Author Topic: XTC  (Read 2656 times)

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Offline SoundscapeMN

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XTC
« on: March 04, 2017, 10:52:00 PM »
There are some fans around here I suspect.

There's a new documentary coming out soon titled "This Is Pop" and a 6+ minute trailer is up now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jh0-TMY2RcM

Very much looking forward to this.

Offline Zydar

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Re: XTC
« Reply #1 on: March 05, 2017, 01:42:07 AM »
Big fan here. I'm really looking forward to the documentary.

I got into them about a year ago, and I've been kind of obsessed over them ever since. Skylarking and English Settlement are my two favourites.
Zydar is my new hero.  I just laughed so hard I nearly shat.

Online Zantera

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Re: XTC
« Reply #2 on: March 05, 2017, 04:28:53 AM »
Really great band! Going through their discography chronologically after being introduced to them by my dad. :)

Offline LudwigVan

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Re: XTC
« Reply #3 on: March 05, 2017, 08:34:19 PM »
Funny timing that you posted this thread, was just sampling Skylarking a couple days ago. Quirky music.  I had bought Drums and Wires and English Settlement way back when they were first released and now trying to revisit this band and get into their later stuff.
"There is nothing more difficult than talking about music."
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“All the good music has already been written by people with wigs and stuff.”
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Offline SoundscapeMN

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Re: XTC
« Reply #4 on: March 05, 2017, 10:55:22 PM »
Funny timing that you posted this thread, was just sampling Skylarking a couple days ago. Quirky music.  I had bought Drums and Wires and English Settlement way back when they were first released and now trying to revisit this band and get into their later stuff.

check out Oranges and Lemons.

Offline DragonAttack

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Re: XTC
« Reply #5 on: March 08, 2017, 07:45:57 AM »
Used to listen to 'Mummur' and  'Skylarking' a lot back in the day (especially 'Summer's Caudlron/Grass' and all of Side 1 of 'Skylarking').  Those two, along with  'Oranges & Lemons' still get an occasional spin, along with an expanded 'Upsy Daisy' greatest hits.

...going along with Dragon Attack's Queen thread has been like taking a free class in Queen knowledge. Where else are you gonna find info like that?!

Offline SoundscapeMN

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Re: XTC
« Reply #6 on: February 15, 2018, 11:03:39 AM »
bump.

after the BBC pulled it last March,

"This is Pop" is now airing on Showtime

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

Offline Stadler

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Re: XTC
« Reply #7 on: February 15, 2018, 11:06:16 AM »
One of those bands that I have to get into. Every song I hear I really like (albeit three or four, tops; you only usually hear "Making Plans For Nigel") but I've never bothered to dig deeper.

Offline Zydar

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Re: XTC
« Reply #8 on: February 15, 2018, 11:06:40 AM »
A very nice documentary about this brilliant band. A Top 10 band overall for me.
Zydar is my new hero.  I just laughed so hard I nearly shat.

Offline King Postwhore

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Re: XTC
« Reply #9 on: February 15, 2018, 11:07:59 AM »
I watched it a second time last night.  It was great.
I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down'.” - Bob Newhart
So wait, we're spelling it wrong and king is spelling it right? What is going on here? :lol -- BlobVanDam
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Offline SoundscapeMN

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Re: XTC
« Reply #10 on: February 15, 2018, 11:24:19 AM »
One of those bands that I have to get into. Every song I hear I really like (albeit three or four, tops; you only usually hear "Making Plans For Nigel") but I've never bothered to dig deeper.

check out Skylarking and Oranges and Lemons.

or for that matter, here's 1 of my favorite tracks, although I'll admit, it's more clean and poppy than most of their songs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=depsFULhqV8

Offline ChuckSteak

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Re: XTC
« Reply #11 on: February 15, 2018, 01:47:32 PM »
I only know "Skylarking" so far and I love it.

Offline KevShmev

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Re: XTC
« Reply #12 on: June 09, 2018, 06:43:17 AM »
This band is slowly becoming a favorite. 

So much good stuff, and I still have so much to get to!

Amazing that until about two months ago, the only songs I ever knew by them were Senses Working Overtime, Dear God, King for a Day and The Mayor of Simpleton.

Anyone else a fan (aside from those who have posted already) or looking to get into them?  I think is a band many here would dig.

