jam.

― ben welsh (benwelsh), Sunday, 20 June 2004 02:13 (8 years ago) Permalink

Most of my life I've thought I should like XTC but really haven't, despite trying quite hard.

That's the weird thing about XTC.

In 1992 I bought The Compact XTC, listened to it a few times, hated it, and put it away. Over the ensuing weeks, I forced myself to listen to it again and again [usually in the background whilst doing homework], and one day something snapped: I understood the depth of the music, and couldn't stop listening to it.

Having decided this was one of the best albums I'd ever heard, I spent the next couple of years building up my collection. Here's the crucial bit: Every album had the same effect. On the first listen of every album, I hated it, and it took a good 20+ listens before I 'got' each one; but once each album hit that threshold, I couldn't put it down for literally months on end.

Thinking I was nuts, I introduced XTC to several friends, all of whom didn't like it. Months later, most of them had done an about face and were raving about XTC, just as I had done.

So, it's urgent and key to bear this in mind: Repeated listening of XTC will reap rewards. I've not known any other band to produce work of such consistently high quality and enormous depth. It's music that grows and grows and grows, and -- most importantly -- it rewards effort in ways you cannot imagine.

― Lo Boob Almanac (Autumn Almanac), Sunday, 20 June 2004 04:03 (8 years ago) Permalink

That's interesting to hear that. I was a fan for many years, to be sure but a few years ago I had a revisitation with them I think due to accidentally finding the first album on CD with extra tracks and it was like something snapped and I became fanatical in a way I hadn't been before. I started buying a lot of stuff on CD that I'd only had on vinyl, and catching up with things like Rag & Bone Buffett, which I'd paid no attention to when it came out.

Oranges and Lemons sux, but King For A Day still gets me every time, and Garden Of Earthly Delights isn't so bad.

The live version of Battery Brides on the Transister Blast box set OWNZ.

― Bimble (bimble), Sunday, 20 June 2004 04:19 (8 years ago) Permalink

Weird innit? :)

Oranges & Lemons is fantastic. King for a Day irritates the hell out of me, but there are sooo many gems on that album, and as a piece it works beautifully. Easily one of my favourites. Fox and Thacker are gods.

― Lo Boob Almanac (Autumn Almanac), Sunday, 20 June 2004 04:28 (8 years ago) Permalink

KIng For A Day is the greatest song The Police never wrote

― mentalist (mentalist), Sunday, 20 June 2004 07:36 (8 years ago) Permalink

>Repeated listening of XTC will reap rewards.

That's interesting... Why can't music come with a "Guaranteed that you will ultimately twig" sticker, rather than some daft parental advisory thing.

I did buy Waxworks/Beeswax on compact cassette about 1986 based on loving "Making plans for Nigel" and "Senses working overtime", so I have tried pretty hard; maybe it's a bit of concentrated listening I need. As I say though, I love Apple Venus volume 1 now, so perhaps the rest will click.

― Keith Watson (kmw), Sunday, 20 June 2004 09:46 (8 years ago) Permalink

the remasters have definitely helped XTC sound better

― mentalist (mentalist), Sunday, 20 June 2004 09:53 (8 years ago) Permalink

We're only making plans...

― scottontharox (scottkundla), Sunday, 20 June 2004 10:28 (8 years ago) Permalink

all i know is that there was a 2 day period in which i listened to "snowman" on repeat for a couple hours. and im not even bitter about nothin.

― tom cleveland (tom cleveland), Sunday, 20 June 2004 10:32 (8 years ago) Permalink

brilliant, dorky, and wonderful

with the appearance of bands like dogs die in hot cars and the futureheads, maybe we're getting an xtc revival?

― cutty (mcutt), Sunday, 20 June 2004 12:06 (8 years ago) Permalink

I guess XTC being something you have to acquire a taste for is a younger generation thing. I think "Making Plans for Nigel" was the first XTC song I heard, and I seem to remember liking it immediately. But I feel no compunction about dismissing much of their work. In fact, I got to like Oranges and Lemons, for instance, a lot less and less through repeated listens and the passing of time.

― Rockist Scientist (rockistscientist), Sunday, 20 June 2004 12:18 (8 years ago) Permalink

god i haven't thought about senses working overtime for years and years. i might have to try and obtain an xtc recording next week.... *sings offkey* one two three four five, senses working overrrrtiiime

― gem (trisk), Sunday, 20 June 2004 12:51 (8 years ago) Permalink

Drums & Wires is a COMPLETE classic. How anyone could suggest otherwise boggles my mind.

