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Forums > Music: Non-Prince > XTC's classic album, Skylarking.
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Thread started 08/14/06 1:39pm

2freaky4church
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XTC's classic album, Skylarking.

Now this is what fine pop should sound like. Prince take some notes.

http://music.barnesandnob...024&ITM=10


One of the classic albums of the 80's, to be sure. The Beatles flavor, as if Lennon didn't need to be in the band. The music is precise and masterfull, very Paradelike in scope. Wish more music packed this kind of punch. Too bad, actually. I wish the ninnies would tour.
All you others say Hell Yea!! woot!
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Reply #1 posted 08/14/06 1:47pm

Graycap23

2freaky4church1 said:

Now this is what fine pop should sound like. Prince take some notes.

http://music.barnesandnob...024&ITM=10


One of the classic albums of the 80's, to be sure. The Beatles flavor, as if Lennon didn't need to be in the band. The music is precise and masterfull, very Paradelike in scope. Wish more music packed this kind of punch. Too bad, actually. I wish the ninnies would tour.



Lol.....Prince take notes? U must be kidding.
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Reply #2 posted 08/14/06 2:01pm

theAudience

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2freaky4church1 said:

One of the classic albums of the 80's, to be sure. The Beatles flavor, as if Lennon didn't need to be in the band.

I hear you.

One of the few 80s bands that got branded as New Wave that were light years beyond the genre.

paligap will be around to give you chapter and verse on these dudes i'm sure. wink


tA

peace Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431
"Ya see, we're not interested in what you know...but what you are willing to learn. C'mon y'all."
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Reply #3 posted 08/14/06 2:13pm

2freaky4church
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And, don't forget Anx. Graycap needs some schoolin
All you others say Hell Yea!! woot!
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Reply #4 posted 08/14/06 2:29pm

Graycap23

2freaky4church1 said:

And, don't forget Anx. Graycap needs some schoolin


The master doesn't take notes. He gives them.
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Reply #5 posted 08/14/06 2:39pm

NDRU

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2freaky4church1 said:

Now this is what fine pop should sound like. Prince take some notes.

http://music.barnesandnob...024&ITM=10


The Beatles flavor, as if Lennon didn't need to be in the band.


Does this mean it's like non-Lennon Beatles (ie McCartney), or that they managed to do some of the same kind of stuff Lennon did?
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Reply #6 posted 08/14/06 2:45pm

paligap

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...
biggrin


Great album!!!!!




biggrin


I used to label XTC as "The Greatest Band You'll Never See (Since Steely Dan tours now)".....


but yeah, I think "Skylarking" and "English Settlement" are their finest hours, but I love everything from "Black Sea" on forward....at their best, they spanned the entire spectrum of Pop Music. You'd eventually hear, Rock, Beatle-esque Psychedelica, Ska, Jazz, soka, Acid, world-beat, Power-Pop, orchestral movements, and whatever else in their increasingly varied, multi-layered albums...

Todd Rundgren played a big part in the sound of "Skylarking", although he and Andy Partridge were at odds for most of the sessions...I wish they did battle more often, lol!!

btw, speaking of Steely Dan,...Dave Gregory, the former multi-instrumentalist of XTC once noted, " I learned more from listening to Donald Fagen and Stevie Wonder than I did from my years at Music school..."







...
[Edited 8/14/06 16:16pm]
" I've got six things on my mind --you're no longer one of them." - Paddy McAloon, Prefab Sprout
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Reply #7 posted 08/14/06 2:46pm

medoc2003

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skylarking is definitely a great album, well crafted, but my favorite is black sea.

and they did tour for a couple of years. i saw them in april 1981 at the agora ballroom in atlanta.
------------------------------------------------
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Reply #8 posted 08/14/06 2:49pm

paligap

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medoc2003 said:

skylarking is definitely a great album, well crafted, but my favorite is black sea.

and they did tour for a couple of years. i saw them in april 1981 at the agora ballroom in atlanta.



it's stuff like "Travels in Nihilon" and "Living through Another Cuba" that made me go find out who these guys were...



...
[Edited 8/14/06 14:49pm]
" I've got six things on my mind --you're no longer one of them." - Paddy McAloon, Prefab Sprout
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Reply #9 posted 08/14/06 2:55pm

paligap

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medoc2003 said:



and they did tour for a couple of years. i saw them in april 1981 at the agora ballroom in atlanta.



Yeah they were cool till Andy started getting stage fright...I mentioned that Steely Dan title, cause Donald and Walter pulled the same thing, they toured up through '74, then decided it was too much, at least until '93, when they came out of hiding, lol ...


...
" I've got six things on my mind --you're no longer one of them." - Paddy McAloon, Prefab Sprout
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Reply #10 posted 08/14/06 4:04pm

jn2

first half of the album is fantastic the rest is "just" great.
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Reply #11 posted 08/14/06 5:04pm

damosuzuki

2freaky4church1 said:

The Beatles flavor, as if Lennon didn't need to be in the band.


You stole that line from Bob Christgau's review!

That's Ok though, it's a proper insight and this is a great album. It's probably the only XTC album I really love from beginning to end. Not to say that I don't like their other albums, but all the other ones I've heard seem to have a fair amount of fat on them.

I actually prefer the album without Dear God on it. I like that song well enough, but I think it's sour tone is kinda out of place with the rest of the album.
[Edited 8/14/06 17:15pm]
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Reply #12 posted 08/14/06 5:19pm

brownsugar

its been a long time since i've listened to this band. i forgot all about them. i really liked the oranges and lemons album.
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Reply #13 posted 08/14/06 5:26pm

paligap

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damosuzuki said:



I actually prefer the album without Dear God on it. I like that song well enough, but I think it's sour tone is kinda out of place with the rest of the album.



I agree! It wasn't on the original pressings, and Andy Partridge never wanted it to be included as part of the album, anyway....

Plus, when the US versions added it , they originally took off Mermaid Smiled, one of my favorites!!! mad


...
" I've got six things on my mind --you're no longer one of them." - Paddy McAloon, Prefab Sprout
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