XTC C/D S/D

what do you mean by "later" - from Skylarking on...?

The Virgin '80s releases sound pretty good. English Settlement is too loud though.

I love XTC, but I don't think they've ever made a truly consistent start-to-finish album though they have got fairly close at times - it seems that for every 5 songs that they put out, there's always one or two which do absolutely nothing for me and (in my opinion) seem to spoil the album. So, I would search absolutely everything but destroy the following songs...

White Music: 'I'll Set Myself On Fire', 'I'm Bugged' (the bonus tracks improve this album)

Go 2: 'My Weapon', 'Super-Tuff' (the Barry Andrews tracks aside, this is a very underrated album)

Drums & Wires: I wouldn't destroy anything.

Black Sea: 'Living Through Another Cuba' (the rest of the album is sublime)

English Settlement: 'Melt The Guns', 'Leisure', 'It's Nearly Africa' (the most overrated album)

Mummer: 'Wonderland', 'Human Alchemy'. (as with White Music, the bonus tracks improve this album - 'Jump', 'Toys' and 'Gold' all should have been on there - and I quite like 'Desert Island').

The Big Express: all of side two (except 'The Everyday Story Of Smalltown' and 'Train Running Low On Soul Coal'. This album features some of XTC's most underrated music).

Skylarking: 'Another Satellite', easily. (both Dear God *and* Mermaid Smiled should have been included).

Oranges & Lemons: 'Here Comes President Kill Again', 'Scarecrow People', 'Merely A Man', 'Cynical Days', 'Hold Me My Daddy' (this, to my mind, is XTC's worst album - and the production is terrible).

Nonsuch: I'd only destroy 'War Dance' (the rest of the material is brilliant).

Apple Venus: I wouldn't destroy anything - I even like 'Fruit Nut'.

Wasp Star: On the other hand, I'd destroy everything on this one except 'Playground', 'Church Of Women' and 'The Wheel And The Maypole', two of XTC's most underrated songs.

English Settlement: (the most overrated album)

Really? It may be my favorite, but don't most usually rate the herky-jerk stuff circa "D&W" or the sophisto Skylarking more? I always thought Settlement was kinda slept on.

it's a transitional record

Skylarking: 'Another Satellite', easily. (both Dear God *and* Mermaid Smiled should have been included).

why don't you like this one? I love that spacey production, it's very fun to sing too! IMO the only flaw with Skyarking was totally pointless removing of "Mermaid Smiled" on the USA edition of the album. A Skyarking without it is not a Skyarking.

*Skylarking, dammit

Well, "Drums & Wires" tends to be the choice of most UK critics (it's certainly a record that got brought up a lot when bands like Bloc Party and Franz Ferdinand appeared several years ago), and "Skylarking" tends to be rated most highly by American fans/critics, because it was essentially their breakthrough record there. For the UK fans, though, especially the ones that were around at the time of its release, "English Settlement" is the one that usually gets pointed to.

I tend to think most of the praise that gets levelled at "Drums & Wires" is justified, it's definitely a record that's influenced more than its fair share of bands. The praise that "Skylarking" gets is mostly justified too - it's a thoroughly strong collection of songs, and I think Todd Rundgren really did XTC well on that record (even though Partridge was critical of the record at the time).

I've never felt any of the praise that "English Settlement" gets is justified... sure, it features a quota of outstanding tracks (this is before we even get to the evergreen 'Senses Working Overtime'), but I never felt there was enough great stuff there to justify a double album. "Nonsuch" is the only time that they had enough great material to make an album over an hour long, in my opinion.

one thing I have learned from XTC threads is that when it comes to specific songs, nobody ever agrees

which is kinda why they would make a good poll tbh

Skylarking: 'Another Satellite', easily. (both Dear God *and* Mermaid Smiled should have been included).

why don't you like this one? I love that spacey production, it's very fun to sing too! IMO the only flaw with Skyarking was totally pointless removing of "Mermaid Smiled" on the USA edition of the album. A Skyarking without it is not a Skyarking.

