Reviews (page 5 of 7)
bit weird
XTC always produce interesting catchy music, but it was a hassle listening to this on YouTube with ads
As someone who doesn’t know much about XTC and loves symphonic rock, it was a bit of a headrush. I’m going to say this might grow on me with time, but since I found it in a used music store the day it generated, fate has ordained it WILL grow on me. HL: “River of Orchids”, “Easter Theatre”, “Harvest Festival”
not on spotify river of orchids- i like the little waterdrops. its interesting how each instrument and the singing flows together. 5 or 6 id like that- i think its cute. 5 easter theater- motherfucker is that a flute. its interesting. 6. i really like the chorus but the rest is a little boring knights in shining karma- i like how every song flows into the next. 7. its kinda tally hall? sorry but like idk. frivolous tonight- i like the piano. its like im skipping in a field. 5 greenman- oh shit. 6. it sounds almost south west asian. thats probably a big inspiration. your dictionary- ok the first line is cringe. 3 or 4. i dont like it. the piano is nice but. hm fruit nut- oh shit. this is cute. i need to listen to this when i play stardew. 7 i cant own her- i like the harp. kinda boring otherwise. 3 or 4 harvest festival- im bored. i like the weird sound effects. 3 or 4 the last balloon- boring too. 3 favorite song- fruit nut
De va nice men xtc träffar inte mig helt rätt
Modern psychedelic progressive ... music? I don't know. But at least this album was a pleasant listening experience. 3/5
Their good songs got better, but their annoying songs became more annoying.
I really like the songwriting here. I really started to enjoy it when I got "Skylarking" earlier in the list, I gave that record 5 stars. This record is... Busy. There's a lot of great writing buried underneath a Pet Sounds-amount of strings and orchestration, but it's a lot to take it and it takes away from the experience as a whole. Favorite tracks: "I Can't Own Her", "Harvest Festival"
Hard time remembering anything about the album a day later, but I didnt hate it. Wish there was a 2.5 option.
The quirky, whimsical songwriting is charming, though at times a little overbearing, in a " look at this weird thing we're doing" kind of way. I was not previously aware of this music, and I look forward to digging in more... maybe.
Symphonic pop eh. Yeah nah not my thing. But it's competent and I can see why others would like it, there's elements Beatles songs sung by Ringo and a cute whimsy at times, as well as some Beach Boys-style harmonies.
Very good pop indebted to Beatles and Beach Boys. Very well constructed and reasonably eclectic in the clever XTC pop-artist style. A high 3.
The album wasn't available to listen to so I don't really have a rating.
Very retro sounding album for 1999. Atmosphere throughout the album is really unique.
Album not found on apple music. Found on youtube. Was a descent listen
Had to go to YouTube because Spotify doesn’t have this album. Thought it was ok.
Very interesting sound. I wasn't expecting the vocals at all and thought this would be an orchestral instrumental band. I think the vocals are cool but the cacophony is a little bit annoying. Maybe it's because it's 7:42am on a Monday, I'm a little hungover and I haven't had any coffee, but there's so many conflicting things in this first track. Alright the second track is out of left field after hearing the first one. I'm intrigued with where the rest of the album will go. Definitely eclectic, at times cool, and at times intriguing, but ultimately it felt just OK to me. Not sure I would come back for a listen.
I preferred it when they were making plans for Nigel
I'm surprised by how much better this album is than "Skylarking". It's weird, don't get me wrong. Like... unnecessarily weird. But far less offensively weird than the hot mess that is "Skylarking". That doesn't make it good, mind you. Because it's not. It's still a scattered, disconnected mess of an album. But it IS better than "Skylarking" so there's that...
Kinda like British Beach Boys
not bad, specially for a youtube album!
XTC nous propose un nom bien générique qui ne nous permettra jamais de nous souvenir de quoi ce groupe retourne.
5/10. Yeah, I feel like they're taking themselves too seriously with this album, which is not a good look for XTC. It had some cool moments, the first song sounded pretty cool before he started singing over it.
