Reviews (page 2 of 7)
Niet bekend met deze band, maar vind het een beetje zeikmuziek. Prima geproduceerd wel.
They took the silliest parts of The Beatles and made them worse.
Begon met een lekker nummer, maar zakte daarna weg. Kon me niet echt boeien. 2,5
Refreshing
It kinda feels like a treasure hunt for all the most basic, generic musical sounds.. Then you put them all in a blender and poured it into a sewer outside a vegan restaurant, then scooped the amalgamation and put some whipped cream on it and a garnish next to it.
fine liked that greenman song
Wickerman, pretty odd
lyrics are a bit wanky and the orchestra is a bit much but otherwise has some great moments
Definitely not what i was expecting from a band name XTC. I'm into it though.
favs: greenman rating 0.4/5
This was pretty awesome. River of Orchids and Greenman were both legitimately amazing songs. WE'RE ONLY MAKING PLANS, FOR NIGEL
This album is like someone who listened to so the b sides on Beatles albums and thought I can do this worse. 4.5/10 Top song... I'd like that
Good album cover.
first 3 songs were a slay and last 3 songs were good... others were ibanban except greenman and frivolous tonight which were turrible! your dictionary abit embarassing too
I hadn't known anything about the band XTC before this, but a quick search revealed that their debut album came out back in 1978. That means the band was at least twenty years old by the time this record was released — these were seasoned, veteran musicians. So, what earned it a spot on this list? I still don't get it. XTC is usually associated with genres like art rock, post-punk, and power pop, but there isn't even a hint of that here. Instead, what you get is layered orchestral pop — soft and majestic, yet, for me, far too pompous. I prefer it when an orchestra accompanies a band without dominating the mix; here, it’s the other way around — the vocals feel like they’ve simply been laid over the orchestration. At times, it starts to sound like songs from Sesame Street. In short, imagine the band Yes, but without their signature progressive rhythm section. It’s an acquired taste.
Pleasant surprise of an album. I enjoyed the chamber music pop and the stripped-down guitar and vocals tracks alike. They write hella good melodies and their arrangements (and orchestrations) are really interesting. Some of the reviews talk about ridiculous lyrics. I tend not to notice lyrics unless they're extraordinarily bad or amazingly great. I didn't notice these lyrics at all. Regardless, this album hit me just right today, so I'm going with 5 stars.
Weird enough to not get a 1 because I will definitely remember this album for the rest of my days.
I really like XTC, but I'll admit I've never listened to anything after the 80s. The first 3 songs are really fucking great but it does level off a bit after that. Andy Partridge has had basically zero cultural influence in America but he really is a top-tier weirdo pop songwriter.
3 out of 5. This was ok.
Greatly British, decently an album.
Goofy ahh
unlistenable
interesting but didn’t like the lead singers voice at all and couldn’t finish the album
Very pleasant. Need to spend more time with this band.
temu beatles
I tried.
01) River of Orchids - 5,5 02) I'd Like That - 6,0 03) Easter Theatre - 5,5 04) Knights in Shining Karma - 6,0 05) Frivolous Tonight - 5,0 06) Greenman - 6,5 07) Your Dictionary - 6,0 08) Fruit Nut - 5,5 09) I Can't Own Her - 5,5 10) Harvest Festival - 5,5 11) The Last Balloon - 5,5 TOTAL: 5,68 (57/100) Current ranking: 859/1020
Better than expected! Almost jams but not quite
Started listening to XTC with skylarking and oranges&lemons. I prefer the faster music (volume 2 of this is actually better) but I loved the music and how his voice almost became an instrument and just flowed seamlessly into the music.
Крутой альбом, превзошел мои ожидания, местами сумбурно, но в целом цепляет, и голос вокалиста мне напомнил сэра Пола Маккартни, это плюс вайб
Скучновато немного. Для 1999 года.
Симпатичный арт-поп
звучит и неплохо, но не могу понять почему именно этот альбом xtc был добавлен в этот список (надеюсь будут еще), поставлю все таки 3.5 с округлением в меньшую сторону
I ought to like this more but I often feel that XTC sacrifice musicality on the altar of quirkiness, and this has not helped 😐
Like the Beatles, but if they were ssoooooo drab...
I don’t know much about this band aside from the song ‘Dear God’. The album has a lot of the elements I like in music but it really doesn’t work for me. It sounded like someone wanted to make a Beatles album. Granted lots of artists want to make a Beatles album but nothing here felt sincere. 2.5 stars
Cool, first XTC. I was wondering when these guys would appear on my list. About nine months ago I relistened to Skylarking because I knew it was on this list. I'd previously listened to it about five years ago because the album cover looked cool, though I was unpersuaded by Andy Partridge's very English style of singing. However, the chorus to "That's Really Super, Supergirl" had persisted within my memory for all of that time, which was why I eventually wound up revisiting Skylarking with more mature ears. I'm a lifelong fan of this band now. Andy Partridge is a fantastic songwriter, and while I'm not as much of a passionate listener of XTC's other albums as I am with Skylarking, I thought they were generally quite sharp. All of that being said, I am surprised Apple Venus is on this list. I suppose it represents Partridge's headstrong, ardent approach to doing whatever the hell he wants, but still. If you're whittling XTC's discography down to two albums Skylarking and Drums and Wires would be the most obvious picks. Fortunately, I've expanded the number of XTC inclusions to four. I've added Oranges & Lemons to the list and had intended to replace another album with the aforementioned Drums and Wires, but haven't done so for whatever reason. Admittedly, two list albums is about right for XTC given that they've only achieved modest commercial success despite their widespread influence and acclaim, but fuck it. Andy Partridge is a generational talent and their discography is pretty immaculate on the whole, so I don't think I can be faulted for bumping their number of included albums up to four. Truth be told, I'll probably replace this album with English Settlement come the end of this review, though I'm curious to give it a fair shake nonetheless. Here goes. Yeah, not bad. Like all XTC albums, however, I do think this is a bit frontloaded. The first seven tracks are all peachy keen, whereas the remaining four drag their heels hard. The music slows down, becomes more sparse and loses the strong vocal hooks which define the first half of the album, altogether making the last fifteen-or-so minutes of this album a bit of a write off. Still, there's more good than bad. The instrumentals are generally quite varied and playful, benefiting the 60s psychedelic influence that is written all over the lyrics. The brass instruments are a particular highlight along with the evergreen strings and woodwind instruments. The backup vocals are