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XTC – just been on a binge of their back catalogue…wow! Please share the love here.

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A truly great English band!

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    • I love XTC. Since I heard Black Sea as a 12 year old in 1980 I was hooked. Over the years there has been very little I didn’t like and I think they are one of those bands whose pallet broadened in scope as they went on. Couldn’t choose a favourite album, although to be honest the ones before Black Sea don’t get a lot of play from me. Some of their songs really affect me and I’m not always sure why. All You Pretty Girls, Deliver Us From the Elements, Wonderland, and quite a few others can really do this. But the ones that really get me are Wrapped in Grey from 1992’s Nonsuch album and I Can’t Own Her from 1999’s Apple Venus that get me the most. Just beautiful tunes, both.
      Back in October I was at the first night of the first week of TC&I gigs at Swindon Arts Centre. (I may have mentioned this before on here.) For those who don’t know, XTC hadn’t played live since 1982 and this was the short lived outfit put together by Colin Moulding and Terry Chambers (bass/vocals and drummer respectively) of XTC. What a fine evening was had. Moulding’s (often more accessible) songs from the catalogue were played, and even Andy Partridge’s Statue of Liberty single got an airing in tribute. Grown men were in ecstatic tears, strangers were spoken to and its a shame it won’t be repeated, Moulding having seemingly downed tools again.

  2. Funny you should bring them up this evening, Unc. I’ve just come back from one of the kids drama shows – during the interval this song came into my head and I was passing the time by trying to remember the lyrics …

  3. I like bits I hear but I just don’t get the great love they have. They’re clearly a good thing but I’m missing something, and honestly I’ve tried. They’re just a bit ordinary. Sorry…

      • I struggle with la Partridge too – the voice, the accent and the many, many words. That said, I do love Skylarking – it helps when Colin breaks up the gobbiness I think.

        • If this isn’t a sarcastic “Whose Bob Stanley anyway??” type question, which is probably warranted after his comments about Mr. Partridge’s voice, then he is a member of Saint Etienne, the mainly-known-for-being-a-nineties indie/dance style band, although to pigeonhole them as that is unfair as they still release some much more varied and very interesting records even now. They have probably even improved with age in many ways. He is also a prolific writer of pop articles in both papers and magazines, not to mention a critically lauded book. However, it is true to say he can come across as a little bit too preachy at times about certain types of music that may not fit his (admittedly quite wide) definition of what might constitute “good” pop music, often seeming to be much more in favour of chart based dancey pop than more typically “Mojo” guitar focussed stuff. Me, I’ll make up my own mind thanks and still adore the fabulous XTC as well as liking St. Et.

          • I enjoyed Yeah Yeah Yeah and he writes brilliantly, if contentiously, about the 50s to the 80s.

            In the latter part though you’re very much aware that he cut his journalistic teeth in the 90s – as seems to be a rather pointless insistence on inventing micro-genres of dance music (lounge-speedcore, bipolar-house and the like)…. which in the end usually consist of literally two or three records. It’s all a bit Clarky Cat for me.

            • Oh definitely, you’re spot on about Yeah Yeah Yeah, it is a really good read, if a little frustrating at times in that you want the bits on the areas of music you like best to go on for longer. I’d forgotten about the micro-genres of dance music though, it was a bit like reading a nineties DJ guide at those points.

              Oh and I now need to hear what bipolar house might sound like!

          • Thanks for your reply Nick, it wasn’t a sarcastic question.

            I emembered shortly after posting that he helps compile those CDs reflecting the ’60’s & ’70’s in the U.K., USA & France.

            I’ve never heard a St. Etienne song, if they have 10% the originality and class of XTC they may be worth looking into but if it’s 3rd rate 90’s pop I’ll give them a miss.

  5. One of my favourite bands whose albums get regular plays – past few nights I have been listening to some of the Steven Wilson remasters on my hi res Walkman when going to bed.

    Impossible to pick a favourite track as there are so many. As I was listening to Nonsuch last night, I’ll go with “My Bird Performs” – one of Colin Moulding’s finest…..

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HA6lEPueyTY

  11. This must be the place then to post the fact that in a clear-out of books (I am never going to be a guitarist, it’s ok) I have a copy of mega-rare songbook (ebay says, not even listed on Amazon) XTC songbook Eleven Different Animals. Words and music to the first 11 singles, photos, a few articles. It’s a lovely item but I’m never going to use it and would like it to go to a good home. DM me if you’d like it and we’ll negotiate a fair price. Other than that, saw them at Manchester Apollo on the Black Sea tour, and love them though the very end of their catalogue, from Nonesuch on, is still to be discovered.

  12. Where should the curious but cautious Skylarking owner go next? I didn’t get on with Black Sea, but quite like English Settlement. From above, I’m guessing Nonsuch and Apple Venus 1?

    • Can’t go wrong with those choices – both have always been amongst my favourite XTC albums and I rate Skylarking as their ‘masterpiece’. You could also add Oranges & Lemons (which has the gorgeous Chalkhills & Children)

    • Nonsuch and Apple Venus are a great introduction. Wasp Star is worth a listen too. It doesn’t seem to be as lauded as their other albums which is a real shame. It’s certainly the more electric counterpoint to Apple Venus (as was suggested at the time) but its got some really cleverly put together songs on it, like The Wheel and The Maypole.
      I still think that to fully appreciate XTC it’s best to see the arc of development that occurred between, say, Black Sea onwards to Apple Venus. It’s truly inspiring and takes your breath away at times. Sales-wise, whilst recognising that sales aren’t necessarily a good barometer, I think the low points were Mummer (which I love) and The Big Express, which, interestingly, are a real yin and yang pair of albums, Mummer being more pastoral and The Big Express being electric and clangy. I envy you getting to know some of these!

      • Thanks Nick. When it’s good it’s very very good and I’d love to find more music that scratches the same itch as Skylarking. If the CD prices were remotely reasonable I’d grab the lot, but they’re not really casual listener friendly at the moment.

  13. I did the binge thing a while ago after watching the doco XTC: This Is Pop and then realising my XTC collection was woefully limited.
    Lots to like and I fully understand the reverence.
    The Dukes Of The Stratosphear is pleasing stuff too (is it, or is it not, and “official” part of the cannon?)

  17. I got halfway through Skylarking before I had to switch it off. I can’t really explain what I disliked about it but it was twee, lousy singing, over produced with unnecessary tinkly bits all over the place, paper thin songs….bleaugh. Sorry. Wouldn’t do if we all liked the same thing.

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