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stonebeard 
Forum Senior Member
Joined: May 27 2005
Location: NE Indiana
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Points: 28057
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 Posted: February 15 2011 at 21:27 |
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I guess Skylarking, but only in the Spring/Summer.
It's unfortunate the rest of Nonsuch isn't even close to as good as "Peter Pumpkinhead." That's my favorite XTC song.
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jammun
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 14 2007
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 3449
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Posted: February 15 2011 at 21:23 |
Okay, I think sometime about a thousand posts ago I said I'd give it up, the prog angle to XTC. But as always, I just can't help myself.
So, go listen to a little Jason and the Argonauts or English Roundabout. If either of those songs had been made by Rush or Yes, people would have bootprints on their tongues, praising the progressiveness of it all. Listen to those guitars. Just saying.
Not to mention Wake Up. Who cares, stay in bed.
Not to mention Skylarking.
Oh wait, really really good pop-rockers, I almost forgot 
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Can you tell me where we're headin'?
Lincoln County Road or Armageddon.
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LinusW
Special Collaborator
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Joined: September 27 2007
Location: Sweden
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Points: 10665
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Posted: February 15 2011 at 20:59 |
 Slartibartfast wrote:
I Remember the Sun
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I like the nods to Yes in some of the guitar lines here. Always surprises me.
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jammun
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 14 2007
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 3449
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Posted: February 15 2011 at 20:47 |
Slarti, I love The Big Express. I still have the round LP, for whatever that's worth and at some time also bought the CD. As I've said before, the last time I went to demo speakers for my stereo, it was The Big Express I had in hand because it will test the overall sound of any speaker pretty well, and will also test the patience of the salesman.
Wake Up
All You Pretty Girls
Shake You Donkey Up (it takes a while to like this one)
and yes
I Remeber the Sun
and Train Running Low on Soul Coal
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Can you tell me where we're headin'?
Lincoln County Road or Armageddon.
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Slartibartfast
Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / In Memoriam
Joined: April 29 2006
Location: Atlantais
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Points: 29630
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Posted: February 15 2011 at 20:15 |
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Don't stop at Nonesvch. Keep on going through the Apple Venuses...
By the way if you like The Big Express, list your favorites, Mine:
Wake Up
This World Over
Reign of Blows
I Remember the Sun
Train Running Low on Soul Coal
Edited by Slartibartfast - February 15 2011 at 20:38
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Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened... 
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LinusW
Special Collaborator
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Joined: September 27 2007
Location: Sweden
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Points: 10665
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Posted: February 15 2011 at 20:08 |
Good band! 
Dean wrote:
Pick anything from Drums'n'Wires through to Skylarking and you can't go
wrong. |
I like Nonsuch as well, so it's hard to get really disappointed.
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jammun
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 14 2007
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 3449
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Posted: February 15 2011 at 19:51 |
^^Absolutely no rambling allowed in the forums  I should know. Please be upstanding...
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Can you tell me where we're headin'?
Lincoln County Road or Armageddon.
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Slartibartfast
Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / In Memoriam
Joined: April 29 2006
Location: Atlantais
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Points: 29630
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Posted: February 15 2011 at 18:15 |
chopper wrote:
Dean wrote:
No one's mentioned Big Express yet - a nod to XTC's Swindon heritage - "All You Pretty Girls" is one of the most infectious songs they ever wrote.
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Yes, good call Dean. I've been listening to The Big Express quite a lot lately, underrated album. Oranges and Lemons is good as well, "Chalkhills and Children" would definitely be in my XTC Top 10.
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What about the penis song?  Yeah Oranges And Lemons reminds me of the time I got laid off from an architectural job that I thought would have lasted longer. It's actually a couple of years older than the event. I was a casualty of early '90's recession. Sorry if I'm rambling on a bit.
Edited by Slartibartfast - February 15 2011 at 20:16
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chopper
Special Collaborator
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Joined: July 13 2005
Location: Essex, UK
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Points: 20048
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Posted: February 15 2011 at 16:51 |
Dean wrote:
No one's mentioned Big Express yet - a nod to XTC's Swindon heritage - "All You Pretty Girls" is one of the most infectious songs they ever wrote.
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Yes, good call Dean. I've been listening to The Big Express quite a lot lately, underrated album. Oranges and Lemons is good as well, "Chalkhills and Children" would definitely be in my XTC Top 10.
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jammun
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 14 2007
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 3449
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Posted: February 15 2011 at 15:13 |
English Settlement, Skylarking, The Big Express. All fine albums. Dukes, Oranges and Lemons, Nonsuch only a step down from those.
Someone on these forums once posed the question, what if The Beatles hadn't broken up? What music would they have made? I think they would have sounded pretty much like XTC.
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Can you tell me where we're headin'?
