XTC : Classic or Dud.

I don't think that Andy would deny Colin is a great bassist, come on.

No, I don't think Andy would flat-out deny that Colin's a great player, but he's obviously happy to point out that the most celebrated XTC basslines weren't Colin's.

i love that their big falling out was over a small musical detail

That says a lot about Andy, really -- and just because he wrote the basslines to particular songs, doesn't really say anything about Colin as a bassist at all. I have a feeling Andy would be telling people what he wrote even if Jaco was in the band.

Andy lucked out having Colin and Dave Gregory in the band. These were just Swindon people who happened to have the chops and versatility to play his music.

ah here's an Partridge XTC album track I really can't stand, "Human Alchemy". Everything about it feels mismatched - the stiff dub rhythm, the medieval chanting, the clumsy lyrics. I guess the synth sounds are allright. But I basically never want to listen to this song. And it's middle 8 is nothing special.

'The Mayor of Simpleton', 'Vanishing Girl' etc. aren't the only great XTC basslines, though!

Yeah, 'Human Alchemy' has always been the weak link on Mummer for me. In fact, I'd say that Mummer benefits incredibly from its bonus tracks on the CD. That's not to say that Mummer is in any way a bad record - far from it - I just think it could have been so much better with some of those B-sides/additional tracks included.

yeah, Gold and Jump especially

absolutely, I'm not big on Mummer but the B-sides from that 82-84 era were terrific

Desert Island is pants tho

Yeah, 'Jump' would be my favourite of all the Mummer-era B-sides, that one really should have been on the album itself. Possibly 'Gold' and 'Toys', too (which I'm sure is one of the last XTC tracks to feature Terry Chambers on drums) - I don't think 'Desert Island' is as good as the others, but I'd still take it over stuff like 'Blue Overall' or 'Wounded Horse' etc.

Dave Gregory on Facebook talking about English Settlement yesterday.

"Thanks you for all your generous comments. Coming soon - re-mastered double vinyl from Ape House (I have test pressings).
The existing CD release is shite. it may be next on Steven Wilson's re-mix agenda (after Skylarking), which should do full justice to the original album of his previous work is anything to go by, so hang in there."

So they've found the multitracks for ES?

Surprised by how little love "Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her" gets itt

Strangely, I think "Seagull" is kind of grating, but I love "Shake You Donkey Up."

Surprised by how many people who don't realize that the last good XTC record was English Settlement.

That is...a harsh stance.

xp U mad

Strangely, I think "Seagull" is kind of grating, but I love "Shake You Donkey Up."

Nothing strange about that.

Surprised by how many people who don't realize that the last good XTC record was English Settlement.

nah

Unlikely to have many takers for that theory on this particular thread I would have thought.

Surprised by how many people who don't realize that sunshine and fresh air are bollocks.

I think XTC would still be an all-time classic band if they had stopped after English Settlement, but that statement is madness

Surprised by how little love "Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her" gets itt

― flappy bird, Saturday, February 27, 2016 7:26 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I don't hate it, but it's not a highlight of The Big Express for me...probably my least favorite song on it, in fact. And the only reason is because of the awful drum programming. It was done right on "All You Pretty Girls," but horribly wrong on "Seagulls."

I hate that calliope-esque organ sound in Seagulls

does calliope organ music automatically evoke seaside resorts to US ppl in the way that it does for UK ppl? I remember reading something by an American talking about 'Bungalow' and them calling the organ Doors-esque which seemed odd to me, that it would suggest the Doors to someone. anyway, I've been a devoted listener to The Organist Entertains since I was a teenager and I love 'Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her', Nigel Ogden 4eva

huh, the drum programming and the staccato organ are what make the song for me. XTC!

'Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her' is undoubtedly one of my favourite XTC songs, and a definite highlight of The Big Express for me. It's amazing when I think back to when I heard The Big Express for the first time and I found the production of the record dense and overwhelming, nowadays when I listen to it, it sounds like absolute perfection to me.

English Settlement as the last great XTC record? Don't be daft. Skylarking, Nonsuch and Apple Venus alone completely destroy that argument. Not to mention that English Settlement isn't even close to being one of XTC's best records.

It is, but yeah they made great records later

I'll always maintain that side 3 of Settlement is the weakest side of vinyl they ever did. No other XTC album has the distinction of having a side that weak. So, no.

Melt the guns. It's nearly Africa. Leisure. Knuckle Down.

Hmm, needs another song, but.

Wow, didn't realize those were all on one side (I had the cassette). That is indeed their worst side/worst sequence of songs on an album (though I never got around to the post-O&L stuff). Take those out, and English Settlement is nearly flawless.

I'd keep Melt the Guns, but the other 3 can rot.

I'd keep Knuckle Down but yeah it's a grim run

Swap two of those out for b-sides -- "Blame the Weather" and "Tissue Tigers" -- and it improves considerably.

I have no problems with Melt The Guns or Africa, honestly. Listened to the US album a zillion times when it was new, so no Leisure or Knuckle Down. Side 2 (Guns/Thugs/Africa/Roundabout/All Of A Sudden) is nicely sequenced.

I could lose those two,too.

I probably knew "Making Plans for Nigel" and "Generals and Majors" before this, but it was falling head over heels for "It's Nearly Africa" on the first WOMAD compilation "Music and Rhythm" that turned me into the XTC nerd that I am.

And yes, switching "Leisure" and "Knuckle Down" out for "Blame the Weather" and "Tissue Tigers" would have been better.

Also add "Heaven is paved" and "Punch and Judy" and you have a cracking four track 'side' - P&J should have been a single..

http://ultimateclassicrock.com/todd-rundgren-xtc-skylarking-feud/

That's pretty ugly. Never really cared for that album though. It sounds nothing like what I think of XTC as, and I think it's given a loooooooot of people the total wrong idea about XTC

yeah, it's certainly not the perfection of the "pastoral" thing that everyone claims it is - that's Mummer.

x-post:

I dunno, man, I don't really hear much of a difference between the XTC of Skylarking and the XTC of Nonsuch. I think working on the Dukes album was more of a turning point for XTC than working with Rundgren.

Anyway, you'd think Rundgren would be happy enough that Partridge likes the album now, but obviously not.

Mummer has many highlights, but Skylarking is perfect from start to finish.

Mummer is spookier and maybe more quintessentially English but Skylarking yeah it's perfect

agree w Turrican that the Dukes album was the real turning point

I just read in the new book that they edited 2 minutes out of Melt The Guns, yikes!

They could have easily edited out a couple more minutes and I wouldn't have been bothered!

Turrican otm re: Dukes & Skylarking.

Mummer has many highlights, but Skylarking is perfect from start to finish.

Sorry Turrican, I couldn't stop myself.

I can't abide Human Alchemy

It's not the best, but I love the bridge section and don't mind the weird, weak chorus.