Tag: XTC

For an atheist, Andy Partridge has an impressive output of Christmas songs, though several were intended to be recorded by other artists. XTC released two Christmas songs written by Partridge, “Thanks for Christmas” and “Countdown To Christmas Party Time.” Technically they were released as “The Three Wise Men.”...

I’ve got a few bones to pick with Spotify, but “fake artists” isn’t one of them. Since I’ve been critical of Spotify’s business model of late, I figured I should be fair and give a counter-point to the “Fake Artists Problem Is Much Worse Than You Realize” post making...

I’m not saying that Skylarking is the best album in the history of the universe, but I’m not not saying it either. Certainly it’s the finest album XTC have produced. I know precisely when my love affair with XTC began, it was May 3rd, 1987 when MTV played the...

Waxworks and Beeswax are a double dose of angular, jumpy, frenetic pop from Swindon’s XTC. This pairing captures the very best of XTC’s early period, before they evolved into a more “pastoral” (and Beatlesque) sound on later albums. Officially Waxworks: Some Singles 1977–1982 and Beeswax: Some B-Sides 1977–1982 are...

Psonic Psunspot is the best collection of 60s psychedelia ever recorded in the mid-80s. The members of XTC, working under the pseudonym Dukes of Stratosphear basically channeled some of their musical influences from the 60s and delivered 10 outstanding replicas that easily stand alongside XTC’s best work. Psunspot is...

XTC‘s The Big Express pulls into the top 100 station at number 82. Roughly in the middle of the band’s discography, The Big Express successfully melds the awkward New Wave-y XTC nicely with the more lush, Beatlesque XTC to come. Picking my favorite XTC album or albums is sort...