side issue: the internet claims the word is "tinsel" but for years I genuinely thought the 'My Bird Performs' lyric was ""a different kind of tits will decorate my tree". Which does actually fit with the concept.
― PaulTMA, Tuesday, 25 July 2017 20:24 (six years ago) link
oh yeah Instant Tunes rules
― flappy bird, Tuesday, 25 July 2017 20:25 (six years ago) link
I've always genuinely liked 'Leisure' and feel it does accurately convey the misery of being/feeling redundant - love the line "I've forgotten how to use my legs to invade the pitch!" in relation to playing a video game
― PaulTMA, Tuesday, 25 July 2017 20:27 (six years ago) link
As a US teenager I owned the short version of English Settlement so it's hard for me to remember that those 'extra' songs I never knew til the CD are not actually bsides.
― or at night (Jon not Jon), Tuesday, July 25, 2017 3:52 PM (thirty minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
fwiw, the full double-LP version came out in the US around 1984-85, whenever they signed to Geffen, who reissued their entire back catalog on LP and cassette. I remember hunting around for an import only to easily find a US copy with all the tracks.
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Tuesday, 25 July 2017 20:28 (six years ago) link
OK, so I'm listening to "Oranges + Lemons" right now and it's, er, not floating my boat. "President Kill"? Jesus Christ, that song is garbage.
― weird echo of the falsies (Tom D.), Tuesday, 25 July 2017 20:44 (six years ago) link
Also forgot that I've never liked "The Loving".
― weird echo of the falsies (Tom D.), Tuesday, 25 July 2017 20:49 (six years ago) link
see "The Loving" is a song I should adore bc of the descending Beatles-esque melody but besides the refrain it's so phoned in.
― flappy bird, Tuesday, 25 July 2017 20:52 (six years ago) link
Yes, it's trite.
― weird echo of the falsies (Tom D.), Tuesday, 25 July 2017 20:58 (six years ago) link
'Here Comes President Kill Again' has that neat production idea of having shitloads of reverb on the kick drum but leaving the snare completely dry - but the song itself? Meh.
― The Anti-Climax Blues Band (Turrican), Tuesday, 25 July 2017 21:06 (six years ago) link
idk all these songs sounded really good to me when i was 13 and bought this album for the first timei didn't like "king for a day" very much but it was my first XTC album and one of the first albums i bought without knowing anything about it. i saw them on mtv and liked "scarecrow people"i was really into activism at the time https://youtu.be/AI8MalyCCGU
― weird woman in a bar (La Lechera), Tuesday, 25 July 2017 21:06 (six years ago) link
Mu English Settlement was a cassette which definitely preceded the geffen eraI also imprinted on a vinyl Black Sea which had significantly fewer tracks
― or at night (Jon not Jon), Tuesday, 25 July 2017 21:07 (six years ago) link
'Scarecrow People' has some bizarre chord changes and weird choices of notes at times in the vocal melody.
― The Anti-Climax Blues Band (Turrican), Tuesday, 25 July 2017 21:10 (six years ago) link
"Red Brick Dream," a Big Express b-side, is one of my favorite XTC songs.
― flappy bird, Tuesday, July 25, 2017 9:12 PM (one hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
Hell yes, my absolute favourite XTC song
― MaresNest, Tuesday, 25 July 2017 21:17 (six years ago) link
I like it, it's okay.
― The Anti-Climax Blues Band (Turrican), Tuesday, 25 July 2017 21:47 (six years ago) link
wait back up Black Sea has more tracks on the CD?