Fave track on Oranges & Lemons (their last decent album) = "Across this Antheap".

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 20 June 2004 13:39 (8 years ago) Permalink

I'm not sure how "King For A Day" sounds anything like The Police.

And you may not like Apple Venus Vol. 1, Alex, but it's at least "decent."

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Sunday, 20 June 2004 19:46 (8 years ago) Permalink

Decent,....but not exciting.

"King for a Day" doesn't remind me of the Police either. It's a fine, pleasant song, but just a little too overproduced for my taste (like much of the Orange & Lemons album, I think).

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 20 June 2004 19:49 (8 years ago) Permalink

Agreed, re. the overproduction of O&L -- actually, I've always felt "Across This Antheap" could have been a big-time XTC hyper-classic were it not for that harsh production.

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Sunday, 20 June 2004 19:59 (8 years ago) Permalink

Hmmmm....conversely, I don't think it sounds harsh enough! It's the only track on the album -- with the possible exception of "Garden of Earthly Delight" that retains their former edge.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 20 June 2004 19:59 (8 years ago) Permalink

"King for a Day" is a ripoff of "Everybody Wants to Rule the World."

I listened to Oranges and Lemons for the first time in years recently -- I found a used CD copy for $2, and it's easily worth that. While the production is annoying, what I found interesting is that the track I used to blow past are the only ones I really enjoyed. If you can get past the bad lyrics that infect the entire record, there are a few gems: "The Loving," "One of the Millions," and "Hold Me My Daddy" stand out.

Whatever. It's still all about English Settlement.

― J (Jay), Sunday, 20 June 2004 20:47 (8 years ago) Permalink

English Settlement, Black Sea, Drums & Wires, Skylarking......all gems.

Big Express? Ehhhhh......with the exception of a few tracks, it's not their finest. Never cared for Mummer so much, either.

Then, of course....there are THE DUKES OF STRATOSPHEAR,.....who quite thoroughly rock.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 20 June 2004 21:00 (8 years ago) Permalink

There was always someone who would try to convince you that Mummer was revealed by God or something. I always just thought it was okay.

― Rockist Scientist (rockistscientist), Sunday, 20 June 2004 21:17 (8 years ago) Permalink

Of course, your comment about the Dukes pretty much negates anything else you might say.

― Rockist Scientist (rockistscientist), Sunday, 20 June 2004 21:18 (8 years ago) Permalink

Wha? You'd have to be a serious nemesis of enjoyment to have anything even remotely negative to say about the Dukes of Stratosphear. You must be a replicant. Fi upon thee, evil manifestation of synthetic frowniness.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 20 June 2004 21:46 (8 years ago) Permalink

"25 o'clock" is pure fun, pal.

― THOR HORSEMAN, Sunday, 20 June 2004 21:53 (8 years ago) Permalink

damn skippy!

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 20 June 2004 21:55 (8 years ago) Permalink

Not the Police, Tears For Fears, you know what I mean

― mentalist (mentalist), Sunday, 20 June 2004 22:10 (8 years ago) Permalink

classic classic, black sea especially. the world needs more finely crafted pop with crypto-political lyrics.

― andrew l. r. (allocryptic), Sunday, 20 June 2004 22:35 (8 years ago) Permalink

Add me to the Dukes list. Anyone who doesn't like the Dukes is officially mentalist or deaf.

Mummer would have been 10 times better had the same tracks been sequenced differently. It's chock full of top tunes, but the running order is just woeful.

O&L's high production really works in favour of the music, I reckon. Apart from King for a Day, which is agony to my ears. The raw power behind Antheap et al really pronounces the strengths in the songwriting. I agree on the relatively weak lyrics though; I think there were a few hassles with Virgin around that time, with the label wanting Partridge to produce hit singles and such.

Anyone heard the Fuzzy Warbles stuff? It's some of the best Partridge has ever done, and it's not overproduced. :)

― (I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and) Whittle Away My Almanac (Autumn Almanac), Sunday, 20 June 2004 22:57 (8 years ago) Permalink

Is anybody not going to defend the self-indulgent third-rate retro fluff that are the Dukes of the Stratosphear recordings?

― Rockist Scientist (rockistscientist), Sunday, 20 June 2004 23:05 (8 years ago) Permalink

Bahahaha. You's in the weeniest minority evar.