Empezó aburriéndome un poco, pero me dejó buena sensación al terminar el disco. Con curiosidad para conocer más discos del grupo.
3++ Knights in Shining Karma Your Dictionary Fruit Nut
Ni siquiera existe en Spotify. Imposible opinar
Had precies nog meer symphonische muziek verwacht
Poids moyen
Easter Theater wears its Beatles influences on its sleeve, and Harvest Festival sounds like it could be a Paul solo track. Still, I suppose its not startlingly original to say that XTC sound like the Beatles, and I rather enjoyed this set of songs. A high three, on the cusp of four.
Can't stream it. Putting the stars at the to average it out
Periaatteessa aika väsynyt valinta listalle, kun bändillä on jo kulta-ajoiltaan niin monta hyvää levyä. Mutta oli tääkin yllättävän jees. Eittämättä kova bändi.
I like: River of Orchids Easter Theatre Greenman
Molt notable que després de tants anys la banda continués mantenint el puls per la melodia i l'experimentació dins del que ha de ser una bona cançó pop. Preciosisme en les seves melodies i una voluntat de seguir recargolant l'habitual estructura de la cançó; a mi em recorden més al power pop suau de Jellyfish que a The Beach Boys, amb qui comparen a la guia de la llista de referència
Listened to a couple songs I only liked the first one because it sounded like a rain forest or a jungle
Not my style of music. I can see that other might like it.
Expansive and indulgent, but too rich and deep for my taste
Musically ambitious and mostly lovely on the ears, although the vocals are a little hit and miss. Lyrically odd and eloquent at the same time, which is fun. The not so good part: This comes off as music by someone who has listened to the Beatles way too much, but fails to understand what made the Beatles great in the first place. The skill is there, the songcraft is (mostly) there, the heart is not. Unavailable on Spotify, but easy to find on YouTube. Fave Songs: I'd Like That, Knights in Shining Karma, River of Orchids, Easter Theatre
Faves: River of Orchids, Easter Theatre
Partridge's term for it "orchustic", sums it up well in feel, vibing like animated-movie music at times and feel-good flows other times. Good lyrics, with a paganism twist across a number of the scores.
There were parts of this album that I really liked, but I also often felt like there was too much going on. There were a few songs where it felt like they just kept adding layers until there was too much to keep track of. It's not a bad album, and it's crazy that a band that formed in the 70s was still producing innovative music in 1999 3/5
Beatles like, a fun record
3.4 - The first two tracks got my hopes up but the record takes a sharp nosedive after that, and the quirky arrangements mostly sound annoying in a try-hard-y way (see "Greenman"). By the end, I struggle to understand why Dimery chose to include this record as it doesn't fall into his common "record-out-of-left-field" tropes (e.g. a late artist's "return to form", a genre-defining work, a record with a cult-like following, etc.).
Rock pop alternativo. Ecléctico. Sinfónico.
Not bad, not great. Started off quite energetic and become more chill as it progressed.
Very interesting.
Interesting! Whiny voice but a good vibe??? 3.5
3.6
Clearly some beatles influences here but not really doing it for me.
This was fine, no idea who this group is and listened to this retroactively as it's not on apple/spotify. Enjoyed the song "I'd like that" since it mentioned sunflowers and I like sunflowers
Good album cover.
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.
Weird enough to not get a 1 because I will definitely remember this album for the rest of my days.
unlistenable
interesting but didn’t like the lead singers voice at all and couldn’t finish the album
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
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
Если бы Битлз были кринжовыми. Топ-1 - Не выбрал Топ-2 - I'd like that
This should be the soundtrack for a very slow and boring movie.
#1036. This is not the one, y'all. 2/5: meh
I've never been a fan of XTC. This album did not change that opinion.
2/5
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.
I usually love XTC albums - but not this one! Why this made the 1001 list but not English Settlement is criminal.
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
Meh.
I liked a couple here, average as a whole to me though. 2.5/5
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
Not my thing.
