•
Rating: XTC reminds me a lot of that Lucy in the sky with diamonds (L.S.D.) by the Beatles, which was heavily criticized for its strange wordplay, as it is pronounced "ecstasy". This somewhat connects the two bands; essential groups, each in their own way, from their respective eras, loved by fans and hated by rival groups for the success they achieved.
Formed by Andy Partridge (guitar, vocals, keyboards), Colin Moulding (bass and vocals), Terry Chambers (drums), and Barry Andrews (keyboards) who was later removed from the band, they immediately stand out as original and unique, like few groups in the New Wave (one of my favorite genres along with my beloved psychedelia).
In 1978 for Virgin (the ubiquitous New Wave label), this debut album by the band came out: "White Music", a brilliant example of pop-punk, different from subsequent albums, less polished, less sugary (though less beautiful), a great example of late '70s music. The album opens with "Radios In Motion", pulsating bass, scratching guitar, Partridge's shouts and a spectacular chorus... mix well... MASTERPIECE! Great excitement courses through your veins, pure elation or happiness for having picked the right album, a highlight of the record and the band. Following is "Xwires", pure schizophrenia, progressive trills (with all due respect to progressive), a P.I.L. composition based on the madness of various sounds that managed to escape, despite the shackles, from Moulding's mentality. "This Is Pop" is another exhilarating classic, already similar to future tracks, melodic and hard at the same time, a good balance in the album. "Do What You Do" is a chess game between the keyboard and the persistent kindergarten chant... piripiri.... bum bum bum... how talented they are! (excuse my advanced insanity).
"Statue Of Liberty" is a great composition worthy of the best Partridge, punk vocals with a commercial chorus like... ohohohhhhhh! Great keyboard solo, very simple but effective, strange piece, I like it... The first side concludes with the strange version of "All Along The Watch Tower", a splendid bassline competing to be heard more than the harmonica, Partridge here surpasses himself demonstrating his vocal skills!!! (everyone can interpret this as they like!). "Atom Age" opens the second side, the most representative piece of the album even if not the best, the strange harmony between punk and pop is clearly noticeable, surprising with each listening. "Set My Self On Fire" would fit well on the Clash's 'London Calling' if not for the vocals, perhaps the weakest track. "I'm Bugged" proves that keyboards fit well in XTC, adding an extra touch of mental insanity, second only to Devo (legendary and unbeatable!!!)... Mongoloid mongoloid.. (sorry again). "New Town Animal" is another rhythmic jump typical of the album, always pleasant. "Spinning Top" has a Jazz feel, perhaps due to the guitar and keyboard (it's my useless impression). The album concludes with "Neon Shuffle", great bass and guitar lines for a Beach Boys sound combined with Devo... what a blast!!!
Anyway, read the reviews of 'Drums and Wires', 'English Settlement', and 'Black Sea' which are their best albums!
Greetings from Psychobonco!!!
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Radios in Motion (02:54)
There's a message up in China
That they getting in Japan
Bouncing off an ocean liner
Make em shake em in Siam
All the kids are complaining
That there's nowhere to go
All the kids are complaining
That the songs are too slow
All I'm saying is you're deaf
To the fact that there's....
Radios in motion
Atmosphere to ocean
Radios in motion
Gets you out of your red white and blues
When we move then so do you'se
There's a message in Milwaukee
That they getting in Moscow
Everybody walkie talkie
Everybody learning how
All the kids are complaining etc....
03 This Is Pop (02:41)
In a milk bar and feeling lost
Drinking sodas as cold as frost
Someone leans in my direction
Quizzing on my juke-box selection
What do you call that noise
That you put on?
This is pop
Yeah Yeah
This is!
On a walkway and moving fast
All I get is transistor blast
Someone leans in my direction
Quizzing on my station selection
What do you call that noise
That you put on?
This is pop
Yeah yeah
This is!
We come the wrong way
We come the long way
We play the songs much too loud
This is pop
Yeah yeah
05 Statue of Liberty (02:54)
The first time I saw you standing in the water
You must have been all of a thousand feet tall
Nearly naked, unashamed like Herod's daughter
Your love was so big it made New York look small
You've been the subject of so many dreams
Since I climbed your torso
Oh, my statue of liberty, boo-boo
Impaled on your hair, what do you do-do-do to me, boo-boo
I leaned right over to kiss your stoney book
A little jealous of the ships with whom you flirt
A billion lovers with their cameras stop to look
And in my fantasy I sail beneath your skirt
You've been the subject of so many dreams
Since I climbed your torso
Oh, my statue of liberty, boo-boo
Impaled on your hair, what do you do-do-do to me, boo-boo
Say
Pop me
Oh, my statue of liberty, boo-boo
Impaled on your hair, what do you do-do-do to me, boo-boo
Say, oh, my statue of liberty, boo-boo
Impaled on your hair, what do you do-do-do to me, boo-boo
Liberty
Liberty
Liberty
06 All Along the Watchtower (05:42)
"There must be some way out of here," said the joker to the thief,
"There's too much confusion, I can't get no relief.
Businessmen, they drink my wine, plowmen dig my earth,
None of them along the line know what any of it is worth."
"No reason to get excited," the thief, he kindly spoke,
"There are many here among us who feel that life is but a joke
But you and I, we've been through that, and this is not our fate,
So let us not talk falsely now, the hour is getting late."
All along the watchtower, princes kept the view
While all the women came and went, barefoot servants, too
Outside in the distance a wildcat did growl,
Two riders were approaching, the wind began to howl
07 Into the Atom Age (02:33)
I'm heading into the atom age
My contemporary house is all the rage
My wife's getting lazy going gadget crazy
Wants a pallette shaped coffee table and a matching settee
I'm heading into the atom age
My kids have gone obscene want to marry at fourteen
Want a pallette shaped coffee table and a matching settee
I'm heading into the atom age
I flick on the video to soothe me
It's better colour than the real thing!
I relax to a three D porno movie
Hey does anyone remember whatever happened to string?
I'm heading into the atom age
10 New Town Animal in a Furnished Cage (01:53)
I think my watch has bust and so has time
I borrowed all my love so nothings mine
There's nothing decent on the TV page
Like a new town animal in a furnished cage
It's gone eleven and the bar is shut
I'm sitting waiting like a real good mutt
I watch TV with an actor's rage
Like a new town animal in a furnished cage
11 Spinning Top (02:40)
I'm like a spinning top
Going round and around
Well I don't know what's up
And I sure don't know what's down
Now watch me - I'm like a spinning top
Can't tell day from night
Well I don't know what's wrong
And I sure don't know what's right
Now watch me
It started when I heard your song of love
Pouring down like honey from above
I started to spin
I started to move
Just like a needle
That's sticking in the same old groove
I'm like a spinning top
I like it so much I'm never going to stop
12 Neon Shuffle (04:28)
Hey - what you going to do now
You're standing there and wondering how
You've got to make some noise
Just like one of the girls
Or even one of the boys
When you do it
It ain't no disgrace
I can see it written all across your face
Neon Shuffle and shuffle into Outer Space
I said - Neon Shuffle is a dance for the human race
I said - Neon Shuffle is gonna pull you outta your place
You - you put your hands together
Better make up a storm
Or some electricky weather
Now that the power's stop
Can you click your heels
Can you finger pop
Neon Shuffle
Neon Shuffle it's going to do it to me
Neon Shuffle it's going to do it to you
Neon Shuffle it's going to do it with red
Neon Shuffle it's going to do it with blue
Neon Shuffle it's going to run you right through
Neon Shuffle with a stick of bamboo
Loading comments slowly
