Reviews (page 3 of 7)
Un descubrimiento
Not bad, unexpected. Beatlesesque in spots for sure. Might listen to more from this band
Although I find this album unique in the sense of style, it's just not my type of music. On the one hand, it got the theatrical features that reminded me of Bowie and Talking Heads a little, and I can imagine this record as a musical, which is cool for an alternative album. On the other hand, it was kinda boring, and there wasn't enough dynamic and contrast to my taste. I waited for some kind of culmination, like when you're listening to Electric Light Orchestra or Queen, but it was more or less monotonous.
Technically good, just not my style
Not bad
River of orchids - 3 I'd like that - 4 Easter theatre - 4 Knights in shining karma - 2 Frivolous tonight - 3 Greenman - 3 Your dictionary - 2 Fruit nut - 2 I can't own her - 2 Harvest festival - 3 The last balloon - 2
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.
Cant believe they are still going. I suppose there are enougg people around to get their stuff. Noe me. This was difgicult to listen all the way thtough.
Ah shit I don't know. I actually really think the songwriting is great. But it is on the cornier and overly happy-go-lucky side at times. My concentration fell off at the end of the album, so I think I will have to return for this one. For now: 3. Potentially 4 in the future.
Really really cheesy. Not great.
Ever wondered what Tool would sound like as an acoustic outfit that can't keep down a drummer and can't work out how to add movement or drama to their songwriting besides "what if we add an orchestral swill?"
Liking it quite a bit.
I’m somewhat comforted by the fact that I like other XTC stuff. The beginning started off well with the orchestral accompaniments. But as this album progressed, it started triggering a deeply visceral feeling within me. They say art is supposed to evoke something within you and connect to your emotions, will this album did it in the form of irk, shock, horror, grimace. NO NO NO. If you were a musical theatre kid in school, into nerd rock, have an unhealthy relationship to Disney soundtracks, then maybe this is the perfect album to start your day with. For me, it felt like an audio khole that I am sure will haunt my nightmares for days to come.
This was a very interesting listen. This is very proggy for a pop album. It was a great experience with great songwriting and instrumentation. 4.5/5
Je suis content de vivre à l’air du streaming, parce que je sais pas comment j’aurais réagi après avoir acheté ce CD là full price en 1999 après m’avoir fait dire que ça sonnait comme les Beatles
Didn't particularly care for XTC before this and I still don't.
Just could not get into this. Very much McCartney Beatles sound but almost to the point of parody. Other weird tracks just didn’t connect. Second listen it got worse
Equal parts quirky, melancholy, and mysterious, just as any XTC release should be. I consider my self a fan and had never heard of this one. Not much of a fan, apparently.
Meh
This shouldn't be getting the hate it has here on this website. The music is so strange and unpredictable - very out-of-left-field for the late 90s. The instrumentation and harmonies are great, and the production is top notch. Finally, some of the criticisms of the lyrics are hilarious because most of the time the lyrics are tongue in cheek or intentionally obtuse. 4.5/5.0: Excellent
i didnt love it but it was interesting
Some of this was good. Too much of it felt off, though... almost more similar to children's music. Kind of like Talking Heads and the Beatles made a Kids Bop-esque album, all the while considering it sophisticated art. Just a weird product overall, and not really in a good way. It managed to get worse as it went, which unfortunately lasted 50 minutes. To repurpose some of the lyrics: s-h-i-t, is that how you spell Apple Venus? Ok, I wouldn't go that far. There's definitely worse on this list. But also not sure what would make this an essential listen. I won't be coming back to this one, or really remember it at all. Overall: 1.4/5
I adore Oranges & Lemons and Nonsuch but this is the most "1st album after a seven-year hiatus dreck I've ever heard in my life. 2nd start is because presumably there's no other XTX album on the list.
Not my favorite XTC
This sounds like if Paul McCartney and David Byrne ever made an album together, and I mean that in the best way. It's very artsy and I will listen to it again.
een niet onaardig plaatje maar ook een plaatje dat niet echt in deze lijst thuishoort
I don't even know what this is meant to be.
Sounds like Swindon
Beatlesque. Sort of enjoyable in a background kind of way. Probably wouldn't repeat. it.
The dollar store equivalent of all the goofy Beatles songs you didn’t like.
pretty fire fav song: I'd Like That
3/5
Nah. Like it at first then it got old 2.7
los primeros temas bien y despues que carajo
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
It's like a softer, no edges version of "Wings" or "Talking Heads" -- but considerably worse.
S-O-F-T is how I spell this album in my dictionary
Made it through one song.
fav songs: i'd like that corny, boring 30/100
Less than two weeks into this 1,001 Albums project and we get my favorite band! Alright! XTC’s Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding belong in the pantheon of great songwriting band mates, right up there with Lennon and McCartney. The next-to-last album from my all-time favorite pop band shimmers with ambition, hooks and wit. A melodic masterpiece.
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.
XTC Exist on the edge of my consciousness but never listened to them seriously until today. Always make me think of Nigel which is a name apparently nearing extinction. My wife’s b-in-law is called Nigel but as far as I know he isn’t an XTC fan. If I was called Nigel I think I would be more attracted to this album in the same way I’m attracted to Wreckless Eric or Clapton. 3/5 16/3/26
Jumping into this album having no clue what this thing is. Alrigth this sounds very experimental so far. Yeah this is so weird, but in a cool way. Easter Theatre is really good wtf. The lyrics of "your dictionary" are so bad lmao. Its very diverse in sounds actually. Its not for everyone so I can see the very low rating of this album (on this site atleast). I liked it. Id give it a 3.5 if I could.
Not what I expected but a cool album cover can do wonders. It was fine
75
Thought this would be more band past their prime than it was - I enjoyed it not sure if it’s going on repeat but I enjoyed more than I thought for sure - a 3.5
Will listen to this at some point. I usually listen to music at work and can’t get more rate options for some reason since I skipped this one for now.