― (I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and) Whittle Away My Almanac (Autumn Almanac), Sunday, 20 June 2004 23:08 (8 years ago) Permalink

Skipping 368 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

I do not have an incoming size limit. however, I do have a rather unusual e-mail address (people usually assume it should be .com instead of .cc, but no it is a .cc address)

― "Information by surprise" is even legal in Sweden (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 8 December 2010 21:41 (2 years ago) Permalink

I did that. Weird. Let me check tonight when I get home.

― unintentional boob pic (Autumn Almanac), Wednesday, 8 December 2010 21:43 (2 years ago) Permalink

While we're here I just want to prop 'The Bland Leading the Bland' (I know it's a warble but wotevz) for correctly representing everything I hate about modern life and the constant and overwhelming pressure to fall in line with it. Lyrically top five of all-time imo.

― best autmn alnamac with ten-letter single-word username (Schlafsack), Wednesday, 8 December 2010 22:30 (2 years ago) Permalink

vicious serial backstabber

Elaborate, please...

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Wednesday, 8 December 2010 23:59 (2 years ago) Permalink

I just had a silly thought that is probably only pleasurable to me, but:
if "Your Dictionary" was about how he divorced his wife because she was bad at spelling.
"F-I-T-E, is that how you spell fight in your dictionary?"

― Stop Non-Erotic Cabaret (Abbbottt), Thursday, 9 December 2010 00:03 (2 years ago) Permalink

ahahahaha

xp He has a Gilliam-like habit of publicly blaming everyone within 500km for his own failures, and he's not nice about it. Evidenced in pretty much any of his interviews from the past 15 years.

― best autmn alnamac with ten-letter single-word username (Schlafsack), Thursday, 9 December 2010 00:05 (2 years ago) Permalink

Also this

Moulding's creepy song themes, married couples flirting/sex/talk with added swinger overtones applied to his brown music was a real let down on WS.

― Pottery Owls (MaresNest), Thursday, 9 December 2010 07:40 (3 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

is the best ever description of Moulding's input to that record, especially the 'brown music' bit.

― best autmn alnamac with ten-letter single-word username (Schlafsack), Thursday, 9 December 2010 00:06 (2 years ago) Permalink

Yeah it's true that Partridge doesn't sound like the easiest person to work with but in his defense he has gotten dicked over a lot. I mean if you listen to an XTC singles comp it's just really hard to fathom how this band almost never got played on the radio. Maybe the whole "not touring" thing really bit them on the ass??

― frogbs, Thursday, 9 December 2010 13:06 (2 years ago) Permalink

Dunno, I remember that documentary where they're recording "Towers of London", where APart is dicking around at the mic, and John Leckie quietly remarks "ah good, he's in a good mood today"...

― Mark G, Thursday, 9 December 2010 13:12 (2 years ago) Permalink

Oops. Okay Shakey, I just checked the email address and it's fine. I did BCC you both though, so maybe something went wrong there.

― leo tldrstoy (Autumn Almanac), Thursday, 9 December 2010 20:53 (2 years ago) Permalink

3 months pass...

Is the Fuzzy Warbles Collector's Album already out of print?

― Publicidad de Sexo (Abbbottt), Monday, 4 April 2011 16:54 (2 years ago) Permalink

It looks like the big 9cd boxset is out of print but individual volumes are plentiful on AmazonUK.

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Monday, 4 April 2011 17:14 (2 years ago) Permalink

http://ape.uk.net/acatalog/Andy_Partridge.html

^^^ all available apparently

― You Say Various Things (Autumn Almanac), Monday, 4 April 2011 20:38 (2 years ago) Permalink

(the box is great btw)

― You Say Various Things (Autumn Almanac), Monday, 4 April 2011 20:38 (2 years ago) Permalink

Am I reading correctly that the box is out of stock from Ape Records, tho?

― Publicidad de Sexo (Abbbottt), Monday, 4 April 2011 20:39 (2 years ago) Permalink

Like yes I'd like all the individual volumes but that box looked cute & awesome plus Andy writes thoughtful & funny notes.

― Publicidad de Sexo (Abbbottt), Monday, 4 April 2011 20:40 (2 years ago) Permalink

Oh god, I just realised there's no way to ~buy~ anything

― You Say Various Things (Autumn Almanac), Monday, 4 April 2011 20:43 (2 years ago) Permalink

I have had Generals and Majors stuck in my head since yesterday. I am going insane. That is all.

― ENBB, Monday, 4 April 2011 20:45 (2 years ago) Permalink

I was watching Ric Burns' New York documentary today and right around where they talk about the death of Walt Whitman, Frost Circus pops up.