Offline KevShmev

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Re: XTC
« Reply #13 on: June 10, 2018, 07:34:32 PM »
Anybody?? :corn

Offline King Postwhore

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Re: XTC
« Reply #14 on: June 10, 2018, 07:51:14 PM »
I'm in but you already knew this.
I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down'.” - Bob Newhart
So wait, we're spelling it wrong and king is spelling it right? What is going on here? :lol -- BlobVanDam
"Oh, I am definitely a jackass!" - TAC

Offline KevShmev

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Re: XTC
« Reply #15 on: June 10, 2018, 07:52:42 PM »
Then post in this thread and help me keep it going! :P

Songs you like, albums, etc. Let's hear it.  :biggrin:

Offline King Postwhore

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Re: XTC
« Reply #16 on: June 10, 2018, 08:37:05 PM »
English Settlement was my first album.  I had a bud who was into XTC/REM.  Of course I was hooked by his recommendation.
I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down'.” - Bob Newhart
So wait, we're spelling it wrong and king is spelling it right? What is going on here? :lol -- BlobVanDam
"Oh, I am definitely a jackass!" - TAC

Offline Zydar

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Re: XTC
« Reply #17 on: June 11, 2018, 12:11:09 AM »
Yeah, I'm a big fan but I already posted here :P

My Top 5 of their albums would be:

1. Skylarking
2. English Settlement
3. Oranges & Lemons
4. Drums & Wires
5. Black Sea

Among my favourite songs are:

Senses Working Overtime (1982)
Sacrificial Bonfire (1986)
Meccanik Dancing (1978)
Are You Receiving Me? (1978)
Reel By Real (1979)
Rocket From A Bottle (1980)
Great Fire (1983)
This World Over (1984)
Chalkhills And Children (1989)
Then She Appeared (1992)
Wrapped In Grey (1992)
Easter Theatre (1999)

And of course their alter ego band, The Dukes Of Stratosphear, if you like psychedelic pop circa 1967-1968.
« Last Edit: June 11, 2018, 12:26:32 AM by Zydar »
Zydar is my new hero.  I just laughed so hard I nearly shat.

Offline SoundscapeMN

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Re: XTC
« Reply #18 on: June 11, 2018, 12:26:01 AM »
great tune off Apple Venus Vol. 1

River of Orchids
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErWSYJYKM-Q

Offline KevShmev

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Re: XTC
« Reply #19 on: June 11, 2018, 05:53:04 AM »
I just listened to Apple Venus Volume 1 for the first time the other day and really liked it.  River of Orchids is a total trip, and others that jumped out at me are Greenman and Frivolous Tonight (sounds like Syd Barrett-era Floyd).

Joe, English Settlement was my first and is still my favorite thus far.  It is probably a little too long (there are a couple songs on the back half I could do without), but the first half is so damn strong.  That groove in Jason and the Argonauts is so bad ass, All of a Sudden (It's Too Late) is so damn catchy, and No Thugs in Our House might be my favorite XTC song so far.

Zydar, interesting list.  Black Sea has been growing on me, and Rocket from a Bottle is one I really I like. I also like Respectable Street, Love at First Sight and Travels in Nihilon a lot.  I probably listen to Travels in Nihilon at least once in a day in my car when driving.  :lol :lol

Offline ClairvoyantCat

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Re: XTC
« Reply #20 on: June 11, 2018, 06:44:32 AM »
Black Sea is my favorite.  Skylarking or English Settlement is #2.  I guess I need to revisit Oranges and lemons based on how much people here seem to like it.  I dont remember liking it.

Offline SoundscapeMN

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Re: XTC
« Reply #21 on: June 11, 2018, 09:01:08 AM »
This is Pop is now available to stream (if you want to pay, or already pay for Showtime)

https://www.sho.com/titles/3454534/xtc-this-is-pop#/closed

Offline KevShmev

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Re: XTC
« Reply #22 on: June 11, 2018, 06:12:10 PM »
Black Sea is my favorite.  Skylarking or English Settlement is #2.  I guess I need to revisit Oranges and lemons based on how much people here seem to like it.  I dont remember liking it.

Oranges and Lemons strikes me as Skylarking Part 2, just not as good.  I do like O&L quite a bit, but Skylarking is on a whole other level.

The thing that is really cool about Skylarking is that there are all kinds of different styles and sounds, yet it sounds like a real, cohesive album.  Sometimes, a band will do an album of all different songs and it sounds like a bunch of different songs just thrown on to the same album, but Skylarking manages to pull off being very cohesive.  It reminds me of Pet Sounds (Beach Boys) or The Soft Bulletin (Flaming Lips) in that regard.

What really threw me off about their early stuff was how good the rhythm section is.  Even though I had heard Senses Working Overtime quite a few times over the years, I had never noticed how sweet that fretless bass is. English Settlement is packed to the max with killer bass lines and drum work.  And I love the sound of it.  It sounds BIG.

Offline Zydar

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Re: XTC
« Reply #23 on: June 12, 2018, 01:16:42 AM »
The thing that is really cool about Skylarking is that there are all kinds of different styles and sounds, yet it sounds like a real, cohesive album.  Sometimes, a band will do an album of all different songs and it sounds like a bunch of different songs just thrown on to the same album, but Skylarking manages to pull off being very cohesive.  It reminds me of Pet Sounds (Beach Boys) or The Soft Bulletin (Flaming Lips) in that regard.

And it is designed to flow as a typical summer's day, with the song sequence in mind. The opening track Summer's Cauldron + Grass, and ending with Colin's Sacrificial Bonfire. Just brilliant.
Zydar is my new hero.  I just laughed so hard I nearly shat.