generally quite good as well. A bit of a surprise as I rarely ever pay attention to them. Like all XTC albums, Partridge and Moulding are adept songwriters who bring fun, charismatic performances to their respective songs. All in all, I did like this album, though I can't shake the fatigue which sets in during its later stages. There's "River of Orchids". Funnily enough, I've had this song in my rotation as of late. Great tune. I like the strange, fantastical element that the plucky strings, warbling horn instruments and ambient dripping sounds add to the piece, though the highlight is obviously the songwriting. The free-flowing vocal melodies and strange, playful lyrics are a joy to listen to and contribute a lot to the gradual build up of the song. "The grass is always greener when it bursts up through concrete" stands out to me as a favourite lyric. All in all, a great song - both as an album opener and as a standalone piece. "Frivolous Tonight" is strangely familiar to me. I think my Dad may have played it in his car once. Funnily enough, I know for a fact that he has "Stupidly Happy" from Wasp Star on his phone, though he doesn't appear to have downloaded any of XTC's heavy hitter tunes. Good song! Another favourite of mine from this album. It reminds me of Billy Bragg's music but if it didn't completely suck cock. I love being positive. Anyways, I like the sentimental, if dated piano chords, blown-out trumpets and the string segments which bind the finer aspects of the song together. Good vocals and lyrics from Colin Moulding, too. Very earnest and sincere. All in all, a good outing. Book time. The entry opens with "If some joker had handed a listener an unmarked copy of XTC's Apple Venus Volume 1 in 1999 and claimed it was the then lost Brian Wilson masterpiece, Smile, it would have been easy to fall for the gag." "...another one of XTC's mostly overlooked later masterpieces, an exquisite piece of highly orchestral pop adored by critics and basically ignored by the public." "...one of the group's finest offerings." The album was mostly handled by Partridge, though the curator considers Moulding's two offerings to be among the album's best. Wikipedia says this album furthered the pivot towards orchestral music that was first explored on Nonsuch. Partridge has labeled the album as "orchustic" music, which is amusing. The songs from Apple Venus and Wasp Star were meant to be bundled together as a double album, though the band didn't have enough money to record both sets of songs. Had a very troubled production, with many rushed deadlines. The difficulties resulted in the guitarist of XTC leaving the band. Critics were very receptive, though the album only charted modestly. I'm all for late career picks because of their relative scarcity, though as far as a discography with as many highlights as XTC's is concerned I think English Settlement is the more noteworthy and necessary listen. For that reason, we're switching Apple Venus out. I switcharoo this inclusion.
It’s like they listened to “piggys” off the white album and decided to make a whole band making C+ versions of that song. “Your Dictionary” might be the worst written song in all 1001 albums.
2.4 I think the Beatles do a better job of Beatles type songs than XTC
Album 1089 for me, so quite a strange place to end this three year+ endeavour. It was quirky and interesting enough, albeit not particularly memorable., I guess I'm off to listen to my own choice of music now.
This was cool. I thought XTC was a different group, and so, was pleasantly surprised to find this wasn't euro dance as expected, and kinda goofy experimental synth pop/rock.
Средне. Добавил I'd like that и greenman
Если бы Битлз были кринжовыми. Топ-1 - Не выбрал Топ-2 - I'd like that
Surprised to see this on here. I say this as someone who bought this as soon as it came out and probably listened to it 1500 times. But Nonsuch is the late period XTC album that should be on this list. Go listen to that. A lot. That record deserves A LOT more attention. The world would be a better place if everyone spent more time with it. Go. Now! The musical craftsmanship here is stunning. Truly. Rewards a close listen. Listening to it again today on headphones, my mouth is agape. And Colin Moulding's musicianship particularly should be claimed by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage site. But the content here was not worth breaking up the band to bring it to life, as was the case here, with much budget induced stress. Fuck capitalism and the horrible forces of reality! But real they are, and if your art requires a big budget, you are making a choice to prioritize that and I'm not sure I agree with the decision here. This gets four stars from me because it is in the top 40% of albums, but it isn't in the top 60% of XTC. My friends and I used to jokingly, and lovingly, spread a rumor that Dave Gregory is living above a laundromat in our hometown. I will still get the occasional text. "I think I just saw Dave G at the Big Y deli counter." I pray those messages outlive me, and I pray XTC's music outlives its makers.
I was happy to hear that unlike "Skylarking" this XTC album at least sounded a bit more like the XTC I was kind of familiar with from their "Nonsuch" album, albeit with a bit (lot?) more Beach Boys inspiration than I'd have preferred. I also now realize that I'm not a devoted fan of XTC's version of progressive/experimental pop-like music; good to know, but not great for enjoying this album, I suppose. The highlights for me are probably the Beatles-channeling "I'd like that", "Greenman" and the impressively bitter "Your dictionary". Sadly, I wasn't at all surprised to read that Andy Partridge's continued asshattery led to yet another departure of the band's members (Dave Gregory) mid-album and then the kind of dissolution of the band itself a year later after the 2nd volume of this album was released (I wish we'd gotten that one instead, I'll admit). It's perversely impressive that Partridge managed to get 14 studio albums out by that point, giving how challenging it was for *anyone* to work with him.
This album was a big surprise to me: I was expecting 90s club music and instead I got this quirky, jazz-touched concept album focusing on Celtic pagan themes. It's not at all RenFest; it's actually pretty good. +1 for the weirdness of it all
Started and ended strong. Kinda lost me in the middle tho. Wil listen to more of them
XTC another band I never got super into but know a few songs - some cool instrumentation on this
This should be the soundtrack for a very slow and boring movie.
XTC = one of my favorite bands of all time.
Brilliant!
I can see why the name Paul McCartney trends on this. Doesn’t quite live up to him though
3.5 rounded up for nostalgia
There are some really lovely songs here, especially Colin’s two contributions and the last third is quite nice, but I can’t do five stars for this. Apple Venus Vol. 2 (Wasp Star) with more rocking/upbeat songs is a better album. Our last of 2 XTC albums (along with Skylarking), and sadly we don’t get English Settlement, Mummer, or The Big Express.
