Reviews (page 2 of 6)
Since this unfortunately isn’t on streaming, will be listing the songs that caught my ear here (well shit it’s gonna be all of them this album rocks so hard I love you XTC so glad I own this shit on CD) (okay nvm just starts with three heaters) River of orchids I’d like that Easter theatre (classic wow) Your Dictionary Harvest Festival And maybe the last one too sending this review in early…
1999. I mean come on this is one of my favorite albums of all time. The orchestral compositions, story telling and strumming is all so vivid. Only bettered by its Volume two Wasp Star.
Right up my alley. Need to listen more
An album full of imagery and inspiration, which could only have been made by an experienced band with a firm hand behind the desk.
I went into this with zero expectations and left feeling like I truly experienced something.
This album really surprised me. It feels like I'm listening to a stage play. While the songs may sound very "unorthodox", every song has a unique theme in it's lyrics paired with distinct and catchy instrumentals. Really good album.
XTC seems to be one of those bands that all my favorite musicians love and adore but I've never gotten into. I'm not sure why either. The albums I've heard are really enjoyable, and this one is no exception. The instrumentation and vocal arrangements are strong throughout. The person playing the horns on The Last Balloon are a highlight for me. I listened to the YT upload by SonyTheSquirrel with no interruptions. This album really is a work of art.
This album has been constantly on my mind for the last few days, as with each re-listen I became more and more entranced in what it had set out to do, and if it succeeded in that fact. I've been, what I consider, a fan of XTC for about a year-and-a-half now, and never has an album of theirs made me want to explore their catalog and their lives more than this album. The instrumentals are methodical and calculated, yet oddly rhythmic. Very similar to the sounds of post-punk acts from the late 70s, everything feels off and strange, but the pleasant instrumentals and "running through a field of flowers"-esque vocals allow the once sterile and cold rhythms to instead make me cling to a brighter future. There's an air of sadness throughout the album, but a hope at the end of the tunnel keeps things bouncy and Summer-y, and even the more nocturnal tracks feel like getting ready for the forever sleep, but being satisfied. Of course, Andy Partridge's vocals are still comedic and light, but the melancholic nature of the whole album just makes it, quite contradictory, becalmed and floaty. This album is not a stereotypical slice of Heaven, but it just feels like this is XTC's view take on it, and I'm at peace with the idea. Light-hearted, yet the weight of the world on its shoulders, I can't imagine a better swan song and depiction of the band's situation at the time. Seeing this album as the true finale of the band, and Volume 2 as a bonus encore makes everything just make sense, and while I don't adore every song on this album, I think it is good enough to be considered one of the band's best.
Love you Andy.
Difficult to find, and with a shaky start, it's actually pretty good.
NICE
Phenomenal pop album. Atmospheric, optimistic, beautiful. I was instantly hooked and they didn't lose me. Stand-out: Easter Theatre, Greenman
Such a shame this isn't on spotify, this needs to be heard by more people. The melodies are endlessly beautiful and there are plenty of them scattered throughout every song especially it's choruses. The lush arrangements are also incredible
I really enjoyed this album. It's string heavy baroque pop album that ends with a melancholic call to adventure. Some tracks seem a bit too long and it takes a momet to get into it but it's quite something.
Whoaaa I knew of a few XTC songs but this was something else! Really whisked me away on adventure.
A beautiful, beautiful album.
If I could give it more than 5, I would.
What?! Where did these Beatles-like bliss come from? The blend of orchestral, psychedelic rock and pop is George Martin adjacent for sure. A delightful surprise.
Es magico. Me dejó hipnotizado. It's an amazing and well written, produced and beautifully made project. 10/10.
Tuvo bien en fucking bomba
A very interesting journey on this one. I didn't always love it, but I loved the ride it took me on.
It's a playful album with plenty of musicality, being chock full of nifty chord changes, complex arrangements (with plenty of orchestrations) and superb vocal harmonies. I really like the song titles as well. It benefits from a modern crisp production and this sounds like the sort of music the Beach Boys could've made in the nineties or noughties if they could have been bothered. In fact, I think secretly Andy Partridge would like to join the Beach Boys. XTC made some highly esoteric music but probably were just a bit to odd to ever break the mainstream in a big way, despite the obvious quality of their catchy songs (my own personal favorite being the autumnal Skylarking).
slet ikke hvad jeg havde regnet med. Chokerende godt imho! Brian Wilson med Peter Gabriel-vokal. Syntes Your Dictionary var ret fjollet men alle de andre numre var fantastiske
Ecstasy it is.
Very nice album. It's as if the Beatles got interested in progressive rock and weren't so upbeat. The vocals were great. Like most good music, it'll take me a few listens before I really understand the
Já fiquei puto que não tem no spotify... No começo fiquei "que porra é essa...", aí do nada gostei do que veio, as gotinhas de água, a música com ritmos diferenciado, gosto dessas paradas mais experimentais que fogem um pouco do padrão. Gostei. I'd Like That: Orra, to gostando da música, violãozinho da hora, baixo caminhando legal. Vibe massa, carai. Até fiquei triste que não dá pra adicionar no Spotify. Easter Theatre: mano, que porra é essa, eu realmente to curtindo essas músicas, tão me tocando, que interessante... não sei se lembra algumas músicas da época psicodélica dos Beatles, mas orras... Fui ler os comentários, as pessoas comentaram dos Beatles também huahuahua. Agora tá fazendo sentido... Knights In Shining Karma: cacete, mais uma música da hora, gosto dessa vibe, ainda tá lembrando um pouco de blackbird, com kansas, sound of silence, curto essa vibe. Frivolous Tonight: mais uma vibe Beatles, estilo Maxwell Silver Hammer, parece muito as músicas hippies psicodélicas felizes do Paul. Não teve uma música que não gostei até agora... Greenman: os caras são muito criativos, parece muito uma música de tribo feliz da Disney. Your Dictionary: que isso, começou "F U" pensei "ah não" HUAHUAUH, que musiquinha massa cara. I Can't Own Her: A voz do back vocal é muito vibe Paul mesmo, os caras devem ter uma inspiração forte nos Beatles, vou pesquisar. Pesquisei, a galera até comparou vários álbums dessa banda com os dos Beatles em diferentes épocas, me interessou pra ouvir depois. Esse foi o primeiro álbum desse rolê que me fez parar tudo pra ir pesquisar sobre a banda, era o que eu esperava desde o início. Que foda isso, e como eu to avaliando isso aqui por sentimento, vou dar 5 estrelas pelo que me fez sentir. Acho que nenhuma outra banda vai criar o sentimento que tive ouvindo toda a discografia dos Beatles na adolescência (The Who chegou muito perto), mas essa banda me fez lembrar daquele momento.
10/17/23. Never listened to XTC before this album but wow was I blown away with what I heard. Did not expect such a vast, art like journey. Really surprised and had a pleasant listen, just wish this album was more accessible!
Stunning amazing album.
Beautiful Album. Highlights: River of Orchids, Easter Theatre, Your Dictionary, and Greenman
Infinitely better than their other entry on this list. Even the couple of tracks with corny lyrics sound incredible. Triumphant. Best track: Easter Theatre
Sounds like it's made by serious musicians, even if some of it is whimsical. I really liked this album and listened to it twice in a row. Very interesting, funny, strange, and enjoyable.
Wow-ee. It's a long way from perfect is this, and towards the end it drifts into a sort of pastoral nothingness that does noone any favours. But. But! There are times in this record where XTC feel like (and this is one of the highest compliments known to man) a lesser McCartney side project. Some of the harmonies, some of the melodies and - above all - some of the high-in-the-mix thrumming bass parts are so reminiscent of the great man that it has to surely be deliberate. All in all, this is a lovely way to spend 45 minutes and is one to come back to regularly.
I haven't listened to XTC much outside of Drums and Wires, so I especially didn't know what to expect from a later-career record. It's so breezy! It's been very hot where I live, so finding ways to cool off has been a priority. Apple Venus Volume 1 sounds like chatting with friends in a garden or park, people watching, sweating in bed; these are the sounds of summer. Very impressed with the pop sensibilities on display here. The idea to go orchestral/actoustic was a great one.
