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 (nineteen years ago) link
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 (nineteen years ago) link
― mentalist (mentalist), Sunday, 20 June 2004 07:36 (nineteen years ago) link
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 (nineteen years ago) link
― mentalist (mentalist), Sunday, 20 June 2004 09:53 (nineteen years ago) link
― scottontharox (scottkundla), Sunday, 20 June 2004 10:28 (nineteen years ago) link
― tom cleveland (tom cleveland), Sunday, 20 June 2004 10:32 (nineteen years ago) link
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 (nineteen years ago) link
― Rockist Scientist (rockistscientist), Sunday, 20 June 2004 12:18 (nineteen years ago) link
― gem (trisk), Sunday, 20 June 2004 12:51 (nineteen years ago) link
Fave track on Oranges & Lemons (their last decent album) = "Across this Antheap".
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 20 June 2004 13:39 (nineteen years ago) link
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 (nineteen years ago) link
"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 (nineteen years ago) link
― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Sunday, 20 June 2004 19:59 (nineteen years ago) link
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 20 June 2004 19:59 (nineteen years ago) link
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 (nineteen years ago) link
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 (nineteen years ago) link
― Rockist Scientist (rockistscientist), Sunday, 20 June 2004 21:17 (nineteen years ago) link
― Rockist Scientist (rockistscientist), Sunday, 20 June 2004 21:18 (nineteen years ago) link
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 20 June 2004 21:46 (nineteen years ago) link
― THOR HORSEMAN, Sunday, 20 June 2004 21:53 (nineteen years ago) link
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 20 June 2004 21:55 (nineteen years ago) link
― mentalist (mentalist), Sunday, 20 June 2004 22:10 (nineteen years ago) link
― andrew l. r. (allocryptic), Sunday, 20 June 2004 22:35 (nineteen years ago) link
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 (nineteen years ago) link
― Rockist Scientist (rockistscientist), Sunday, 20 June 2004 23:05 (nineteen years ago) link
― (I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and) Whittle Away My Almanac (Autumn Almanac), Sunday, 20 June 2004 23:08 (nineteen years ago) link
― Rockist Scientist (rockistscientist), Sunday, 20 June 2004 23:12 (nineteen years ago) link
― (I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and) Whittle Away My Almanac (Autumn Almanac), Sunday, 20 June 2004 23:17 (nineteen years ago) link
― THOR, Sunday, 20 June 2004 23:40 (nineteen years ago) link
― j e r e m y (x Jeremy), Sunday, 20 June 2004 23:41 (nineteen years ago) link
― (I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and) Whittle Away My Almanac (Autumn Almanac), Sunday, 20 June 2004 23:45 (nineteen years ago) link
"Black Sea": well, I do think, just to attempt to take down a peg an album I've always liked, that XTC did progress a bit like Yes. Thus, "Drums and Wires" is their undeniable "breakthrough" album much like "Fragile," and "Black Sea" is their undeniably "accomplished" yet overstated "improvement" upon their breakthrough, just as "Close to to the Edge" is similar for Yes. And to borrow a Meltzerian trope, it's their overstatement that is the point, on both LPs, overstatement as understatement as overstatement or something silly like that. I do like "Black Sea" much better than I do "Close to the Edge" (I have been somewhat obsessed, though, with "Siberian Khatru" lately, and find it very XTC-like). I never liked "Sgt. Rock" from "Black Sea" either, nor do I find the "Kinks-esque" "Respectable Street" all that great. But love "Towers of London," sure.
― eddie hurt (ddduncan), Monday, 21 June 2004 01:59 (nineteen years ago) link
― mentalist (mentalist), Monday, 21 June 2004 02:15 (nineteen years ago) link
― eddie hurt (ddduncan), Monday, 21 June 2004 02:20 (nineteen years ago) link
― cutty (mcutt), Monday, 21 June 2004 02:24 (nineteen years ago) link
― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Monday, 21 June 2004 14:15 (nineteen years ago) link
― J0hn Darn1elle (J0hn Darn1elle), Monday, 21 June 2004 14:17 (nineteen years ago) link
― Rockist Scientist, Monday, 21 June 2004 14:34 (nineteen years ago) link
A Mate of mine used to live in Swindon, and worked in a small recording/rehearsal studio there, that XTC used to use, back in the day. One fateful day, he was assistant producer when they worked on their first attempt to do "Making plans for Nigel". This was one of the tracks on the "cupboard/wardrobe/whatever it was called" rarities/anthology thing, which I managed to get via Kazaa. So, I added it to a compil CD for him, and said "Now you can play it to friends and say "Hey, this track, I rewound the original tape!"
― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 21 June 2004 14:52 (nineteen years ago) link
― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Monday, 21 June 2004 14:54 (nineteen years ago) link
BLASPHEMY.. Oh hahahahahahaha. irony.
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 21 June 2004 16:52 (nineteen years ago) link
― (I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and) Whittle Away My Almanac (Autumn Almanac), Monday, 21 June 2004 23:06 (nineteen years ago) link
― mentalist (mentalist), Monday, 21 June 2004 23:38 (nineteen years ago) link
I heard "Respectable Street" on my CD walkman Friday morning, totally by accident, I was only trying to re-experience the whole of the Rag & Bone Buffet CD and I was surprised that suddenly reality was shapeshifting underneath my feet while "Respectable Street" played and I teleported to another heavenly post-punk planet and couldn't stop toe tapping and singing and god, what a mess. Surely that song could keep pace with Gang of Four as far as clasic post-punk goes.
Which reminds me, anyone want to join a band? I could bloody use a drummer, me.
― Bimble, Sunday, 30 September 2007 04:48 (sixteen years ago) link
Living Through Another CUE BAH!
― Bimble, Sunday, 30 September 2007 09:12 (sixteen years ago) link
I listened to English Settlement all the way through again the other day, and as I get older, the more it becomes apparent to me that the last two tracks are 1) by a fair margin the best things on there and 2) utterly, utterly superb.
― Just got offed, Sunday, 30 September 2007 09:25 (sixteen years ago) link
I bet you're probably right. English Settlement was always their most difficult album for me (as opposed to Go2, which frankly goes in one ear and out the other for the most part). It has its place in their catalogue, though, and I respect it.
― Bimble, Sunday, 30 September 2007 18:14 (sixteen years ago) link
I really need to hear The Big Express.
― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Sunday, 30 September 2007 18:18 (sixteen years ago) link
From some years back:
Hell yeah. The Fuzzy Warbles stuff can be broken down into the following categories:
1) Demos of stuff already released. And often these demos are VERY different (cf "Great Fire", "Me And The Wind") and better (cf anything from _Oranges & Lemons_ and _Nonesuch_)
2) Noodly bits and throw-away gags. Andy laughing uncontrollably, Andy doing imitations, Andy doing an answering machine message. These aren't even for diehards like me. Well, after the first few listens at least.
3) Instrumentals. I always liked XTC's instrumentals - the Homo Safari series is particularly cool. But these are inessential for the most part.
4) Complete, new, unreleased songs. This is the MEAT! And it's soooo tasty. "Sonic Boom" is amazing, "When We Get To England" is gorgeous, "My Land Is Burning" is powerful and politically relevant today, "End Of The Pier" is evocative of an England I never knew in a palpable way. That these songs were in Andy's shoebox for years is a crime, but at least they've seen the light of day.
Classic to the nth degree. XTC is one of the very few bands whose demos are worth hearing.
― Mr. Odd, Monday, 1 October 2007 23:49 (sixteen years ago) link
Dunno why anyone would fuss about "Bungalow" when you have the total misfire "War Dance" on the same album. Repetitive, low-energy, music doesn't conjure war or dancing in the slightest
― Vinnie, Saturday, 23 September 2023 08:27 (six months ago) link
And that fucking oboe!
Both among Colin's very worst songs.
― Hideous Lump, Saturday, 23 September 2023 09:55 (six months ago) link
Andy dislikes War Dance. The oboe is a synth clarinet which he says sounds like a 'singing penis'.
― you can see me from westbury white horse, Saturday, 23 September 2023 12:41 (six months ago) link
Yes, it's rubbish.
― I Left My Harp In Sam Frank's Disco (Tom D.), Saturday, 23 September 2023 12:45 (six months ago) link
Terrible song.
