XTC: English Settlement: Deluxe Edition Box Set (Ape House/2016)

XTC were one of the most important, influential and experimental bands to come out of the UK Punk/New Wave movement. For the last few years they've been releasing definitive, deluxe versions of their albums (both on Blu Ray and on Vinyl). Last Summer yielded vinyl releases of both English Settlement and Skylarking. English Settlement is easily on of the bands' best albums; "Senses Working Overtime", "Ball & Chain" and "No Thugs In Our House" were the singles. Noteworthy album tracks include: "Jason And The Argonauts", "Melt The Guns" and "English Roundabout". The band has an easy confidence to their playing and sound at the top of their game.

As far as definitive vinyl box sets go, it doesn't get much better than this.
Double album on 200 gram vinyl, a CD flat master of the album, a sixteen-page booklet with very detailed liner notes written by all four members of the band, and lyrics for all songs. The audio source is the original half-inch masters.

Very highly recommended to fans of XTC and to anyone not familiar with the band; do yourself a favor and check out this album, Black Sea and/or Drums And Wires.

Here's the video review:


Special Thanks to: Dave Rerecich of TeeVee Games.

Barry Andrews: Town And Country EP (Virgin/1979)

Barry Andrews was the keyboard player for XTC from 1976 to 1979. He appeared on one EP (The
3-D EP), two albums (White Music and Go 2) and four singles. He was largely responsible the band's whimsical funhouse sound. He quickly grew tired of being a third wheel to dominant composers Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding. Virgin Records however loved his contributions to the band and upon leaving XTC released his first three solo singles. The first of these was the Town And Country EP which was released in May of 1979.

It contains some of Barry's whizzing organs and keyboards albeit in an understated way than on his records with XTC. Colin Moulding is the bassist on the EP which features an outtake from Go 2, “Sargasso Bar”. “Me And My Mate Can Sing” is perhaps the records' catchy stand-out track and appears to reference groupies or hanger-ons. “ Mousetrap” and “Bring On The Alligators” are measured, punky, cockney mini-rave-ups.

The EP was produced by Martin Rushent (who had produced XTC's “Are You Receiving Me” single) and engineered by Hugh Padgham (who later engineered XTC's Drums & Wires and Black Sea albums). I personally like it as it fills a gap between Barry in XTC and his time in the bands Resurant For Dogs, The League Of Gentleman and his formation of Shriekback with Dave Allen of Gang Of Four.

For fans of XTC and Shriekback or late 70's Post Punk.


Here's The Video Review: