XTC Album: “Transistor Blast: The Best of the BBC Sessions”

For any long-time XTC fans who are wondering about their 'live-playing' days but never had a chance to see them perform, CDs 3 and 4 provide the answer. CD3, from the early Barry Andrews days, is an engaging blast of colorful, carnival energy. These early songs, soaring with fast-paced goofiness, but lacking in the maturity that the group began to develop with 'Drums and Wires', require and thrive on that energy. CD4 combines the live energy with improved musicianship and Colin Moulding and Andy Partridge's maturing songwriting skills that developed after the arrival of Dave Gregory. Overall it seems to me that XTC was indeed an excellent live act, despite Partridge's many remarks since stating the contrary. As far as the BBC studio outtakes, I find many of them to be relatively flat and lacking compared with the original album versions - which goes to show that some of the production values and studio effects put into albums like 'English Settlement' and 'Oranges and Lemons' were not for naught.

The best of XTC's BBC sessions in a stunning package - what more can you ask? A must have for every fan

Unfortunately, before "Drums and Wires", XTC's first two records ("White Music" and "Go 2")were bouncy, somewhat disoriented, synth new-wave music. It sounded like a good idea at the time, but the new-wave sound has not held up well over time, which is what burdens an otherwise interesting document on the career of one of pop music's most interesting and continually evolving bands. Even XTC themselves must have realized their early sound was going nowhere fast and replaced the synthesizer with a guitar in 1979. The result was a decade of satisfying and consistently catchy and intelligent records. What makes this box set essential, of course, is the live music, a rarity since XTC has not toured in nearly 20 years. For the uninitiated, the "Upsy Daisy Assortment" is the place to start.