Meh
is this my birthday gift? for me? seriously? Content wins over form, chat! 4/5
Kind of boring. Had a hard time paying attention towards the end. Not necessarily bad, just not something I found to be good. 2.5/5 Won't listen again
We don't need any "thirteenth studio album by..." in this household, thank you very much
I do not believe anyone actually listens to this album regularly. It is weird (a good thing) but not enjoyable.
Ehhh. “Greenman” was super exciting for the first bit and then the lyrics kicked in. I think this would be a fun album if I was blitzed out of my gourd. I am unfortunately not. “Your Dictionary” was… cringey. Only didn’t skip because I needed to know how bad it would get. Had to start skipping songs after that.
Really unexpected stuff in here. Judging by the album's wiki I'd probably enjoy XTC's other albums more but I love it when any artist decides to swerve in a completely new direction, even if it's just for one project. Another very British album.
Pretty chill, doesn't stand out much though
A late career masterpiece from XTC that eschews most of the band's zaniness in favor of stately, lush chamber pop. While this is certainly a more mature album than the band's early work, it's no less creative or varied. There's tasteful orchestration on many of the songs, with the horns and strings providing subtle additions that give the songs depth without making them sound too big. But there's also a fair bit of pop - the intricate opener into the hooky "I'd Like That" shows the differences well. As does the slightly humorous transition from "Your Dictionary" into "selling my fruit, selling my fruit." "Greenman" splits the difference as a catchy song with layers of sounds and ends up being the best song because of it. The back end of the album dips in quality a bit, missing a real standout song, but like the rest of the album it's full of ideas and sounds incredible.
Sgt. Pepper's it isn't. They're interesting and quirky; I'll give them that. However, while they hit on some of their music, that isn't the case on this album except for "I'd Like That". Beyond that they are just a reminder that Andy Partridge just might be the original hipster douchebag.
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
This was great! A solid album that I will come back to and very nearly a 4-star album, because it introduced me to a completely new band. Until, that is, I listened to some more of XTC’s music. AVV1 is good, but not great like some of their earlier albums.
Good to let it run in the background. But I don’t need to listen to it again.
There is definitely a huge Beatle-influence here. Somewhat enjoyed it 3/5
This is one of the best albums by one of my all time favourite bands. I absolutely love it. It's a delightful auditory journey. The orchestral arrangements are... *Chef's kiss* I love it!
Not my favorite XTC album. I do like them a lot though. Just not this record.
Solid 2
Ufff que joya de disco, esta increíble. Todas las pistas son genuinamente memorables y con un carácter y estilo único. Me sorprendió la musicalidad tan grande que tiene el disco, el trabajo orquestal e instrumental, así como cada arreglo de cuerdas, sintetizadores o guitara de cada pista es impecable y grandioso, ni hablar del trabajo lírico y coral, una absoluta joya. Y bueno, lo que más destaca, y creo que por eso funciona tan bien el disco, es el trabajo de ensamble y producción, lo hicieron increíble. Un disco en verdad grande. No se porque jamás había escuchado este disco es en verdad de los mejores de la lista hasta ahora. Sin pedos.
La primera canción no me gustó pero conforme fue avanzando el disco fue creciendo dentro de mi Greenman es mi highlight
Surprised to see a 1999 XTC album on this list and even more surprised when I heard that it wasn't that great. But it wasn't that bad either. I was able to do my work without it distracting me so something to be said about that. What this album was all about I have no idea.
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.
XTC abandon rock in favour of Beach Boys inspired orchestral pop. It sounds very lush and pastoral, reminiscent of an English countryside, with a few goofy music hall tracks to add some fun in-between. This is one of XTC's finest but it really isn't a good starting point for the band as it's completely different to anything else they did.
Overall Rating - 2.86/5 (5.73/10). Not bad, but not great, either. Very middle of the road.
This an album demanding to be listened to in 1 sitting. Loved it
I think this is fun!
Very interesting music. Enjoyed it.
Meh
Music for Beatles fans that think Maxwell’s Silver Hammer is a little too heavy
I liked some of their 80s output but this came out of nowhere late 90s and got big acclaim. It doesn't sound anything like their older stuff, seems quite ambitious in scope to be fair but the attempts at epics don't work. It's like the Beatles without the tunes. It isn't for me at all.
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.
Playful and interesting is all I can really say about this album. There was a lot of experimental elements into this album and while I enjoyed some of them, at different points it felt too messy. 4/10, Favorite Song: I can't own her
I liiked the album. "Elaborately arranged pop", Quirky, well produced. Lots to listen too, it's not background music. I am familiar with their popular songs but will listen to more if them.
Never heard of XTC. Liked some of the songs. At times sounded a bit like musical theater music lol. The last song with the trumpet is awesome.
Not my thing
Nothing special. I will forget this one in a couple of months
definitely a weirdo one every song is vastly different dont think id listen
Orchestraler Rock, sehr interessant 4/5
Derivative in the best way. Like listening to a mixtape of your favorite bands without knowing any of the songs
I hear a fair amount of Beatles influence here. This didn't really grab me but I think it might grow on me if I bothered to listen to it again. (Don't hold your breath!) 2.5/5
Somehow ok
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.