― MaresNest, Tuesday, 5 April 2011 14:51 (2 years ago) Permalink

i had a dream last night that i was watching a biopic about XTC. i don't really know anything about XTC so it was pretty much all made up. there was a scene where a guy with long rocker hair got a haircut so that he looked more cleancut and modern.

― congratulations (n/a), Tuesday, 5 April 2011 14:53 (2 years ago) Permalink

― MaresNest, Tuesday, 5 April 2011 15:01 (2 years ago) Permalink

1 year passes...

have come to really wish Fuzzy Warbles was chronological

― the alternate vision continues his vision quest! (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 23 July 2012 16:22 (10 months ago) Permalink

I reordered the tracks when I ripped them but there's some annoying cross-fades that broke.

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Monday, 23 July 2012 23:06 (10 months ago) Permalink

well I would re-order them now but it would mean digging through all the liner notes. which appear to be the only place any reference is made to the dates of recordings.

― the alternate vision continues his vision quest! (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 23 July 2012 23:10 (10 months ago) Permalink

Yeah, it's a bit challenging. I have a spreadsheet that I can send you if you're interested.

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Monday, 23 July 2012 23:58 (10 months ago) Permalink

I wouldn't mind making a playlist of these, crossfades bedamned

― Supper's Burnt (PaulTMA), Tuesday, 24 July 2012 00:02 (9 months ago) Permalink

lol wow yeah if you actually have a spreadsheet I totally want it!

― the alternate vision continues his vision quest! (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 24 July 2012 15:34 (9 months ago) Permalink

Ok, this may not be quite what you're looking for but here you go: http://www.divshare.com/download/19202708-09f

It's a list of the previously unreleased full songs (not instrumentals, joke bits or demos of released songs) from various sources, primarily Fuzzy Warbles. I've listed the album session it was recorded for and approximate date. I've gleaned this information from the FW liner notes, the Chalkhills website and some other sources I can't recall. Let me know if you spot any errors or have further questions.

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Wednesday, 25 July 2012 02:45 (9 months ago) Permalink

Hold on, technical difficulties, one moment...

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Wednesday, 25 July 2012 02:47 (9 months ago) Permalink

Use this link: http://www.divshare.com/download/19202877-fa5

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Wednesday, 25 July 2012 02:50 (9 months ago) Permalink

thanks, gerald, will consult

― contenderizer, Wednesday, 25 July 2012 04:26 (9 months ago) Permalink

this is awesome - thanks so much!!!

― the alternate vision continues his vision quest! (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 25 July 2012 15:21 (9 months ago) Permalink

that covered a lot of bases - if anyone has any idea for the years the following were recorded please speak up!

It's Snowing Angels
Blue Overall
The Bland Leading the Bland
I Gave My Suitcase Away
Rocket
Extrovert
Lightheaded
These Voices
Open a Can of Human Beans
I Defy You Gravity
Smalltown
Red Brick Dream

― giallo shots (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 25 July 2012 20:02 (9 months ago) Permalink

It's Snowing Angels: Recorded by Andy Partridge on 14 August 1990
Blue Overall: Recorded during sessions for The Big Express
The Bland Leading the Bland: recorded during Wasp Star
I Gave My Suitcase Away: ?
Rocket: guessing around O&L or before Nonsuch
Extrovert: recorded during Skylarking
Lightheaded: guessing around Wasp Star or later
These Voices: 2003
Open a Can of Human Beans: ?
I Defy You Gravity: mid 90s sometime, around same time as my brown guitar?
Smalltown: Black Sea?
Red Brick Dream: Black Sea sessions

http://chalkhills.org/reelbyreal/i_song.html

― Dominique, Wednesday, 25 July 2012 21:39 (9 months ago) Permalink

first time I am hearing Open A Can, apparently this was a Dukes production, but definitely sounds like later era XTC, maybe Wasp Star or later?

― Dominique, Wednesday, 25 July 2012 21:42 (9 months ago) Permalink

Is "Smalltown" different than "(The Everyday Story of) Smalltown"?

― David Allan Cow (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 25 July 2012 21:46 (9 months ago) Permalink

Ah, I see what you're asking, never mind.