― sleeve, Tuesday, 25 July 2017 22:11 (six years ago) link
I like this plain acoustic performance more than the effects-drenched studio version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yoj9eIeolWI
― flappy bird, Tuesday, 25 July 2017 22:14 (six years ago) link
Well more tracks than my vinyl did. Looking it up, I guess those really are bside bonus tracks (smokeless zone, somnambulist and... the other one)
― or at night (Jon not Jon), Tuesday, 25 July 2017 22:16 (six years ago) link
ah, thanks
― sleeve, Tuesday, 25 July 2017 22:16 (six years ago) link
Black Sea goes in my 'how one ought to play electric guitar' folder
― or at night (Jon not Jon), Tuesday, 25 July 2017 22:17 (six years ago) link
wait back up Black Sea has more tracks on the CD?― sleeve, Tuesday, July 25, 2017 10:11 PM (two minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― sleeve, Tuesday, July 25, 2017 10:11 PM (two minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
Only bonus tracks, so stuff like 'The Somnambulist', 'Smokeless Zone', 'Don't Lose Your Temper' - otherwise my UK vinyl has the same amount of tracks as the album on CD. Jon not Jon might have a different vinyl issue.
― The Anti-Climax Blues Band (Turrican), Tuesday, 25 July 2017 22:18 (six years ago) link
(xpost)
― The Anti-Climax Blues Band (Turrican), Tuesday, 25 July 2017 22:19 (six years ago) link
Having said that, Black Sea is a pretty long album even without the bonus tracks... almost 50 minutes, which is long for the time.
I realised recently that Black Sea is my favourite ever XTC album, bar none.
― The Anti-Climax Blues Band (Turrican), Tuesday, 25 July 2017 22:21 (six years ago) link
I have to agree
― or at night (Jon not Jon), Tuesday, 25 July 2017 22:23 (six years ago) link
I've only kept/like less than half of it's songs (6 to be exact) so no
― Οὖτις, Tuesday, 25 July 2017 22:40 (six years ago) link
Yeah, I taped Black Sea for a friend, he supplied me the C90. Got quite stroppy when the tape clicked off during 'Nihilon' I mean whoa I didn't make the record unh..
― Mark G, Tuesday, 25 July 2017 22:42 (six years ago) link
Every track is a killer from 'Respectable Street' to 'Travels in Nihilon' ... the most complete LP they made until Skylarking, which I'm a bit sick of these days.
xpost:
What, really Shakey? Which ones?
― The Anti-Climax Blues Band (Turrican), Tuesday, 25 July 2017 22:43 (six years ago) link
Respectable StreetGenerals and MajorsNo Language in Our LungsTowers of LondonBurning With Optimism's FlamesSgt Rock (Is Going to Help Me)
― Οὖτις, Tuesday, 25 July 2017 22:44 (six years ago) link
"No Language in Our Lungs" is my favorite XTC track and precisely how electric guitars should sound.
― the Rain Man of nationalism. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 25 July 2017 22:47 (six years ago) link
All great, but you don't like 'Rocket from a Bottle' or 'Paper and Iron'!?
(xpost:)
'No Language in Our Lungs' is one of my favourite XTC lyrics, and excellent middle 8.
― The Anti-Climax Blues Band (Turrican), Tuesday, 25 July 2017 22:50 (six years ago) link
Black Sea > Skylarking > Nonsuch > Chips from the Chocolate Fireball > The Big Express > Mummer (with bonus tracks) > Drums and Wires > Apple Venus > English Settlement > Oranges & Lemons > Mummer (without bonus tracks) > White Music > Go 2 > Wasp Star
― The Anti-Climax Blues Band (Turrican), Tuesday, 25 July 2017 23:11 (six years ago) link
Otm 'language' middle eight is amazing
― or at night (Jon not Jon), Tuesday, 25 July 2017 23:12 (six years ago) link
I find it fascinating how differently people hear this band's tracks than I do. For example:
I've never thought about this song once while it's not playing.
And to go back to O&L, my own example of this is "Miniature Sun", a song I love but I've never really heard anyone here say a good word about
― Vinnie, Wednesday, 26 July 2017 01:02 (six years ago) link
That's a good one, but the dated synth horns hold it back a bit.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Wednesday, 26 July 2017 01:14 (six years ago) link
Miniature Sun is one of my absolute favorite XTC songs, and one that saves the album for me (its follower Chalkhills & Children being another).