Dit is een weird album, wel positief weird, maar er is gekozen voor een soort super experimenteel progrock achtig album. Het bevat invloeden van bijna elke cultuur die je mogelijk kan bedenken, kan me heel goed voorstellen dat dit een super ambitieus album was toen. Niet alles werkt even goed, maar bijvoorbeeld Greenman is een heel grappig nummer, bijna een beetje Midden Oosters? Het is allemaal gewoon nogal spacey en klinkt bij tijden heel vreemd. XTC voelt een klein beetje als een progrock band, een beetje als een ontzettend experimentele band, maar toch klinkt het grotendeels niet zo spannend als ik denk dat had gekund. Wel een grote shout-out voor de prachtige saxofoon solo aan het einde van The Last Balloon, sowieso een heel mooi nummer om het album mee af te sluiten. Kende deze band niet, maar was zeker niet verveeld of dat ik het een saai album vond. Maar ik heb heel sterk het idee dat het nog wat vreemder en spacier kan, daarom 3 sterren. FAVO: Greenman, The last balloon
Getting better
Lukewarm on this, sort of appreciated the folky-ness, mostly found it a bit bland plus the production is very of its time. The opening ten seconds of Greenman sound hilarious.
Nomás no le doy 2 estrellas porque las letras son top aunque esté chaforro
If you allow it, this album will change your life for the better.
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.
I don't mind XTC, however this album is a bit of a mixed bag, there are quite a few I really enjoyed, but there are a few that are quite weak.
I am surprised. I've never heard it before. Most songs are interesting when it comes to songwriting.
The Beatles knock off. Not terrible but like come on.
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
The Good: Fahrvergnugen… or something like that… The Bad: Venus Volume is not code for Volkswagen… The Ugly: Trying to contemplate how badly Volume 2 would’ve been… What a fucking pity; such a beautiful album cover, such as a shitty album. We certainly have had the wool pulled over our eyes. Here’s what I don’t get: why isn’t the album Drums & Wires on this damn list? I know… because there were too many excellent albums to choose from in the ‘70s that poor ol’ XTC could only make this list with such a sub-par album-okay, in all fairness, I haven’t listened to their other addition to the list, so I am kind of looking forward to listening to that album. Anyway, someone is going to have to explain to me what makes this album so special that we need to listen to this before we die. There’s nothing special about this album, just some instruments, several songs, and the constant feeling that you are listening to a cover band of John/Paul/George/Ringo which makes zero sense as they are more than adequatlely represented with their 10 odd albums. So, again, thank you Mr Dimery for proving to me that, indeed, opinions are like assholes, we all have one, we just don’t all create a list of 1001 albums we need to listen to before we die. I did listen to Drums & Wires, and I can highly recommend that album as it was critical in generating that ‘80s sound...
I thought they had broken up years before this album. Not sure how this is essential. Not sure how XTC is essential. I was around for somewhat of their heyday and they weren't essential then, let alone well beyond it.
Pretentious rubbish. Nothing but a self congratulatory ego project. They made this for themselves, not for music fans. Boring and irritating.
Fun listen from a fun group
Liking XTC is one of the most pretentious things you can do as a music listener
It's nothing special but I kinda liked it. It was good background music while I was working.
An almost pleasant listen. But nothing really remarkable on. Weak three stars. 2,5
I wouldn't have guessed that XTC were still making music in 1999. XTC are fine bt never really clicked with me. Same with this one.
Awful. An assault upon my ears,
Musically interesting, too many cutesy lyrics
Strings and acoustic instruments. A very listenable album.
Definitely different than Skylarking - a lot less 80s and more instrumental, experimental styles. The music made sense.
Not my vibe, some quality lines in the lyrics, entertaining at points, but generally quite dull
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
Gillar tidiga XTC men fattar ingenting av det här faktiskt
Lät bra och med intressanta och varierade inslag. Kan nog behöva fler lyssningar för att jag riktigt ska sätta mig in i det mer.
Jävligt konstigt, men också ganska välgjort o najs? Oklart.
Den här var rätt så underhållande
Var mycket tveksam efter första låten, men set tog sig och blev en någorlunda intressant blandning, men inget jag vill höra igen.
Lamest lyrics yet "really high like a really high thing" Lock in bro
This was great.
Definitely different like a mix between the talking heads and late Beatles, but never as good as either of them in their own.
Приклльна
Het begin leuk met dat gedruppel en die strijkers, maar het is eigenlijk jammer dat zodra er gezongen wordt de illusie van een bijzonder album als een plumpudding in elkaar zakt. Vanaf het moment dat er gezongen wordt krijg je een soort late 80s/vroege 90s album waar je anno nu niet heel erg meer op zit te wachten. Het is blijkbaar hun 13e studioalbum en zelfs de gitarist zelf merkte tijdens het opnemen dat ie er klaar mee was. Ze konden blijkbaar niet kiezen tussen de Middeleeuwen, het verre Oosten en generieke jaren 70/80 rock. Een ongelofelijk vergeetbaar album. Ik probeer nog te ontdekken of er verder iets speciaals te ontdekken valt, maar het zit er gewoon niet in. Dit album opnemen in deze lijst was een enorme miskleun.
This was a curious album, swinging between genre influences. The final track was interesting in that it seemed like a down tempo, bluesy Beach Boys song. I'm inclined to give it an average rating of 3 because I liked it but don't necessarily see returning to it often—but I think I may return some time. The cover art seems really fitting too—just as abstract and open to interpretation.
Meh. This was fine but not for me. 2.7
Although I'm not a big fan of Indian music, it was nice. The Last Balloon was a great ending
Why does this sound so corny?
really interesting. seems like i've found the source of Animal Collective's sound
Good for sure, but far from my favorite XTC album and I don’t really think it’s in the top 1000.
This was the corniest thing on the list so far
"Your Dictionary" may be one of the worst songs I've ever heard
Just sounded like dads in a pub
A bit boring Liked harvest festival ?
What the hell is this? Why not late 70's XTC? This is too lightweight and not nearly enough pay offs amongst the slow burners.
Really mellow, much different style than I am used to from XTC
This was really weird. Not a huge fan.
Kinda like the beetles. I actually like some of their songs though. they had a calming feel but toward the end of the album they lost me.