― David Allan Cow (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 25 July 2012 21:49 (9 months ago) Permalink

Some corrections and clarifications:
It's Snowing Angels: Recorded by Andy Partridge on 14 August 1990 - the Nonsuch sessions
I Gave My Suitcase Away: ? - around 2005
Rocket: guessing around O&L or before Nonsuch - in 1991, the Nonsuch sessions
These Voices: 2003 - around the time of "Wonderfalls"
Open a Can of Human Beans: ? - for the Wish List comp in 2003
I Defy You Gravity: mid 90s sometime, around same time as my brown guitar? - around 2000
Smalltown: Black Sea? - no, this appears on Big Express
Red Brick Dream: Black Sea sessions - no, the Big Express sessions as it was a b-side from that album

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Thursday, 26 July 2012 03:11 (9 months ago) Permalink

y'know, this Martin Newell album that Andy did is pretty underrated

― Dunn O)))))))) (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 27 July 2012 19:08 (9 months ago) Permalink

Greatest Living Englishman (the song) is one of his best collaborative works ever imo

― undermikey: bidness (Autumn Almanac), Friday, 27 July 2012 21:42 (9 months ago) Permalink

5 months pass...

Fucking hell, I love this band. I went away for the New Year to visit some friends and didn't actively listen to much music for the duration I was there. As soon as I got back home, I put Mummer in the stereo, put on the headphones and stuck on 'Love On A Farmboy's Wages'... as soon as the chorus had kicked in and those beautifully-recorded guitars tickled my eardrums, I felt like I was falling in love with this band all over again. Superb. Fucking superb.

― The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Sunday, 6 January 2013 03:14 (4 months ago) Permalink

Yep, Andy's a genius. Be sure to check out his two collaboration with Peter Blegvad!

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Sunday, 6 January 2013 14:40 (4 months ago) Permalink

dave mustaine played in XTC briefly before going on to form metallica.

― Poliopolice, Monday, 7 January 2013 19:56 (4 months ago) Permalink

I listened to their entire discography from Drums and Wires on a little while ago and it really is pretty breathtaking

― Welcome to my world of proses (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 7 January 2013 20:45 (4 months ago) Permalink

i am complete awe of XTC and they might be most underrated/underacknowledged band of all time (except maybe some unnamed group of tribal aborigine musicians living in Papau New Guinea in the mid 1200s), but somehow only about 30% of their proper albums seem stunningly and unprecedentedly brilliant, while 70% is merely good or decent. as a singles band, they are hard to beat though.

― Poliopolice, Monday, 7 January 2013 22:39 (4 months ago) Permalink

they might be most underrated/underacknowledged band of all time

On the second count most definitely, on the first I don't know - I hear bands like Sparks and XTC referred to as "underrated" all the time and it seems that well, among *those who have heard them*, they're rated extremely highly - the question is why didn't XTC, who wrote some of the catchiest singles of the 80's, pick up more fans? Sure, their record company hated them, but it's still weird to think that bands like Midnight Oil are still known by your average Dad while it seems only music nerds really value XTC. When, as you mention, they've a good 20-some singles that are just undeniable. That's what strikes me about songs like "Life Begins at the Hop", or "Love on a Farmboy's Wages", or "Senses Working Overtime" - they do everything an amazing pop song should do, and then some. They're not even "weird" like Sparks. I don't get it.

― frogbs, Monday, 7 January 2013 22:49 (4 months ago) Permalink

it took me dozens of listens to like nearly every xtc album. it's quality music that takes time to digest. a few singles have immediate appeal, but on the whole the albums require work.

― das ist not einer 不必 (Autumn Almanac), Monday, 7 January 2013 22:53 (4 months ago) Permalink

I've shifted on this point for XTC -- in that now, I think it's pretty amazing they became as popular as they did. Partridge really doesn't strike me as the kind of guy with enough patience or tact to be "famous". He kind of does what he wants, as far as songwriting, even when he's trying to be super "accessible". Despite the fact he's essentially a genius at melody, song structure, harmony, etc, he still seems incapable of writing something for "everyone", at least on purpose. So, if you like what he does -- well, you kind of have to *love* it.

― Dominique, Monday, 7 January 2013 23:30 (4 months ago) Permalink

yeah, he's been contracted to do heaps of writing for television/film, other artists, etc., but apart from the wonderfalls theme nothing really went anywhere

― das ist not einer 不必 (Autumn Almanac), Monday, 7 January 2013 23:39 (4 months ago) Permalink

the amount of commissioned stuff on Fuzzy Warbles that got turned down is pretty incredible

― Welcome to my world of proses (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 7 January 2013 23:48 (4 months ago) Permalink

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