Totally glad that they kept experimenting til the very end, although not all of this is my cup of tea
Very nice! "Knights In Shining Karma" is perfect.
kind of what i'd assume theater kids would listen to but make it an actual good basis. above all, this album gives daerin selkie fic, italian homoerotic quartet, the comforters by muriel
weirdo music for weirdos! left me completely amused and entertained. it's very likeable in the same way that the beatles' Revolver feels very likeable where they're just fucking around stylistically and seeing what sticks, and a lot of it sticks! it's like 30 years later so it's less impressive or whatever, but still, so fun. at its worst it sounds like kingdom hearts menu music, and it slows down for the last few tracks in a way i dont love, but i would still say im entirely pleased by it. favorite song is Fruit Nut or Your Dictionary. Or Easter Theatre. very strong 4
As an XTC fan I do think this is an odd selection for the list and it is probably super divisive. I personally can’t get enough of beatlesy beach boysy psychedelia so I think this is an excellent listen. I really hope there are other XTC albums because they have so so much great music.
Meget cool album! Det minder mig meget om midten af The Beatles' diskografi, hvis de var fortsat i den retning. Albummet er meget storslået og er ikke bange for at afprøve nogle ting, for eksempel dissonans og mange forskellige instrumenter og genrer. Albummet er tilnærmelsesvist cinematisk til tider. Standouts: I'd Like That, Easter Theatre, Frivoulous Tonight, The Last Balloon
A less good Beatles album. I was expecting soaring guitar solos and screamed lyrics and instead got a much quieter more contemplative experience. I dug it!
Off kilter music, orchestra rock. Kinda like Sgt. Pepper era Beatles. Not too bad.
As someone that quite likes XTC, it's obvious why Skylarking is on their list. But Apple Venus?????? Really?????? I mean it's a fine album, but it's no English Settlement or Black Sea. THOSE are must hear albums. Hell, Drums and Wires is probably the other album that isn't skylarking the pops into people's heads. This isn't a good introduction to XTC or their sound (it's essentially the first half of a bigger final album that was some result over long legal record label disputes. Classic rock and roll business procedures). Really one of the more puzzling selections on this list. As for the actual album, Apple Venis is a slow burn. Greenman on down is good, mostly. Everything above it is hit or miss. It's those 60s pop sensibilities with late 90s production and added taste to it. It's not the best XTC album, but it's still good. Shouldn't be on a list like this when there are much better alternatives in the bands own discography.
Yet another Wow! album. Two in a row! I think I only know three XTC songs, early 80s angular pop, enjoyable enough but not at all a clue towards what this was going to be. Although the first track gave me a slight Police feel, it quickly gave way to more of a McCartney sound especially with all the orchestration and quirky lyrical fun. The only other touch points for me were a similarity to The Alan Parsons Project and Mansun. I have to admit that I assumed XTC were just an 80s band, so discovering this was a turn-of-the-millennium album was yet another surprise.
The lyrics are extremely corny, a lot of the orchestral instruments sound like midi, and I am genuinely not sure why this is in this list. At the same time though, I kinda like it. Musically, it is ambitious and quite adventurous, but still solid artsy pop. It is just a lyricist and an actual orchestra away from being great.
Wow. I really like this album. I had it on in the background while doing a layup and I couldn’t hear it so I gave it another listen. Love its ethereal sound. Some Pink Floyd vocals. I will definitely return to it.
super funky and loved the addition of strings
SO PRETTY. Unfortunately not Drums and Wires though
I loved this album the first listen through. Almost seemed a mix between late career Beatles, some Beach Boys, with some Sufjan Stevens thrown in. It is a really interesting sound and I really enjoyed it. On second listen I still like it though not as much as the first - the album feels heavily front loaded on the best songs. That being said, some very interesting sounds throughout and I think it's a cool one - I've been familiar with the name XTC but never taken a dive and I'm glad I did.
i like a lot of the orchestral stuff here, greenman is very reminiscent of traditional folk stuff, really appeals to me. i've always felt XTC are a bit too annoying for me to properly love, but maybe not. i am surprised this album in particular is here though, i'm personally fonder of black sea "S-H-I-T, is that how you spell "me" in your dictionary?" - lyrics of the millennium
I adore this album but there should be like 7 XTC albums in this book. 2.83 on the website, you people, WHAT ARE YOU DOING !!!!!
Some real good shit on here.
Я не шарив за гурт. Це перший альбом, що послухав. Мені він видався дуже цікавим і приємним. Лагідний звук з нетривіальним аранжуванням. Хороші вокали. Досить різноманітний за піснями. Треба познайомитися з гуртом ближче.
Love XTC, but this isn't their best work. Great listen, in any case.
I actually really liked this album, even though I had to sift through ads on YouTube to enjoy it. It feels like a "grown-up" XTC - still some quirkiness, still some meaningful commentary, and still some slightly odd but thought-provoking lyrics, but I like the orchestral edition on a couple of songs and thought the scoring and music was very interesting. I'm bummed out. I can't get this on iTunes to add to my library.
Pleasantly surprised, the instrument choices were so interesting. I’d never listened to anything like this before! Helped change my mind on some of my negative opinions toward British post punk
Fun album with lots of variety and quality instrumentals.
I don’t really know what the fuck I just listened to. That was weird as hell but I enjoyed it. Found myself pretty engrossed in it the whole way. Often with these I tend to tune out after a while and then the album restarts, this one is felt like I truly listened the whole way through. Greenman was probably my favourite track.
Doesn't anyone find this interesting??
Lots of fun stuff on this album. Greenman and Harvest Festival are great. Most of the other tracks kinda flopped for me, but overall it sounds good and evokes that 70s psychedelia but with modern production quality.
Not at all what I expected, but I really enjoyed it. Loved the thoughtful and inventive use of percussion throughout. This was refreshing to listen to and brought a smile to my face.
An interesting stew of Beatles (White Album/Sgt. Pepper’s), Beach Boys (Pet Sounds), the Kinks Englishness, and some prog and orchestral elements for good measure. This checks a lot of boxes for me. I really only knew XTC for Making Plans for Nigel, so this was a pleasant surprise! 4⭐️
Un descubrimiento
Rather good and enjoyable. 4/5
fascinating use of sound and texture, and mixing and mastering. it doesn't nail it - lead vocals don't feel quite up to the task stylistically, some of the synth sounds are starkly out of place, lyrically it's scattershot, and it runs out of steam by the end - and i'm not entirely sure it's *fun* to listen to, but it's absolutely *interesting* to consider as a piece of art.
Liking it quite a bit.
pretty fire fav song: I'd Like That
Very reminiscent of the Beatles and Kinks. I was shocked to see the album was from 1999 after listening to it. Some very interesting mixtures of instruments. Standout Track: Greenman
Beautiful album, really enjoyed the music. A few Beach Boys‑leaning moments weren’t my favorite, but overall I’m glad this came up on the list.
is this my birthday gift? for me? seriously? Content wins over form, chat! 4/5
This was better than I expected. I usually don’t like XTC but this was much more subdued and Beach Boys-ey than other XTC I’ve heard which made it better
very interesting album, not what i was expecting. The rock vocals and orchestral music are a strange mix, but i found myself enjoying it regardless.
This an album demanding to be listened to in 1 sitting. Loved it
I think this is fun!
Hated it in the beginning, but came around and ended up really enjoying it. Greenman is pretty much a proto King Gizzard song, which is a plus.
Orchestraler Rock, sehr interessant 4/5
Well this one was a pleasant surprise given what I have already heard of this band. It's very much a simple and straightforward pop rock album, but still a damn fine one. I do love getting surprises like this, not only is this a band that I have had much less positive things to say about in the past, but even on paper this album isn't that interesting, but I still found a lot to like about it anyway.