Moreso then their other work this remind me of Paul McCartney
not for me
*Cool and different sounding album *At times gets a little too unique for its own good
Why is this on the list? Is there something about it I don't know? Lines like "high so high like a really high thing" make me think they are fucking with me. Ok so after listening I have decided they were trying for boring. There is no other reason they made this album. Technically it's fine, it's not like they made a bad album. It's just very boring.
Un disco de lo más extraño, parece world o folk
I enjoyed this a lot, too
I appreciate that XTC are a very clever band, but perhaps by 1999 they'd gotten a bit too clever? "Dictionary" is super cringe. Other than that, there's an awful lot to like here sonically (and lyrically, too, sometimes). Makes me want to dive into some of the classic XTC records, but I'd file this one as just ok.
Good
Not my jam
I love XTC but this album doesn't really do it for me
Ogillade verkligen rösten och texterna. Jobbigt att lyssna på.
En sak jag gillar med det här lilla projektet är att mötas av band man aldrig hört men ändå har en bild av hur det ska låta. XTC är ett sådant band för mig, men det var verkligen inte såhär jag trodde XTC lät. Jag trodde det ändå skulle vara ganska bra, men det här föll mig verkligen inte i smaken. Enerverande musik.
Lite gulligt, påminde mig om soundtracket till någon Disneyfilm(?), men blev lite bored. Svag 3a.
Nää det är lite för trist asså. Lyckas fånga mig i korta stunder men nästan aldrig en hel låt. Det här var kul: Gregory told Partridge that Apple Venus was not "the album we should be making after six years," calling it "the vegetarian alternative."
Lite skamlös Beatles-kopia emellanåt va? Nä det här säger mig ingenting alls. Kommer aldrig lyssna på detta igen. Riktigt sjukt att den här smörjan finns med på listan.
Jag gillar konceptet och det instrumentella, men sången klickar inte för mig, vilket tyvärr drar ner mycket.
Vad var det där? Man slår på webben och ser XTC, 1999, då förväntade jag mig absolut inte det här! Mycket kul. Sen blev jag snabbt besviken när jag insåg att bandet bildades redan på 70-talet. jaja. Albumet startade bra, men blev något segt mot slutet. Hann tyvärr bara en lyssning men skulle faktiskt vilja höra mer.
jag är inte på humör så det blir en tvåa
F-U-C-K. Is that how you spell friend? Lite intressant i början men f-u-c-k vad jag tröttnade
Don't mind it. Once I got past River of Orchids I was in.
Wow, I loved this album. Is it objectively perfect? No. Did I give it 5 stars anyways? You Betcha. I had never heard of XTC before this. I really enjoyed the unique sound, kind of a mix between Kishi Bashi and Depeche Mode, with a little Bill Wurtz sprinkled in. A delightfully weird listen, definite bops here.
I have been promising myself to dive into XTC. I've had the Fossil Fuel compilation for ages and recently bought The Big Express, which turned out to be a pretty amazing record. But this is even better. Melodies like Macca, Partridge's witty lyrics, brilliant arrangements. What an artful gem of an album. We wants it!
Didn’t even finish idk what I was listening to.
Nö!
I may be distinctly not in the mindset to listen to this album. I found almost every track difficult to get through. I couldn't wait for it to be over. This is a self indulgent fart sniffing marathon
I had never heard of this artist before and was pretty excited to listen! Overall, it was just OK and although it started strong, it all started to run together about halfway through. I didn't hate and would probably listen to a few songs here and there, but not the entire album again. And it wasn't enough for me to do any research to learn more about them, which I tend to do when I find something new I like. So, just, ya know, OK! Standout: "I'd Like That" 01-25-2026
Pretty weird and off putting with some of the dumbest lyrics I’ve ever heard in my life. I never want to hear this again.
What a beautiful little album late in XTC's run of making great-sounding records. Definitely not that popular but should be listened to more. Opening track with the long delay was weird though.
The first song was alright and I really like the second half of the last song. Apart from that it was complete ass
A few great songs here and there. Might have to listen to it again.
Pretty nice music, not brilliant. Nice sleeve.
Sadly, another example of a great high-energy band going flaccid in their middle age. Sure, recording and performance-wise it's of high-quality, but the songs don't move me at all.
I've never heard this one before. Only flashes of what I liked about XTC. Green Man stands out for me.
I thought that some of this was fun and some of it was unbearable. Seems like the kind of band that the more you listened to them, the more you'd like them though. It was definitely an interesting listen though which I appreciate.
This was.. not what I was expecting? It was definitely cool and unique. I really liked a few songs. The more indie / post rock songs definitely drew me in, but then some of the more "musical theater" vibing songs kind of took me out of it. I bet this has a cult following, I'm sure some people absolutely love this shit.
Fine, just don’t know what to make of this band in general.
Never heard of this band before. This album wasn’t enjoyable for me. It’s a mish-mash of acoustic pop rock, folk, and a large amount of orchestral elements. It’s an interesting attempt at something different, so they get credit for that, but my musical tastes did not enjoy much. 2/5
I love, love, love this album. And it's fun to return to.
Perfectly serviceable Britpop. That's all, folks.
Your dictionary is when it hit me: this writer sounds rather lame. The book quotes him as saying: "A lot of people think our music is just too damn baroque and too detailed." Nonsense. A lot of people just aren't as far up your ass as you'd like them to be.
chilliges, ich glaub eigentlich eher unbekanntes album. Kann man gut durchhören. Wird glaub ich ein großer für mich. Aktuell an der Grenze zwischen 3 und 4. Highlights: Greenman
They say you can't be hard to get if you're hard to want. AVV 1 is not a terrible album, but it's not super approachable. It has its moments. However, on a wider level, it's missing something, as if there's an instrument that should be there, but isn't. Feels Beatlesy sometimes.