― V79, Tuesday, September 6, 2011 9:50 PM (2 minutes ago)

It's just one of those instances where a tune just doesn't do anything for me, and there's no other reason than that, really. I've often felt that it sticks out like a sore thumb on the album and disrupts the flow, but I guess I'd feel that way even if I liked it!

one thing I have learned from XTC threads is that when it comes to specific songs, nobody ever agrees

which is kinda why they would make a good poll tbh

― I can feel it in my spiritual hat (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, September 6, 2011 9:53 PM

I completely agree. I think one of the best things about the XTC catalogue is that their music is such that people can be heavily into certain aspects of the band and not others. For example, 'Leisure' is one of my most loathed XTC tracks of all time but I've spoken to people who really love its drawling vibe.

xp hmm, I think I see your point now, though I don't really agree with it

btw Andy tweeted today that the BBC are interested in making a TV documentary about XTC, I'm curious to see how it turns out!

http://twitter.com/#!/xtcfans/status/111145102256246784

I kind of think of XTC in terms of albums rather than specific songs. The American, single LP "English Settlement" was the first one I got heavily into by them, which may be why it remains my favorite, and I think this tracklist/sequencing is pretty much perfect:

Side 1
Runaways
Ball and Chain
Senses Working Overtime
Jason and the Argonauts
Snowman
Side 2
Melt the Guns
No Thugs in Our House
It's Nearly Africa
English Roundabout
All of a Sudden (It's Too Late)

I get why some people don't like Andy's attempts at "worldbeat" like Melt The Guns and Africa, though I do.

That's great news - I'd be very interested in watching something like that. They're one of those bands that most music fans seem to know, but even less have actually heard them. If a BBC documentary gets more kids buying XTC records, then it can't be a bad thing.

Sorry, xpost!

would totally watch a doc, such a strange story

I kind of think of XTC in terms of albums rather than specific songs. The American, single LP "English Settlement" was the first one I got heavily into by them, which may be why it remains my favorite, and I think this tracklist/sequencing is pretty much perfect

I get why some people don't like Andy's attempts at "worldbeat" like Melt The Guns and Africa, though I do.

― Hey T-Paw, mow my lawn! (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, September 6, 2011 10:14 PM

Yeah, I've never actually tried listening to it in that configuration - but being used to the double set I really can't hear 'Snowman' as being anything other than the album closer! Those wouldn't have necessarily been my choices for side 2 either, it's seriously missing some 'Yacht Dance', 'Fly On The Wall' and 'Down In The Cockpit'! Although they seem to have (in my opinion) had the good sense to leave 'Leisure' off!

This may be the third or so XTC thread where I've 'fessed up to never having heard the "extra" English Settlement tracks. I really need to buy the expanded edition.

Is the whole thing not up on Spotify? I'm sure it is. I'm going to have to check that out.

I've never felt any of the praise that "English Settlement" gets is justified... sure, it features a quota of outstanding tracks (this is before we even get to the evergreen 'Senses Working Overtime'), but I never felt there was enough great stuff there to justify a double album.

I used to think that way but it grew on me slowly over time. It's one of my favourites now, and I don't skip anything. 'Leisure' isn't exactly brilliant but it fills a nice place in the album.

A documentary would be incredible. The Chalkhills and Children book is really quite entertaining (once you get past all the "Andy was born in blah and went to school at blah" guff), and the Song Stories book that does what it says on the tin is more interesting than I thought it would be. There was talk of turning Partridge's recent MySpace song descriptions into another book but I don't know where that ended up.

btw I was all ready to run an XTC megapoll but the hivemind got all butthurt about poll threads.

? there's tons of poll threads going on right now

yeah I noticed

I've never read any of those XTC books - quite possibly because I've found them so difficult to get hold of! I have to take the opportunity to say just how much the Chalkhills website "helped me out" while getting into this band, though... the wealth of material on offer on that website is just staggering and I found it an invaluable resource of information when I started listening to this band for the first time. Those Myspace interviews with Andy about certain songs have been great as well, and I always enjoy reading about what Andy has to say about his songwriting. He seems to have a sense of humour about his lack of commercial success, even though you can tell it does rankle him slightly!

Yeah, I think he sees what it takes to win the game (selling out etc) and counts his lucky stars he was only ever moderately successful. There'll always be residual anger about bad contracts and mismanagement ('I Caught Myself a Liarbird' is a great song) and he'll always come to loggerheads with his peers and overlords Terry Gilliam style, but on the whole it sounds like his personal life is stable and he's just enjoying himself.

APE records, on the other hand...

Yeah, 'I Caught Myself A Liarbird' is great - only Partridge could write about mismanagement in that particular way! I always have a little chuckle whenever I read the quotes on the songs in the booklet that comes with the "Apple Venus"/"Wasp Star" boxset, especially when he's talking about 'Your Dictionary': "I tried and tried not to write a divorce song..." - hehehehe...

