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
haha oh god there turned out to be like 16 reasons why it was a great song, none of which anyone else agreed with :D
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Thursday, 2 October 2014 20:18 (nine years ago) link
Well, not all 16 at least
― MaresNest, Thursday, 2 October 2014 20:21 (nine years ago) link
think i lost everyone at SIREN
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Thursday, 2 October 2014 20:22 (nine years ago) link
Moulding's writing is my biggest problem with Nonsuch - My Bird Performs is fine, but his other three songs are sub-par. I like the solo on Smartest Monkeys though; that partly redeems it for me.
― funk79, Thursday, 2 October 2014 20:42 (nine years ago) link
first 40-entry ballot received do I hear 50, 50...?
― Οὖτις, Thursday, 2 October 2014 20:46 (nine years ago) link
What would win a worst-of poll? Fruit Nut?
― cc: Peniston (Paul in Santa Cruz), Thursday, 2 October 2014 21:03 (nine years ago) link
NO
― Angel Brain (soref), Thursday, 2 October 2014 21:04 (nine years ago) link
Fruit Nut is great
i'm the man who murdered love, probably. not my worst but it drives everyone sick with loathing
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Thursday, 2 October 2014 21:04 (nine years ago) link
I really dislike Church of Women
― Angel Brain (soref), Thursday, 2 October 2014 21:08 (nine years ago) link
it's a gorgeous song, even if the lyrics are a biiiiiit embarrassing
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Thursday, 2 October 2014 21:10 (nine years ago) link
like/love all these songs
see what I mean?
these poll results are going to enrage so many lol
― Οὖτις, Thursday, 2 October 2014 21:16 (nine years ago) link
The one about hairy backs
― MaresNest, Thursday, 2 October 2014 21:19 (nine years ago) link
the bridge between the verse and the chorus is pretty, but yes it's more about the lyrics, esp as they put more bluntly something present in other XTC songs that I like more where this sentiment is maybe easier to ignore/go along with? xp
― Angel Brain (soref), Thursday, 2 October 2014 21:19 (nine years ago) link
Nonsuch is their first record to be 50% clunkers, it was hella dispiriting at the time. But I mean fuck it my man Robyn has made so many 50% bad 50% awesome albums by this point.
I'm willing to relisten to everything except wasp star for this poll...
― a drug by the name of WORLD WITHOUT END (Jon Lewis), Thursday, 2 October 2014 21:20 (nine years ago) link
there is some great stuff on Wasp Star, as noted already
― Οὖτις, Thursday, 2 October 2014 21:21 (nine years ago) link
I did think, while clicking Submit, that someone will love Fruit Nut. Your [Angel Brain's) "less overlap on people's choices than most ilm polls" remark is holding up…
― cc: Peniston (Paul in Santa Cruz), Thursday, 2 October 2014 21:22 (nine years ago) link
The utterly heart melting middle eight in Harvest Festival makes up for a lot of the awkward middle age music, but only just.
― MaresNest, Thursday, 2 October 2014 21:24 (nine years ago) link
most of apple venus 1 is awesome
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Thursday, 2 October 2014 21:25 (nine years ago) link
I like all of those Colin songs on the the last two albums about being a boring middle aged person, they are a nice contrast with stuff like Greenman and I Can't Own Her on Apple Venus vol 1 especially
― Angel Brain (soref), Thursday, 2 October 2014 21:25 (nine years ago) link
harvest festival is one of partridge's best lyrics
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Thursday, 2 October 2014 21:26 (nine years ago) link
boarded up is one of the best songs on wasp star and proof that colin could still do it when he got pissed off enough
xp ha, I wrote that before i saw MaresnNest's ref to 'awkward middle age music'
― Angel Brain (soref), Thursday, 2 October 2014 21:26 (nine years ago) link
I think maybe soref and I have crossed swords about this before, but to me Moulding's quotidian preferences ruined the last couple of records. XTC music isn't supposed to be brown, in my humble.
― MaresNest, Thursday, 2 October 2014 21:28 (nine years ago) link
I think In Another Life might be my favourite song on Wasp Star, maybe even above The Wheel and the Maypole
― Angel Brain (soref), Thursday, 2 October 2014 21:29 (nine years ago) link
agree on this one
― Οὖτις, Thursday, 2 October 2014 21:29 (nine years ago) link
Partridge can be as equally middle agey, but at least he makes the effort to sound like a Move B-side while he does it.
― MaresNest, Thursday, 2 October 2014 21:31 (nine years ago) link
I will retain my usual passive-aggressive, over compensating Mummer stan for this poll.
― MaresNest, Thursday, 2 October 2014 21:32 (nine years ago) link
partridge wasn't all boxes of fireworks! cf 'the somnambulist'
― Ƹ༑Ʒ (imago), Thursday, 2 October 2014 21:32 (nine years ago) link
self consciously quotidian? isn't there something in one of the books about Moulding finding the idea of being a 40 something rock musician horribly embarrassing, and the style he adopted on the last two records a result of him trying to find an age-appropiate schtick?
― Angel Brain (soref), Thursday, 2 October 2014 21:33 (nine years ago) link