WTF is this? XTC wasn't listenable in their heyday and they're still difficult. Very odd. They get an extra star for the multilayered sounds using strings and horns and everything.
I was sooo happy when this one came out! I love this record !!
Sekasoppa joka on kovin viimeistelty ja täydellistä. On afrikkalaista U2 meininkiä ja liian täydellisen kuuloista jousta sekä pianoa.
🤮
delightfully quirky.
I did not know this band. Pleasant music to listen to. Overall a good album.
Give it at least one star for the album cover art, but after that, this is odd. Experimental? Instrumentation syncopation is good (harpsichord and other unusual instruments). Follow that up with I'D LIKE THAT (given the Abbey Roads influence, I got a kind of had a Beatle-esque vibe although the vocals weren't quite on the same par as Beatles). And I get a bit of Indian influence in Greenman. Overall, I like this album though I cannot state exactly what attracts me to it. Listened before? N Saved tracks? Y Favorite tracks? I'd Like That, Knights in Shining Karma, Greenman, Your Dictionary, I Can't Own Her, ⭐⭐⭐ Liked it. Saved a few tracks.
Love the cover. 🦚 I appreciate the anti-car sentiment of River Of Orchids. Cars are killing us. Don't think walking on your hands is a very efficient mode of transportation, though. I'm getting Beatles and Ben Folds, and I don't hate that. I love Greenman. Otherwise, it's okay but probably not going to listen again. Despite the trumpet, The Last Balloon was not a great ending.
Kinda annoyed me
Fucking terrible. I gave up at Dictionary. Just couldn't do it anymore. Listening to this album reminded me of Dewey Cox calling for "TEN THOUSAND DIDGERIDOOS!!!" while goats wander through a studio with 200 confused and exasperated musicians. This was an amateur hackjob piece of shit and has absolutely no place on a list of essential albums. On a positive note, I have some time that I won't be listening to this that is available for good music. So, thanks for that, I guess ⭐.5
Interesting lyrics, and nice vocal harmonies in many songs. Difficult to find a specific direction though
Utterly forgettable
Awful. Just not great Bob.
Not for me at all.
ça va
Quite a confusing album. Melodically there are some genuinely really good moments, and if you just listen to the tone of the vocals there is a bit of a Beach Boys feel to some of it, as well as quite a lot of ‘Paul’s granny music’. The lyrics though … well, so much of them is just bollocks. If you don’t listen too closely it’s pretty ok, but if you catch some of the lyrics by accident it could easily make you go WTF.
Odd, new agey. Not bad. Not great.
# XTC – *Apple Venus Volume 1* (1999) ## In-depth review --- ### 1. **Lyrics** Andy Partridge writes as if leafing through an illuminated Book of Hours while nursing a divorce, a green conscience and a bruised English wit. - **“River of Orchids”** imagines a post-human London reclaimed by blossom and water; it is both eco-parable and secular hymn. - **“Your Dictionary”** is the most venomous song XTC ever released – a thesaurus of domestic recrimination (“H-A-T-E – that’s how you spell ‘love’ to me”). - **“Easter Theatre”** turns spring fertility rites into a communal resurrection play; sex, soil and liturgy intertwine. - **“Greenman”** resurrects the foliate deity of English folk horror, but the god is lonely, half-remembered, waiting in suburban hedgerows. - **“Harvest Festival”** is the memory of a primary-school ritual made achingly adult – orange squash and paper plates become symbols of lost communal innocence. Throughout, Partridge favours concrete nouns (orchards, balloons, dictionaries, fruit) that he twists into metaphors for emotional or ecological damage. Colin Moulding’s two offerings act as palate-cleansers: **“Frivolous Tonight”** is a McCartney-esque cocktail-hour shrug, while **“Fruit Nut”** is a comedic portrait of a garden-obsessed neighbour; both are slight but necessary exhale moments in an otherwise dense cycle. --- ### 2. **Music** Partridge coined the term **“orch-oustic”** – acoustic guitars and voices framed by full orchestral arrangements rather than rock rhythm sections. - Strings, brass and woodwinds are *compositional*, not decorative; they supply counter-melodies, rhythmic stabs, even pedal-point drones. - Harmonic language is late-period Beatles filtered through Vaughan Williams: flattened sevenths, Lydian cadences, sudden modal shifts. - Percussion is largely hand-played – claps, thigh-slaps, brushed snare – giving the record a human pulse that keeps the orchestra from becoming bombastic. - **“River of Orchids”** begins with a single pizzicato figure that multiplies into a Reich-like minimalist canon before blooming into a 7-part fanfare; no guitars appear until 3½ minutes in. - **“I’d Like That”** is a jaunty acoustic love song whose chorus climbs a ninth in one breath, achieving the euphoric lift of *“Here Comes The Sun”* without ever sounding retro. --- ### 3. **Production** Recorded 1997-98 in three English studios – Idea (Swindon), Chipping Norton, and Abbey Road – then mixed at Rockfield. - Haydn Bendall & Nick Davis captured the orchestra at Abbey Road with 1940s EMI desks, then flew those tapes back to Swindon where Partridge overdubbed vocals onto a Focusrite Red pre-amp and an AKG C12 nicknamed “Steely Dan”. - The orchestral tracks were printed to ½-inch analogue, then digitally edited on Akai DD8; the blend keeps warmth without sacrificing edit precision. - Drum ambience is *real*: a wooden-floored live room at Idea Studio supplied natural reverb, avoiding the 80s gated clichés XTC themselves once pioneered. - Mastering is conservative; dynamic range averages DR11, allowing the crescendos of **“The Last Balloon”** to breathe. --- ### 4. **Themes** - **Eco-paganism**: nature is not scenery but protagonist – flowers riot, green men wake, rivers erase motorways. - **Post-divorce topography**: love is anatomised, alphabetised, then composted; the same soil grows daffodils and