An excellent album. The XTC ‘comeback’ after many years of contract related absence from the music scene was well worth the wait. Beautiful orchestrations and some standout songs. Not every one fully makes the grade, but I adore Greenman, Your Dictionary and Frivolous Tonight, whilst Easter Theatre is majestic. Although I narrowly prefer the guitar heavy follow up ‘Wasp Star’ this is a classic.
Need to listen more to this, very interesting ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Listen to the release Apple Venus, Vol. 1 by XTC on Qobuz https://open.qobuz.com/album/iwt1c60dxpp4a
Strings and acoustic instruments. A very listenable album.
Leuk album, enkele echt toffe nummers. Ik las ook dat de band bijna helemaal is ingestort door het maken van dit album dus das ook leuk om te horen Ig
Den här var rätt så underhållande
This was great.
really interesting. seems like i've found the source of Animal Collective's sound
Moreso then their other work this remind me of Paul McCartney
I enjoyed this a lot, too
Don't mind it. Once I got past River of Orchids I was in.
I really liked the orchestral elements and complex/experimentally riffs. A fair amount of the songs are a very nice mix of experimentality and catchiness, I was bobbing my head to several of them. Sometimes the lyrics were overly clear-cut/cheesy (Your Dictionary especially).
Love XTC and had not heard this one. Not my favorite of theirs, but pretty great! A 3.5 for me upon first listen, but will likely grow so bumping.
A pretty fun album. Helped me keep my cool today!
Imagine an incredibly English Talking Heads. Add some whimsy, luscious instrumentation and a sense of joy throughout and you get this album. I admit I was sceptical to see such a late XTC album on the list but I have been both surprised and delighted by this album.
Not really my thing but I actually really liked it!
After a lot of blearily listenable stuff this is an actual good album. More than listenable, straight up enjoyable. Listened to it multiple times
This is an example of where this delightful odyssey can fall down: I didn't like this much on the first spin. But snippets of it stayed with me, so I gave it another try and ended up really enjoying it. Although it's not quite as daring as it clearly thinks it is - it's riffing hard on The Beatles and some other hippy 60s artists - the orchestral arrangements are lush and the whole is delightfully invigorating and uplifting. There's a lot of whimsy, however, and some of the tracks do tip over into eye-rolling territory.
i think this was okay, idk i cant remember and i listened to the fucking thing not even 5 hours ago
If the Sgt Pepper and Magical mystery tour had a child lol
I've listened to this album 3 times now and am really unsure what to make of it. I think some of that can be written off to distraction, but there were certainly moments that grabbed my attention. I guess part of my uncertainty here is that this really was quite a different experience than the XTC from our last review (Skylarking). Where that album was quite a bit more pop forward and "optimistic" in tone (from what I can remember) this felt quite a bit more restrained and almost "orchestral." I think this makes for some really pretty songs (Knights In Shining Karma, I Can't Own Her, Harvest Festival) and also some that were more challenging, though still technically impressive (River of Orchids, Easter Theatre). My general take is that this was an interesting album with some solid composition and writing, but had nowhere near the same highs as Skylarking. As a result is is something I would reach for less often. Only a few additional comments... The first song reminds me weirdly of a Troye Sivan song called "Rush." Like this song sounds nothing like the upbeat club beat of Rush, but the vocal progression and something about it sounds like it it were sped up it would map right on top of the backing vocals of Rush. I love the simplicity of the concept and execution on Your Dictionary. I Can't Own Her is a nice supporting song following the same thematic exploration. I'm mixed here... This stands along a 3/4 line in my mind. Erring towards the high side because this left me interested to listen again more closely.
Very jovial album, almost like a Randy Newman album. Many different instruments and techniques are used throughout. Greenman and Fruit Nut were pretty fun This album definitely held my attention the whole time with the sheer variety while still somehow staying anchored by the singers voice and cadence staying the course the whole time.
Definitely have heard of XTC but don't know if I have ever listened. And this is not at all what I expected them to sound like. This is exactly what this project should be used for is throwing some really off the wall albums at us that are completely unique genre-wise. I can't say I will ever go back to listening to this album again but I am very happy that I did. I don't even know how to describe what type of music that was but it was a super cool listen!
I still go back and listen to Skylarking by them. Great album, so I'm excited for this. Starts off similarly to Skylarking with a weird fucking opener that I can weirdly get into. Such strange sounding music. I really like the production. Greenman is a fun one with the middle-eastern sounds. The bass is also great on it. Can definitely hear some Skylarking on here. Weird ass music but I kinda dig it. Will be back for more weird tunes.
This was another interesting listen. Whimsical vibes. Feels childish but in a good way, like a strange schoolhouse rock vibe but with great, interesting, and diverse instrumentals. I did not know what to expect but I was surprised. Standout tracks: Greenman, Harvest festival, The Last Baloon
Didn't know what to make of it, but I liked it.
I really liked this. There's a lot going on in these songs; listening on headphones revealed all kinds of stereophonic ear candy. The recording process on the wiki was a good read; I had totally thought the string sections in Rivers of Orchid were just synths, but it's a live orchestra that's just been edited all to hell. I listened twice in one sitting and will definitely be listening again. 4/5
Very good album. The production is immaculate and there's a lot of great songs on display here. 3.75/5
Don’t go into this album expecting a synthpop sound. XTC took a different direction with the instrumentation. This is a chamber pop album, featuring strings and orchestration that give it a more expansive, cinematic feel. Even though the album covers new ground, it still has that art pop sensibility, and Andy Partridge’s distinctive vocals keep it grounded in XTC’s recognizable sound.
A pretty good album, I liked River of Orchids, Your Dictionary and Fruit Nut the most.
Det her kommer definitivt inn under fanen «æ vet ikke ka æ hadde forventa, men æ tror ikke det va det her.» For et rart album. På ingen måte dårlig, bare ikke nokka kor æ e i målgruppa i lengden, tror æ.
This had a charm about it that I was not expecting. As concept albums go, I think it was akin to the Kinks’s Arthur and the Rise and Fall of the British Empire, with only the occasional hint of The Bee Gees Odessa.
This caught me by surprise and was even more interesting on the second listen.
This made me nostalgic for animated feature films from just before the Pixar takeover, when the animation had bold,rich color and well-defined edges. These guys could have made an outstanding soundtrack for one of those films. Great stuff.
Hm. Not really my thing. Perfectly okay, but I prefer the kind of stuff that's downstream of this music. That I assume is, at least in part, inspired by it. Though I appreciate the eclectic nature of the album, and "Your Dictionary" is fun. All of that takes it just over the edge into 4 stars.
I've owned the demos of this one for years and they were my favourite XTC album. It was a real treat to finally hear the finished album.
what?
That was surprisingly solid, I had to listen to Greenman a few times it was so good.
Surprising!
Really dug this one with the orchestrations. Favorite tracks: Your Dictionary, River of Orchids
This is why I love the 1001 album generator: because once in a while you come across an album that you love, but which you never would have heard of or listened to otherwise. This was funky, delightful, psychedelic, and orchestral all at once.
Never heard of this band before, but a very pleasant surprise.
I’m a sucker for Beatlesque music so I enjoyed it. Its place on the list is a bit more questionable, but I’m glad I got exposed to it.
I liked this a lot, definitely want to relisten soon.
Thought this was really good and musically interesting - some Beatles-esque parts to be sure but I really liked the orchestration, cool little horn parts, etc. first half of the album is much stronger, Easter Theatre in particular is stunning (hints of Grizzly Bear) and also loved Greenman. A couple slightly cheesy songs in the second half but finishes strong. Really enjoyed overall.
Amazing album, and completely unexpected given XTC are more well-known as a New Wave band. I really their use of strings or synth-strings here. Makes the whole thing feel like a strange place you stumbled upon without really knowing how. And on top of all this, the songs are great, with memorable melodies and quirky lyrics. I know there is an Apple Venus Volume 2, but I believe it's more in their regular rock style, though. Key tracks: River of Orchids I'd Like That Easter Theatre Greenman
Lovely album. Classic XTC vocals and lyrics, fab production and orchestral sections. Not quite as good as Skylarking or Drums and Wires, although I don't know it half as well. 8/10
Gar nicht übel. Wie Flower Kings meets early Spock’s Beard. Und Beatles meets Simon&Garfunkel. Verrückte Mischung. Und ich dachte, da kommt 90s Euro Dance! Kling groggy.