This was not an enjoyable experience for me.
Music to fall asleep to.
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.
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.
Weird
Nope
whatever.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Gear: Aür Audio Aurora Artwork: 🦚🧿🪶 Production: 👂🩺🧈 Music: 🙂↕️🫨🧐 Rating: 🍏🍏(🍏)/5
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
Once again, not sure how such an obscure album is on this list. It's not bad, just not "must listen"
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.
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
It was ok. Good Sunday morning vibe
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.
Album cover cooler than the tracks. Not bad just not super interesting. Final track was cool.
K Mart Beatles
Temu Beatles
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
cornball. hated this
i dont really like the vibe
Never heard of em. Didn't need to. 2/5.
Everything sounds the same
Not bad
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
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
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.
2. sounds like retarded movie soundtrack
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.
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
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?
Very beatlesesque but I’m undecided - I’d need more time with some of these albums
Some British bands sound like the Beatles to me, and I already do not like the Beatles.
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.
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.
Not for me at all. Boring.
Interesting. Pink Floyd vocals.
Eh... What started of promising with an interesting first track devolved into adult contemporary bleh. Background at best for me
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.
this was pretty weird, i didn't love.
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?"
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
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.
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.
Nah. Like it at first then it got old 2.7
los primeros temas bien y despues que carajo
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
Meh
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
I do not believe anyone actually listens to this album regularly. It is weird (a good thing) but not enjoyable.
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.
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.
Not my favorite XTC album. I do like them a lot though. Just not this record.
Solid 2
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.
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
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
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.
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.
Liking XTC is one of the most pretentious things you can do as a music listener
Not my vibe, some quality lines in the lyrics, entertaining at points, but generally quite dull
Gillar tidiga XTC men fattar ingenting av det här faktiskt
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
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.
Why does this sound so corny?
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.
This was really weird. Not a huge fan.
Un disco de lo más extraño, parece world o folk
Not my jam
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."
Jag gillar konceptet och det instrumentella, men sången klickar inte för mig, vilket tyvärr drar ner mycket.
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
Didn’t even finish idk what I was listening to.
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
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
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.
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.
Kinda annoyed me
Utterly forgettable
Nothing stood out here. Would I give it another chance? Maybe.
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.
It was an OK album, not my type of music. I actually saw XTC in concert years ago as they opened for The Police.
2.5/10
Pretty grim. It's nonsensical and whimsical, but in a slightly annoying way. Two stars.
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.
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"
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
dont like vocals, but cool instrumentation
Didn’t really do it for me.
Not for me
Not really my thing at all, couldn't even finish it.
Really baffled by this... Almost uncannily retro, some melodies are nice but can't help but feel distant from the project as a whole
Meh
Good for the drive to the Renaissance Fair
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
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
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.
Shitty shins meet shitty they might be giants. Did a humourless four year old write this?
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"
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.
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
Sounds like the Beatles so in theory I should like them, but I don't.
Sloooooooow.
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?
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.
About as "meh" as it gets.
It's fine, sort of catchy as you listen through but then pretty forgettable. Greenman is a banger.
Too pretty
I don't get it
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.
bit much lads, gotta start curving these grades a little bit.
Recordatorio de ponerle 2 estrellas, perdóname álbum, no pude seguir, lmfao.
I liked this a lot more than I expected to. I wanted to give it a 3. But the lyrics are just. so. damn. bad. "Your Dictionary" is an actual crime against lyrics.
I didn’t really enjoy this. It was listenable I guess but I didn’t enjoy it. The vocals are unmistakably’like Paul McCartney’ but it just didn’t have anything that grabbed me as a fun melody or memorable part.
This is average at best, would have been better to just have Skylarking on the list and call it good. This album is padding to get to 1001.
No standouts
Started strong, then just annoying
2.5
Fatuous. That was the word that swirled up from my vocabulary and I had to look it up to make sure it fit. It does. So much dramatic orchestration for such Insipid writing. There's a horn riff that's pretty good.