― hat trick of trashiness (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 23 September 2023 12:47 (six months ago) link
I enjoy it, or the music anyway, but it is sandwiched between two of the best songs they ever ever did
― you can see me from westbury white horse, Saturday, 23 September 2023 12:53 (six months ago) link
Thought that this thread revival might be about Steven Wilson's 5.1 surround remix + Dolby Atmos mix of The Big Express which is being released on 29 September.
Preview podcast: https://whatdoyoucallthatnoise.transistor.fm/episodes/xtcs-the-big-express-in-5-1-and-dolby-atmos
― Portsmouth Bubblejet, Saturday, 23 September 2023 19:55 (six months ago) link
Haven't heard the new mix yet but I predicted that the segues would be removed, as with the others, and sadly it appears true.
― you can see me from westbury white horse, Friday, 29 September 2023 23:29 (five months ago) link
I kinda like War Dance, it's goofy
― ...eh you get the gist of it (dog latin), Saturday, 30 September 2023 01:32 (five months ago) link
I like XTC, they're goofy
― ...eh you get the gist of it (dog latin), Saturday, 30 September 2023 01:34 (five months ago) link
XTC talk about their legacy in Swindon and possible reunion
https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/23994929.xtc-talk-legacy-swindon-possible-reunion/
― Portsmouth Bubblejet, Wednesday, 27 December 2023 16:27 (three months ago) link
Man you had me excited there for a minute (SPOILER: reunion not happening)
― Vinnie, Wednesday, 27 December 2023 17:49 (three months ago) link
yeah kind of a lame headline, nothing's changed since the split. I do respect Andy's reasoning a lot, I mean I do think there are plenty of bands from the 70's who still sound great today, and some of them are even recording good albums still, but I don't think XTC would be one of those bands. I wish he would do more solo material though, some of those tracks from the "My Failed Songwriting Career" EPs were quite good, but I feel like he needs to make a full album if he wants people to pay attention. and it's possible that he really doesn't, since Andy is the sort of guy who seems to think about his own legacy a lot.
― frogbs, Wednesday, 27 December 2023 18:07 (three months ago) link
I finally watched the This Is Pop (2018) documentary that was originally on Showtime earlier this year, and I recommend it for all fans.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytc9fv96ZGg
Also highly recommended is the book Complicated Game: Inside the Songs of XTC by Andy Partridge & Todd Bernhardt (2016). Reading about each song while re-listening solidified Black Sea as my favorite album.
Another review of the surround sound version of TBE. When I was digging into the back catalog in '87, critical consensus was dismissive of Mummer and The Big Express, but lately they've gotten more respect. I don't know if it's because of the Steven Wilson remasters, but the prog community has embraced them more than ever the past several years. I always thought TBE had a harsh, brittle sound to match the vaguely industrial revolution theme, and it works for me, just as the progressive chamber folk worked for Mummer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pqnmy_wWRMk
― Fastnbulbous, Thursday, 28 December 2023 14:17 (three months ago) link
Been waiting for Steven Wilson's mix of Big Express because it's the one album where I'm not fond of the original mixing. Wilson goes for a more balanced mix over the harsher original mix which is an obvious improvement imo, though I could see people liking the original mix for thematic reasons as mentioned. I'm pretty happy with the original mixing for the other albums so I don't appreciate the difference in Wilson's mixes as much as I do here
― Vinnie, Sunday, 31 December 2023 12:08 (two months ago) link
I listened to Nonsuch for the first time in a while and it occured to me how beautiful a song "Wrapped in Grey" really is. always found it a bit corny when I first heard the band back in college but now that I'm in my mid-30s the message really resonates with me. I finally get why Andy was basically willing to stake the band's future on it.
― frogbs, Sunday, 31 December 2023 16:56 (two months ago) link
Heh I had a similar change of heart about that song sometime around age 30
― Vinnie, Sunday, 31 December 2023 17:03 (two months ago) link
Best song ever
― you can see me from westbury white horse, Sunday, 31 December 2023 18:44 (two months ago) link
Here's something I wrote about The Big Express a few years back
https://jointhedotsreview.blogspot.com/2021/05/xtc-big-express-1984.html
― you can see me from westbury white horse, Sunday, 31 December 2023 18:45 (two months ago) link
A terrific read.