#1036. This is not the one, y'all. 2/5: meh
I think this is going to be one of those reviews that’s a haphazard mix of things people have already said about this album, and things I’ve already said about other albums that sound like it. Let’s get the first thing out of the way right now. This dude is not Paul McCartney. This high key sounds like a mix of The Beatles attempting to make a Pink Floyd album, with a touch of Gentle Giant in the mix. That last band is pretty underrated, check them out if you like Prog. I know this isn’t Prog but it’s certainly got aspects of a billion different genres wrapped up into 1 very disjointed, very interesting album that I am extremely split on as a whole. On first listen I determined I’m not a huge fan of the singers voice. That didn’t change on my last listen several hours later, but the album seriously grew on me as a whole. Some songs did at least. Some songs, primarily “Greenman” and the closer, “The Last Balloon”, sound really good. Others, like “Your Dictionary”, are actually just god awful and I rather dislike them. I’m split on the opener, “River of Orchids”, for the same reason. Having cheesy lyrics like this in the 90’s is a deliberate choice by the band, and it’s one that makes a lot of these songs just really annoying to listen to. That’s unfortunate, because if the lyrics were good, this could be a 4. The production and instruments sound really good. They even do the funny “We just went to India” parody song that every Beatles cover band does with “Greenman”, and it’s actually my favorite song on the album even with the cheesy, terrible lyrics included. Now, I’m not familiar with XTC at all, so I didn’t know what to expect with this album. Coincidentally, this is the second album in a row where I have a song from the band saved on my Spotify already. In this case it’s “Dear God” from 1986. And wow, it’s so staggeringly different from every single song on this album that I was starting to wonder if I was playing another album by mistake. It is the closer though, so I don’t know if it’s a bad representation of the rest of the album, but the fact that it’s not even that much older than Apple Venus Volume 1 is nothing short of very surprising to me. And hey, you know what?? This is the first of 2 albums by XTC (I wonder what that stands for), I have rolled for this project. The other album is Skylarking, from 1986. The very same album I was talking about before. It’s got a higher rating than this one, but still pretty low as a whole compared to the site average. Now, I won’t lie to you, this album did grow on me a lot. Yes, it’s got a very annoying singer, that did not change. But a lot of the songs somehow end up sounding unique from themselves, and the closer, “The Last Balloon” is very well done. It’s beautiful and was difficult not having it as my gold metal. It for sure takes silver though. I truly believe that if they weren’t just copying The Beatles this might be a 4 star album. When I don’t like a singer, the album starts at a rough 2. A few albums break out of that rough start and manage to be good enough to rise to a 3, and I do believe this is one of those albums. It’s a low 3, but it’s a 3 nonetheless. I don’t like giving 1’s and 2’s. I see a lot of good things in this album, even if it is yet ANOTHER example of British bias and might not be something I had to listen to before I die. It’s alright. Not great. But I am actually curious to check out Skylarking now. I’ll wait for the bot to present that to me before hearing it as a whole for the first time, it’s more fun that way.
Musically, this is awesome. Pretty close to a 5 for me. Just really interesting and creative arrangements of instruments. I love this musically. The lyrics leave a bit to be desired, and more than once I was reminded of Anna Faris' character from Just Friends at some lyric. Overall though, I really enjoyed this album and will likely give it another listen.
XTC is weird. I like a ton of what they do, but there are also a fair amount of decisions that I think they get totally wrong. Problem is that both of those extremes exist within the same song, and on just about every song on this record. Plus, half of the songs on this record are at least 30% longer than they need to be. I want to love them, but they just fall short for me. 7.5/10
I've never been a fan of XTC. This album did not change that opinion.
This was actually annoying.
Dribble…very disappointing
I’ve always called XTC dorky. And this does nothing to change that opinion.
Not too bad.
Can’t believe the shitty Beatles got to record 12 albums before this
I hadn't heard too much of XTC - only really actually listened to "Making Plans For Nigel" - this is not so new wave and is more like Beach Boys pop (maybe around Sunflower-era.) So, that means it's luscious as all hell. The harmonies and the very textured instrumentation are also present. I'm not too sure how I feel about this album, leaning towards more good than bad, still incredibly impartial to this one, but I think it was still well made. Highlight Song/s: "Eastern Theatre" and "I Can't Own Her"
2/5
Apple Venus is sometimes quirky, sometimes sweeps you away, and at other times bitingly acerbic. One constant is that regardless of tone, you know without question that these songs were written by Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding. Self produced after leaving behind Virgin records and a restrictive contract + poor management that saw the band quite literally penniless after selling millions of records, Apple Venus represents a freedom that the band hadn't had since the very early beginnings two decades prior. Unfortunately the recording process was filled with the strife that comes along with managing the entire process yourself, so much so that the band became a duo before the album even saw the light of day. All of this is represented in the 50 minutes of play time, for better or worse, with no punches pulled in the process. This level of earnest songwriting was lauded by critics and longtime XTC fans alike, and with good reason. Though not perfect, Apple Venus is a superb late career record that most bands can only hope for.
Wow I hate this. Sounds like the soundtrack to a really shit, low budget musical and I don't even like good musicals
Love this band, but not crazy about this record. It’s good, but not their best.
Maravillado con este disco, no lo conocia
it's a grower! wasn't feeling it at first but ended up listening to it on repeat all night (while playing morrowind - pretty well suited vibes). a bit corny and twee for sure but it works for me. not sure if i love or hate greenman. highlights: river of orchids, i'd like that, easter theatre, greenman (?), your dictionary, fruit nut, the last balloon
I quite like xdc's earlier stuff and have spent a good bit of time listening to it. That said, I did not know about this album. I think it suffers a little bit from being too tame? I like the lyricism but the subject matter leaves me a little unenthused. It's still XTC but it feels a bit too aged and comfortable. There's still a few excellent tracks on here.
I went into this with hope but found that it didn’t do a huge amount for me. I liked the introduction of the trumpet towards the end and could have done with a bit more of that. It reminded me of Talk Talk but without quite the same interest. However, they did come from Swindon so kudos for making it as far as they did.
At least if it had been the album with ‘making plans for Nigel’ on it would have had a bit more cultural relevance to today’s politics… the first track was promising but descended into surprisingly safe and rather boring MOR fare for the majority of the remainder. Can hear the Beatles influences in the harmonies and chord progressions used but I don’t think this adds anything to anyone’s cultural experience and so could easily be replaced by a number of other albums better than this.
lame ass psychadelic album. idk why but this album pisses. it so large sounding for what. every song is kind of directionless and or annoying, and i hated the dumbass songwriting. i feel like aminal collective perfect this more modern style of psych pop like a decade later. not a fan of this
This had almost ren faire vibes at the beginning. Not what I would expect for what I think of primarily as an 80s band, but I didn’t mind it
I usually love XTC albums - but not this one! Why this made the 1001 list but not English Settlement is criminal.