It's so weird and quaint, I loved it
Pretty artsy farts, but I kinda liked it
In teresting arrangements
Not what I was expecting at all, but I believe I've only heard one of their songs before. I really enjoyed this though!
Blind album, I liked this album way more than Skylarking. I loved the way this was mixed, and some of the melodies were so catchy.
Interesting and enjoyable.
Interesting! (found on YouTube since it's not in Spotify) 4
A late-era masterpiece, so subtle, slight and wistful it practically disappears in the light. But also deeply beautiful. I'm a big fan of the eighties XTC, but this might well convert me to their later stuff.
I like XTC's Apple Venus Volume 1 quite a lot more than Skylarking. XTC seems much more suited for this airy and epic symphonic pop music. The tone could be jaunty or vibrant with beautiful harmonies. The symphony aspect was just wonderful. I loved whenever the horns showed up! "Easter Theatre" had such a Beatles vibe, but it wasn't straight Beatles either. I noticed both Irish and Indian influences in the song "Greenman," which might be the most unique song on this album and perhaps the best combination I've ever heard. I think this is a 3.5, not a full 4, but I'm trying to balance my rating when I was so surprised to enjoy an XTC album. I'll bump up to a 4.
weni ehrlich bin hani bi dem artistname bizli meh geballere erwartet aber bin trotzdem guet abgholt worde (sogar fast scho pünktlich) aber no sick: uf spotify hed kein track vom album meh als 27'000 plays? chan ja chum so unbekannt si? vilicht noni so lang uf spotify? who knows. anyways… «Easter Theatre» isch ganz chrank & heds direkt ih mini Song Of The Day-Playlist gschafft – bravo! da gids 4 pfauefüdli uf's füdli
I thoroughly enjoyed that. A lot of it feels almost theatrical which I really liked. I gotta listen to more of this bands stuff.
Some of these blew my effin mind. Really out there stuff and I was in the perfect headspace for it.
New to me and a very pleasant surprise. This is a very good album.
This was mostly quirky and unique in an interesting way. Occasionally strayed into b-tier Beatles, but mostly enjoyable.
Very unique sound.
It was fine. Not my favorite, but it was pretty.
Slightly mad, but liked it more with each listen. I have lots of respect for anyone brave enough to rhyme festival with best of all
What a fun, intriguing and unique set of songs. It takes a really special talent to create music in this many layers of instrumentation and have it feel this organic and not fall into overblown, pretentious territory. The only real drawback is some of the strange lyrics. Not sure how much he’s going for sincere, ironic or trying too hard to be poetic. I’m definitely going to be coming back to this album though. Really enjoyed it.
необычно
This was so unique compared to so much of the last two months of this list for me, and I loved it. Easter Theatre was my favorite, with its mysterious chorus immediately pulling me in. It has a driving force, especially when the trumpets kick in. But the whole album is fun, and I would definitely give this another listen.
Been seeing headlines lately about AI bands and how they're starting to fool people into thinking they're real. I hope I'm right anyway, but i dont think AI could ever emulate something like this. This is a courageously creative album with surprising, baroque-ish instrumentation and bizarro lyrics. The world needs more arty pop along these lines. Fave tracks - River of Orchids, Green Man, Fruit Nut, Harvest Festival
A tad too close to Pet Sounds for my liking. Could get into this anyway.
Surprising! Never heard of this artist but really enjoyed the vibe.
I never knew I needed the Beatles doing 90s boy band vocals over medieval bhangra, and yet apparently I do. A pleasantly easy listen filled with interesting compositions. Some hits, some misses, but this album was far better than expected (although disclaimer that I'm a sucker for both orchestras and the Beatles sound). "Your Dictionary" lyrics were so awful, they actually became entertaining. I'm actually kind of disappointed they're not properly on any of the streaming services.
This was interesting and not what I expected. A little corny in parts but I liked the themes and the instrumentation.
Not my favourite album, but stull enjoyable if ruined by a friend highlighting commonalities with someone we know. Also Easter theatre sounds like they're creepily whispering "esther" in my ear
what a treat
Mostly good songs mostly elaborately appointed.
There is no world in which I could’ve predicted *anything* about this album. The orchestral parts kept it fresh, and overall it was a delight to listen to (besides your dictionary, what the fuck was up with that) 3.5 rounded up to 4
WEIRD
Kind of liked this but why not on the Spotify???
Weirdly enough I really enjoyed this. I can't explain why; maybe it's because this album has a weird kind of whimsy to it, and I just couldn't help but be charmed. It feels very different and unique, for sure, which I always appreciate.
Well-produced, intricate pop
not heard this one before, but really enjoyed it - some great stuff
A delight!
Far from XTC’s best but littered with many great tunes nevertheless
Allegro, simpatico.
Pretty annoying its not on tidal. Been a while since ive had that. But after a mild wrinkle this thing hits you like a ton of bricks. That first song is amazing. Its weird and kinda experimental. Then it settles in to something that isn't like the first song. Its still very good but I do feel slightly lied to. Bearly. Its just great pop. I had a damn good time with it. I wish it was more like the the opener but very good otherwise.
It’s a pain this isn’t on a more accessible streaming service, but still was a pretty fun listen. Got the psych-Beatles mixed with a Smile-era Brian Wilson sound, which was better than I expected. Some songs I really liked - Greenman was probably my highlight.. but some I really didn’t think much (Dictionary was corny and juvenile). Overall I enjoyed 3.5/5
XTC – Apple Venus, Volume 1 – 4/5 I’ll call this a light four. Not something I’m dying to come back to, but there were enough cool moments to make it worth it. It leans more on the orchestral, softer side, which isn’t always my thing, but it worked more often than not. “Knights in Shining Karma” was really good, and “Greenman” had a cool vibe to it. “Your Dictionary” was funny and sad at the same time, which caught me off guard in a good way. “Fruit Nut” and “I Can’t Own Her” were solid too, and “The Last Balloon” was an interesting closer that kind of drifts out instead of ending with a punch. Not a must listen for me, but definitely better than I expected. Favorite Song: “Your Dictionary”
Delightful. Sounds like the ‘90s in a great way. I have a few XTC albums, and some of their songs are amazing, but I don’t know if I’ve found an XTC album yet that was solid one start to finish for me. It’s generally two or three amazing songs and the rest decent.
Wow, way better than I anticipated. A late period album from an 80s band that’s interesting and not just a retread of their admittedly pretty great hits. Very nice! It didn’t even bother me all that much that I to stream this on YouTube.
Now this was a surprise. Being an XTC fan I didn’t know this existed, especially since it’s not on Spotify. I had a back and forth love/hatred for this album. It started out very strong with River of Orchids, a real oddball and ended with the triumphant The Last Balloon. Between the two were a mix of Andy Partridge songs reminiscent of early XTC and heavier highly orchestrated songs.
Genial
maybe I'm generous but this is the first album on 1001ag that was a complete unknown to me that i really liked. great layers, great melodies, fun instrumentation.
Thank you Internet Archive; this wasn't on Spotify. I didn't realize I knew the second song. This sounded like a bridge between the Beatles and Guster. A fun listen.
vraiment bien, très chill, j'en avais besoin
First song is very good, greenman also very good. there's a weird mix of genres and mashup of different artists but i'm here for it. First song is sort of like kishi bashi x animal collective x system of a down, there's also some very interestings early 2000s feel, the swap to paul mccartney midway is fucked though 4/5 woudl save river of orchids and greenman if on spotify
Always think XTC are going to be a hip hop group but they're very different from what the name suggests. Chill and smooth - we've enjoyed this discovery.
Okay I actually enjoyed that a good bit more than I expected. Definitely some stuff to go back and relisten to.
This is the first of the albums where I found myself immediately wanting to dive back in and listen again. Earnest and whimsical.