I gave this record a serious, concerted attempt. But nah, dawg, this is not for me. Just another weird, cheesy early Britpop album of which there are dozens of on this list. 2/5 if I'm being generous.
I really like XTC but this definitely isnt the album I'd choose to put on this list.
Light, orchestral, and very McCartney-esque. The main composer must be a Paul fan and a strawberry fool. Musically complex and I liked some of the clever rhymes, but Apple Venus (Vol 1) did not grab me. Started out OK but faded to a tough finish. Was kinda glad when it over. (2.2*s)
A nice "orchustic" work but gets a bit too dramatic at times. "Greenman" was great (shout out to Charlie Day) with it's Squeezy, far east sound. Did not like "Your Dictionary" but the rest of the album is decent. I'll take earlier XTC over this "beautiful woman"(?). If Part 2 doesn't make the list, I will still check it out. Volume 1 gets 2.22 stars.
I need to stop giving myself a false sense of excitement after the first song on an album. River of Orchids was a pretty good entry and had a decent hook to open the album. It turns out I like the idea of Orchustic (orchestral acoustic) genre better than the reality. Despite some of the shortcomings I can't write off the full album as there a couple nuggets buried in there (Greenman especially) and the album is unique enough to be worth a listen. There's some good strings, vocals and synth lines mixed in that even though I can't give it a great review I was at least interested in what XTC was doing. The good stuff is pretty good, the bad stuff is pretty bad especially on the back half of the album that really lingers too long. It all adds to up a middle of the pack album, but not a listen I'm regretting. If anything my curiosity is piqued for Volume 2 (Wasp Star) and I'd like to see what they do with a more rock-oriented approach. Hoping it makes an appearance despite the lack luster marks for Volume 1. 1.93 stars
Very meh for my taste.
I always liked that Generals and Majors song.
< the Beatles
Disappointed to find an ear-catching moment or two along the way. I really wanted to hate every pretentious, self-gratifying instant of this.
I expected to enjoy this but it just didn’t work for me. I’m not sure it’s bad, but I’m not here for it
I can see getting into these guys in the right setting or at the right time. But didn't do it for me right now. Update - About halfway through the album now and I'm definitely tired of it. Update - Almost done! Can't wait!
I love "Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead" and "Mayor of Simpleton," and I like "Dear God"...too bad none of those songs are on this. I wouldn't expect XTC to be making their best music in 1999, and it doesn't look like they were! I respect their iconoclasm even if I don't really want to listen to it. And the Beatles-aping "Frivolous Tonight" and "Fruit Nut" feel out of place on here.
Ok but nothing exciting.
First song has vocals that are vaguely reminiscent of Sting's Police-era vocals. After that, it's more like a bunch of okay-ish psychedelic-era Beatles outtakes, with some Beach Boys harmonies thrown in occasionally. Honestky not an essential listen. The band history is more interesting than this album, I'm afraid.
So we mean to say that there is a "more rock-oriented" album from this band, and I got this one? Not that I have faith in their rock after this😭 (I guess I'll see if that one also made the cut for this list one day). But WOW was I bored😭 Started off bizarre with what sounded like Toad (the mario character)-esque 8 bit trumpets and some pizz strings straight out of fruityloops oh god. Then we started comparing this guy's love to Victoria and Albert?? Is that... good? This track did have me bopping the most out of all of them, but the lyric of the day negated that: "high really high like a really high thing." Ok. If you're going to be weird at least let me have some fun listening to it </3
The nicest thing I can say about this is that there is real effort and character in this album. Other than that, I hated most of the songs. A 2 but man is this close to a 1
This falls into the “good” category for me. Not “very good”, not “meh.”, but just good. I like it but I don’t love it, I enjoyed most of it well enough, but I’ll probably never go back to it… essentially, there was nothing wrong with it but it didn’t reallly strike me or leave any kind of lasting impression.
meh...
Generic, bland Brit pop.
not very good and i didn't appreciate this autoplaying for my alarm at 6 this morning
Pop.