O&L overall has always seemed overly labored to me. To say nothing about the production, I find that the songs themselves aren't generally very memorable/hummable/emotionally engaging (2 above being big exceptions). When I first heard it, I thought it sounded inappropriately bright and garish, especially compared to Skylarking. Now, I just find it busy & a little contrived. If you listen in, there's a lot to appreciate, but IMO Big Express was a better execution of essentially the same writing and production perspectives.
― Dominique, Wednesday, 26 July 2017 01:17 (six years ago) link
Big Express was a better execution of essentially the same writing and production perspectives.
Yes!! But the production was kinder - I think O&L was using the most 'modern' techniques which, of course, didn't age well. But also the idea behind "This World Over" is so much more elegantly expressed than "President Kill", same with "Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her" vs "Miniature Sun".
"The Big Express" has always been one of my favorites, not the least because it was my introduction to the band.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Wednesday, 26 July 2017 01:49 (six years ago) link
We should stop saying this or that technological innovation did or did not age well or is "dated." Technology by nature becomes obsolete. Yet no one says electric guitars tuned a certain way sound "dated."
― the Rain Man of nationalism. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 26 July 2017 02:05 (six years ago) link
If, however, the drums are programmed ineptly, that's another question, a valid one.
― the Rain Man of nationalism. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 26 July 2017 02:06 (six years ago) link
oh yeah "All You Pretty Girls" and "I Bought Myself a Liarbird" are in my top 5 XTC songs. Never understood the indifference towards TBE.
― flappy bird, Wednesday, 26 July 2017 02:34 (six years ago) link
and "I Remember the Sun."
― the Rain Man of nationalism. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 26 July 2017 02:35 (six years ago) link
i really like TBE, it felt like a normal step after the pop formalism of Mummer, which i thought was underrated. and it had no funkpoparoll, which was nice. it preceded 25OClock and Skylarking, though, which too me were massive massive. if anything, if i wanted great pop formalism i went skylarking, if i wanted great pastoralism i went mummer, and if i wanted cool weirdness i went dukes. so TBE was kinda left alone. boy do i fucking hate oranges and lemons though and i feel i've addressed that shitheap elsewhere.
― popcorn michael awaits trumptweet (Hunt3r), Wednesday, 26 July 2017 02:43 (six years ago) link
"to," too.
(A probably incomplete list of) The Complete XTC Non-Album Tracks (by year of original release, and the most common place it can be found, because why not)
1977 Dance Band --White Music--Science Friction --White Music--She's So Square --White Music--1978 Are You Receiving Me --Go 2--Hang on to the Night --White Music--Heatwave --White Music--Instant Tunes --White Music--Traffic Light Rock --White Music--Beat the Bible --Explode Together: The Dub Experiments--Clap Clap Clap --Explode Together: The Dub Experiments--Dance with Me, Germany --Explode Together: The Dub Experiments--A Dictionary of Modern Marriage --Explode Together: The Dub Experiments--We Kill the Beast --Explode Together: The Dub Experiments--1979 Bushman President (Homo Safari No. 2) --Dear God/Homo Safari Series EP--Chain of Command --Drums and Wires--Homo Safari (Homo Safari No. 1) --Dear God/Homo Safari Series EP--Life Begins at the Hop --Any 'Best Of'--Limelight --Drums and Wires--Looking for Footprints --Rag and