1 Earn Enough for Us2 Wonderland3 The Wheel & The Maypole4 Easter Theatre5 Grass6 All You Pretty Girls7 The Meeting Place8 Another Satellite9 Pink Thing10 Mayor of Simpleton11 The Disappointed12 Dear Madam Barnum13 Summer's Cauldron14 Making Plans for Nigel15 King for a Day16 Generals and Majors17 Great Fire18 Vanishing Girl19 When You're Near Me I Have Difficulty20 The Everyday Story of Smalltown21 Rocket From a Bottle22 Jason and the Argonauts23 I Bought Myself a Liarbird24 Respectable Street25 This World Over
thanks again all involved :)
― nxd, Friday, 17 October 2014 14:30 (nine years ago) link
1. Summer's cauldron/grass2. Garden of earthly delights3. Senses working overtime4. Mayor of simpleton5. Respectable street6. Easter theatre7. Earn enough for us8. No thugs in our house9. Life begins at the hop10. Merely a man11. Scarecrow people12. River of orchids13. Complicated game14. Towers of London15. Harvest festival16. Travels in Nihilion17. Generals & majors18. Beating of hearts19. Roads girdle the globe20. Season cycle21. Peter pumpkinhead22. Living through another Cuba23. Melt the guns24. Smalltown25. Poor skeleton steps out 26. Scissor man27. Dear madam Barnum28. Ball & chain29. When you're near me I have difficulty 30. Radios in motion 31. Meccanik dancing32. Burning with optimism's flames33. Greenman34. Helicopter35. Wheel & maypole36. Reel by real37. Rocket from a bottle38. Pink thing39. Another satellite40. This is pop41. Holly up on poppy42. Science friction43. Then she appeared44. Hold me my daddy45. All you pretty girls46. The rhythm47. Ballet for a rainy day48. Day in day out49. Into the atom age50. Sacrificial bonfire51. Playground52. Are you receiving me53. Wake up54. Fly on the wall55. The meeting place56. Mermaid smiled57. Deliver us from the elements58. Ten feet tall59. Church of Women60. Making plans for Nigel61. Chalkhills & children62. Supergirl63. I'd like that64. Reign of blows65. Man who sailed66. Statue of liberty67. The loving68. 1000 umbrellas69. Love on a farmboy's wages70. Dear god71. King for a day72. Runaways73. Chain of command74. Punch & Judy75. Across this antheap76. My bird performs77. Outside world78. Crocodile79. Extravert80. The last balloon81. Seagulls screaming82. All of a sudden83. Newtown animal84. We're all light85. I set myself on fire86. This world over86. English roundabout87. One of the millions88. Shake you donkey up89. You & the clouds 90. No language in our lungs91. Your dictionary92. Red brick dream93. Love at first sight94. I remember the sun95. Cynical days96. The man who murdered love97. Big day98. President kill
A few regrets I have about my list: I ran out of time relistening to all the albums in sequence, ending with O&L, so Nonsuch and the 2 after I ranked from memory; I suspect there would have been 5 or 10 songs out of those records that I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed (just as happened with all the others) and would have made the list somewhere. I forgot about the Dukes ("Vanishing Girl" would have been high on my list, and "Mole" and "Brainiac" would have both been top 50). And I've never spent enough time with any Fuzzy Warbles to rate anything from them. I'd have liked to pick, say, the top 150 and make a playlist to obsess over the order - after the top 2 or 3, the order was pretty arbitrary in that any group of 10 or 15 songs could be reranked more accurately.
And I should have plumped hard for "Garden of Earthly Delights" in the discussion thread. I guess I just imagined that its glory was obvious to anyone with ears.
― hardcore dilettante, Friday, 17 October 2014 16:13 (nine years ago) link
My list.