That's an amazing song. It captures perfectly the weird ferocious entitlement of being dumped, ending with a determination to get on with it that's really just part of the turbulence.

Yeah, that's exactly it! I think 'I Can't Own Her' captures something similar also. A bit of a breakthrough lyric for Andy, that one. I'm going to have to give "Apple Venus" a listen now!

In the mid '90s I was given that collection of demos that was going around, clearly written during his divorce because there's SO MUCH bitterness and misery in those songs, mixed with some very positive and uplifting fantasy stuff ('Green Man', 'Easter Theatre', 'Harvest Festival' etc). He was all over the place.

Was 'Wounded Horse' one of them by any chance? I know a lot of the "Apple Venus"/"Wasp Star" material came from around the same period of time... apparently Dave Gregory wanted to put what he considered to be the best of the "Apple Venus"/"Wasp Star" stuff together in one album and make a kind of "Nonsuch" part two... and although I'm glad XTC didn't do that (if only because "Apple Venus" is pretty much perfect in my opinion), I would have been very interested to hear what Dave Gregory's own song choices would have been!

'Wounded Horse' wasn't on my tape but I think it might have been out there at the time.

Shame about what was vetoed btw, because 'Wonder Annual' is one of the best songs Partridge ever wrote (despite its lol premise).

Hehehehehehe! Yes, some of Partridge's most carnal lyrics in that song. "If lust equals knowledge, then I side with the snake"! Hehehehehehe! The one that tickles me every time from the ones that he actually properly released has to be the one from Omnibus: "Ain't nothing in the world like a black skinned girl, make your Shakespeare hard and make your oyster pearl". Oh dear!

Oh god yes, I don't know where his head was that day. I still cringe when I hear that.

White Music: 'I'll Set Myself On Fire', 'I'm Bugged' (the bonus tracks improve this album)

Agree with the bonus tracks comment, but "I'll Set Myself On Fire" is great, though admittedly the live version released as a b-side DESTROYS the studio take and is what I think of.

Go 2: 'My Weapon', 'Super-Tuff' (the Barry Andrews tracks aside, this is a very underrated album)

I can understand your view, though I adore Barry's work.

Drums & Wires: I wouldn't destroy anything.

Agreed.

Black Sea: 'Living Through Another Cuba' (the rest of the album is sublime)

Again, there's a live medley with "Generals And Majors" which pummels you into submission.

English Settlement: 'Melt The Guns', 'Leisure', 'It's Nearly Africa' (the most overrated album)

These are the more vocally challenging tracks - I love them but can understand your view.

Mummer: 'Wonderland', 'Human Alchemy'. (as with White Music, the bonus tracks improve this album

Yup, the bonus tracks are great. I find this album the least of their canon but "Human Alchemy" is just so wonderfully strange.

The Big Express: all of side two (except 'The Everyday Story Of Smalltown' and 'Train Running Low On Soul Coal'.

This is my all-time favorite album so this is where we disagree. Side two is every bit as awesome as side one, there's not a weak track on this, but my opinion is completely compromised as this was my first XTC album.

Skylarking: 'Another Satellite', easily. (both Dear God *and* Mermaid Smiled should have been included).

Yeah, that's a weak track. And I managed to get a Canadian CD which DOES have both "Dear God" and "Mermaid Smiled"!

Oranges & Lemons: 'Here Comes President Kill Again', 'Scarecrow People', 'Merely A Man', 'Cynical Days', 'Hold Me My Daddy' (this, to my mind, is XTC's worst album - and the production is terrible).

This is a mixed bag with awful production, true. "President Kill" is a sentimental fave and I like the heavy-handed "Scarecrow People".

Nonsuch: I'd only destroy 'War Dance' (the rest of the material is brilliant).

You didn't go far enough - kill all the Colin songs. "Bungalow" - good lord, AWFUL!

Apple Venus: I wouldn't destroy anything - I even like 'Fruit Nut'.

Agreed.

Wasp Star: On the other hand, I'd destroy everything on this one except 'Playground', 'Church Of Women' and 'The Wheel And The Maypole'

I always forget this album - "I'm The Man Who Murdered Love" is Andy's worst composition, by far. Colin redeems himself with "Boarded Up", which I like, and the tracks you mentioned are alright. But honestly I could just destroy the whole thing - it took me years to even deign to buy a physical copy!

"Sacrificial Bonfire" snuck up on my during a recent listening. I really had no idea it was such a great song despit hundreds of listens to Skylarking over the years.