grudges. - **English ritual calendar**: harvest festivals, Easter fairs, May-day pageants – all rendered with affectionate irony yet genuine spiritual hunger. - **Aging & renewal**: recorded after a seven-year label strike, the album feels like a conscious second spring; even the brass on the final track is arranged in a slow deflation, as if releasing the air from the career balloon with grace. --- ### 5. **Influence & Legacy** - Immediate critical darling: *Q* 5-star lead review, *Uncut* called it “the *Pet Sounds* of the 90s”. - Charted modestly (UK #42, US #106) but became a touchstone for 2000s baroque-pop acts: **The Decemberists**, **Belle & Sebastian**, **Sufjan Stevens** (listen to *“Michigan”* strings after *“Easter Theatre”*), **Fleet Foxes**. - Radiohead’s *“Pyramid Song”** string voicings and Greenwood’s orchestral approach borrow the album’s habit of treating pop song as chamber miniature. - Paul McCartney name-checked it in 2001 interviews; **Elbow’s Guy Garvey** cites *“The Last Balloon”* as template for *“One Day Like This”* crescendo builds. - Because Virgin sat on streaming rights for decades, the record retained “secret masterpiece” status, traded on burnable CD-Rs and YouTube rips – ironically reinforcing its cult aura. --- ### 6. **Pros** ✅ **Songwriting peak**: Partridge’s melodic gift has never been sharper; every chorus feels inevitable yet surprising. ✅ **Genuine fusion**: orchestra is integral, not sugar-coating; avoids prog self-indulgence by keeping songs 3-5 minutes. ✅ **Emotional range**: venom, whimsy, erotic awe and pastoral sorrow coexist without mood-whiplash. ✅ **Sonic clarity**: analogue warmth plus digital precision; you can hear rosin on bow strings and spittle on consonants. ✅ **Englishness without pastiche**: avoids Kinks-y music-hall clichés, instead channeling Britten and Vaughan Williams into pop grammar. --- ### 7. **Cons** ❌ **Vocal timbre**: Partridge’s nasal delivery is an acquired taste; on headphones the vibrato-less top notes can grate during dense orchestral passages. ❌ **Moulding songs**: *“Frivolous Tonight”* and *“Fruit Nut”* are pleasant but slight; they lower the dramatic stakes. ❌ **Pacing sag**: mid-album sequence *“I Can’t Own Her”* → *“Harvest Festival”* is gorgeously arranged yet melodically similar, causing 10 minutes of dynamic plateau. ❌ **Accessibility**: lush arrangements and lyrical density demand active listening; casual listeners may find it “precious” or “overstuffed”. ❌ **Availability gaps**: still absent from Spotify/Apple in many regions, discouraging discovery. --- ### 8. **Verdict** *Apple Venus Volume 1* is the moment XTC stepped off the pop treadmill and planted an orchard in its place. It marries the concision of great singles with the ambition of symphonic music, and it does so without losing the band’s trademark acidity or wit. The occasional cloying moment and the absence of Dave Gregory’s guitar bite are small prices for an album that invents its own season: pagan, verdant, greasy, salacious – and still sounding like nothing else 25 years on. **Score: 9.2 / 10** *Essential for fans of baroque pop, eco-mysticism, and anyone who ever wanted to hear a string quartet tuned to the key of grudge.*
Boring. Hard to get past the third song.
sonically interesting, lyrically a bit weird
Nothing stood out here. Would I give it another chance? Maybe.
This is apparently number two from XTC on this list for me. I don't really remember the first much so we'll see if this one is any better. I think I said this about the last record of theirs but I find it hard to believe this came out in 1999. Totally unlike anything else happening at the time. Not that they were ahead of themselves or anything, quite the opposite - this still sounds like Donovan in the 60s to me. It's ok. There's some fun things on this one but given the time difference between the two albums of theirs I've listened to, there isn't a whole lot of growth as a band. If any growth at all. There are a couple of high spots here and there but this one is not something I would come back to and I think I'm done with XTC as a band. 2.75/5
My favorite thing about this project is the diversity in the style of music across all the albums. Yesterday I was given a punk album and today I have this lush, eclectic, baroque pop album. My dad introduced me to this album when it was originally released and it's easily been on my personal favorite albums list since. Beautiful arrangements across the whole record with massive orchestration, beautiful harmonies, creative song writing, lyrics and storytelling. Granted, these are kind of staples across all of XTC's discography, but this album does lean harder into it than previous albums. Favorite tracks: River Of Orchids, Your Dictionary, Easter Theatre
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).
Really not my favorite. I'd start kinda liking a track and then it'd just keep repeating the same strain and I'd get annoyed with it again.
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.
It was an OK album, not my type of music. I actually saw XTC in concert years ago as they opened for The Police.
It's weird from the get go. And at first I thought "this is my kind of weird." But it took it a little too far and while I didn't enjoy it, I was glad when it was over.
Orchestral pop, blah Greenman Your dictionary
2.5/10
Uno de esos casos en los que las partes superan al todo. Es extraño, pero aunque varias de las canciones me gustaron, como que el disco en general me pareció algo aburrido. No tendría ningún problema en escuchar las canciones que me gustaron por separado, pero echarme de nuevo el disco completo, la verdad me da pereza. Está bien, pero sí aburre un poco.
Pretty grim. It's nonsensical and whimsical, but in a slightly annoying way. Two stars.
achei super bom! mas em alguns momentos achei meio theatrical demais pra mim,,, tipo a musica "i cant own her" me lembrou de um dinsey song
A pretty fun album. Helped me keep my cool today!