1. Dear God2. Chalkhills & Children3. Easter Theatre4. Wrapped In Grey5. No Language in Our Lungs6. Making Plans For Nigel7. Generals & Majors8. I Bought Myself a Liarbird9. Mermaid Smiled10. Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her11. Summer's Cauldron12. Helicopter13. Grass14. The Everyday Story of Smalltown15. Life Begins at the Hop16. My Bird Performs17. Ten Feet Tall18. Dying19. Season Cycle20. You're the Wish You Are I Had21. Books Are Burning22. Knuckle Down23. Burning With Optimism's Flames24. Radios in Motion25. Roads Girdle the Globe26. The Mole From the Ministry27. Humble Daisy28. Earn Enough For Us29. Sgt Rock30. Outside World31. Vanishing Girl32. Bungalow33. Cynical Days34. That's Really Super, Supergirl35. Paper & Iron36. When You're Near Me I Have Difficulty37. The Meeting Place38. Runaways39. That Wave40. Brainiac's Daughter41. Towers of London42. This World Over43. Respectable Street44. You're My Drug45. Are You Receiving Me?46. Wake Up 47. Bike Ride to the Moon48. The Ugly Underneath49. Mayor of Simpleton50. Hold Me My Daddy51. Rook52. Then She Appeared53. Pale & Precious54. 25 O'Clock55. Red56. The Last Balloon57. Ball & Chain58. The Rhythm59. Garden of Earthly Delights60. Train Running Low on Soul Coal61. Living Through Another Cuba62. Have You Seen Jackie?63. I Remember the Sun
― Kitchen Person, Friday, 17 October 2014 16:24 (nine years ago) link
The Graphics Bear “Most Valuable Player Award” goes to Albrecht Dürer for being the image source for Dear God, The Disappointed, Grass and Easter Theatre.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3a/Saint_Jerome_in_his_Study.jpg/373px-Saint_Jerome_in_his_Study.jpghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7a/Albrecht_D%C3%BCrer_-_Melencolia_I_-_Google_Art_Project_%28_AGDdr3EHmNGyA%29.jpg/380px-Albrecht_D%C3%BCrer_-_Melencolia_I_-_Google_Art_Project_%28_AGDdr3EHmNGyA%29.jpghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f6/Albrecht_D%C3%BCrer_-_The_Large_Piece_of_Turf%2C_1503_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg/374px-Albrecht_D%C3%BCrer_-_The_Large_Piece_of_Turf%2C_1503_-_Google_Art_Project.jpghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/44/Albrecht_D%C3%BCrer_-_Hare%2C_1502_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg/217px-Albrecht_D%C3%BCrer_-_Hare%2C_1502_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg
[/The More You Know…]
― Hideous Lump, Friday, 17 October 2014 17:14 (nine years ago) link
Actually, I could have done the entire poll with Dürer.
When I get home tonight, I'll post a few of the images I gathered for songs that didn't make it.
― Hideous Lump, Friday, 17 October 2014 17:20 (nine years ago) link
That will be a treat, the images were amazing!
― cc: Peniston (Paul in Santa Cruz), Friday, 17 October 2014 17:52 (nine years ago) link
And the poll results make me realize, even the tunes I'd never consider voting for have obvious virtues.
― cc: Peniston (Paul in Santa Cruz), Friday, 17 October 2014 17:56 (nine years ago) link
And and and... My ballot. If I'd gone beyond 25 (or if my mood had shifted slightly), I could have given a boost to Liarbird and Ladybird and cast a lone vote for Omnibus (those key changes! that bassline!)
SnowmanSenses Working OvertimeLove On A Farmboy's WagesComplicated GameThis is Pop? Ballet For A Rainy DayAll Of A Sudden (It's Too Late) Beating Of HeartsAll You Pretty GirlsAnother SatelliteThe Somnambulist <--------------- surprised by its low placementBurning With Optimism's FlamesTowers Of LondonWake UpNo Language In Our LungsBattery Brides Funk Pop A Roll Shake You Donkey Up Respectable StreetRiver Of OrchidsThe Dukes Of Stratosphear - Vanishing GirlMayor Of SimpletonPaper And Iron (Notes And Coins) Season CycleChalkhills And Children
― cc: Peniston (Paul in Santa Cruz), Friday, 17 October 2014 18:28 (nine years ago) link
at the risk of being repetitive, I am going to stan for some unjustly overlooked Fuzzy Warbles tracks (I thought I had voted for Young Cleopatra too but maybe I forgot? idk). There's more than a solid album's worth of fully realized, high quality tracks:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eleqWoi-Rohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HETCRDY3fI4https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HV9xSbNimn8https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GX3Cc7aef68https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnbZzk6Be9khttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0qbnye6Bnohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3w5-k6pQJKkhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBOoMFWgnXUhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIF8ZkKx_JEhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOLeojjBeKs
― Οὖτις, Friday, 17 October 2014 18:42 (nine years ago) link
I didn't vote, and I'm belatedly catching up with all the results. These polls often get me listening to stuff I hadn't put on in years, so today at work: all of English Settlement (with the deleted-in-US tracks) and Apple Venus Vol. 1, which I had never heard more than the singles from. Loved "River of Orchids."