I think "Sacrificial Bonfire" is probably my favourite XTC song that Colin Moulding wrote - I just love the whole vibe of the song, it's so evocative. And of course, the magnificent string arrangement gets me every time - when it kicks in on the second verse, it's a great moment in itself, but when the whole arrangment bursts open on the second chorus... oh man!

Wasp Star: On the other hand, I'd destroy everything on this one except 'Playground', 'Church Of Women' and 'The Wheel And The Maypole'

I always forget this album - "I'm The Man Who Murdered Love" is Andy's worst composition, by far. Colin redeems himself with "Boarded Up", which I like, and the tracks you mentioned are alright. But honestly I could just destroy the whole thing - it took me years to even deign to buy a physical copy!

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Wednesday, September 7, 2011 2:38 AM (37 minutes ago)

Oh, I forgot about "Boarded Up"! Yeah, I'm fond of that one... the arrangement of that track is perfect and conveys its subject matter perfectly. There's a village near where I live that could have had that song written about it! Partridge's worst composition? Hmm. "Blue Overall" would probably get my vote as his ultimate low point.

Re: The Big Express

This is my all-time favorite album so this is where we disagree. Side two is every bit as awesome as side one, there's not a weak track on this, but my opinion is completely compromised as this was my first XTC album.

I forgot to mention that I wouldn't destroy 'I Bought Myself A Liarbird', which I also think is great (as I mentioned somewhere upthread), but I've never been too fond of 'I Remember The Sun' (I've always found it a bit on the dull side) or 'You're The Wish You Are I Had' (it's one of the few moments in the XTC catalogue that I can say is just TOO damn cheesy for me). 'Reign Of Blows' is decent, I guess, but I don't think they got the best out of it.

I used to love the hell out of The Big Express but recently it's been sounding way too dated for me. 'You're the Wish' is the highlight for me.

'Man Who Murdered Love', yeah, bloody awful. It had me deeply worried until I heard some of his brilliant 21st century work in the Fuzzy Warbles set.

some of

Yeah, Wasp Star could have been one of XTC's all time best had Partridge not shitcanned some of his best songs. Young Marrieds, I Don't Want To Be Here, Wonder Annual, Ship Trapped in the Ice, My Land is Burning, Sonic Boom, Through Electric Gardens, The Bland Leading the Bland...mix in some of these songs with the best songs that did make the cut and it'd be an instant classic!

I do enjoy the released album but feel like it has some of XTC's weakest tracks. And the gap between the quality of the two songwriters' output never sounded so huge.

agree that the track selection for that album is quite odd/inscrutable. it does have some high points though. I like the Man Who Murdered Love allright.

I mean, i really can't blame Moulding for wanting to retire from music. It's been all downhill for him since My Bird Performs (his last great song IMO) while Partridge, in many ways, got even better...

I've always been quite fond of "Bungalow", myself, although I can understand why people wouldn't like it. I think "War Dance" is his big dud from "Nonsuch". You're right in a way about "My Bird Performs", though - it's a fantastic track. Love the vocal harmonies and the ringing guitar lick. Another one of my absolute favourite Colin songs (although I don't think he ever wrote ANYTHING that moves me as much as "Sacrificial Bonfire" does).

I think "War Dance" is his big dud from "Nonsuch".

Monkeys. Monkeys Monkeys Monkeys. Worst song he ever wrote. War Dance is not far behind but just eugh.

Yeah, Wasp Star could have been one of XTC's all time best had Partridge not shitcanned some of his best songs.

The band would select the material as a group iirc, which is why a lot of the really great stuff never ended up on albums. Also, the flow of the album might actually have been better serviced (at least in their minds – remember the whole 'electric' theme they were pushing) by the songs that did end up on the album.

'Through Electric Gardens' opens with some stuff inspired by my local heritage-listed theme park, which is just awesome.

'The Bland Leading the Bland' is probably my favourite Partridge song ever, purely for the sentiment expressed and the drudgery it injects into the music.

remember the whole 'electric' theme they were pushing

the funny thing is the album does not sustain this theme at all.

It really doesn't. I think by "electric" they just meant amplified guitars.

but like half the songs don't even have that! Boarded Up?

Yeah. Who knows what was going on back then.

Shame, because AV1 was sooo focused.

You can peel a few songs off Wasp Star (as per Turrican's post e.g. 'The Wheel and the Maypole' alone is worth having the album for) and enjoy them in isolation, but god is it hard to play from start to finish.