Production is okay, the vocals and lyrics are not Definitely could've died without listening to this album
Very hit or miss, the opening track was really promising. I loved all of the song with the orchestra on them, as well as your dictionary was a cool song and the closing song was really interesting. At worst, this album is just a bit bland, but at best it’s really interesting and brings together so many different instruments.
Paul McCartney-esque with a mixture of Brian Wilson thrown in for good measure. I enjoyed this much more the further into the album I listened. By the last track, I was wanting more.
While I can hear some upbeat, happy and pop-centric ideas and execution here, this is really a one-trick pony underneath. It's unusually boring and barely tolerable overall.
Not for me. It feels pretentious and I feel like I've just come back from a renaissance fair
jesus christ, why do they sound like that. liked the instrumentals but vocals jesus christ they sound like Weird Al
I liked this more than I thought I would when it started, but I still did not love it. The singer sounds flat often. It is eh. Liked Songs: "I'd Like That" , "Easter Theater" , "Frivolous Tonight" , "Greenman" , "Your Dictionary"
Strange 3.25
It was definitely very interesting.i didn't finish it but it was very experimental and not like the small amount of xtcs other work I know. I'm not sure it's my cup of tea but it was very good
XTC were one of the more interesting and art damaged bands of the original post-punk and new wave scene. But frankly, I didn't know they were still making new music in 1999. And it doesn't sound a ton like their old stuff, but it's still interesting. The sound here is kind of an orchestral/psych/pop-rock thing, but honestly, the top review on this site kinda got it in one by saying that this sounds like the weirdest and silliest Beatles songs. This is kind of a series of Beatles-esque experiments, with a lot of color willingness to experiment and a strength of vision, but the results end up as a mixed bag. Even the best songs here aren't precisely my thing, but they *are* interesting. River of Orchids is compelling, and a couple of eye-roll inducing lines aside, I like I'd Like That too. Knights In Shining Karma has cool textural work. Harvest Festival is pleasantly pastoral. And my favorite here is probably the beautiful The Last Balloon. But the bad here is a real problem. Firstly, I'd more say I have mixed feelings on Frivolous Tonight: the music is a little silly, but I like the sentiment a lot. But I just think that Greenman is a straight-up slog. And Your Dictionary manages to be the worst song here. The music is actually good, it should be a good song: but the lyrics on this song are so bad that they need to be studied. It's frankly improbable, it is so bad that I cannot really enjoy the song at all. But despite this, I did enjoy a lot here. And the sound here is so unique and interesting that I am willing to throw XTC a bone. I do know they've made much better though.
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.
Hvað skal segja? Áhugaverðar hugmyndir og stundum áheyrilegt og fínt, en samt ekki eitthvað sem ég myndi leita uppi til að setja á aftur. Tæpi þristurinn.
dont like vocals, but cool instrumentation
Didn’t really do it for me.
Not for me
River of Orchids // Easter Theatre // Frivolous Tonight // The Last Balloon 3.5/5
Not really my thing at all, couldn't even finish it.
Strange album for me, it came across as a very good tribute band compilation.
Really baffled by this... Almost uncannily retro, some melodies are nice but can't help but feel distant from the project as a whole
Kind of fun, kind of irritating, weird music.
Very cool. I think I had some blindness about this artist. I never heard them before and somehow build the idea that they were some kind of commercial pop act. Really pleased to discover that this has some very credible soulful music. Their is something about the vocal style that feels quite experimental. Not a very smooth listen for me, but one I can imagine learning to really love
Meh
It sounded to familiar and similar to the Beatles
Good for the drive to the Renaissance Fair
Flaming lips and Beach Boys with a hint of Talking Heads and yet it's not a slam dunk. It's got some of that surrealist lyrics from the Love era but it's just not working that well for me. Lots of ideas but nothing to return to while not being terrible. It's a hard one.
Quite British and even more Beatles-y than their last record I listened to (‘Skylarking’). I also think I liked that one more than this - this isn’t quite as fresh and some of the production choices are annoying rather than charming. (“Greenman” and “Fruit Nut” are good examples.) Not to be too harsh, but it sounds like a group running out of ideas and trying too hard to be cute.
I just don't get it
Really didn’t do much for me. I was never a huge fan, but this felt a little meandering and unfocused.
respectfully gonna pass
I was intrigued for the first minute and a half and then the horns kicked in like a Casio stock-synth fanfare, and set the tone for the rest of the album. It seems like some people spent a lot of time and had a lot of fun with this album. Unfortunately, I didn't.
Based on my prior listening of XTC this isn’t what I would’ve expected. I think the acoustic-heavy nature takes away from my enjoyment. The longer it goes on (and that's never a good thing to say about an album) the more brooding it sounds. The last track almost drove me to give this a single star. It was hard to get through this one, but I did.
2.5
Weirdly I did not expect XTC to sound like this, from what I heard of them before it was pretty standard new-wave post-punk type of stuff which I liked. This is more like baroque pop, beatlesque type of stuff. Not bad, but I don't care about it too much either so probably yet another 3 stars. Rated 3.5/5.0 on RYM. I think I should REVISIT this artist, not neccessarily this album though. I want to check out their stuff from the 80s
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
my first 5/5 and an easy one at that. cannot believe the sheer quantity of rancid irony poisoning and earnestness loathing that has driven us to an unreasonably low score here. i find this album healing, life-loving, culturally integrated and educating - an album with a beating heart asking why the hell we're so mad all the time, why we're so scared of aging, why any goddamn imbecilic self-serious youngster would hate a song about how nice it is to grow fruits and meditate... i don't know, man - i'm 26, now, and i'm young as hell and i know it but my life has been so full of horrible bullshit and that there is a verdant paradise at the end of my long life of suffering where i can enjoy the Not Beatles singing about not much of anything so melodically and lovingly; this scabs over the wound, this stems the flow, this clinches the tear. the album made me happy, it made my girlfriend happy, and i liked it very much.