― Dick Clownload (Dan Peterson), Friday, 17 October 2014 21:12 (nine years ago) link
(with the deleted-in-US tracks)
fwiw, Geffen reissued XTC's entire catalog in the US in 198...4? 1985? Anyway, whenever they signed to Geffen. And Settlement was finally issued here in full.
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Friday, 17 October 2014 21:15 (nine years ago) link
Yeah, I should have clarified, I've heard most of them as single tracks, but don't own the reissue and have never actually listened to the album start to finish as it was intended. I think it's a bit overlong that way, and I don't really hear any of the 5 tracks as being top-flight XTC.
― Dick Clownload (Dan Peterson), Friday, 17 October 2014 21:21 (nine years ago) link
#teamLeisure
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Friday, 17 October 2014 21:23 (nine years ago) link
Yeah, Settlement has some of my all-time least fave XTC. "Melt the Guns" might be the duddest dud they ever dudded (thought largely due to the 20 minutes of Andy's croaking at the end).
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Friday, 17 October 2014 21:27 (nine years ago) link
haha, see I love "Melt The Guns." This where all the different XTC fans have differing opinions on classicness/dudness. But I also discovered today I like "Frivolus Tonight," though, so I'm suspect.
― Dick Clownload (Dan Peterson), Friday, 17 October 2014 21:37 (nine years ago) link
I also like spelling. Frivolous.
― Dick Clownload (Dan Peterson), Friday, 17 October 2014 21:38 (nine years ago) link
I also like Melt the Guns! Though I've noticed it's often hated. Personally, I just think it's a fun song with cool chords, and a great bass line. Is it the lyrics that cause hate? AP's vocal?
― Dominique, Friday, 17 October 2014 21:39 (nine years ago) link
yeah Melt The Guns is cool and I *like* the silly inverse freakout at the end
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Friday, 17 October 2014 21:40 (nine years ago) link
Also, the production on all of English Settlement really jumps out, so tracks like "Melt the Guns" and "It's Nearly Africa" are foreplay for my ears.
― Hideous Lump, Friday, 17 October 2014 21:58 (nine years ago) link
It was "Knuckle Down" that I thought was a bit under, really.
― Mark G, Friday, 17 October 2014 22:02 (nine years ago) link
"Melt the Guns" might be the duddest dud they ever duded
See, if we're talking just English Settlement, that would be "Knuckle Down" as far as I'm concerned. But I fully understand why someone would hate "Melt the Guns."
― Hideous Lump, Friday, 17 October 2014 22:02 (nine years ago) link
x-post!
Is it the lyrics that cause hate? AP's vocal?
Mostly the vocal; I think "Melt the Guns" was the moment I realized I liked XTC in spite of, and not because of, Partridge's voice.
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Friday, 17 October 2014 22:03 (nine years ago) link
ha.
xpost
― Mark G, Friday, 17 October 2014 22:04 (nine years ago) link
Of the 5 that weren't on the US single LP, "Yacht Dance" is the one that doesn't do much for me, the other 4 just don't make much of an impression. But I've listened to the US LP hundreds of times, which may make those songs I'm much less familiar with seem superficial, or oddly placed on the record.
― Dick Clownload (Dan Peterson), Friday, 17 October 2014 22:14 (nine years ago) link
To muddy the waters further, my copy of ES (the first XTC i owned) was some kind of European import cassette which had everything except leisure, cockpit, africa, knuckle and fly.
― a drug by the name of WORLD WITHOUT END (Jon Lewis), Friday, 17 October 2014 22:45 (nine years ago) link
So those are the outlanders for me. And of those I only really like fly
― a drug by the name of WORLD WITHOUT END (Jon Lewis), Friday, 17 October 2014 22:47 (nine years ago) link
Young Cleopatra highest ranking song with only 1 vote. Voter come out & explain yourself please.