Bone Buffet--Cairo (Mr. Partridge) --Explode Together: The Dub Experiments--Commerciality (Mr. Partridge) --Explode Together: The Dub Experiments--The Day They Pulled the North Pole Down (Mr. Partridge) --Explode Together: The Dub Experiments--The Forgotten Language of Light (Mr. Partridge) --Explode Together: The Dub Experiments--I Sit in the Snow (Mr. Partridge) --Explode Together: The Dub Experiments--Madhattan (Mr. Partridge) --Explode Together: The Dub Experiments--New Broom (Mr. Partridge) --Explode Together: The Dub Experiments--The Rotary (Mr. Partridge) --Explode Together: The Dub Experiments--Steam Fist Futurist (Mr. Partridge) --Explode Together: The Dub Experiments--Work Away Tokyo Day (Mr. Partridge) --Explode Together: The Dub Experiments--1980 Don't Lose Your Temper --Black Sea--The History of Rock and Roll (Andy Partridge) --Rag and Bone Buffet--I Need Protection (Colin Moulding as The Colonel) --Rag and Bone Buffet--Officer Blue --Rag and Bone Buffet--Pulsing Pulsing --Rag and Bone Buffet--Smokeless Zone --Black Sea--The Somnambulist --Black Sea--Strange Tales, Strange Tails --Rag and Bone Buffet--Take This Town --Rag and Bone Buffet--Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen (Colin Moulding as The Colonel) --Rag and Bone Buffet--1981 Wait Till Your Boat Goes Down --Some 'Best Of's'--1982 Blame the Weather --Rag and Bone Buffet--Egyptian Solution (Homo Safari No. 3) --Dear God/Homo Safari Series EP--Heaven Is Paved with Broken Glass --Rag and Bone Buffet--Over Rusty Water --Rag and Bone Buffet--Punch and Judy --Rag and Bone Buffet--Tissue Tigers (The Arguers) --Rag and Bone Buffet--1983 Desert Island --Mummer--Frost Circus (Homo Safari No. 5) --Mummer--Gold --Mummer--Jump --Mummer--Procession Towards Learning Land (Homo Safari No. 6) --Mummer--Toys --Mummer--1984 Blue Overall --The Big Express--Countdown to Christmas Party Time --Rag and Bone Buffet--Mantis on Parole (Homo Safari No. 4) --Dear God/Homo Safari Series EP--Red Brick Dream --The Big Express--Thanks for Christmas --Rag and Bone Buffet--Washaway --The Big Express--1986 Dear God --Skylarking—Extrovert --Rag and Bone Buffet--Find the Fox --Coat of Many Cupboards--Let's Make a Den --Coat of Many Cupboards--Terrorism --Coat of Many Cupboards--The Troubles --Coat of Many Cupboards--1987 Bags of Fun with Buster (Andy Partridge & John Otway) --Johnny Japes and His Jesticles 7"--Scrotal Scratch Mix (Andy Partridge & John Otway) --Johnny Japes and His Jesticles 7"--1988 Ella Guru --Mayor of Simpleton 12"--Happy Families --Rag and Bone Buffet--1989 The Good Things (demo version) --Mayor of Simpleton 12"--Living in a Haunted Heart --Mayor of Simpleton 12"--My Paint Heroes --King for a Day CD single--Skeletons --King for a Day CD single--1990 Strawberry Fields Forever (Dave Gregory & Andy Partridge as Colin's Hermits) --Andy Partridge – Fuzzy Warbles Vol. 3--Third Stone from the Sun (Dave Gregory as David Dreams) --V/A - If 6 Was 9: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix--1991 Rocket (Andy Partridge) --Andy Partridge – Fuzzy Warbles Vol. 1--The World Is Full of Angry Young Men --Rag and Bone Buffet--1992 Always Winter Never Christmas --Demo Tracks EP--Didn't Hurt a Bit --Coat of Many Cupboards--Down a Peg --Demo Tracks EP--1993 Cherry in Your Tree --V/A - Carmen Sandiego: Out of This World--1994 Candymine (Andy Partridge) --Andy Partridge – Fuzzy Warbles Vol. 7--It's Snowing Angels (Andy Partridge) --Andy Partridge – Fuzzy Warbles Vol. 2--Prince of Orange (Andy Partridge) --Andy Partridge – Fuzzy Warbles Vol. 6--Some Lovely (My Brown Guitar) (Andy Partridge) --Homegrown: Wasp Star Demos--1995 The Good Things (band version, as Terry and the Lovemen) --V/A - Testimonial