A slow start then picks up. An album I'll return to
Caught us off guard, was a lot funner than we’d expected. Your mum gave this two thumbs up, and definitely ticked a lot of boxes for me. Good that bands and artists can span generations and still put out great music.
Look up the word "lovely" in the dictionary and you'll see a picture of this record, with all that entails. In the great tradition of the Kinks (and later Blur) an affectionate tribute to good old-fashioned British eccentricity. Yes, it's twee, and a little cringy at times, but, well, get over it. Best track: "Greenman"
Lush and layered, but slightly stiff and akward. Animal Collective did a better job at this same idea just a few years later.
never been into xtc idk
wtf is this
I really couldn't get into this. No cohesion and nothing whatsoever to engage me. I'd struggle even to classify it into a specific genre. Have a horrible feeling there are more XTC albums lurking in the list; there are enough of them
Quirky and hard to categorise but worth a further listen.
Goeie plaat 3,5
beetje vreemd beetje cool
Houmous & Chutney wrote Volume 2 for them. They never released it. It totally out shadowed volume 1. 4.3 6/11 Greenmen
Meh.
Reminds me of Paul McCartney in some ways. Also kind of Lion King? Musically it has a bright, major chord sound. Really enjoyed it. Most songs are good.
I liked a couple here, average as a whole to me though. 2.5/5
If you’re unfamiliar with XTC this is definitely not the right introduction album. It’s an ok listen, but nowhere near the quality of their earlier stuff like Drums and Wires, Black Sea, the excellent English Settlement and even Skylarking. They remain one of the most overlooked and underrated bands.
Can’t say I enjoyed this. Sounds like an album you’d be embarrassed to listen to. Like if my homeys came in and I had this on, I would quickly change and pretend it never happened. It would be awkward. But yeah, this didn’t work for me. And sounded like they were trying to imitate other groups. Like I got some beach boys vibes and a few others (I don’t care to go back and remember which ones). Not something I’ll be putting in rotation. 1.75
Not my tempo. A little too silly-sounding. 2.25/5
Apparently I listened to this already but I can’t remember a single thing about it
This kind of sounded like music to a play or movie, and had quite a “silly” sound (at least to me). I kept being reminded of ELO from what I heard. It was okay to have playing in the background, but it wasn’t really my kind of music.
Not my thing.
J'ai vraiment adoré. L'introduction m'a vraiment fait rentré dedans et j'ai kiffé tout ce qui est arrivé après. Grand bol d'air frais ces instrus. Les jeux avec les voix sont super cool aussi. Très bonne découverte
C'était sympa mais sans plus
This is actually a Weird Al Yankovic album. The singer sounds just like him and all the songs are written like Weird Al tried to make a "serious" album. Try and listen to Your Dictionary and tell me that's not something he would write.
Not what I was expecting!! I was expecting EDM but just from the artist name and because I am a complete philistine. Animal collective a lil bit mixed a little bit with the Shins and Magnetic Fields... though I will say it starts off strong and then goes a but Duran Duran cheesy towards the end? peters off. Easter Theatre is fun!
This was a really weird one, like I like a lot of early XTC but they’ve thrown late XTC into the mix where some of it is really amazing and some is the worst somgwriting ever. Sometimes maybe good sometimes maybe shit!
This was not an enjoyable experience for me.
Music to fall asleep to.
I expected ecstasy but all I got was this snoozefest.
I've always appreciated XTC but probably need to spend more time with them as they sound exactly like the kind of music I like. This was decent, will revisit.
There's a track in the second half of the album titled, "Your Dictionary" – with respect to that, I submit another suggested lyric: "B-O-R-I-N-G, is that how you spell music in your dictionary?"
Fine, didn't love it, didn't hate it
I have never understood this band. It almost feels like a parody of other better bands.
Look I have really tried to give XTC my all but I feel like each project I go into I end up feeling even more mixed about this band. Apple Venus is just another one to add to that pile. The interesting thing about Apple Venus is that it is the first part in a two-part series which concluded XTC's run as a band, and conclusive is not how I would describe this project whatsoever. I wouldn't even call them pair albums other than their names because they sound so different. This project tries to reshape XTC's whole sound once again using very cheap sounding instrumentation and very corny and basic lyrical material. It only works for me once on I'd Like That, but the rest of this album is once again another drag. I appreciate how original this project is in its' style, but it isn't a good kind of originality, just one that lingers for longer than most. The 50 minute runtime could not come any slower and I was dying to finish this project up by the end. While I was intrigued for sure, it is hard to not want to bash this project into a unrecognizable pulp of sound. Just for the "creativity" I'll let this one get by with being decent, because I think with more time and effort it could have amounted to something much greater.
Why is this here?
Este es uno de esos álbumes que nunca entenderé como llegaron a estar en la lista. Es un disco que no tiene dirección alguna y se vuelve tedioso. Es un álbum "interesante", pero para nada es esencial.
Their Spotify profile states that XTC didn’t achieve commercial success because they were always behind the times. If that’s true, I wonder in which era “Apple Venus Volume 1” was actually in step with the times. It’s not as if this music couldn’t have existed in different decades: to me, it sounds like a combination of ’60s songwriting and ’70s sound. I just don’t think they would have been more successful at any other time. The band is technically excellent and the production is professional, but each of the songs seems to be waiting for its full potential to unfold - but that moment never comes. In that sense, the “Art Rock” label once again seems to stand for combining styles that, in the end, probably don’t mesh very well. That’s a shame, because given the band’s skills and ideas, this could have been an outstanding album.
another unique band. not the greatest but definitely a pleasant listen
I like XTC from what I've heard - Drums + Wires and a couple of albums are top tier for me, but apart from the (admittedly very good) orchestral arrangements, this is quite a middling album. You can tell they were towards the end of their working arrangement.
I enjoyed it
meh it was ok
p841. 1999. 4 stars. Alt-rock darlings channel their inner Ray Davis/Brian Wilson, with strings attached. Most of this is fabulous stuff. Point deducted for being far too clever for their own good, and for straying into tweeness.
Wasn't initially interested, but the album grew on me; interesting lyrics and approach to a world/rock sound
happy happy happy
Not the XTC I thought I knew. No power pop, Nigel has been replaced by the Green Man and the lyrics are mostly quite whimsical and aimed at Morris dancers. Musically it is interesting if unexciting, but I remain confused.
Es ist eleganter, kammerpopiger XTC‑Feingeist: reich an Streicherarrangements, sanft, detailverliebt und oft wunderschön. Gleichzeitig wirkt das Album stellenweise zu verträumt und verliert etwas an Spannung. Kunstvoll, aber nicht durchgehend packend.