That was me. I like a lot of the Warbles - I especially like the original Jules Verne's Sketchbook cassette as being a high water mark for Partridge demos - but this came in first for me. I actually prefer this even earlier demo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzkSLzsVbKI
It's a catchy, enthuastic Andy song with a great hook and lyrics ("You'll never be the Queen unless you do as your told"), sung with a lot of affection and regard for the subject. A pretty enthusiastic piece of young girl worship, which is of course the main problem with it and probably what kept it off any of their albums, but I first heard the song when I was trying to start a family myself, and so I kind of appropriated it and heard it the way I wanted to, as a proud father song that gave me something to look forward to.
So yeah, probably as much of a personal favorite as anything.
― savetherobot, Saturday, 18 October 2014 00:22 (nine years ago) link
I love "Melt the Guns", and the freakout is the best bit (aside from Colin's fantastic bassline). For ES duds, I'm on the side of "Knuckle Down" and "Leisure", with "Down in the Cockpit" not far behind.
― hardcore dilettante, Saturday, 18 October 2014 01:50 (nine years ago) link
leisure is so gooooood, it's the sound of the british working class being despised and mocked by the media & hung out to dry by failing industry & thatcherism, the sound of enforced not-giving-a-toss hiding genuine rage & disenfranchisement, one of their truly great protest songs
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Saturday, 18 October 2014 01:52 (nine years ago) link
My ballot. For a time in my early-mid 20s, XTC were my favorite band, period. I cannot begin to describe the anticipation I felt before the release of Apple Venus. Still a big fan, although my top five albums have shifted since then (currently, in order: English Settlement, Skylarking, Black Sea, Nonsuch, Oranges and Lemons).
1 Towers of London2 Wrapped In Grey3 Life Begins At The Hop4 Love At First Sight5 Earn Enough For Us6 No Thugs In Our House7 Easter Theatre8 One Of The Millions9 The Wheel And The Maypole10 The Mayor Of Simpleton11 Senses Working Overtime12 My Bird Performs13 King For A Day14 Stupidly Happy15 Rook16 Making Plans For Nigel17 Vanishing Girl18 English Roundabout19 Then She Appeared20 Jason And The Argonauts21 Snowman22 Harvest Festival23 Playground24 No Language In Our Lungs25 You're A Good Man Albert Brown26 Runaways27 Beating Of Hearts28 I Can't Own Her29 Generals and Majors30 Complicated Game31 Rocket From A Bottle32 The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead33 Great Fire34 The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul35 Sacrificial Bonfire36 Brainiac's Daughter37 That Wave38 Dear God39 Real By Reel40 Little Lighthouse41 All Of A Sudden (It's Too Late)42 Love On A Farmboy's Wages43 Across This Antheap44 Grass45 Are You Receiving Me?46 Scarecrow People47 Dear Madam Barnum48 She's So Square49 You're The Wish You Are I Had50 The World Is Full Of Angry Young Men
― chris_coolidge, Saturday, 18 October 2014 16:09 (nine years ago) link
I gathered a ton of images before the final tallies were done--here's some of the runners up.
(Complete runners up gallery here, Top 60 gallery here.)