Lincoln County Road or Armageddon.
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Slartibartfast
Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / In Memoriam
Joined: April 29 2006
Location: Atlantais
Status: Offline
Points: 29630
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Posted: February 15 2011 at 14:52 |
Dean wrote:
No one's mentioned Big Express yet - a nod to XTC's Swindon heritage - "All You Pretty Girls" is one of the most infectious songs they ever wrote. |
Ever since English Settlement, I've been getting their albums as they came out and they are one of those artists whose music can really take me back to era when I first heard it. The Big Express happened when I was in college before I got my first drafting job and was working a fast food gig. Funniest line heard on the job between the guy doing the burgers and the gal doing the assembly "My buns are ready for your meat." 
Edited by Slartibartfast - February 15 2011 at 20:16
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Dean
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin and Amateur Layabout
Joined: May 13 2007
Location: Europe
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Points: 37575
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Posted: February 15 2011 at 13:04 |
XTC never made a dud album - every one is a little gem. Pick anything from Drums'n'Wires through to Skylarking and you can't go wrong. The only one I'd avoid to start with is White Music - Andy's affected vocals can be a bit much on that album - he clamed down a lot after that (a bit like Steven Wilson did with Porcupine Tree).
No one's mentioned Big Express yet - a nod to XTC's Swindon heritage - "All You Pretty Girls" is one of the most infectious songs they ever wrote.
The dub versions Andy did are pretty good too (Go Plus and Take Away/The Lure of Salvage).
Edited by Dean - February 15 2011 at 13:05
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What?
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Snow Dog
Special Collaborator
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Joined: March 23 2005
Location: Caerdydd
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Posted: February 15 2011 at 12:11 |
akamaisondufromage wrote:
Whatever Snowy says about the first three being new wave. 'Drums and Wires' is the XTC album for me (Mind you it was the first of their albums I bought). Not one dud track and I think its their xover album from NW to mor complex stuff.
Nigel is one of the best singles by anyone ever. (Not that many bods round here are concerned with singles). CLASS |
Drums and Wires is an excellent album, I agree.
Roads girdle the glooooooobe.....
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akamaisondufromage
Forum Senior Member
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Joined: May 16 2009
Location: Blighty
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Points: 6797
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Posted: February 15 2011 at 11:59 |
Whatever Snowy says about the first three being new wave. 'Drums and Wires' is the XTC album for me (Mind you it was the first of their albums I bought). Not one dud track and I think its their xover album from NW to mor complex stuff.
Nigel is one of the best singles by anyone ever. (Not that many bods round here are concerned with singles). CLASS
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Help me I'm falling!
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Paravion
Forum Senior Member
Joined: May 01 2010
Location: Denmark
Status: Offline
Points: 470
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Posted: February 15 2011 at 09:03 |
These days it's English Settlement that gets played the most. Drums and Wires introduced me - and it's brilliant. The debut is probably the one I'd say is their 'best' when asked.
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chopper
Special Collaborator
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Joined: July 13 2005
Location: Essex, UK
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Points: 20048
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Posted: February 15 2011 at 07:22 |
Genius
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chopper
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Posted: February 15 2011 at 07:21 |
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I've not really heard the early stuff much, but anything from Drums and Wires onwards is brilliant. My favourites are Black Sea and English Settlement, Skylarking is also particularly good.
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Snow Dog
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Joined: March 23 2005
Location: Caerdydd
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Posted: February 15 2011 at 07:11 |
Slartibartfast wrote:
When I heard about Andy's collaboration with Harold Budd, Through The Hill, I had to get it. And I pretty much feel the same as Snow about the first three. I really like them but I had to get hooked on the latter ones first to appreciate them.
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For me I was in at the beginning...more or less at any rate. I'd heard their "Science Friction" EP and thought, yeah that's ok. The debut album I wasn't particularly fussed on although some friends loved it. But "Go 2" I found cheap with "Go Plus" so I bought it. I thought it was brilliant. From the jaggedy keyboards to the excellent crafted tunes. I can understand why some may not take to it though.
The next album I bought was the much later "English Settlement"...what can I say? The band had matured so much. Still that excellent writing though.
Can we not have XTC on ProgArchives?
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Slartibartfast
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Honorary Collaborator / In Memoriam
Joined: April 29 2006
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Posted: February 15 2011 at 06:55 |
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When I heard about Andy's collaboration with Harold Budd, Through The Hill, I had to get it. And I pretty much feel the same as Snow about the first three. I really like them but I had to get hooked on the latter ones first to appreciate them.
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Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Snow Dog
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Posted: February 15 2011 at 04:46 |
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Any XTC album is top notch, excellent and brilliant. But if you don't like New Wave, leave the first three till later.
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What is XTC best album?