Weird
Started off a bit weak but I was fully into it by the end. XTC’s off-beat approach to lyricism and humor can really hit quite hard from time to time
Nope
Liked parts of this, Greenman and Easter Threate stood out
I actually thought xtc was a rap group. Otherwise it was alright
Not a bad album, just not that interesting either.
This album was a good surprise. It is surreal at times. It is a good blend of a few genres. I had never heard of this band before but this album makes me want to hear more.
A decent enough listen, nothing on here I didn’t like but nothing I would rave about.
The rare occasion that I abandon an album midway.
Interesting orchestral pop - lovely. Very clever lyrics.
had a great start but after like the 4th song it went meh
whatever.
Came out about 30 years late huh? Simultaneously good and corny bit of a confusing listen...
boring.
I only know XTC from their song Making Plans For Nigel, a great song but they could be a one hit wonder in my opinion. This album don't change that opinion, it's decent, it's okay but in the end it’s more of the same.
After a brutal seven-year strike against their former record label and the departure of core guitarist Dave Gregory, Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding pivoted entirely away from standard guitar-pop. What they delivered instead was what Partridge called "orch-ustic"—a stunning, deeply mature fusion of acoustic instruments and massive, intricate orchestral arrangements recorded at Abbey Road.
it was not really what I was expecting. Maybe a little bit ostentatious, but overall it was not awful and there were a few songs I did not mind. After a complete listen, I am not sure what to take from this album. I cannot see myself wanting to find out more about their back catalogue, but I would listen to another album with interest to see if there is some variation in the music they produce. Easter Theatre is mt standout track. 3 stars
I remember hearing a few tracks when it came out. Very Beatles-y, starts strong but track 5 and the other Moulding track are bad. Dissappointing as it started so strong. 3.5 rounded down Heard before? Some Owned: No, 91/344 (26%) Will I get: No
Not mine sry
Expected worse honestly
Completely forgettable. Cannot remember a single thing. Utter shit.
Not actually sure how I felt about this... the lyricism was not always my jam, but the instrumentals were dynamic and interesting the whole while. And it DID remind me of The Beatles and McCartney in particular. And even if it reminded me of the "over-indulgent" era of the Beatles, I love them in every form, soooooooo I think 3 stars will do it.
5 stars, and I mean it, but also to combat the closed minded goons who don't appreciate art and likely never made it beyond track one giving it 1, get over yourselves. XTC have some epic back catalogue stuff worth exploring more, with an open mind of course. 'Mayor of Simpleton' from Oranges and Lemons is more relevant today that it was in 1989. For reasons which are hopefully obvious.
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.
Another example of my local independent alternative radio station failing me; they didn’t play this when it came out. Excellent stuff!
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
Weird, quirky and odd lyrics. But it is fun. Would give it 4 but it is kinda of long
The first edition of a fruit on a planet.
So I really dislike this singer's voice, that was consistent throughout the album. But! The first three tracks were so good, I forgot about the voice, thought maybe I'd like this. Then the rest of the album ensued.
hmm. fine
Great lyrics, boring music...
Stop trying to make British 70s/80s rock happen. It is never going to happen"
the beatles meets sufjan stevens meets the jungle book? was probably as confused listening to this as they were making it
Interesting and kinda silly fun. Its alright but would never just always come back to it to listen something.
I have never heard of these guys and most of the songs were not songs I vibed to. But there were 2 songs that were so good and the first had some indian elements mixed in it that made it pop... Songs I liked Greenman Your dictionary Review - 5/10
More less
River of Orchids got me pretty hyped for this one, but nothing else grabbed me in the same way. Maybe Green Man did a bit.
This is a weird experience. Mid to high 3.
Gear: Aür Audio Aurora Artwork: 🦚🧿🪶 Production: 👂🩺🧈 Music: 🙂↕️🫨🧐 Rating: 🍏🍏(🍏)/5
ALBUM #100. Finally reached the triple digits and about 1/10th of the way there. Now for this album I think it had a weak start for me but towards the second half I actually started enjoying it a lot more. 7/10
XTC is super nostalgic for me. This is a good album but not my favorite. The second of theirs so far on this list.
Artsy, interesting
Very nice! "Knights In Shining Karma" is perfect.
This may be the quintessential Dimery pick for this list. A beautifully recorded, but unremarkable and emotionally void album by a once-mildly-interesting, oh-SO-English band, produced and released long after that band's popular and artistic relevance had wained. Like Elvis Costello, these guys showed some promise when they were just starting out, producing ambitious, passionate, engaging, melodious songs. But they quickly gave over to an indulgence of their intellects. Their songs became ubiquitously “clever” (often to the point of sounding positively silly) and as a result their music lost its ability to move an audience emotionally; which, of course, is the fundamental import of art.
Okay.
All over the place. You can hear so many influences from different decades and bands. Doesnt blend together well for me tho
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
Once again, not sure how such an obscure album is on this list. It's not bad, just not "must listen"
No.
Awful. Just because you can sing doesn't mean you should sing. The was one of those albums I almost couldn't finish, where a couple times I stopped what I was doing to look at the stereo and exclaim "WTF?!"
Not my thing. 80s styled sound well after that was no longer relevant.
Has some enjoyable tracks. Not sure this belongs here. Your Dictionary made me want to kill myself.
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
Rating: 5/10 This album is 100 percent something that feels like it should be made for me, it's this quirky weirdo pop creation that is simultaneously some kinda Beatles/Beach Boys worship and proto-Animal Collective psych pop music. But it borders on annoying to me a lot of the time. Highlights for me were Easter Theatre and Greenman. I may need to try this one again in the future but for now I'll leave it with a harsh rating
Doesn't rope me in at all, but it's confusing enough to not heavily dislike. I don't like much of what the artist is going for but eh whatever it's weird and not totally horrible 3.8/10
그냥 평범했다. It was just ordinary.
en algún momento lo sentí como música de fondo en un juego de role play de roblox
I listened to XTC quite a bit in the 1980s and loved their stuff. But I have to be honest and had no idea they were still together and had made albums into the late 90s' and 2000's. This wasn't at all what I was expecting from XTC. A lot of the songs have a very "Beatles sound" to them. There is a pretty big range of music from mellow and almost folksy, to very eclectic. I really liked a few of the songs and others I just didn't care for. Just an ok album for me and not one I'd listen to again as a whole, but I did add a couple songs to my playlist.
