like people were saying, they do seem somewhat unusual for a band who released so many albums over so long a period of time that the last third of their catalogue is not post peak mediocre stuff that gets described as 'surprising good' in reviews, REM in the '00s type stuff
― Angel Brain (soref), Wednesday, 1 October 2014 16:42 (nine years ago) link
I felt I maybe shouldn't vote for any Fuzzy Warbles stuff because I still haven't actually heard all of them (I wanted to! but, god, he just kept releasing those things and I ran out of money), there are a couple of songs from the early volumes that I'm going to have to include though. For those who have heard all of the Fuzzy Warbles albums, did the quality stay consistent or were they front loaded with the good stuff in your opinion?
― Angel Brain (soref), Wednesday, 1 October 2014 16:53 (nine years ago) link
I got them all (eventually) and then there's gems scattered throughout. The way the volumes are assembled with no rhyme or reason, no chronology, etc. is kind of irritating. These days I just have them all as a single album and sort them by year recorded in iTunes.
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 1 October 2014 16:55 (nine years ago) link
11. REM Producer Enquiry – 2:36
^intrigued by this track title from vol 8
― Angel Brain (soref), Wednesday, 1 October 2014 16:59 (nine years ago) link
Best/recommended listening Fuzzy Warbles tracks that are not demos of officially released songs:
Ship Trapped in the IceYoung MarriedsYoung Cleopatra (maybe Partridge's most er troubling lyric but damn what a tune)Wonder AnnualDame FortuneEverything'll Be Allright (ridiculous but great children's song)It's Snowing AngelsThis is the EndI Don't Want to Be HereSonic BoomI'm UnbecomeAutumn Comes Around
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 1 October 2014 17:00 (nine years ago) link
REM Producer Enquiry is a clattery mostly-instrumental track (there's some chattering about REM from Andy that sounds like its from a phone message or something) with a bunch of overdubbed jangly guitar parts
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 1 October 2014 17:03 (nine years ago) link
oo forgot When We Get to England from Fuzzy Warbles
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 1 October 2014 17:19 (nine years ago) link
Fuzzy Warbles is definitely worth it for fans of Andy's songwriting. I'd say each volume has about 5 or 6 great completely unreleased songs. The demos are fun but admittedly not something I listen to often.
X-postAlso the Bland Leading the Bland, Obscene Procession, Through Electric Gardens, Tiny Circus of Life, lots more...
― ColinO, Wednesday, 1 October 2014 17:23 (nine years ago) link
yeah I'm not particularly fond of any of those (Obscene Procession has its virtues)
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 1 October 2014 17:25 (nine years ago) link
Also "The End", "The End Of The Pier" and "My Land Is Burning".
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Thursday, 2 October 2014 01:19 (nine years ago) link
And the b-sides like "Chain Of Command", holy crap. Or "Extrovert". Or "Red Brick Dreams". Or or or...
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Thursday, 2 October 2014 01:20 (nine years ago) link
main reason I wanted to do this poll is that opinions about their catalog are all over the map. Unlike a lot of other artist-polls I expect this to be pretty unpredictable.― Οὖτις
― Οὖτις
I was really active on the XTC forum while it lasted and I was always amazed by the diversity of the forumites. People who came from the punk/indie underground world, people who came from the 10CC/Steely Dan muso axis, pop fans, rock fans... even people who weren't much into music but were really into XTC.
― hardcore dilettante, Thursday, 2 October 2014 01:49 (nine years ago) link
Senses might make my ballot, but it won't be near the top.
― it's taco science, but it works like taco magic (WilliamC), Thursday, 2 October 2014 02:12 (nine years ago) link
Yeah, I never understood the adoration of "Senses", it's not even in top songs on English Settlement. It's so much more restrained.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Thursday, 2 October 2014 02:25 (nine years ago) link
twothreefourfive
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, September 29, 2014
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 2 October 2014 02:26 (nine years ago) link
I don't really like 'Senses' very much at all.
― Shepard Toney Album (dog latin), Thursday, 2 October 2014 11:04 (nine years ago) link
I'd like to stan for 'Wrapped In Grey' though. Beautiful song that just manages to rescue itself from mawkish sentiment via sublime execution.
― Shepard Toney Album (dog latin), Thursday, 2 October 2014 11:05 (nine years ago) link
Think I'll end up with a 20 or 25 song ballot - no 'Senses' for meProbably end up repping for the goofy numbers
― nxd, Thursday, 2 October 2014 13:11 (nine years ago) link
per Senses non-voters, I rest my case re: total lack of consensus
― Οὖτις, Thursday, 2 October 2014 15:15 (nine years ago) link
Jason is the Big Pop moment for me on English Settlement
― a drug by the name of WORLD WITHOUT END (Jon Lewis), Thursday, 2 October 2014 15:18 (nine years ago) link
I like Senses, but I can't imagine Nigel not being at least top 2.