Delightful! I love this band but had never heard this particular album before, and I really loved its chamber-y, spring-like whimsy. There were a few songs with goofy lyrics, but overall a very pleasant listen. Easy 9/10
Maybe it’s because I went into this with rock bottom expectations (the album title has a whiff of twattish pretentiousness), but I kinda liked this. Very weird, not my usual fare by any means, but it kept my attention and my interest all the way through
I've always enjoyed XTC and this is different but still great. Heavily-melodic and if I'm a little disappointed in perhaps losing nearly all of the edgier sound of their earlier material it seems to more-than make up for that with simple melodic lines intertwining (... like a Mach piece...?) amidst lovely but not overly-done orchestration, excellent clear guitar work, etc etc... Always melodic and unpredictable - right up my alley. Definitely need to find a hard copy of this one. 8/10 4 stars.
An explosion of British pop in a huge variety of styles. A little too esoteric to connect with me emotionally, but that may come on future listens.
I like XTC just fine but come on! This is the 2nd album of theirs I've had m here. The multiple albums by niche or very taste dependent artists is really starting to annoy me. In regards to this album specifically, chamber pop is ok but it gets old fast for me personally. This one is better than most both for it's production and songwriting.
XTC again? Already? I feel like I just got Skylarking. Whatever. At least I loved that album. Here we have their 1999 album Apple Venus Volume 1, which is not on streaming for some reason. It’s pretty good! It’s not as good as Skylarking, but I wasn’t expecting it to be, so I can’t say I’m disappointed. One thing that I didn’t do in my Skylarking review that I’ve seen a lot of people do for XTC in general is compare them to the Beatles. I did feel that Skylarking was somewhat comparable to the Beatles, but like, who hasn’t been inspired by the Beatles? I definitely noticed that Apple Venus has more songs that are comparable to the weirder Beatles tracks. You know? Stuff like “I Am the Walrus,” right? The songs are good though. “Easter Theatre” is a particular highlight. I wouldn’t say I loved every single song, but they’re all at least good. The production is pretty different. It’s a bit more sparse, which I wouldn’t call a bad thing. The instrumentation is pretty solid. The writing is good, I think. I’m still not huge on Andy Partridge’s singing, but it fits the vibe. Overall, I’d still say I like XTC. I don’t like this album as much as my first album I heard of theirs, but I still enjoy all of what I’ve heard of them so far. 4/5.
A feast for the headphones, especially "River of Orchids". XTC is one of those bands I wouldn't really recommend one album - I'd rather you sign up for my semester-long lecture series so we can discuss them at exhausting length. There will be field trips to Swindon and extra points will be awarded for throwing eggs at Todd Rundgren's house. That said, this is a good one, like glimpsing one last gallop of a unicorn before it disappears into the woods.
Lovely album. Listened through twice. Enjoyed it.
Nice one. Liked it pretty much.
Overall: 8/10 I'm obviously not the first person to mention this but this album is very reminiscent of Pet Sounds/Smile era Beach Boys. Lush orchestration and beautiful harmonies dominate and I love it so much. We need more modern music like this in my opinion. I've never listened to XTC before but they definitely have a new fan. It's a shame this isn't on Spotify cause I want to add so many of these songs to my playlists. Fav Song: I'd Like That Least Fav Song: I Can't Own Her
I liked it quite a bit, listened like 6 times before deciding that I don't really care about having this in my regular rotation. It's just missing some spark, hard to describe.
“River of Orchids” is incredible
What a good day. 400 album checked off, this album was a pleasant surprise, AND we got the Skrillex album/mixtape full of unreleased music. Can you believe I took the time to listen to AVV1 before the Skrillex project? I did, and I loved it! By the time “Id Like That” came around in the track list, I had an inkling that I’d like the whole project. Then “Easter Theater” came on and I KNEW I’ll be loving this whole project. Nothing gets me locked tf in like some baroque/art pop done well. Such a fantastic song, by far my highlight of the record and will be replayed many times over. “Frivolous Tonight” continues the theme of fun, silly, unique art pop that keeps the spirits high. Big fan of the quirky, arabesque instrumental on “Greenman”, which kinda feels like when a sonic game sends you into the ‘desert level’. Even the misses on here like “Your Dictionary” are very harmless and campy at worst. I love the portrait of a man “Fruit Nut” paints, how he’s so happy to just go about his hobbies. Big big fan of that. My goal of being more attentive since the beginning of 2025 paid off big on this album. Having to go to YouTube for this one was no big deal. Am I giving more 4’s as a result of this, or are we just on a hot streak? Time will tell, but this album earned its 4 with some timeless production elements, art pop, and fun vibes.
Interesting. I only knew the 80s hits from them and was surprised to see a 13th album from a band on this list. It sounds very inspired by the Beatles with the string and orchestra arrangements. I liked the first half but the second half didn't really capture my attention. Overall a nice experience and a lot better than most middle of the road albums that I gave 3 stars.
Self-produced album after a decade fight with the former label. "Orchustric"
pop beatles corny psychedelia...
Lush and likable, fun and frolicsome – this is chamber pop bordering on the baroque, as Beach Boys-inflected as Beatlesque. There is a fine balance of playfulness and artsong aspiration – and nobody was more serious or intentional when it comes to musical frivolity. The whole thing works well, but "I'd Like That" and "Easter Theater" and "Greenman" are personal faves.
I guess I like XTC
I enjoy XTC, but I didn't know this band existed. This is an album for me.
XTC's talent for composing beautiful and complex yet engaging pop songs is on a par with The Beatles or Brian Wilson. A beautifully produced and orchestrated album that also has hooks that draw the listener in while also challenging with unusual chord progressions. I ignored this album on release and up until today but it may well become my favourite XTC album along with Skylarking. Never thought I'd say that. XTC are a towering band that is criminally underrated. What a shame that I must go to YouTube to stream it. Come on Tidal, step up to the plate. 4 stars with a bullet.
wow. that was like a trail mix of genres. every song, you got something different. not all of them worked 100%, but what a fun ~journey~ all the same.
i like XTC as a band. this was, for the most part, unlike all the XTC i had heard before. it's equal parts brilliant, unexpected, and laughably self-indulgent. it's so completely out of left field that i didn't really know what i was listening to until a couple tracks in, like the musical equivalent of when you walk into a room with really low light and your eyes have to adjust. i listened to this twice so i'm practically an expert on it. some thoughts: river of orchids was a really cool way to start this off; slowly building up from scattered elements until it becomes a real beatles-lite track. the next couple are more of that but much less exciting. frivolous tonight is cool. kicking off side b, greenman sounds like what you’d get if aliens tried to recreate the lion king soundtrack. plus it's got that jesu, joy of man’s desiring-esque melody to it. your dictionary is one of the cringiest songs i've heard from this list in terms of its lyrical content. these guys can do so much better. fruit nut is fine but deeply relatable for me because i've spent all spring acquiring various fruit trees for my backyard orchard, so like, i GET it man. i can't own her, correct, you can't, she's her own independent woman, let's move on. last few are boring, though the last balloon has an interesting ending. also it kinda loops back to the beginning if you have it on repeat. kinda cool, kinda weird and unnecessary. just like this album. favorites: river of orchids, frivolous tonight, greenman, fruit nut
4/5. Progressive pop to the core. Pretentious for sure but eccentric enough to keep me interested and intrigued. It has that XTC energy I come to expect from previous albums. I enjoy experimentation with new sounds and this album is full of them, including new styles of songwriting not found in other other progressive pop albums. The layering vocals are aplenty here and they are expertly done. The uniqueness alone is what keeps this album at a higher tier than other pop albums, so far as to say that the influence is heavily Beach Boys inspired. Don't think it's perfect but it is overall a great listen. Best Song: Easter Theatre, River of Orchids, Greenman
Pleasantly unusual. Worth an additional listen
Probably the most frustrating album on the list. I loved it, I thought it was beautiful and fun and playful. It’s truly of its time in a way that’s hard to explain. It’s like the culmination of 20th century British music with production techniques that make it feel more at home in the new millennium. Problem, the thing is inaccessible. I doubt I’ll ever log into YouTube to listen to just this album. So like. It exists in a fleeting forgettable way.
