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Aug 24, 2021 · It’s a good time to revisit XTC’s stellar catalogue. More than any other band, their best work comes closest to emulating iconic Beatles’ albums like Revolver and Sgt. Peppers.
- Drums And Wires (Virgin Records, 1979) Following the departure of Barry Andrews, XTC regrouped and recruited guitarist Dave Gregory to form what would become the classic XTC line up.
- Black Sea (Virgin Records, 1980) Kicking off with Respectable Street, a snarling slice of commentary on modern suburbia, Black Sea unleashes venom and beauty in equal measure.
- Skylarking (Virgin Records, 1986) Despite the conflict between Partridge and producer Todd Rundgren which plagued its creation, Skylarking is possibly the most realised vision of the “XTC sound” cut to tape.
- White Music (Virgin Records, 1978) Their early schooling as previous incarnation The Helium Kidz allowed XTC to burst onto the scene fully-formed and clutching a handful of incredible singles that fitted perfectly with the musical climate of the time.
Dec 21, 2020 · Every entry from this point on I would classify as a very good album, and trying to decide which releases are better than others is essentially splitting hairs. With that in mind, I decided to...
- Stereogum
- Skylarking (1986) The story goes that Virgin was desperate for the band to deliver something commercially viable on their ninth studio album. So, to ensure success, they handed XTC a list of approved producers and told them to pick one.
- 25 O'Clock (1985) The initial plan with this mini-album was to have Virgin claim that it was a lost '60s-era recording that they'd recently dug out of their vaults and decided to release.
- Apple Venus Volume One (1999) By the time Apple Venus was released, it had been seven years since the last XTC album, a long enough period that many fans were left wondering whether there would be anything new from the group.
- Psonic Psunspot (1987) It seemed, at the time, a strange move by the band to follow up one of its most well reviewed and best-selling albums (Skylarking) with another foray into writing homages to their psychedelic pop heroes.
- White Music. 1978, 6/10. XTC’s two 1978 albums are different from anything else in their catalogue. They feature keyboard player Barry Andrews, whose zany, extroverted playing push the band in an avant-garde direction.
- Go2. 1978, 5.5/10. XTC’s second album is cut from the same cloth as their first. Go2 is a sophomore slump record, where the material isn’t as strong as the debut.
- Drums and Wires. 1979, 7/10. After releasing two frenetic new wave albums in 1978, XTC made a fresh start with Drums And Wires. Frenzied organist Barry Andrews was replaced by guitarist Dave Gregory, giving XTC a more conventional approach.
- Black Sea. 1980, 8/10. 1980’s Black Sea is my favourite album from XTC’s early period. With a fuller sound from producer Steve Lillywhite, it’s a more conventional sounding rock album than the thin Drums and Wires.
Aug 2, 2021 · Between 1979 and 1992, XTC had a total of 10 albums and 6 singles that reached the UK top 40, including “Sgt. Rock (Is Going to Help Me)” (1980) and “Senses Working Overtime” (1982). In the US, “Mayor of Simpleton” (1989) was their highest-charting single, while “Dear God” (1986) was controversial for its anti-religious message.
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Skylarking is definitely most people’s favorite XTC album and it’s easy to understand that. Getting lost in Season’s Cycle was a life changer for me. I just prefer those Chambers era records a bit more. But the top four are basically perfect albums so it’s just my personal and emotional attachments I have with them. (Big Rundgren fan ...