― poppers fueled buttsex crescendo (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 1 January 2024 14:53 (two months ago) link
Thanks Alfred!
― you can see me from westbury white horse, Monday, 1 January 2024 23:47 (two months ago) link
nice to see someone point out how strange and creative "Shake You Donkey Up" is, most people just describe it as annoying. I always loved that tune though, it's probably the only post-Barry tune that really captures how wacky they used to be
― frogbs, Tuesday, 2 January 2024 16:45 (two months ago) link
It's creatively annoying.
― The Italian Yob (Tom D.), Tuesday, 2 January 2024 16:48 (two months ago) link
Nice write-up (Join the Dots) - thanks for sharing!
I recently got the new "The Big Express" surround edition and totally agree with Vinnie's post. Steven Wilson did an excellent job here, smoothing out the jarring artificial bits while not diluting its rock moments, to the album that needed it the most. Also - in the liner notes, Andy wants to make it clear that not all the drums on the album are from a drum machine, which apparently was a common misconception. Just one quibble: for some reason, they didn't include the music videos for this one, like they did with the others.
Here's a good article about Wilson's process: https://www.soundonsound.com/people/steven-wilson-remixing-classic-albumsThis is key: "He sums up his approach as being devoutly faithful to the original mix when he's working in stereo, and creating something fresh when he's working in surround."
It explains why I was not really blown away by the stereo "Skylarking" remix (it sounds exactly like the mix I've heard 100+ times, but maybe just a little cleaner and without the crossfading between tracks) BUT the surround "Skylarking" remix is a whole different experience. I HIGHLY recommend hearing it in surround! Another "you MUST hear this in surround" recommendation for XTC fans is the Dukes of Stratosphear comp "Psurroundabout Ride" - he really goes for it, and it works! And back to "The Big Express," on "Wake Up" (where the intro guitars are hard-panned Left/Right on the stereo version), on the surround version, they bounce around on four speakers, making it even more disorienting.
I have all of the XTC surround editions and honestly love them all and will buy any more they put out - apparently they can't find the multi-tracks for all the songs on "English Settlement" and "Mummer," so that's the hold-up for those.
Audio nerd stuff (in case this is helpful for anyone Googling these issues):1) Listening to the surround "The Big Express," for some tracks, the first two seconds of some songs would get cut off. I changed the "Audio Format" setting on my player (Playstation 5) from "Bitstream" to "Linear PCM" and that fixed it.2) "Black Sea" would only play in stereo, not surround. I figured out that changing the "Audio" track setting on the player from "1. English" to "2. English" allowed it to play in surround. I had this exact same issue (and the fix is the same) for the King Crimson "Larks' Tongues in Aspic" surround DVD. (I didn't have this issue with other XTC or King Crimson surround discs, so I guess it's a disc mastering error?)
― ernestp, Tuesday, 2 January 2024 18:16 (two months ago) link
apparently they can't find the multi-tracks for all the songs on "English Settlement" and "Mummer," so that's the hold-up for those.
They have all but the single a-sides.
― Mark G, Wednesday, 3 January 2024 10:52 (two months ago) link
Listening to the surround "The Big Express," for some tracks, the first two seconds of some songs would get cut off. I changed the "Audio Format" setting on my player (Playstation 5) from "Bitstream" to "Linear PCM" and that fixed it.
Thanks so much for this tip--I have this issue when hooking my Mac up to my receiver for DTS .wav files in VLC, will try this trick to see if it sorts it out.
― blatherskite, Wednesday, 3 January 2024 16:22 (two months ago) link
xps glad you enjoyed the piece!
I haven't heard any of Wilson's mixes at home as I haven't any good setup for them. But TBE is the one I'm most eager to hear and I'm wondering if it will spotlight slightly buried things in the old mix, like the synth (electric piano?) in This World Over or the cannonballs in Seagulls. Still sad he omits the crossfades though.
― you can see me from westbury white horse, Friday, 5 January 2024 13:18 (two months ago) link