It was ok. Good Sunday morning vibe
I've never heard of XTC before now. I gave this a couple listens because I really wanted to "get" it. The production is lush and there are some beautiful arrangements. But there was something on almost every song that irritated me just enough to keep me from fully enjoying it. Except the final track, The Last Balloon, which I do think is lovely. But man, I really disliked Your Dictionary and I Can't Own Her especially. 3 stars mainly for the musical compositions. I just wish the substance within those compositions were more appealing.
I thought xtc broke up in the 80s. This is all a bit whimsical for me. It sounds like the off cuts of the Beatles on an off day.
Liked the first song, wanted to like the rest. Just too tongue in cheek and goofy. I tried.
Album cover cooler than the tracks. Not bad just not super interesting. Final track was cool.
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.
So intensely corny I can hardly take it
Nice
Reading some of the reviews, I was a bit worried that this would suck. But i was so wrong! I seem to be in the minority of people who actually really enjoyed this album. Easter Theatre was my favourite song because it had kind of these two contrasting ideas throughout, which was super cool. I really liked the chord progressions and instruments and everything. Pretty cool album!
K Mart Beatles
S-H-I-T is how I spell this band in my dictionary. The only good part was listening to the song 'Greenman' and imagining Charlie from It's Always Sunny doing an interpretive dance to it. XTC stinks.
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
8/06/2026 I slowly warmed up to this! Spotify listeners: 732.2k
Temu Beatles
Yet another completely irrelevant record by some British blokes who nobody outside of the UK gives a shit about AKA 1001 records you must listen to before you die #301.
Good
Al principio creí q me iba a gustar más pero como que algo no me terminó d convencer, las letras tampoco fueron mi cup of tea
un álbum raro pero que dentro de todo se llega a disfrutar
gente a origem do Imagine Dragons e derivados
cool sounding sort of, not memorable.
I enjoyed this but I think it would get annoying if I heard it too often. 3/5
cornball. hated this
Was not familiar with XTC outside of Peter Pumpkinhead. This was a departure from that song or vice versa. This music is heavily influenced by the Beatles in a good way.
I know I'm jaded whenever we get another British rock album on the list, but this wasn't bad. I wouldn't go out of my way to listen to it again, but it was actually a fair enough entry. It seemed a little more personal compared to what else was coming out around this time, and from what I've seen on the list so far. 3.5 if I could.
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!
Wasn't as bad as their other album on here, significantly less dreary. I quite liked Greenman. That dumbass dictionary song after that can get to fuck though lmao
British to a fault with stupid lyrics. The instrumentals were nice, though.
Off kilter music, orchestra rock. Kinda like Sgt. Pepper era Beatles. Not too bad.
i dont really like the vibe
liked it more than i thought i would - easy to have on as background
S-H-I-T is how I spell XTC in my dictionary.
A good collection of songwriting, production and performance by Andy Partridge/XTC. Why they never were hugely successful after 'Making Plans For Nigel' and 'Senses Working Overtime' is a mystery.
Never heard of em. Didn't need to. 2/5.
Everything sounds the same
Not bad
3 for Greenman. Shit slaps.
XTC were always one of the more interesting bands of the late 70s and early 80s, with a distinctive sound bringing elements of English folk music alongside new wave beats. However, frontman Andy Partridge suffered from crippling stage fright so they gave up touring and became a studio band, with releases becoming infrequent. This album appeared in 1999 after a seven year break and led to long time guitarist Dave Gregory leaving the band for personal reasons during a protracted recording process. Andy Partridge is clearly aiming for a sound somewhere between the Beatles and the Beachboys with harmonies and orchestral arrangements recorded at Abbey Road, but it ends up more like one of Paul McCartney’s more disappointing solo efforts from the 90s. I’m not sure that even Macca would have tried getting away with lyrics like “as high as a very high thing” or singing about brown nipples. The song Your Dictionary also comes across as a rather petty and bitter response to Partridge’s recent divorce. In words of the Chernobyl plant manager, this album is not great, but not terrible. 3.6 Roentgens-tastic!
Back in ‘22, I decided to listen to every XTC album, because I enjoyed the hits. I stopped that challenge at Oranges & Lemons, I couldn’t bring myself to go further, regardless the total length of any XTC album, it’s always 20 minutes too long. Remembering what I do from XTC, this album was nothing like what I expected, it was pleasant, but it dragged for like 20 minutes. It still might be a top 3 XTC album (After the Black Sea and English Settlement), but that doesn’t mean anything coming from me.
I get Paul McCartney vibes… is it only because of the voice? I don’t know. But it’s fine/boring
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.
Extremely wanky. Tries to sound like a mix of The Beatles and The Beach Boys when they were experimenting with psychedelics in the studio, but they somehow managed to make it intolerable. Musically interesting but not memorable. Definitely not an easy listen. 2/5
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.
This album is not popular on Spotify. Currently the most popular track on this album has 61,000 listens. I wonder how many of them are just listens from people following the list. XTC's most popular track, on the other hand, has 68,000,000 listens (as of 5/2026). I recognise that track and a few others but nothing here is really interesting to me and no tracks stand out. Released in 1999 so nothing seems groundbreaking. Can't really give it a 3 so it has to be: Just checked out a few other review and it seems that this album may not have been long on Spotify but I stand by my score. It aint good, and the last track is just shite.
Light 3
Beautiful album- I enjoyed all the different instruments contained within. None of the songs really grabbed my attention, but it was a pleasant listen.
At a certain age, bands become more interested in art and experimentation than tunes. Safe to say this happened to XTC for this album. There are some tunes, but there's a lot of indulgent noodling too.
488/1089 - Low 5, but I'll take it after the drought! There were a few choices I thought were questionable but some super interesting orchestrations and song forms throughout. Easter Theater is incredible. I really like XTC's music. "Drums and Wires" and "Skylarking" are pretty much perfect albums in my opinion. Overall, they have such a melodic, sophisticated, and quirky sound. I get the whole "if the Beatles continued this is what they'd sound like" but it's definitely it's own thing. If I had a say in this list, I'd put Drums and Wires, English Settlement, and Skylarking on to represent their shift from off-kilter Post Punk to transcendent Psychedelic Pop. It's three instead of two but you can always delete a few Sonic Youth or Neil Young albums! I'd also trade Apple Venus vol. 1 for a different 1999 album like Bocanada or 13 or something, but overall I still think AVv1 is pretty great.
I love this band, I love this LP.
2. sounds like retarded movie soundtrack
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
3/5
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.
