Apple Venus volume 1 by XTC

XTC were always one of the more interesting bands of the late 70s and early 80s, with a distinctive sound bringing elements of English folk music alongside new wave beats. However, frontman Andy Partridge suffered from crippling stage fright so they gave up touring and became a studio band, with releases becoming infrequent.

This album appeared in 1999 after a seven year break and led to long time guitarist Dave Gregory leaving the band for personal reasons during a protracted recording process. Andy Partridge is clearly aiming for a sound somewhere between the Beatles and the Beachboys with harmonies and orchestral arrangements recorded at Abbey Road, but it ends up more like one of Paul McCartney’s more disappointing solo efforts from the 90s.

I’m not sure that even Macca would have tried getting away with lyrics like “as high as a very high thing” or singing about brown nipples. The song Your Dictionary also comes across as a rather petty and bitter response to Partidge’s recent divorce.

In words of the Chernobyl plant manager, this album is not great, but not terrible.

3.6 Roentgens-tastic!