Life begins at the hop (XTC) (LP 4985 - 4993)

XTC  Go 2 (Vinyl, Virgin Records, 1978) ***  

XTC  Live Boots (CD, Ape House Records, 2026) *** 

XTC  Mummer (Vinyl, Virgin Records, 1983) *** 

XTC  The Big Express (Vinyl, Virgin Records, 1984) **** 

XTC  Skylarking (CD, Virgin Records, 1986) *****

The Dukes of Stratosphear  Psonic Psunspot (Vinyl, Geffen Records, 1987) ****

XTC  Oranges & Lemons (CD, Virgin Records, 1989) ****

XTC  Nonsuch (Vinyl, Virgin Records, 1992) ****

XTC  Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2) (CD, Cooking Vinyl Records, 2000) ****

Genre: Alt pop 

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records, Just for the Record, JB Hi Fi (Hamilton), Record shops in San Luis Obispo.

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Ballet for a Rainy Day (Skylarking), Shiny Cage (Psonic Psunspot)

Gear costume: Great Fire (Mummer), The Disappointed (Nonsuch)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7; Part 8

Active compensatory factors: X is the only letter that only has one artist in my album collection - the amazing XTC. The band fronted by songwriters Andy Partridge (vocals, guitars) and Colin Moulding (vocals, bass) have appeared elsewhere in my collection countdown. Go here for White Music/ Black Sea/ Wasp Star, Drums and Wires,  English Settlement.

So, I'll cover the rest of my collection in this post (which still has a few holes). Starting with Go 2, their second album with all of the writing on the cover.

Being rushed out soon after White Music, it suffered a little from second album syndrome and it was Barry Andrews last album as an XTC-er. I sold my copy a long time ago but rebought it in the last few years from Real Groovy. This NZ copy is like the American version with the single Are You Receiving Me included.

Listening to it now made me question my critical faculties for a while. It starts with Partridge's terrific Meccanik Dancing. While that's their best song here aside from Are You Receiving Me?, the rest of the album is never less than interesting, dynamic, catchy and appealing. It's just a bit strident at times, a bit too over-keen to please, without having the shock value of newness (White Music).

All up, it's a good, maybe not great, follow-up to White Music. As one critic at the time said - "there's a wider range of experimentation, less instrumental clutter and a hatful of unpredictable twists," and they also noted that the hooks are "just as tricksily devastating".

The double CD Live Boots album that came out this year documents their show at Emerald City, New Jersey in 1981. It came out during Record Store Day - I have a CD version. The quality of the recording is okay, but not good enough for an official release, if you know what I mean.

It's a pretty relentless parade of sharp songs, the enthusiasm level is high and Andy Partridge stage manages proceedings superbly. Just a pity the sound quality isn't quite sharp enough.

Mummer is their sixth studio album. The band had made the decision to stop touring and become a studio band instead. Drummer Terry Chambers wasn't a fan of this idea, therefore this would be his last album as an XTCer (he's only on a couple of tracks). 

Mummer was their first effort under this new regime and it certainly has a lush, pastoral approach, much like English Settlement, which is one of my favourites. It is an inconsistent album though - with acoustic songs, experimental sounds and at times a return to their old approach pre English Settlement (Funk Pop A Roll).

The Big Express saw the band now operating as a trio (Moulding, Partridge, David Gregory) and assorted guests. Apparently, the album is the band's first concept album, inspired by the band's hometown of Swindon and its railway system. Like Big Big Train's concept work, it's travelling down the progressive rock line. I for one, like this approach a lot, even if I don't quite follow the conceptual ideas within the songs.

The denser more forceful sound has definitely moved away from the quieter, acoustic, pastoral vibe found on English Settlement and parts of Mummer. All You Pretty Girls is definitely the most poppy song here - it was released as a single even. All up, this is a great sounding album - an under-appreciated one in the XTC catalogue.

Skylarking, however, is rightly acknowledged as one of their best albums. This is one of my go-to XTC albums. Ballet For a Rainy Day is a superbly realised song, showing them serenely comfortable in Ray Davies' world. In some ways I get the impression that XTC could be seen as a natural successor to The Kinks. They could certainly replicate this song in various ways over a whole album if they were inclined.

Todd Rundgren does a superb job as producer, even though he butted heads with Andy Partridge during the sessions. The Beatle-esque sound achieved on the album is a testament to Todd's brilliance in my opinion. I also don't think the creative friction burned anyone's fingers - turned out it was a good thing. The electricity still lingers in the album.

The Dukes of Stratosphear is XTC's psychedelic alter ego band. The thought was that the Dukes were a sixties band, putting out music in 1967. I used to have a copy of their first effort - an EP - 25 O'Clock but now only have their second (and final) effort - Psonic Psunspot.

It's a lot of fun, and weirdly, it even sold more copies than Skylarking (the superior album). I must buy back a copy of 25 O'Clock sometime.

Oranges & Lemons was their next XTC album - their eleventh. They returned to an earlier XTC sound, albeit with the slightly psychedelic sound of The Dukes of Stratosphear still lingering. It was a good follow up to Skylarking, although I do still prefer that album. Fifteen songs on Oranges & Lemons is a lot to sustain attention, especially when XTC take great delight in elaborate arrangements that contain multitudes.

Nonsuch carries on the forward momentum from the psychedelicised years with a more orchestrated approach. It's another sprawling double album, again it's a tad difficult to sustain attention. It's an embarrassment of riches really. I've highlighted The Disappointed from the album because it shows how accomplished XTC are at doing Beach Boys' harmonies. Extraordinary!

The second volume of Apple Venus is called Wasp Star. I haven't been able to find an affordable copy of volume 1 yet. It's another exceptional collection of inventive pop songs from the boys in XTC (boys no longer but still youthful). It's more rock than previously and a natural coda to the final track on Nonsuch - Books are Burning, which has a (shock horror) guitar solo!!. That means there is more straight guitar on the album than you'd normally associate with XTC. Which is both interesting and a good thing.

Sadly, this is their last album to date, as the band dissolved in 2006.

Where do they all belong? The holes: 25 O'Clock; Apple Venus Volume 1.