Dinner: A Tribute to XTC--2000 Bumpercars --Wasp Star (Japan Bonus Track)--2002 Fireball XL-5/Fireball Dub --Coat of Many Cupboards--Let's Have Fun --Coat of Many Cupboards--Things Fall to Bits --Coat of Many Cupboards--Us Being Us --Coat of Many Cupboards--Sleepyheads ("Looking for Footprints" early version) --Coat of Many Cupboards--2005 Say It --Apple Box--Spiral --Apple Box--Where Did All the Ordinary People Go --Apple Box--2009 Black Jewelled Serpent of Sound --25 O'Clock--Nicely Nicely Jane --25 O'Clock--Open a Can of Human Beans --25 O'Clock--Susan Revolving --25 O'Clock--Tin Toy Clockwork Train --25 O'Clock--
― Hideous Lump, Wednesday, 26 July 2017 03:41 (six years ago) link
My 19 favorite non-album tracks (in roughly this order, determined when we did the XTC poll)
Chain of CommandLife Begins at the HopAre You Receiving MePulsing PulsingBlame the WeatherScience FrictionTerrorismJumpInstant TunesPunch and JudyTake This TownRed Brick DreamWashawayHeaven Is Paved with Broken GlassThanks for ChristmasSmokeless ZoneExtrovertHappy FamiliesThe World Is Full of Angry Young Men
― Hideous Lump, Wednesday, 26 July 2017 03:48 (six years ago) link
Life Begins at the Hop? that's on both of my copies of Drums & Wires (one of which is missing Making Plans for Nigel).
― flappy bird, Wednesday, 26 July 2017 03:57 (six years ago) link
It wasn't on the original UK Drums & Wires, but going through the original releases on Discogs, most other countries swapped out "Day In Day Out" and stuck in "Hop" instead.
― Hideous Lump, Wednesday, 26 July 2017 04:10 (six years ago) link
Yeah, 'Life Begins at the Hop' was a non-album single, like 'Wait Till Your Boat Goes Down'... like many albums at the time, Drums and Wires had a US configuration, and 'Life Begins at the Hop' is on that - it was a bonus track in the UK later.
― The Anti-Climax Blues Band (Turrican), Wednesday, 26 July 2017 06:57 (six years ago) link
'Miniature Sun' is great and very underrated - there's so many little details in that track, and it's one of the best lyrics on the album, IMO.
The Big Express has only grown more with me over the years, although I think side one has the advantage over side two.
'Train Running Low on Soul Coal' still one of my absolute, all-time favourites.
― The Anti-Climax Blues Band (Turrican), Wednesday, 26 July 2017 07:03 (six years ago) link
― The Anti-Climax Blues Band (Turrican), Wednesday, 26 July 2017 17:03 (twenty-seven minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
andy was especially great when he was working the lyrical concept into the sound of the song itself (can't think of the word for this just now). 'train' shunts to a halt just like a big steam train; 'helicopter' is a chopper taking off; 'poor skeleton steps out' bumbles along like a skeleton trying to walk; 'across this antheap' is ants in procession; 'that wave' is water swelling and crashing; 'summer hot as this' is taking place in a heatwave; 'ra ra for red rocking horse' is a toy horse that's totally out of control; 'broomstick rhythm' is mindful sweeping; 'the bland leading the bland' is soulless plebs trudging in circles
― blink truther (Autumn Almanac), Wednesday, 26 July 2017 07:56 (six years ago) link
Oh, glad to see there's others that like "Miniature Sun". Yeah great lyrics on that one. I agree that the horn blasts don't sound great nowadays - wonder what it would sound like with Apple Venus-quality production
― Vinnie, Wednesday, 26 July 2017 09:22 (six years ago) link
While we're on:
Just passed all the new stereo mixes by Steven Wilson, now to next stage, the surround mix.Oh, forgot to mention, it's BLACK SEA— XTC (@xtcfans) July 25, 2017
― Mark G, Wednesday, 26 July 2017 10:36 (six years ago) link