Offline KevShmev

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Re: XTC
« Reply #24 on: June 12, 2018, 06:59:35 PM »
The thing that is really cool about Skylarking is that there are all kinds of different styles and sounds, yet it sounds like a real, cohesive album.  Sometimes, a band will do an album of all different songs and it sounds like a bunch of different songs just thrown on to the same album, but Skylarking manages to pull off being very cohesive.  It reminds me of Pet Sounds (Beach Boys) or The Soft Bulletin (Flaming Lips) in that regard.

And it is designed to flow as a typical summer's day, with the song sequence in mind. The opening track Summer's Cauldron + Grass, and ending with Colin's Sacrificial Bonfire. Just brilliant.

For sure.  Sacrificial Bonfire is definitely one of my favorites thus far.  From that album, I am also really big on the aforementioned first two tracks, The Meeting Place, Ballet for a Rainy Day and Earn Enough for Us. Oh, and Dear God of course.  Hell, the whole thing is great!  :tup :tup

I am about to check out the Dukes of Stratosphear stuff.  Just the fact that they did something like that makes them that much more awesome.

Offline KevShmev

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Re: XTC
« Reply #25 on: June 13, 2018, 05:30:52 PM »
That video for The Mole from the Ministry...holy crap. :eek :eek :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol

Great song, too. 

I never thought XTC would be my musical obsession of 2018, but here we are. :hefdaddy :hefdaddy

Offline Zydar

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Re: XTC
« Reply #26 on: June 14, 2018, 12:08:48 AM »
That's the only music video they're somewhat satisfied with, they seem to hate all the other ones for either XTC or Dukes.

Vanishing Girl, 25 O'Clock, and Pale And Precious are my favourite Dukes songs. Pale And Precious could be the missing Beach Boys single after Good Vibrations.
Zydar is my new hero.  I just laughed so hard I nearly shat.

Offline KevShmev

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Re: XTC
« Reply #27 on: June 14, 2018, 05:55:44 AM »
I haven't checked out the 2nd Dukes record yet, but I sure am looking forward to it, considering how much I like the first.  That little piano ditty during the chorus of Your Gold Dress is one of the catchiest things I've ever heard. It's crazy how they managed to totally capture the vibe of late 60's psychedelic music.

Offline KevShmev

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Re: XTC
« Reply #28 on: June 19, 2018, 05:43:49 AM »
I have watched the This Is Pop documentary twice now. It is pretty great and made me a bigger fan.

You can totally see how and why Andy Partridge would be a total pain in the ass and, shall we say, difficult to work with :lol, but it is hard to argue with the results.

Offline KevShmev

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Re: XTC
« Reply #29 on: August 18, 2018, 09:02:53 AM »
XTC chatter around seems to only garner crickets :facepalm: :lol, but just wanted to chime in and say that I got the 5.1 version of Skylarking and it sounds mostly awesome.  Great job by Steven Wilson on a really good record.  I plan to get the other XTC 5.1's he has done as well.

Offline King Postwhore

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Re: XTC
« Reply #30 on: August 18, 2018, 09:08:52 AM »
Were you able to get it buy itself or did you get the box set Kev?
I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down'.” - Bob Newhart
So wait, we're spelling it wrong and king is spelling it right? What is going on here? :lol -- BlobVanDam
"Oh, I am definitely a jackass!" - TAC

Offline KevShmev

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Re: XTC
« Reply #31 on: August 18, 2018, 09:14:37 AM »
The set with the 5.1 mix, the instrumental mix, new stereo mix, 2001 stereo remaster, the correct polarity remaster, demos, videos for Grass and Dear God (the video for the former is god awful in a funny way :lol), etc.

My only beef with the remaster/5.1 is the beginning of Earn Enough for Us.  I love the sound of the original, where it kicks your ass and then Andy's first line comes blistering through, but the remix seems to bring his vocal down just a tad in the mix to where you can hear more stuff going on, and it doesn't quite have the same impact.  Fortunately, I still have the original. :biggrin:

Offline King Postwhore

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Re: XTC
« Reply #32 on: August 18, 2018, 10:32:36 AM »
Cool.  I just can't pull the trigger on those even for Rush.
I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down'.” - Bob Newhart
So wait, we're spelling it wrong and king is spelling it right? What is going on here? :lol -- BlobVanDam
"Oh, I am definitely a jackass!" - TAC

Offline KevShmev

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Re: XTC
« Reply #33 on: August 18, 2018, 10:44:00 AM »
I normally don't have to, since a friend, who has fairly similar taste in music to me (except he doesn't like the 80's like I do), always buys the good ones, so I can just listen to them at his house and not have to spend a dime. :lol  He doesn't like XTC much, though, and would never buy anything by them, so I took the plunge.

Offline Zydar

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Re: XTC
« Reply #34 on: August 18, 2018, 10:54:42 AM »
I don't have the original albums, so I'm getting them all on physical format as they are getting the 5.1 releases. Hopefully we'll get another one soon (Black Sea was released last year).
Zydar is my new hero.  I just laughed so hard I nearly shat.