It does sound interesting things for being from a rock artist but like if I’m not too fond of the Beatles and this is similar to them but 30 years later then yea…. Not the biggest fan
It's soooo boring and dull, I'm so done with his voice. The way that I'd describe the feeling is like listening to the music that your parents are playing in the car as a kid, like it doesn't connect with you at all and makes the time progress so slowly. Also, what is the songwriting? I never pay any attention to it, but my goodness, it is so bad, especially Your Dictionary and as well Fruit Nut.
499/1001 🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑
Shitty shins meet shitty they might be giants. Did a humourless four year old write this?
Sounds like very boring Beatles
This was kind of a weird album lol wasn't very good either lol it was very meh
This album bounced back and forth between "Hey, this is pretty good" and "Uh, this is kind of bad," but fortunately it's interesting even when it's goofy and not entirely put-together ("Your Dictionary"). I'll probably come back to a few tracks in the future, but the album as a whole doesn't work super well. Favorite track: "Greenman"
This was a weird one. Yes, some strange lyrics, although some of the music was ok. Vocals sounded like Paul McCartney but of course nowhere nearly as good. Overall nothing significant. Not awful enough for a 2 although nothing I’d care to listen to again.
Lofty, posh, thematic and all somewhat boring and annoying. Feels like a feign attempt a Wings and or thr Beatles. But if you do want to hear a further progression of the genre that Paul McCartney birthed than look no further.
Apparently I can't really call myself a proper XTC fan (even though I love most of their stuff) having never heard this before! In my defense, I have had it in my amazon cart since probably 2007. After listening, though, I'll probably take it off. It feels a bit labored. Except for "Greenman" and the heartbreaking "Your Dictionary," XTC seem to be missing most of their usual edginess, their character, and wit. I think they set too high a bar early on. This lacks that energy. Still exquisitely executed.
So far this sounds like Wings. Or a Paul McCartney side project. Easter Theater. Fuck it, I’m not correcting it. I fucking hate having fat fingers. has a dab of the Beach Boys sound. Oh look at that, there’s an autocorrect built into this thing. Cool. Temper at zero now. Fuck it again. This is not good. Boring I can’t believe these are the same people that put out Dear God. It should be Lord help us all after hearing this album.
I did not like this one, it was quite weird and felt dated.
An 80s band makes an 80s record in the late 90s. At least they’re consistent.
It is a mice band good music mellow like a paul mccartney copy which is good when done correctly like XTC. Gopd album to just push play but no specofic banggers on the album
Some songs would have made a great acapella arrangement
Spotify keeps trying to push early XTC on me. I can understand why, as I like a lot of similar music from that time but, Making Plans for Nigel aside, I've never really got into it. This album is quite different to their 80s stuff, with more melody and less edges. It was fine apart from Your Dictionary, which was a bit shit, but nothing more.
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.
Ehm no thanka
Never realized these guys had such a boner for the Beatles. Jesus. Good stuff, but I prefer the hits. 3.3
Sounds like the Beatles so in theory I should like them, but I don't.
Sloooooooow.
6/10 Interesting ideas but it doesn't quite come together. Highlights: Greenman Easter Theatre Your Dictionary Frivolous Tonight
i think this was okay, idk i cant remember and i listened to the fucking thing not even 5 hours ago
Nice
2 XTC albums in 2 days. This one seemed to have garnered a lot of critical acclaim as well, although I never listened to it before. I didn't like it nearly as much as Skylarking though. The songs don't really go anywhere. They are experimental in nature, but there's no pop hit inside as there is with other XTC albums. It all flows nicely into each other, but it's just a collection of slightly too long meandering songs that aren't that enjoyable.
What if the Beatles were still going thirty years later?
Ne Drei, weil Einheitsbrei
es dudelt so dahin, hab mir mehr erwartet, wenn eine band xtc heißt. dudeldidu
Interesting
This feels like a concept album that I missed finding out what the concept was. Heard worse things. This isn't mandatory listening.
This isn't bringing anything new or interesting. Since the time of the Beatles and The Beach Boys there have been bands making albums like this all over the world. This could just be replaced with a band doing the same thing in another language. And now I need to worry about the Greenman. That's something I didn't need to do before listening to this album.
If the Sgt Pepper and Magical mystery tour had a child lol
About as "meh" as it gets.
- You just, like, don’t get it man - K
It's fine, sort of catchy as you listen through but then pretty forgettable. Greenman is a banger.
Do you know the amazing thing about this album? It's a bigger load of shit than what I dropped in the dunny this morning.That was a giant load of crap, so much so I was impressed with myself, and this album out did that.
Too pretty
i was pleasantly surprised by this album.
M'eh
Quirky, strange, Beatle-esque kind of album. Description says that the band was not on good terms… you could sort of tell. It had a ton of intricate and complex melodies, but some of these lyrics REALLY should have been cut. Overall, pretty solid 👍
I don't get it
McCartney-ish vocals and pop sensibilities mixed with art/prog interludes.
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.
No conocía a los XTC tardíos. Si te gustan The Beatles y The Beach Boys apreciarás este disco con arreglos orquestales. Resulta de agradable escucha.
OK.
I'm probably in the minority among true XTC devotees, but I've always preferred them at their least clever and most rock-oriented. And while they've always been artful songwriters, full of wit, pushing the craft forward (even evident on White Music and certainly on Drums and Wires), I've often been left thinking there's some additional artifice getting in the way of me connecting to the music on a more immediate level. In other words, the records I prefer from them are the opposite of this one. There are still plenty of moments that pull me in and that are frankly sublime, and yet here I am with another fine XTC record that doesn't fully speak to me. Alas, we are different creatures, and I'd fear to hear just what Andy Partridge would say about that if he had my ear.
Pure XTC.
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