Very cool. Almost loved this shit
XTC was a British band that made rich, orchestrated pop. The band could serve as an example of record company abuse; they spent much of the 90s on strike from Virgin Records. Apple Venus Volume 1 was their thirteenth album, and their first release after getting out from under their burdensome contract with Virgin. Volume 2 of this effort, released the following year as "Wasp Star," was the last studio release from the band. These are interesting, complicated pop songs, with many segments recorded with a forty-piece orchestra. This may be the best of the band's work, but it never found great commercial success, in part due to lack of major label support (and potentially due to major label resistance...).
English rock band late 90s. Beginns with cacophony of strings and voices. Orchestral, interesting instrument use. Also very poppy. Lead has beautiful voice. Very pleasant and creative. Very British.
Where has this album been hiding all my life? I really like it. And for some reason this is NOT what I thought the band XTC sounded like. I thought they were a punk band? And here they are sounding more like the Beatles. I need to do a deeper dive. But this album is interesting/pretty/creative, especially the first half. Loses steam slightly towards the end. Good find!
Pleasant but I’m still not a big fan of Partridge’s voice
Intriguing alternative pop record in the wake of brit pop. Hard to imagine that XTC is the same band that released 'Skylarking' 13 years prior, but I guess the experimentation within the genres is a common denominator. Will probably revisit, and songs like 'Greenman' and 'The Last Balloon' are already stuck in my mind after a single listen.
Yet another creative and intriguing powerhouse of a pop album by XTC. 1999 probably wouldn’t be my first guess at a release date. The sensational “The Last Balloon” almost brings this to a 5 / 5 for me - brilliant finish and great album altogether.
Classic songwriting
This is a fantastic vibe, very out there. Everyone else rated incorrectly
Enjoyed this a lot. Definitely one I will come back to. Amongst my fave completely new discoveries.
Really interesting. Not sure I’ve ever heard something like this album, it kind of sounds like a soundtrack? More emo than what I was expecting? Fascinating.
For some reason today I don't think I have the awake-ness for a longer review, so lemme sum this up briefly. Giving this album a low score or dismissing it for trying to sound Beatles-y is undercutting it a little, I think. Like, yeah, no one's ever gonna be able to do that sound as well as John, Paul, George, Ringo and George did — that's indisputable. But as far as attempts go, however, I honestly liked this a lot. I mean, I'm already someone who listens to The Rutles just as much as they do The Beatles, so this was always gonna be right up my alley. I don't know I'd say I'd go as hard for this as I do for, say Electric Light Orchestra's OUT OF THE BLUE, but still, it hits the spot just right enough. I can hardly complain about that, and it gets me interested to hear what XTC had offered up before this. Maybe not enough to go seek it out right now, but, hey, whenever the Randomizer tosses one my group's way, I'll be pretty excited. So, yeah, I'll be pretty happy to give this a... 4? Yeah, a 4. If it went a bit bigger like ELO did I think this would be a 5 easily, but as it stands, yeah, I'm glad I heard it. Really, the only thing that's bumming me out is that I didn't have the brain energy right now to write more. But, y'know, ah well — wha'cha gonna do, eh?
I’m at a pretty good 4. River of Orchids is a really awkward tonesetter that doesn’t match with the rest of the album, which is realistically just a big tribute album to the “weirder” side of the Beatles – a lot of these tracks are steeped in 70s-style production sensibilities, just with the fidelity, clarity, and advances in audio that 1999 provides. From “I’d Like That” onward, this whole thing really clicked for me; sometimes the lyricism is a little “I’m 13 & this is deep”-coded, but the instrumentation and vocals are great throughout. Beyond just “weird Beatles” though, this leans into a range of other 70s/80s/90s artists, whether it’s Steely Dan, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, any number of prog rock bands of the era, and even just a hint of Nirvana. It’s a unique blend of artists & styles that makes the album feel fresh, and while a few tracks don’t click as well, none of the tracks after the first one feel unimportant, and it makes the album experience feel really good. It’s not up to a 5 for me – I think a few too many tracks settle into a repetitive phase that brings them down at an individual level, but the entire flow of the album, the production, the lyricism, and occasionally the lyrics (especially on “Harvest Festival”) are all still great. It’s not exactly an album that takes the best advantage of being from 1999, but for a band that began in 1972, this feels about as contemporary as it could while still paying homage to what got them there. I really liked this; it’s a breezy 50 minutes, and I think it’s worth giving a 4.
Fascinating. Need to listen a few more times
This album further strengthened my opinion that XTC falls more into the prog category than in the new wave category like I once thought. This was strange and fun and unique and pretty. I liked it.
4.5. It was almost 5 if it was just a little less repetitive
I wasn’t able to access this album on my streaming service so I listened to their 1992 album “Nonsuch” instead. Holy crap. It was great. I loved the songwriting, the cool psychedelia, really just everything about. Really cool album and I wish I could’ve listened to “Apple Venus” (the only thing preventing me from giving 5 stars is that I listened to a different album than the one I’m rating)
Unfortunate that I cannot stream this album in the U.S. other than YouTube because it is fantastic. I never thought I needed a Beatlesque/Prog Rock arrangement by XTC, but here we are. I see that it is available on iTunes and I am strongly considering purchasing it, or perhaps purchasing the singles that I enjoyed the most. Favorites: "Rivers of Orchids", "I'd Like That", "Easter Theatre", "Greenman", "Your Dictionary"
Gentle rock/pop, with some cool "world music" influences
I had only limited exposure to the band from snarky indie videos on MTV. Apparently they slipped into a rut of infighting and litigation in the mid-90's and almost dropped out entirely. I wasn't aware of this record and I'm glad it's included on the list. The writing, composition, engineering, and tone are all top notch. It felt openly creative and liberating. I don't think he was involved, but it seemed like Thomas Dolby might have had a hand in the production. So now I'm intrigued to listen to volume 2 of this concept album.
Second album by XTC on this list, after a very mediocre Skylarking. And unlike that record, Apple Venus Volume 1 has no real hit, just a long list of solid and quite unique tracks. Out of curiosity I have revisited some older albums by XTC and I'm surprised how different my opinion about the band is now. Maybe it depends on a day, or I changed that much over last couple years? Whatever the reason is, I liked that unusual style presented on the record, even the vocalist was well-fitting into the whole picture, something I had a problem before. I will look at AVV1 in the future for sure.
While very different from other XTC songs I'm familiar with, I enjoyed this album & would listen again.
Poppy, light, mellow, and sometimes surreal. A bit indulgent at times, but good.
Superior orchestral pop/folk.
Really good. They seem to sound different constantly. Good album, good vibes 4
Saved Prior: None Off Rip: I'd Like That, Easter Theatre, Knights In Shining Karma, Frivolous Tonight, Greenman, Your Dictionary Cutting Edge: None Overall Notes: Must listen? Absolutely not. But I'm a fan of XTC's shtick even if this isn't as good as their more straightforward pop stuff. I've always liked their vocals and their unserious lyrics are a fun contrast to the orchestration on this album. Rounding up my 3.5 purely out of bias.
I don't have much of a relationship with this album. Found it initially a bit underwhelming. Decided to play Volume 2 as well, and immediately that hit better - it's a bit more rocking. Was gonna chalk this up as another Dimery L - however, on returning to Volume 1, I liked it a whole lot more, so maybe not. Kinda reminded me of the Kinks' "Village Green Preservation Society, doing the whole English pastoral thing. Fave tracks - "Frivolous Tonight" and "Greenman"
Delightfully batshit it's ambient and acousticy. Your dictionary sucks and lyrically sounds like it was written by a 14 year old who thought it sounded deep, but overall I got into this
Mér fannst þetta virkilega fín plata. Svakalega góður kósí áreynslulaus fílíngur á henni. Ljúft gáfumannapopp.