We getting weird tonight! 5/5
I don't know man, I think I could die just fine having not heard this. The compositions are beautiful I suppose, but feel so generic. And these are some of the worst lyrics I've heard. Not sure why this was chose over something like Skylarking. Or maybe it's also on the list, I don't know, but this is unnessesary. I liked The Last Balloon. And maybe Greenman. Maybe.
I don’t know I keep starting this and getting through half of it and something interrupts and then repeat so I don’t know tf yo tell you. Definitely taking queues from Paul and Brian. Need to circle back.
Definitely get the Beatles influence and this is not a bad album, but there’s only a couple of artists that I would consider their 13th album essential and XTC is not one of those bands.
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 !!!!!
No clue who these guys are, or what this album going to be like going in. "Rive Of Orchids" has a really interesting start. I'm not really sure to make of it, we've got these set of steady trumpets that sounds like from a GBA game sound scape. Then these sort of, rock opera stereo vocals. What is here is interesting... I'm not sure if I like it.... I don't hate it, but it's incredibly perplexing. Very stimulating, well engineered. "I'd Like That" is another interesting one. Again, the vocal work here feels very, classic rock in style. I'm getting this sort of oldies/60s brit-pop vibe, but if it was hyper engineered, and not bogged down by the technology of the 60s & 70s. "Easter Theatre" is another interesting entry, but it also feels like a little more of the same from what I've experienced so far. The horns & strings both have this oldie vibe as I described before, but it also simultaneously feels like video game music. The horns & strings feel very programmed, marching & like I could almost pluck them out of an RPG game from 90s. Again, I don't hate it, but I'm not in love with it. It's really perplexing, stimulating, and well produced. "Knights in Shaning Karma" is a slower song. The guitar is super clean, echoy and mystical. I think it works well with the vocals, but coming off the last three tracks this is a rather uninteresting track that struggles to hold my attention. It sort of just washed over me, it happened, and didn't really make me think or feel much. "Frivolous Tonight" also has the oldie, Beatles-pop sort of bounce to it with the piano. But again, it just feels like cleaner versions of things that have been done already. "Greenman" grabs my attention again right of the rip, and this one feels vastly distinct compared to what I've heard on the album thus far. Again, get drawn to comparing the sound scape largely to video games. It feels like I could totally picture this sound scape accompanying some sort of Donkey Kong jungle or dessert level. The drums, strings and flute all really do a great job in giving off a sort of vibe that feels distinctly unique and incredibly strong compared to what I've heard thus far. Vocal work is the same was what's come before, struggling to pick out lyrics and retain verbal meaning with how large everything else feels in the mix. "Your Dictionary" is sort of like "Knight in Shining Karma" where it's slower, a little more dialed back in terms of what's going on— and I think in doing so something is lost. I think, to me so far, the songs with these very video gamey style drums & strings are much stronger. The tracks without, which include "Your Dictionary" just feel a little flatter as it leans harder on vocals and lyrics, which I'm really struggling to get anything out of. "Fruit Nut" feels incredibly Sgt. Pepper coded, but even with this sort of whimsical, video gamey feel coming into this track here, the lyrical content feels super corny. Like this just feels like a weaker version of The Beatles or Ween. "I Can't Own Her" has that video game sound scape come in again in a more somber, or melancholic style. But the lyrical content is so fucking weird dude. Like, you got this almost cinematic, orchestral track that feels like it would come in at a sort of dramatic, magical moment. And the lyrics are sort of beautiful in the way that it's gushing over this gal. But the phrasing "I Can't Own Her" makes the rest of the lyrical content feel sort of uncomfortable. "Harvest Festival" is really weak. Again, I find myself feeling like the tracks where the vocal work is more forward, and the instruments are more pruned back, are the ones that I enjoy less. I don't think the vocal presentation, or from what I can pick out, the lyrical substance is all that good or interesting. By this point in the album, I'm rather done with these guys. "The Last Balloon" has an eery feel, dig the chimey piano and trumpet. But I'm sick of this dude's singing. Overall, I think at first I felt like the album was a little interesting, but as it chugged on it seemingly lost steam and seemed increasingly and incredibly derivative. Like, I don't think this album is doing anything new or unique, if anything it's redeveloping old sounds or mixing them with some more programming style instrumentation. Most of the time, I felt like the vocal work, and when I could parse it, the lyrical content was not that great. By the end of the album, I was pretty exhausted of this sound. Looking at some information after the fact, these dudes have been around for a minute by the point they dropped this album. So yeah, quite literally it's a super refined, studio album of some older sounds. I don't think it's bad, and if you liked these guys before you probably would like this album. But as someone with little to no exposure to the band or this album, and really no preconceived notion of what to expect— I certainly was not impressed. The album has it's moments, but largely it's an album that is not for me. Favorite Track: "Greenman"
Definitely not for me
An absolute must revisit this one, I can see its potential. I was a big fan of XTC up to the big express, then I just sort of moved on. I’m sorry I did now based on what I’ve heard today. I’ll be on their back catalogue this week
Favorite Song: None
Some real good shit on here.
I had no idea what to expect with a group called XTC. I think I thought it was something akin to 90's Deee-Lite style house/techno/funk/rap. Nope! Sure isn't! Kind of a random Beatles meet Moxy Fruvous choir boy + instruments + 60’s Brit pop/prog mash.
There's a few interesting songs on this album (the first track has an almost Steve Reich quality in the orchestral contribution), but overall, its just okay and not particularly interesting to me.
Hey guys, let's try to make our own Sgt. Pepper's, but let's fail miserably at it! And so Apple Venus Volume 1 was born.
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.
Все-таки цікавий гурт цей XTC. Слухаєш і не знаєш що на тебе чекає. Мені сподобався цей альбом і сподобався більше ніж той єдиний який я в них слухав повністю (там де dear god). 3.5
Um… well this is another I had high hopes for when it came up. I mean I’m familiar with XTC from their “New Wave” days, their Making Plans for Nigel days. But that was a long time ago… some 20! Years before this album. And… yeah… I get wanting to get the band back together again, make that new record for the new era, but maybe I shouldn’t have to listen to it, yeah? Because while I appreciate the desire behind this project its result is a terrible mess. It has great elements, don’t get me wrong, but mere elements an organism is not. And no matter how I slice it, I don’t want to listen to this. I just can’t give it more than a 2. Sorry, but by the time they brought in the recorder for Harvest Festival I was contemplating murder. And the they wrap up with… a triangle. Yeah. Boolean: HARD NO, why oh why is this on the list?