― Johnny Fever, Thursday, 2 October 2014 15:28 (nine years ago) link
I've always been meh on nigel
― a drug by the name of WORLD WITHOUT END (Jon Lewis), Thursday, 2 October 2014 15:35 (nine years ago) link
Hey I voted!
― Shepard Toney Album (dog latin), Thursday, 2 October 2014 15:40 (nine years ago) link
5 ballots in already, would seem to indicate this is gonna be a p high turnout
― Οὖτις, Thursday, 2 October 2014 15:48 (nine years ago) link
Just sent you number 6; this was the hardest artist poll to sort by far. 3 of my top 5 songs sound like completely different bands and it's so hard to compare - I've never before thought about which one I liked best. I could have spent all day shifting rankings around but I'm pretty happy with what I landed on.
― Vinnie, Thursday, 2 October 2014 18:31 (nine years ago) link
if anyone votes for "The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead" you'll make an enemy of me.
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 2 October 2014 19:12 (nine years ago) link
aaaaany kind of love is alllriiiight
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Thursday, 2 October 2014 19:19 (nine years ago) link
dw soto its like the worst track on nonsuch
there's competition
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 2 October 2014 19:23 (nine years ago) link
u dissing nonsuch!! o lord
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Thursday, 2 October 2014 19:25 (nine years ago) link
I literally don't think I've heard PP in about a decade, I always just skip straight to My Bird Performs. I remember it felt like it had about 12 verses
― Angel Brain (soref), Thursday, 2 October 2014 19:25 (nine years ago) link
'omnibus' has more ham on its fist than mike tyson but i can't think of any other disasters
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Thursday, 2 October 2014 19:26 (nine years ago) link
there are things I like about it but it's def not their best. terrible video too
worst on Nonsuch is an unpleasant battle. The hamfisted bookends are both contenders.
― Οὖτις, Thursday, 2 October 2014 19:26 (nine years ago) link
booksareburningepicguitarsolo.wav, also gasface
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Thursday, 2 October 2014 19:27 (nine years ago) link
it's the 90's' answer to hotel california
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Thursday, 2 October 2014 19:28 (nine years ago) link
but there was no question asked
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 2 October 2014 19:29 (nine years ago) link
I like "Dear Madam Barnum"
yh apart from PP and omnibus it's a gr8 album & I will vote for loads of its trax
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Thursday, 2 October 2014 19:32 (nine years ago) link
I do wonder if other people have a de facto 15 track Nonsuch that begins with MBP and ends with Bungalow
― Angel Brain (soref), Thursday, 2 October 2014 19:34 (nine years ago) link
did gangsta andy partridge really just give me the gasface
― Οὖτις, Thursday, 2 October 2014 19:34 (nine years ago) link
my version of Nonsuch is 11 tracks - sorry Omnnibus, That Wave, Books are Burning, Bungalow and whatever else I've forgotten and didn't like
― Οὖτις, Thursday, 2 October 2014 19:35 (nine years ago) link
that was pato haha
the one I get into big trouble with is The Smartest Monkeys aka Colin's Best Song *fucking flees*
you hate That Wave????!
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Thursday, 2 October 2014 19:36 (nine years ago) link
*continues fleeing*
yeah I hate the vocal effect on That Wave, the wandering melody, the ugly chords, pretty much everything about it
I do like the Fuzzy Warbles outtake of Andy doing funny voices to it tho
― Οὖτις, Thursday, 2 October 2014 19:38 (nine years ago) link
forgot "The Art Song (Something Good With Your Life)" from Fuzzy Warbles in my recs list upthread. lyric is a bit over the top but good tune overall imo.
― Οὖτις, Thursday, 2 October 2014 19:43 (nine years ago) link
Before buying Nonsuch I knew XTC as the guys who recorded "King For a Day," "Dear God," and "Making Plans for Nigel." It horrified me: "Smartest Monkey," "War Dance," "Then She Appeared," "Holly Up on Poppy," these not particularly winning attempts at Beatles and Rundgren-esque pop.
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 2 October 2014 19:47 (nine years ago) link
Ugh war dance and smartest monkeys...
I like then she appeared tho
― Οὖτις, Thursday, 2 October 2014 19:57 (nine years ago) link
yea Smartest Monkeys fucking SUCKS
― MaresNest, Thursday, 2 October 2014 20:13 (nine years ago) link
one poll to divide them
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Thursday, 2 October 2014 20:14 (nine years ago) link
Only kidding, but I don't think it's worthy of that epic breakdown that you wrote LJ :)
― MaresNest, Thursday, 2 October 2014 20:17 (nine years ago) link