XTC : Classic or Dud.

I definitely see the point in this, the same way I saw the point in From the Jam.

Also it's kinda ace seeing TC play stuff like Peter Pumpkinhead

I would definitely go see them if I could. Just seems like these songs deserve to be played live by somebody, TC being involved is a bonus. I imagine he'd do a great "Peter Pumpkinhead" if he still plays like he used to

I did go and see the Magic Band - though I got a free ticket - and they only had Drumbo... and he was singing (mostly).

Everyone on the band (incl. the session pros, obviously) is ridiculously talented. XTC is one of those bands that often gets slotted with plenty of prog bands despite its Beatles pop leanings, which is to say in its own way it has a surprising amount in common with '80s and '90s King Crimson (and not just longtime KC drummer Pat Mastelotto, who plays on Oranges and Lemons).

I sometimes think of Oranges & Lemons as Pat Mastelotto's first King Crimson album.

I passed on seeing Ex-TC last fall, but now I'm looking at that setlist and kinda kicking myself. My deciding factor was not wanting to hear Andy songs yelped by someone other than Andy.

But I'm going to see Jerry Harrison and Adrian Belew perform Remin in Light tonight, so obviously I have no hard fast rules on this stuff.

I saw Ex-TC's final show (though sadly had to miss the end due to trains) and it was incredible. They did over half of Mummer. The drums on Beating of Hearts sounded startingly like the record.

new partridge project called the 3 clubmen came out with a new song called "aviatrix." weird, but i'm digging it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ILqSjlpe7M

Fantastic, hardly "weird". Bring on more!

the laurie anderson-esque multi-tracked, affected vocals are def not what i was expecting. agreed that it's great tho. fun to hear partridge-esque melodic tics come from other voices.

One of the guys is from Lighterthief, a band that put out a few EPs a decade ago or so. All good.

Reminds me of Dirty Projectors.

^ yep very much. Not sure how much I actually like this, but it's the most interesting AP has sounded in ages

yeah the various EPs he's put out have been fine, this is a lot more interesting. hope they do more than just the 4 song EP

Sold. Thanks for the notice!

Just want to say while we're reviving how much I love 'Complicated Game' and how much I wish Nirvana or Alice In Chains would have covered it

Any Twin Citians go to the Senses Working Overtime XTC tribute at the Turf last night? 8th annual, but it was the first one I’ve managed to attend. Splendid evening.

no! I had no idea it was going on but I wish I did

Decided to listen to eight discs of Fuzzy Warbles, pretty much the last XTC I hadn't heard. Fun to hear all these weird sketches and instrumentals and detours that Andy never went further down, though I doubt I'll listen to it through again. I boiled down the "new" tracks I liked to a POX, which admittedly leans towards the more produced material on the albums. Think this almost stands up with Wasp Star though:

Dame Fortune
Wonder Annual
Lightheaded
Goodbye Humanosaurus
Work
End of the Pier
Sonic Boom
I'm Unbecome
Through Electric Gardens
I Gave My Suitcase Away

Helpful post - thanks. When I’ve cafeteria picked from these releases, I’ve left feeling a little cold. Good to have a POX

should really relisten to these, I remember thinking there was at least 2 decent LPs worth of material here but yea not being finished prevents it from being as strong as the other stuff.

There's several tracks like "Young Cleopatra" that I think would have really shone in a more finished state

as much as I appreciate the Coat of Many Cupboards boxset I do think it reveals how much of the band's genius lies in the production and arrangements after the song has been written. maybe that's why the Dukes stuff is so good - it revels in all those little details

folks I fucked something up

I got on a new poker site and entered "Bunguloj" as my permanent screen name. its a reference to a Tony Zaret video. but now every time I see it, I think of "Bungulow" by XTC. and I fucking hate that song! it's my least favorite track they ever did! this is kind of ruining my life!

I feel your pain, though I'd rank "Stupidly Happy" as the worst thing they ever did.

My Weapon

Bungalow rules

I wanted to describe the why Stupidly Happy is one type of annoying Paul McCartney novelty song and Bungulow is a different type of annoying Paul McCartney novelty song but I just ain't up for it right now. I guess the former doesn't just loop in your head whenever something reminds you of it. I don't even consider those Barry Andrews songs to be XTC really

Barry's tunes are like the songs from the first Sparks album that were written by the other dudes. the ones that are really bad and unlike anything else they ever did.

worst not-Barry song imo is likely Pink Thing. another easy target really.

I'm surprised no one revived the thread to respond to Breihan's meh review of "Mayor of Simpleton."

https://www.stereogum.com/2235811/the-alternative-number-ones-xtcs-mayor-of-simpleton/columns/the-alternative-number-ones/

Yikes. Bungalow I'd rate as Colin's best song

It was essentially his solo showcase at the TC&I show and it was beauuutiful.

Barry's tunes are like the songs from the first Sparks album that were written by the other dudes. the ones that are really bad and unlike anything else they ever did.

I hate "My Weapon" and "Super Tuff" but think "Biology 2" and "Underground" are very good, and far from outliers in the Sparks universe.

well "Biology 2" definitely is! had no idea "Underground" was the other one, I thought "Saccharin and the War" was the other Mankey tune! "Underground" is one of my favorte early Sparks tunes actually!

"Saccharin and the War" and "Roger" are two of the very few Russell-only songs (both leftovers from the very early days of the band); I am extremely fond of them and think they have more in common with "Biology 2" than they do with the Ron songs. By the next album, the Zappaesque weirdness element has subsided and the songwriting is just slightly more homogeneous from all participants.
I don't have an encyclopedic knowledge of XTC but I suspect the worst Andy song is early-era and the worst Colin song is late-era.

Partridge in turgid stating the bleeding obvious finger-pointing mode is my least favourite, and that came later.

I really like, and in most cases love, basically every 90s XTC song except Crocodile

xps "Saccharin and the War" fits in pretty well with the Ron tunes, I think. "Roger" is more similar to "Biology 2," yeah, but it doesn't stick out the way the latter song does. I probably wouldn't mind someone other Russell singing lead if it weren't for the sped-up vocal effect.

On the XTC side, I'm in the pro-"Bungalow" camp. Apart from the organ, it could almost be a song from The Divine Comedy's Promenade, which I love. But I like the organ sound too.

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

And that fucking oboe!

Both among Colin's very worst songs.

Andy dislikes War Dance. The oboe is a synth clarinet which he says sounds like a 'singing penis'.

Yes, it's rubbish.

Terrible song.

I enjoy it, or the music anyway, but it is sandwiched between two of the best songs they ever ever did

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

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.

I kinda like War Dance, it's goofy

I like XTC, they're goofy

XTC talk about their legacy in Swindon and possible reunion

https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/23994929.xtc-talk-legacy-swindon-possible-reunion/

Man you had me excited there for a minute (SPOILER: reunion not happening)