d o m

Seven long years. Yes, Andy Partridge decided that enough was enough (and make no mistake about it, it was Partridge who kept XTC out of the spotlight, not Colin Moulding or Virgin records), and took his right foot out of the major label doldrums, shaking all about for the duration. And he gave us this. And it was good. For those of you with an eye for melodrama, XTC's story is actually quite boring - band signs their soul away to Virgin, makes good music but flops commercially, stops touring, hacks away at album after album of progressive pop, and finally decides to sweat it out and strike until they're treated better by their record label. You know, the one that financed all their albums, and only asked them to tour a little to pay them back. Anyways, I won't take it personally if you don't. In any case, for all the band's unfortunate obstinance, they are arguably the greatest classic pop writers in the Western world, and in this "comeback" effort, put on a soft-souled-shoe of firework of a record. Of course, the star is Partridge, and his best music here ("Easter Theater," "Harvest Festival," "River of Orchids") is one part whimsy, one part whistfulness, and several pints of airtight craft. Nobody writes middle eights anymore but old homebodies like Partridge, and he writes 'em as good as anyone ever did. Yes, the simple fact is that you can't just call this guy a Beatles-hack anymore. He really does live up to the hype, unlike virtual cover artists like Elliott Smith, Sean O'Hagan, and the godforsaken Elvis Costello (aka, "The British Springsteen"). Even more surprising is that on Apple Venus 1, he seems to have gotten over that pesky need to spruce up his arrangements with atonal guitar solos and punchy Middle Eastern beats. It all goes down smooth as Pepto, and far be it from me not to congratulate the guy on his newfound peace of mind. Colin, on the other hand, sounds like he's got one foot in the grave. "Frivolous Tonight"? "Fruit Nut"?? Not to say these aren't pleasant in their way, but there comes a point when soft rock becomes background music, and when background music becomes harmonius porridge, and when harmonius porridge becomes old and sticky, and when old and sticky porridge becomes just a big gooey mess, and it just makes me crazy that this was the same guy who wrote "Grass" and "Wake Up"! Anyways, despite Moulding's efforts to turn this into a wake, the album as a whole stands up very nicely to others in XTC's canon. Just think of it as a calmer, gentler XTC — the much better version of Mummer, if you will. A simple delight. review by Dominique Leone — 8-3-00 —

n i c k

The 1990s had not been very kind to XTC. The band had been through much personal trauma, an acrimonious split with their record company, Virgin, and the loss of lead guitarist David Gregory. Such misfortune would have killed most bands; however, XTC bounced back with what is perhaps the best album of their career. Billed as XTC's "orchestral" album, the writing on Apple Venus avoids bombast in favor of subtle shading and unique arrangements that suit each track. Primary songwriter Andy Partridge avoids self pity for the most part and continues in the pastoral vein of Nonsuch. Apple Venus leads off with "River of Orchids": beginning with spare, pointillistic pizzacati, the track builds intesity with the layering of repeated motives and vocals to a rousing conclusion. The other orchestral tracks follow a similar formula, the most successful being "Easter Theatre" featuring some lovely Yes-style vocal harmonies. The guitar work has not suffered one bit since David Gregory left; it is indeed subtle and imaginative. Also notable on Apple Venus is the mild use of dissonance, giving the album a slightly experimental feel. The more melancholic side of XTC is represented in the acoustic ballads such as "Knights in Shining Karma." Only on the track "Your Dictionary," a hate letter presumably addressed to Partridge's ex-wife, does the album become downright maudlin. Overall, an excellent listening experience and almost a masterpiece. review by Nick Paluzzi — 12-20-03 —

b r a n d o n

XTC's first album in seven years doesn't disappoint. The usual disclaimer applies again: while this band isn't prog, they definitely will appeal to some prog fans. This album especially has very, very lush arrangements, nice orchestral accents, and a very full, professional production. Those turned off by Brit-pop a la the Beatles won't like this album, but then again they probably have already been warned off of XTC. In any case, Apple Venus is full of upbeat, catchy melodies, wonderful acoustic instrumental backings, and the vocals of Partridge and Moulding. Highlights include "River of Orchids," which opens with an irrestible array of plucked acoustic string instruments soon joined by trumpet and vocals, and eventually turns into perhaps the best piece on the album. "Green Man" is another highlight — heavily orchestrated, with a great full sound. The second half of the album is sort of a letdown, with a couple of downright tedious songs, but the first half is so tasty that I'd still have to rate this album as quite a success. Amazon calls it a "festival of symphonic excess" (that's from a very positive review, by the way) — how's that for the prog-appeal element? review by Brandon Wu — 2-7-01 —