Meh. I question this list everyday. XTC had some great records in the 1970s. Why chose a washed up come back record from 1999?
Every time a song ended, I was disappointed that another one started
Very beatlesesque but I’m undecided - I’d need more time with some of these albums
Fun with while listen…gonna check out more
Some British bands sound like the Beatles to me, and I already do not like the Beatles.
In a nutshell: "orchoustic" Andy Patridge described the album as "orchoustic"- an acoustic and orchestral composition. Interesting idea on paper but it doesn't work here. If XTC had more money and time to record this album, we would have something so much better. 2/10
My favorite XTC album. That being said, I'm not sure if it really belongs on this list. It's definitely worth checking out if you like this sort of thing, but calling it essential is a bit of a stretch. Regardless, I adore this album. Such a bummer that its not on streaming otherwise I would listen to it much more often. It's always a treat when I do revisit it. I'm gonna round up on this one mostly to boost its rating 👀 Favorite track: River of Orchids 4.5/5
peacock feathers are really fascinating
Love XTC, but this isn't their best work. Great listen, in any case.
XTC has a pretty good sized catalog. That's why this choice is somewhat confusing. I suppose it means that there's several more XTC albums to come? I mean, there has to be; This can't be their only representation here. So basically, pretty good album. Just not a great XTC album.
Not my kind of music, but it's alright.
I have the highest respect for music critics from now on. Listening to one shitty album a day is enough for me. I couldn't for my life do it for the rest of my life
Despite being an XTC fan, I hadn't heard this before so I figured it'd be a 4 star, but this is 5 star - all bangers!
man this is kinda rough. 2.6
What the fuck was that??
This was a terrible album. Boring and trying so hard to be quirky.
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.
This was fucking awful. This shouldn't be an album. It shouldn't have been released.
There are some nice wee motifs and musical moments here. At times it sounds like Paul McCartney, at times like the Beach Boys. The cringe factor is too high though - the lyrics, the recorders, the whimsy. By the end I was getting kind of annoyed and had to resist the urge to switch it off.
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 Playlist add: "Easter Theatre"
This is, without hyperbole, one of the top 5 worst pieces of audio ever recorded. I think it’s nestled somewhere in between the toolbox murder tapes and Born in the USA. “Greenman” into “Your Dictionary” is a double attack strong enough to double over any reviewer. The pain that was caused to me by that chorus and those lyrics back to back is something that will elicit a visceral response upon remembering. K-I-L-L is that how you spell love?? I’ve got one for you H-I-R-E A G-H-O-S-T W-R-I-T-E-R I too would like to remove myself from this review as my “creative differences” with the untalented theatre kid are too strong. I believe he might have a lacklustre orchestra trapped in his basement. At least let the contrabassoon man free. Zeeeeeeero stars. 0 HIGHLIGHTS: The green man emerged from the brine, billowing with the rotted dregs of the undertow. Luminous hatred emanates from the finger that cracks into a point at the end of his fetid hand. A voice from below bellows “AMPLE BOTUM GENES.” You are cast to hell.
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.
Aging punk/ new wave rockers try to stay relevant by releasing their "sophisticated" orchestrated rock album. Instead, they make shit from a butt and some pretentious Brit who grew up in the golden age of bands like XTC tries to convince me their swan song albums from the late 90s are actually awesome and I can't die satisfied without hearing it. Trust me, bro, the oompah horns are actually so good, bro.
This album is a beautiful, gentle return after years away. While listening I felt calm, a little enchanted, and sometimes quietly moved — like wandering through an English garden in spring with a touch of magic in the air. It’s not really a concept album with a single story, but the whole thing has this strong “orch-oustic” vibe: lots of warm acoustic guitars, rich strings, and orchestral touches that give it a lush, almost pastoral feel. Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding lean into themes of nature, paganism, rebirth, middle age, and romance, wrapping them in clever, thoughtful lyrics. Songs like “River of Orchids,” “I’d Like That,” “Easter Theatre,” and “Harvest Festival” stand out with their playful-yet-deep energy. The arrangements are intricate without being showy, and the melodies have that classic XTC cleverness mixed with real warmth. It’s not their rockingest record (that’s more Volume 2), but as a mature, melodic, and slightly eccentric piece of British art-pop, it’s really lovely. I enjoyed sinking into it. Not everyone will click with the orchestral side, but if you’re in the mood for something thoughtful and pretty, this one rewards you.
I think I'm only familiar with the song "Easter Theatre" because of the "Strong Songs" podcast. Otherwise, I don't really know much of anything about XTC. I feel like I thought "Easter Theatre" was just an odd song based on the podcast episode, but we'll see what happens with the rest of this. I think the vocals are just too off-putting. It's like they're constantly way at the top of their own range. It also seems like they might have taken a lot of drugs during the making of this, but not the right kinds of drugs that for great music... not that I'm condoning doing drugs. It's not bad, but I thoroughly don't get why it's on this list.
Doesn't anyone find this interesting??
Why does this feel like a Disney movie soundtrack
9.3/10
What's this doing here? I like XTC but this just ain't it. Your Dictionary is up there as one of the worst songs I've heard during the 1001, at least in terms of lyrical content. 1.8/5
Bridgerton music
Prodigious musical talents. Boring fucking songs.
Got bored five tracks in and gave up. Getting serious bargain basement McCartney wannabe feelings from this . Sorry XTC, but not for me.
Is this XTC’s secret best album? Their (almost) swan song, their ending on a high note? Yes, I know, there’s the masterpiece *Skylarking*, there are the fan favourites *English Settlement* and *Nonsuch*, but perhaps XTC were never closer to the Beatles – the brilliant, visionary, revolutionary Beatles – than on this album. *Apple Venus Volume 1* is an incredibly good album, fantastically produced and arranged.
Not for me at all. Boring.
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.
Interesting. Pink Floyd vocals.
3 1/2 Stars: It's kinda like if the Beach Boys did the soundtrack for Midsommar.
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.
Eh... What started of promising with an interesting first track devolved into adult contemporary bleh. Background at best for me
Meh
This one is just too "nice" for me? Vaguely Beatles-esque, more modern production, but sounds like a kinda modern indie "cute" experimentalism? Yeah, not really for me.
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⭐️
I felt like I was listening to show tunes. Nothing necessarily wrong with that, but it was a little weird. At least it wasn’t unpleasant, and I’ll give them points for the 40 person orchestra in the studio.
this was pretty weird, i didn't love.
World's okayest beatles soundalike band. Not terrible, not great. Not going to become part of my rotation, but I didn't hate it.