British bias strikes again. There is no reasonable argument for including this album on this list. The orchestral arrangements do add a whimsical element to an otherwise very pedestrian album.
Very avant garde, maybe a little too much so for my liking. Favorite track: I'd Like That
Psychedelic to the point of naval gazing
Like weird al got together with sufjan and tried to imitate the worst parts of the Beatles.
I like XTC, but can’t understand why this album made the list. It’s just boring.
eh
Very listenable but far from outstanding. Dubious this is their best work must be better albums from that era. Surely? As a band definitely would have a higher score but this just doesn't hang as a piece of coherent album nor a pop classic
Couldn’t listen. Not on any streaming service. Probably a 3 given what I know about XTC. But I’ll deduct a point for them being cunts and making it hard to listen.
Uninspired, Unremarkable, Uninteresting, out of its decade.
I wasn't sure if I was on the same wavelength of what Andy Partridge was doing on here but eventually I sunk into the rich orchestral sound. Unfortunately, then I heard the lyric "F U C K/is that how you spell friend in your dictionary?"
My daughter hijacked my headphones on her way to school, so I had to listen to this album through the tiny office speakers, at a volume far too polite to do justice to this ultimate British band. To make things trickier, the record isn’t even on most streaming platforms, despite being one of the 1001 most influential in music history. All I got from it was a faint whiff of the Beatles or Phoenix, and honestly, I should probably refrain from giving it a score. I think 2 is fair since I heard some nice harmonies here and there
An irrelevant album released by a famous 80s band in 1999. Top song on here has 32k plays on Spotify. Why?
slow
Critics really do like to glob onto anything that is even remotely different & act like it's the best thing ever. When really it's just artists recording their own farts. That's what this feels like. Musically the compositions are fine. The lyrics are quirky, odd & awkward. The only accessible song is I'd Like That, which I'd had Heard the song before & it's a decent song. 2
Not my jam.
2/5
I didn’t enjoy this
This is the XTC album that makes it to the list?! Eccentric, orchestral, and ambitious, but not one track on this record vibes with me. It sounds like old musicians trying to their best experimental, psychedelic Beatles impression way too sober and late in life. The extra star is for the great orchestral instrumentation, and I love Andy Partridge's voice. "Your Dictionary" might be the funniest, worst attempt at a meaningful song.
It's ok. A little too soft and over-produced. I don't get a vibe or feeling of authenticity from any of it. While none if it is annoying, it's almost elevator music for me. I hear the second part rocks a little more. I might try that later. Won't be listening to this one again, though
Ok 2/5
No, no y no!!
This was unusual. I had no idea what to expect, but I certainly didn't expect this. There was nothing on the album that was difficult to listen to, or had me reaching for the stop button. There was also nothing on there that was exciting. It was just bland, boring, uninspiring etc. I'd imagine there are 1000's of albums very similar to this. Maybe this is the pinnacle of middle-of-the-road pop to a lot of people???? If it is then I am not one of those.
Not looking forward to Volume 2
“XTC slowly evolved into the Steely Dan of alternative pop, as its quest for the perfect catchy hook was superseded only by its desire to fashion the perfect collective sound. ” Explains a lot. TWO!
Fine enough but another one of those albums I wonder why it made the list
The first track was very annoying and repetitive. Then it became a clone of early Beatles.
This was ok but I can't imagine how they decided they needed to record a volume 2.
Not bad, didn’t connect with it entirely, but I enjoyed parts of it for sure
2 - trash except for green man
In theory, I should like this, but I just don't. I only liked one song from Skylarking and I didn't like any from this. At times I thought this sounded Beatles-esque which I should especially like, but this was a steaming pile of meh to me.
Not that keen
Found it on YouTube. It’s ok. Nothing more.
2.3 Not really my thing. At their best it was a pale imitation of Beatles, Beach Boys. At their worst it was a bit of a rambling mess. Don't think they blended the orchestral side into pop very well. Numerous bands/artists have done it better.