I am a huge XTC fan so this album rocked. Fruit nut is a dud but the other songs are masterpieces.
I always get annoyed when albums aren't available on Apple Music. The link to me to the album, but every track was greyed out/unavailable. I ended up spending $10 to buy the digital album, which is always a risk. Luckily this was an enjoyable album that I'll probably revisit, even though its a little over the top and ultimately more silly than substantive. Some scattered thoughts after the initial listen. "River of Orchids" is a stunning album opener, "I'd Like That" sounds like a lost Paul McCartney song, "Easter Theatre" has a middle section that is stunning (and carries on the McCartney vibes). "Knights In Shining Karma", "Frivolous Tongiht", and "Greenman" aren't as immediately rewarding, but continue irreverant experimentation with orchestral textures. "Your Dictionary" and "Fruit Nut" are both silly, funny songs. "I Can't Own Her" is a solid ballad. " Harvest Festival" is another decent track, while the close "The Last Balloon" is a killer way to end things. Solid overall, its a really interesting vibe and sonic experience. I'm a big fan of the Beatles and didn't find the McCartney sounding vocals and influences offputting.
What a pleasant surprise this album was! I like XTC and know a couple of albums (Skylarking is outstanding), but hadn't heard of this before. Usually "YouTube" albums are bad here, but not this one. I definitely want to hear it again.
I don't think I had ever heard this album before, and I liked it, but I generally like XTC.
Solid album. Doesn't sound like it was released in 1999, 70's psych with 90's production. It's like a more modern version of The Beatles' psych sound. Shame it's not on streaming services.
Really quite good.
I was not expecting an album like this from a band called XTC, but I liked it!
It started to lose me the last few songs but honestly surprised how much I was enjoying it. Lots of fun effects and melodies. A shame I can’t add some of those to my library. Rating: 4.0
I enjoyed what I heard, but listening on YouTube was terrible. I ordered the CDs because I liked what I heard enough and will circle back when the album has arrived.
Better than I was expecting
Some highs here
Ah great, youtube ass balls. River of Orchids is splendid as an opener, and I haven't been hit with an ad yet. this could be enjoyable. I really liked some bits of Skylarking but not really the whole album. I'm open to XTC though. Green Man is nice enough but feels the most turn of the century dated, makes me think of the Levellers' This Garden. OK if I'm honest a few tracks later I've a little bit lost interest halfway through and not been pulled back in by any particular track. I Can't Own Her came closest. It's all decent and interesting but not, you know... Ah you know, The Last Balloon is a fitting closer. Whimsical yet melancholic, impressive. Fell like this album would reward repeat listens. Whether it will get them from me due to access and pissing about I don't know. Going to rate it highly. Plus point, not a single advert. Suck it, Youtube.
Not their best music but good regardless
Great album 4.5 very Beatles esque
I liked this more than the other XTC album that I got from this list (assuming there's only 2) there's some interesting sounds to be found here. A little long but pretty enjoyable overall.
Gave some Beatles vibes with the orchestra. Wish this were on Spotify because it’s a cool album.
On salue Peter Gabriel, McCartney et les Beatles, Tom Waits et peut-être même Elton. Bien renseigné, bien réussi
This album is tricky to rate because I loved the orchestral components. The use of repetition, layering, building, and dissonance was magical and so indulgent because bands rarely spring for the whole orchestra, let alone know how to compose for it. It was the standout feature of this album for *sure*. Some of the songs and lyrics were really, reallllly cringey (I'm looking at you, "Your Dictionary"), so I was a bit let down by the lyric writing. That being said, I enjoyed the orchestra so much that I can see myself listening to this one often (but maybe I'll just remove "Your Dictionary" from the playlist first).
First commute in two weeks and I get an album I can't even listen to! This is actually great, interesting stuff.
Just as you start to get into it it gets weird, like if The Beach Boys went even further during Pet Sounds and had kicked Mike Love out of the group. Not a relaxing listen, but it is very interesting. It grew on me.
Kind of like an icecream truck hitting a jelly bean filled van with the Beach Boys explaining how it all went down.
Creative, well-crafted, intemporal, some of it similar to Electric Light Orchestra. No bangers but overall love it 4
Cool weird album with funny lyrics
00:20 after the album starts: It starts with a Beatlesque with no novelty, but ok, it's good enough. 18:00: I am listening to the "Greenman," which has slightly changed my opinion; it's nicer. 19:00: Let me fav some of their other albums, just in case. 20:00: Is this the real life?® 24:00: Thank you 1001albumsgenerator.com
Just the perfect amount of weird. I loved it. Wish it was on Apple Music. I always liked the song they had about Nigel
Gotta admit, not actually super familiar with XTC beyond the occasional "Making Plans for Nigel" from time to time. To that end, I feel like I'm working backwards a bit, not having deep dove into any of their OG albums. There's something very compelling about what a musician does after their glory days dry up, however, and I've always been very interested in that. What do you do artistically after the kids stop lining up and your aesthetics no longer symbolize the cutting edge? Do you dye your hair, stock up on botox and try to stay young forever? Or do you continue your artist journey, unbothered, while you cater to your smaller, but more unshakable fanbase that remains loyal to you and where your journey leads to? It's really commendable that they chose the latter approach, honing in on a robustly produced sound that really uplifts where their songwriting has landed. They are certainly doing anything but trying to fit in on anything edgey, but in that appeal their sound as elderstatesmen is perfectly mature for who they are. Beyond that, they are very unique and individualistic. The track "Greenman" for instance, really landing in it's own territory. Just look at them go with that flute! If your band doesn't rhyme with "Deathrow Skull", using a flute that much throughout the album is real ballsy.... and then arguably even then could be overload for some, but I'll be damned if XTC didn't pull it off. Nice work, gents!
A really solid tho a tad synthetic piece of chamber pop, though the highs make it worth it.
Unfortunately, the album is not available from my streaming provider. Instead, I listened to a collection of other tracks by XTC. I already knew the band and I like their music. I probably would have liked the album too. 4/5
this honestly really surprised me. the first song i thought was really annoying and your dictionary has some of the stupidest fucking lyrics i’ve ever heard in my life, but other than that, this creates a totally unique soundscape (sometimes for better, sometimes for worse) there are very few times when an album allows me to perk up and think that i’ve just heard something new, so thank you to this paul mccartney-meets-tears-for-fears! 1.) easter theatre 2.) i can’t own her 3.) knights in shining karma
This was fun, and I'll probably listen to more of this band. I only knew of them from They Might Be Giants song XTC vs Adam Ant.
first listen very interesting
Some good ones! I love greenman. Very zen. I wish it was easier to find! Not on spotify.
Loved it. Hurrah for English countryside pagan vibes. Like Skylarking it’s one to listen to again, if only I can find it somewhere other than YouTube….
I liked this lots. Please to bend down for the one called the Greenman
This was very cool
Album indisponible mais le groupe est chouette
Fíla þetta. Hef ekki hlustað nóg á XTC, þarf greinilega að gera meira af því.
Я не знаю чем меня это цепляет, но мне нравится. Оригинальный мужской вокал, разнообразная музыка, ритм чувствуется, подпевать можно, ну вот есть в этом что-то!
Took a little bit to click but it's one of those albums that just sticks in your brain for a while. Even when I was bored I was having a good time. Favorites were I'd Like That, Greenman, Fruit Nut, and Harvest Festival
River of Orchids creates a soundscape like a rain shower. I like the vocal panning done during the stage directions of Easter Theatre. Overall quirky set of songs. Wish I could add some of these to my Spotify playlists. Very glad I listened. Not a fan of Fruit Nut. Favorite songs were River of Orchids, Easter Theatre, Greenman, and I Can’t Own Her.
