XTC Skylarking - Better Than You've Ever Heard It

I would imagine that the major improvement will as a result of it being cut as a double LP. Great album though.

Dammit Denis, I want a CD!

Mind you, just about everthing Todd produced tended to be compressed to hell and back. Back in the mid-70s I worked at Lasky's (Oxford Street) and we tool delivery of some dbx companders which, their man reckoned, could even resuscitate Todd's Initiation. So we rigged it all up and tried it out....and yes it did expand the dynamicss but art the expense of some fairly horrid breathing artifacts. Ah well.

Gary,

I'm sure that Old CD Technology will be catered for

You can't beat the old Resurrection Shuffle on these new fangled gramophones

Forgive me if I'm being stupid here, but doesn't this mean anyone could hear it the way it should sound just by swapping their speaker plugs so both speakers are out of phase?

Phil (who thinks XTC are the most under-appreciated band in the world)

Phil,

yes that's correct. In nay case, most loudspeakers (and systems in fact) are all-over-the-place as far as phase wrt frequency is concerned (Quad 63's excepted), so swapping the cables around leads to 'phase-different' rather 'phase-correct'.

Still, its an excellent record!

Martin

quote:

Phil (who thinks XTC are the most under-appreciated band in the world)

....But that's what has kept them rather special....Apple Venus Vol 1. is a work of absolute genius in my view.

G

quote:

Originally posted by Graeme Hutton:

quote:

Phil (who thinks XTC are the most under-appreciated band in the world)

....But that's what has kept them rather special....Apple Venus Vol 1. is a work of absolute genius in my view.

G

I'd whole-heartedly agree with both statements, though it's so frustrating that (apparently) Andy was so disappointed by sales of Apple Venus that he drew a line under the band.

Not helped, of course, by falling out with Dave Gregory...and then making up with him only for Colin Moulding to quit music (apparently he doesn't even listen to it!). Moulding and Partridge are at least now communicating again though both aver that XTC are an ex-band. Very sad.

Fuzzy Warbles has been nice, but no substitute for a proper album, whether from Partridge or XTC.

<sniffle>

For a pretty good "XTC substitute", check out Pugwash, if you haven't already. There is some input into from Dave Gregory. Quite reminiscent of the Skylarking era, so it may not float your boat if you prefer the earlier, more punky side of XTC.
Matt.

Agreed. But what frustrates me is that, knowing Mr Partridge's fecundity, there must be a mountain of good tunes just waiting to be relesed.

When I stumbled on the Ape House last year, I discovered The Milk & Honey Band. "Led by singer/guitarist Robert White they create a beautiful amalgam of acoustically driven, sun-soaked pop combined with an enchanting melancholia, by turns wistful, melodic and timeless". Only Crumbs vol 1 is missing from my purchases.

The new album release is called in colour, sample tracks here

It is to be a download-only album but there are going to be 300 actual physical copies of the album which will be numbered and given away free to the first 300 people who download the album from APE.

Here is an updated TMHB site.

Denis

I was in the Beehive in Swindon a few weeks ago to see David Celia's band (great songwriter), and noticed lurkinbg behind me - Andy Partridge and Barry Andrews! Having seen Dave Gregory's band Tin Spirits a few months ago (fantastic prog meets XTC sound), it would be great to think a reunion could be on the cards....

XTC Skylarking Vinyl Update

As I type XTC's classic album SKYLARKING is being test pressed for our approval and we are very excited for several reasons. During the course of this beautiful remastering job by legendary mastering engineer John Dent it was discovered that an error in the original mix chain had imparted all previous CD's and vinyls of the album with the unfortunate flaw of being out of polarity.In a nutshell this means that sounds that should have been pushing from your speakers where actually pulling them in to play out of the back more than the front!?!. John has thankfully corrected this undetected error and we can tell you that this stunning cut of the album is about 30% better sounding than any previously heard.

Not only that. We are spreading the album over two discs, why? Because it will sound much richer and warmer than cramming it on to one disc, as per the original. We are also cutting at 45 rpm and not 33rpm, why? Because this will make the high end clearer and smoother. This will sound like never before, we've heard it it and can attest to that fact. Also tracks that got lost in the shuffle between the UK and US versions will be reinstated, both Dear God and Mermaid Smiled are in their proper places at last.

There's more, ...we are packaging it in the original sleeve. No, that's not the last minute Virgin replacement, the only one you've known. This is THE ORIGINAL artwork that the band planned and Virgin banned. You'll be able to get a standard card gatefold double, or a deluxe version in a board book format with copious notes from Andy and Colin, original sketches, lyrics and photographs. The choice will be yours to suit your budget. These will be beautiful packages, the clothing this acknowledged all time great album deserves.

We'll keep you informed shortly as to release dates and ordering info. Stick around.

While we're on the subject of Andy Partridge...



This is rather good, though not in the regular Partridge style. It's a series of 12 abstract pieces, very much in the vein of the soundtrack of Forbidden Planet - very atmospheric despite the lack of anything vaguely resembling a tune.

It's not cheap either, but hey it's signed in gold by Andy :-)