Ask someone listening to XTC for the first time anything

Ask someone listening to XTC for the first time anything

Just finished track 1 - Summer's Cauldron.

Thoughts so far:
It sounds very 80s, but at points it jumps straight to 1999 british alt rock

Track 2 - Grass

Don't like this as much as the first track, partially due to the funny accent the lead singer put on. Wonder if this was intentional, if so it reminds me of Ween/They Might Be Giants.

We'll see if that sort of thing returns later in the album.

it does kinda, its a different singer im sure

Track 3 - The Meeting Place

Really cool arrangement. Digging this quite a bit. Again, occasionally feel like I'm listening to something that came out 10 years later, but then something like the synth during the chorus comes in and reminds me it's 1986

they are a little ween ish on this album, they do some pastiches and slightly jokey moments

thats really super, supergirls hook will catch you off guard as being particularly amazing

Skylarking is good and XTC are a good band. They were in a psychedelic mood on this album but they went full bore under an alias, The Dukes of Stratosphear, recording an EP and an LP. One release compiles all the Dukes material, Chips From the Chocolate Fireball, and is IMO some of the best material XTC have recorded

Track 4- That's Really Super, Super Girl

Reminds me of Joe Jackson. Chorus of TMBG again.

ok cool, I'll look out for that
Didn't do much for me, cool track though. Very TMBG
What should I listen to next?

Track 5 - Ballet For A Rainy Day

Favorite track so far
nice transition into v

Track 6 -
can't think of too many 80s artists that did an all orchestral arrangement of a pop song like this

when did you realize its just revolver/sgt pepper but in the 80s?

Not op, it actually isn't

Track 7 - Season Cycle

Very TMBG again. Also rare to hear things like 1:40-1:45ish in 1986.

Track 8

cool

gonna stop doing this now it's making me not pay attention to the music

Track 10 : Another Satellite

best track so far, dang this is sweet

Mermaid smiled is amazing

They were both the best tracks so far

It's the Pet Sounds of the 80s you dinguses.

Just like Soft Bulletin was the pet Sounds of the 90s.


Different singer. There's two singers in XTC.

So OP, are you gonna listen to any other XTC albums after this one?

>So OP, are you gonna listen to any other XTC albums after this one?
yeah, asked earlier in the thread.
What should I listen to next?

(Just to add to this) You should probably check out English Settlement afterwards, it's their other most acclaimed album (Pitchfork actually gave it a 10 and I honestly agree)

OP i hope you didn't listen to the old '80s edition: the most recent reissue (+2014 i think) is better! pic related

And they went down a much more acoustic direction, drawing from ska, folk as well as new wave and hard rock

>English Settlement afterwards
Sure
2001 Remaster. I'm on spotify (plz dont leave the thred)

Apple Venus 1
baroque-pop with some crazy original arrangements

English Settlement is the most obvious one for sure.

Black Sea is also underrated.

Yeah that's good, does it have Dear God on it?

>Ape will release Skylarking as a CD+Blu-ray edition on October 10, 2016. The Blu-ray Disc will feature new 5.1 surround and 2.0 stereo mixes by Steven Wilson created from the original multitrack tapes, the original (uncorrected polarity) stereo album presented in high resolution, the original (corrected polarity) stereo album presented in high resolution and instrumental versions of all the 2016 mixes in high resolution, a complete alternate demo version of the album, numerous demos and outtakes from the album sessions as well as promo films for "Dear God" and "Grass".[24]
yayy one more alternative mix

Yeah. Great lyrics

So I'm gonna go English settlement, Apple Venus 1, Black sea, then probably go to bed.

I don't know if Apple Venus would be a good record to listen to, I actually haven't listened but I think it's more of a "goodbye" album, since it's part of a double album that's their last album

Apple venus 2 is shit tho, i literally hate this one

It's not on spotify anyway.

Track 3 - Senses Working Overtime

fucking great track

You might like this more

XTC are brilliant, but I just can't fuck with Skylarking as much as their earlier stuff for one simple reason... the guitars.

On Drums & Wires especially, the guitar work is truly fantastic. The dual guitar lines and bass trifecta works so well, and they're all super underrated musicians. The 'synth' albums just lack the slinky, post-punk-funk vibes, as well as the really colourful inversion and stuff that make them so great for me.

>No Thugs In Our House
A lot of the tracks on this album feel inbetween Cardiacs and Talking Heads
>Yacht Dance
really fucking interesting

>It's the Pet Sounds of the 80s you dinguses.
uhh no that would be around the world by prince

>Just like Soft Bulletin was the pet Sounds of the 90s.
well of montreal made the sgt pepper of the 90s, the gay parade

>Melt The Guns

This could pass for 1998

English Settlement was cool, but Black Sea has been my favorite so far. This is fucking great