"Apple Venus Volume 1" is the 13th studio album by English rock band XTC. The band used more strings, acoustic guitars and keyboards expanding on their orchestral approach uesd on their last album, 1992's "Nonsuch." Lead singer and guitarist Andy Partridge coined the music "Orchustric." It took seven years between album releases due to personal conflicts, lack of money, false starts and a strike against their former label Virgin Records. They recorded enough songs for a double album but decided to have two volumes/albums with volume 1 being more acoustic and baroque and volume 2 more rockin.' The album did receive critical acclaim and had moderate commercial success reaching #42 in the UK and #106 on the US. Water dripping and strings open "River of Orchids." This sort of has a prancing feel to it with a cello. Partridge vocals come in and a layered chorus as well. There's a lot going on. It's eccentric. They switch over to an acoustic guitar in "I'd Like That." This song rolls along. Patridge is apparently rekindling a relationship. And, they go back to strings in their single "Easter Theatre." More vocal harmonies, really going Beach Boys on us. We get an electric guitar solo. It's a celebration of spring and a pretty good song. "Greenman" starts out with strings and a Middle Eastern vibe. There's a flute; this is really lush. Patridge said this song was about the masculine side of Mother Nature. Hmmmm. The album ends with "The Last Balloon." Strings, acoustic guitar and a flugelorn. It's jazzy and melancholic/bittersweet. I like the lyrics but I'm not sure if it's a song of hope or hopelessness for mankind. Maybe both. The album bounces between strings and acoustic guitar songs. There's songs about Mother Nature, middle age symbolism, relationships, season cycles and the harvest. The vocal harmonization and the lyrics are solid. They cover the emotional spectrum being happy, sad, hopeful and spiteful. This is a decent album. The more rockin' volume 2 is also pretty good. I'd have to say that I like some of their 80's albums more ("Skylarking", "Black Sea") but this is solid; I'd imagine most XTC fans would like this.
Too bad it's not on Spotify. I would listen to this more often, really interesting music.
great XTC, one whole record
I wasn't exactly present when I began listening. I found the first track interesting and wondered what would come next. Well, I found the next track very good...I was grooving! Then another cool track came on next, and I was really taken by the album thinking that this was my thing. About halfway through that third track (or maybe it was even the fourth), I began thinking how surprised I was to hear XTC performing this type of music. It was more hip-hop than alternative...then I slowly awakened to the fact that after the first track, my player had switched to a Doja Cat album. So, although I found this interesting, it paled in comparison to Doja Cat for me.
I was nowhere near as taken with this one as I was with Skylarking many hundreds of albums ago. Some fun lyrics here and there.
This was an interesting listen for sure… I’m still not sure how much I like this as a whole but the orchestral vibe was interesting, the lyrics kept me on my toes, and several songs I liked immediately. Not bad and I’m happy to have this appear on this list.
XTC have made a fascinating record and jt is interesting to see how the band evolved from spiky guitars to these lush orchestral acoustic sounds.
XTC is one of my favorite bands, so i’ve listened to this one before, but i liked the album a lot more on this listen. really wish it was on streaming, but happy to own it on CD. 3.5
The production values and quality of singing are not up to the high and ambitious standard of songwriting. I enjoyed the variety of songs and the content of the lyrics very much though. I would love to hear a modern cover of this, it done genius had nothing better to do with their time.
3.5/5
New album for me. A surprising choice given all the classic albums XTC made, and just like their other work, one needs to listen to the songs a couple of times to recognize how good they are.
I fully expected to shit on this album in my review, what with it being a late career XTC album that I'd never heard anything about, and here I am happily eating my shoe on this one. Well composed, well produced, clever and quirky Beatles-esque art pop that has me wanting to spend more time in the post 80s XTC catalog
Oddball record which at times is actually very pretty sounding. A slight hint of Beatles and Beach Boys, interlaced with strange but interesting choices of instrumentations and songs. On the fence whether it's good or awkward, but it's overall more the former.
I'm more aware of XTC's reputation than their music. I know that Andy Partridge, the group's de facto leader, can craft quite the quirky tune. And indeed, this collection demonstrates an interest in the unconventional. The 40-piece orchestra (recorded at Abbey Road, which also allegedly ate up most of the album's budget) adds significant texture to the arrangements. Although they avoid obvious chord progressions, there is still a catchiness to many of these songs. "Greenman", a neat little number that brings to mind Indian influences, probably earns my favorite of the album. Apple Venus is probably not their masterpiece (the only other album of theirs that I've heard, Skylarking, was a touch better to my ears), but it was a good listen from a creative band nearing the end of the road.
Mostly enjoyable — and quite Beatley in parts.
XTC is one of those bands that when you finally listen to them, you wonder why they don't get more love. They're so quirky but the songs have that Beatlesque feel. This album, however, is not my favorite of theirs. Although the acoustic feel is great, I longed for more songs of old from them. But there are still good songs here, but just not things like "The Mayor of Simpleton" or "Senses Working Overtime". It feels like an album you have when you're having a Sunday brunch, and I'm not sure if that was the aim or not. So it's good and I definitely like it, but XTC definitely has better. Top tracks: "Harvest Festival," "Easter Theater," "Your Dictionary"
This album is definitely a mood. Atmospheric and interesting. There are a couple of head-scratching moments. For example, Easter Theatre's lyrics - "Chocolate nipple brown"? "Like the ground, your breast swell"? "Flowers climb erect"? Someone's horny, huh?? Also, the lyrics for Your Dictionary - such a pretty song for such bitter lyrics about divorce. I'm going with a 4 for the occasional weirdness, but it's a really good album that I would definitely revisit. Favorite tracks: River of Orchids (great opening. Very unusual styling - I like it. Makes me think a little of Sting), Frivolous Tonight (am I hearing a Beatles song? I like it), Greenman (caught my attention every time when I wasn't listening closely. Weird lyrics, but great music), Fruit Nut (very catchy, Beach Boys-esque), I Can't Own Her, Harvest Festival, The Last Balloon (great ending - love the transition from voice to trumpet at the end. Perfect).
VERY FUN!!! I LOVED THIS. I was quite surprised that I enjoyed this!!! Great sound and overall a fun experience. Great lyrics too
This was very unique and I liked it but didn’t love it
Not on Spotify
At first I thought it was too much effort to listen on YouTube. But I’m glad I persevered. I agree with the Beatles comments, but I think that adds to its charm. “I’d Like That” and “Your Dictionary” were particular highlights for me.
I can't rate this album higher than Skylarking and Drums & Wire. However, it is a very fine McCartney-esque pop album that deserves recognition.
T'was a bop, wasn't what i was expecting but i enjoyed it
For some reason this is a hard album to track down, but having finally heard it, I like it a lot. In places it is not dissimilar to peak era Squeeze and can also hear elements of Paul McCartney in the singing and the lyrics.
Spotify didn't have it so i have to listen on youtube. River of Orchids is cool. This is a real solid musical outting. I get a Steely Dan vibe from it, but not in terms of sound. In terms of craftsmanship. Greenman undercuts it, because the soundscape is just so generically "Arabic inspired". After that, it loses that shimmering quality that the opening tracks have, but still a very nice time.
Tough one to score. Some songs easily belong on a 5 star album but some songs have way too much Silly British flavour for my liking. Ultimately going to round up here on the strength of the good stuff, and add that I think XTC might be a sleeper Band For Me.
XTC is one of those bands that I feel like I could have really gotten into at some point, but for whatever reason never did. Honestly probably just random chance that I never delved deep into their catalog. They seem like a really interesting band with a unique vision. I love the use of strings and other instruments on this album. I just with it was on Spotify, I would definitely put it in my rotation. 4 stars.
My first exposure XTC. Having a hard time classifying this one. Good vocals backed by orchestrated soft progressive I guess. I like it.
Yes - enjoyed hearing XTC again.
Jammer dat die niet op Spotify stond, heb wel echt genoten
Isch mega a shame isch Das album nid uf spotify. Bin drum nur chli dure gskippt aber finds eigentlich würklich no schön? Aso chent mehr bi paar songs echt vorstelle das da würklich mir mal so recht ahlose usserhalb vo dem 1001 album thing. Wird halt nid passiere wells nid uf spotify isch aber ich würd voll mitvibe wenns öpper würd laufe lah. 4/5
Enjoyed the instruments