Alternate image for Sacrificial Bonfire:
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060%20Runners%20Up/47alternateSACRIFICIALBONFIRE.jpg
Alternate Peter Pumpkinhead from last week's news:
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060%20Runners%20Up/52alternateBALLADOFPETERPUMPKINHEAD-Alternate.jpg
I Bought Myself a Liarbird:
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060%20Runners%20Up/61IBOUGHTMYSELFALIARBIRD.jpg
― Hideous Lump, Sunday, 19 October 2014 20:34 (nine years ago) link
The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul:
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060%20Runners%20Up/62MANWHOSAILEDAROUNDHISSOUL.jpg
Paper and Iron:
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060%20Runners%20Up/65PAPERANDIRON.jpg
This World Over:
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060%20Runners%20Up/72THISWORLDOVER.jpg
― Hideous Lump, Sunday, 19 October 2014 20:35 (nine years ago) link
Poor Skeleton Steps Out:
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060%20Runners%20Up/76POORSKELETONSTEPSOUT.jpg
Bike Ride to the Moon:
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060%20Runners%20Up/78BIKERIDETOTHEMOON.jpg
That Wave:
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060%20Runners%20Up/86THATWAVE.jpg
― Hideous Lump, Sunday, 19 October 2014 20:37 (nine years ago) link
Red Brick Dream:
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060%20Runners%20Up/93REDBRICKDREAM.jpg
Miniature Sun:
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060%20Runners%20Up/105MINIATURESUN.jpg
Your Dictionary:
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060%20Runners%20Up/120YOURDICTIONARY.jpg
The Affiliated:
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060%20Runners%20Up/123AFFILIATED.jpg
The Smartest Monkeys:
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060%20Runners%20Up/135SMARTESTMONKEYS.jpg
Thanks for Christmas (Shocker Claus!):
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060%20Runners%20Up/156THANKSFORCHRISTMAS.jpg
― Hideous Lump, Sunday, 19 October 2014 20:38 (nine years ago) link
ahaha you did one for The Smartest Monkeys in case it placed XD
these are great obv
― joie de marsh (imago), Sunday, 19 October 2014 20:39 (nine years ago) link
Pink Thing:
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060%20Runners%20Up/131PINKTHING.jpg
The original image of Nonsuch Palace:
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060%20Runners%20Up/NONSUCHPALACE.jpg
And finally, two bizarre images, but I couldn't figure out what song to pair them with:
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060%20Runners%20Up/Gargling_Oil_Almanac.jpg
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/HideousLump/XTC%20ILM%20Top%2060%20Runners%20Up/How_to_Hold_Pets_-_2.jpg
― Hideous Lump, Sunday, 19 October 2014 20:39 (nine years ago) link
First could be In Another Life
second could be New Town Animal
― joie de marsh (imago), Sunday, 19 October 2014 20:47 (nine years ago) link
In answer to an earlier question, my exposure to XTC was in college in the 80s where an XTC obsessed DJ used to play them all the time and even run an annual 4 hour show dedicated to them.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Sunday, 19 October 2014 23:21 (nine years ago) link
played lots of XTC this past week inspired by this poll. Verdict: gf not impressed. AP voice "whiny", XTC music "not exciting, but maybe good for background", though slightly amused by lyrics for "Pink Thing". Kids today.
― Dominique, Monday, 20 October 2014 14:15 (nine years ago) link
haa o dear
does she dig yr own stuff or are you blissfully unencumbered by fandom
xtc is perfect kids' music imo
― joie de marsh (imago), Monday, 20 October 2014 14:25 (nine years ago) link
a question for every musician on this board, ever!
― Mark G, Monday, 20 October 2014 14:28 (nine years ago) link
it was provocatively phrased as a binary, of course there's a happy medium of appreciation
― joie de marsh (imago), Monday, 20 October 2014 14:32 (nine years ago) link
"do you have to play that again?"
― Mark G, Monday, 20 October 2014 14:39 (nine years ago) link
AP voice "whiny"
Not an adjective I would apply to AP. More "shouty" imo, but there's probably a better one I'm missing. I don't think I've ever played XTC in wife's presence, I'll have to see what she thinks.
― Dick Clownload (Dan Peterson), Monday, 20 October 2014 14:47 (nine years ago) link
she likes my stuff, but definitely more on the pop end of the spectrum (like most of the rest of anyone who's heard my music). However, there are plenty of things I listen to that she, if not hates, at least appreciates if I don't play so loud (Darkthrone, Magma, Steve Reich). Luckily she's an angel in every other way :)
― Dominique, Monday, 20 October 2014 14:50 (nine years ago) link
re: whiny, it was more like "it's maybe too whiny, or something?" like she also couldn't quite place the right adjective. I think she's referring to his voice on "Senses Working Overtime", the "hey hey the clouds are away..the innocents can all sleep safely" stuff, I could see as whiny.
― Dominique, Monday, 20 October 2014 14:53 (nine years ago) link
...which yields to glorious, full-throated joy! AP is a total thesp, his mood is a broad & copious palette
― joie de marsh (imago), Monday, 20 October 2014 14:55 (nine years ago) link
Glad 4u tho, even it this means nothing else like 'The Return' :P
― joie de marsh (imago), Monday, 20 October 2014 14:58 (nine years ago) link