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Post by upinkzeppelin2 on Apr 24, 2007 13:06:40 GMT -5
Sorry, no Nelson.
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Post by Dr. Drum on Apr 24, 2007 13:22:49 GMT -5
Black Sea, no question, followed very closely by Drums and Wires and then English Settlement. White Music is excellent, as well.
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Post by Kensterberg on Apr 24, 2007 14:02:10 GMT -5
Drum is almost certainly right from an objective standpoint, but I voted for English Settlement for purely sentimental reasons. I mean, it is a really good album, but I chose it mainly 'cause one of my dearest friends in H.S. had this and loved it. So I got to hear it a ton, too.
Skylarking is also very good ... actually, I don't know if XTC ever made a really bad album. Nonesuch is okay, though I find that I haven't pulled it off the shelf since, um, the first Clinton administration.
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Post by Dr. Drum on Apr 24, 2007 20:04:47 GMT -5
English Settlement is great.
The Big Express is the closest they came to blowing it and even it's not out and out bad bad. Unsympathetic mid-80s production lets the record down and the songwriting cupboard wasn't full to brimming the way it would have been a couple years before that, but they still managed a few little gems (All You Pretty Girls, You're the Wish You Were I Had, Everyday Story of Smalltown...)
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Post by wayved on Apr 24, 2007 21:26:02 GMT -5
I VOTED for Big Express for sentimental reasons too. The first XTC album I bought (it was the same time Oranges and Lemons came out, and being a 16 year old kid could not afford the new Oranges and Lemons so got the Big Express out of the Budget bin)--it opened up a whole new world. Though the production is flawed its still awesome. The songs are great on it. All the way through. It was my gateway into XTC.
I love all of XTCs albums (cept for I really did not like Apple Venus 1--I did not want to hear songs like "Fruit Nut" or that one song about letting it all out (it was a Colin song--I cant remember the name of it -- "hanging out in their slacks talking bout their husbands hairy backs" were some of the lyrics. No way.
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Post by Galactus on Apr 24, 2007 23:15:41 GMT -5
They really don't have any bad albums. I voted for Drums And Wires, which is not only perfect in it's entirety but also has Making Plans For Nigel which I become obsessed with several times a year. I probably listen to Go 2 and Mummer the least. D&W -> Black Sea -> English Settlement is really the grand trilogy. Though I find it hard to find much fault in Skylarking -> Oranges And Lemons -> Nonsuch. However considering this is Melon here I would suggest you might want to note that Skylarking does contain Dear God which is, not to put too fine a point on it, not the most pro-christian song ever.
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Post by Galactus on Apr 24, 2007 23:19:21 GMT -5
Also either double disc or single singles collection are quite good if no other reason then Life Begins At The Hop isn't on an album.
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JACkory
Struggling Artist
Posts: 167
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Post by JACkory on Apr 25, 2007 8:54:35 GMT -5
I never was all that crazy about XTC. Something about Andy Partridge's voice that puts me off.
I did, however, vote for Oranges & Lemons, even though I doubt anyone else will. My all time favorite XTC song is on that one ("The Mayor of Simpleton") and it has many other good tunes.
I like English Settlement a bit...liked it more when it first came out, but when I revisited it a year ago I didn't feel that it had aged too well (I can't stand "Senses Working Overtime").
And I used to have Black Sea years and years ago, I remember it being pretty darned good, but then again I don't remember any of the songs (I only remember that the closing track, "Travels In Nihilon" was a rather long-ish freak out for a new wave band).
Personally, and no offence intended, I don't think they're worthy of a "Best XTC Album" poll.
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Post by Dr. Drum on Apr 25, 2007 12:07:10 GMT -5
Your post neatly illustrates their predicament over the years, in terms of finding an (American) audience... And no offence taken, of course, but I couldn't disagree more. To me XTC ranked among the very best that this music had to offer in the last 30 years. "Partridge-Moulding" merits a place alongside the other great rock'n'roll songwriting partnerships, IMHO.
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JACkory
Struggling Artist
Posts: 167
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Post by JACkory on Apr 25, 2007 12:34:49 GMT -5
Well there you have it. A difference of opinions. A civil one at that.
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Post by Kensterberg on Apr 25, 2007 12:38:04 GMT -5
I slot right in between you guys. I think that XTC were an awfully good band, but they don't make it to my top tier. I wish they'd had more success in this country, but IMO Squeeze was a better band.
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Post by Galactus on Apr 25, 2007 12:42:30 GMT -5
I slot right in between you guys. I think that XTC were an awfully good band, but they don't make it to my top tier. I wish they'd had more success in this country, but IMO Squeeze was a better band. I agree with all of this except the part about Squeeze being a better band. XTC is probably about as good as a second tier band can be, they crossed the greatness line a few times but not enough to plant a flag there. |
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