Songcrafters.org

So last week I downloaded Mummer and English Settlement from Amazon.  Mummer is an album which I've known for decades and love, English Settlement, I'm ashamed to say, I've never actually listened to (despite having possibly my favorite song of all, Five Senses).

Which got me thinking that the question of which of the XTC albums is my favorite has been a Big Question for me over the last three decades.  And I'm still not confident I've gotten to the bottom of it.

Then coincidentally Andy posted his excellent cover of Making Plans and I decided to canvas opinions here.

Drums and Wires and Black Sea are big contenders.  Oranges and Lemons was a fave too for a while, but at the moment Mummer is my favorite.  There are, I should say, several albums here I don't know (the last three in particular).

I'd be intereseted to hear your opinions...

i remember buying white music when it first came out on vinyl and it instantly becoming a favourite of mine. at the time i recall a friend saying you wont be litening to that in 2 years time lol. still listening  to it now. have followed xtc ever since, but i think skylarking just nudges white music of the top spot. now if fossil fuel was there i'd have to vote for that  ;D ;D ;D ;D.

A band I'm familiar with but don't listen to a lot. I do like Skylarking.

I gave my vote to White Music. The first XTC tune I heard was Science Friction and I was immideately fan of the band! Experimental new wave stuff!! On the other hand - I can't mention any bad album...

Right now, I had to put White Music cd on... :)

Waxworks is not an official album (it is a single collection from 1977-1982), but it is excellent record, too!

Kari

ps. I have 3-d ep (12 inches) on vinyl, propably a rarity...

I have such huge respect for Andy Partridge and XTC, I wish I had all my old cassette tapes! I spent many many hours with Skylarking and The Black Sea, but Oranges & Lemons has to be my pick. I wore that vinyl out! I never heard Go 2 or the 2 most recent ones but had tapes of all the others at some time or another years ago. I have the cd of Nonsuch somewhere and it's quite good, but Oranges & Lemons was the one that I remember grooving to the most!
Rock on!

i must admit i do have a softspot for the xtc in disguise offshoot "The Dukes of Stratosphear" and i have all the fuzzy warbles cds, which feature quite a few of andy partridges demos  of songs that later became xtc songs.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQGXS4w1jK8


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBpV_Kf-e5U

I can't pick just one!!

I mean I just did, but you forced my hand with that poll you posted...  ;D

My first XTC album was Drums and Wires that I picked up back in '79. I haven't listened to that one lately, but I've always loved it. Which reminds me, I need to check out Andy's cover of 'Making Plans for Nigel' :). Loved Black Sea, English Settlement, and Mummer when they came out, and they still get played around the house on occasion. Love everything by the Dukes of Stratosphear - some days even more than XTC-proper.

These days, Skylarking, Apple Venus Volume 1, and Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2) probably get the most play. Very sophisticated songwriting in those three.

Aw heck, I love 'em all!

changed my vote from skylarking to white music. radios in motion came up on shuffle on my piepod.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBaUWDrtlSc i remember buying the "lp" when it came out and my boss at the time saying, that i wont be listening to it in years to come "it's so faddish". well i am still listening to it and it is still as vital as it was when i first heard it.

will probably change back to skylarking when a song from that comes up on shuffle on my piepod.

another from white music #Invalid YouTube Link#

Lately, I have listened to The Dukes of Stratosphear and all the tracks from Fuzzy Warbles which can be found on YouTube. I'm looking for that eight CD's box, but it is impossible find it in Finland. There's still many albums which are not familiar to me. A few days ago I purchased Nonsuch, Apple Venus 1 and 2. So, they'll be under heavy listening in next weeks.

"The Dukes of Stratosphear (25 O'clock) sounds to me like a psychedelic version of The Beatles :) " A quote from Päivi...

Kari

all of the dukes songs where their approximations of various bands from the kinks to the beach boys and more. and the story behind the recordings is very interesting too.

http://chalkhills.org/articles/Freakbeat1987.html