Disco de XTC: “Wasp Star (Apple Venus, Pt. 2)”

After being "on strike" from their contract with Virgin for about seven years, this band finally came back with two releases in quick succession. I was disappointed with the pastoral, orchestral extravaganza that was Apple Venus vol.1, but perhaps that was just because I was expecting a continuation of the pop tradition of previous albums. Vol.2 or "Wasp Star" restores my faith. If you liked "Nonsuch" and "Oranges and Lemons" you will also love this. It is the most accessable thing they have ever done and it is instantly likeable.

In fact, it is SO instantly likeable that there is a danger that after hearing it only twice, you will start skipping tracks because your mind is going "Yeah, I love this but I know how it goes..." in the way you might skip an old Beatles classic. However this, like the Beatles, is not "disposable pop" -- each song is a melodic lolly you can enjoy over and over again, each time you can suck out a new nuance of pop flavour that you may not have noticed the first time around. There are hooks galore in these songs, and they get their hooks into you nice and early.

When I say "they" what I really mean is just two guys: Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding. Dave Gregory quit during Apple Venus vol.1. Hence we are left only with the two songwiters who were with the band since it's inception. They haven't played live for over twenty years, so can we really call them a "band" anymore? It's just two songwriters pissing about in the studio with the occasional studio musician. In regards to the way they work, they are now the British equivalent to Steely Dan. Same thing across the Atlantic: Walter Becker and Donald Fagan, reclusive studio freaks. The similarity is only in the WAY they work, not the end result, for there is no musical similarity (except maybe "Standing in for Joe" ;-) and they don't share writing credit either. So "XTC" is now just a recording banner, a "brand name" -- but it is a good brand, and I love their product.

"Playground" -- opens with a strong riff (you'll get that in track two, too!), and explores the same theme he so eloquently summed up in his hit "Senses Working Overtime". "You may leave school but it never leaves you..." he sings. Except now he's an "old" man, and his teenage daughter is singing the backing vocals.

"Stupidly Happy" is built on a repetitive Stones-like riff and is highly infectious. A happy virus that you think you have kicked after two listens but, the next day you will re-catch it. It may be "stupid," but spread it around anyway, and make the world a better place. The simplicity of the song is desceptive. The riff repeats over and over for the life of the song, without variation. That's stupid, right? Not really, for all the variation is provided by everything else: the bass line cranks up a cog, introduce another percussive element, the dexterously-placed acoustic guitar arpeggio -- these all come into play along the way to give the song all the color and tone it needs while still being driven along by that one infectious repetitive riff. A cleverly-constructed piece of "stupid" pop by one of the best in the business. One of the best songs in this current offering.

"In Another Life" -- this is the first of Colin's songs for this album, and the lyrics are hilarious. Both these guys have a great sense of humour. And on what other pop CD will you find the main instrument being a harmonium? It sounds delightfully eccentric -- just like these two guys.

"Boarded Up" -- another song from Colin. It's got to be the most "woodiest" sounding track I've ever heard. I can almost smell the maplewood (or whatever)!! It sounds like they are literally banging on a board for percussion. In a sense, thet is exactly what they are doing: they are tapping on the sound-board of an acoustic guitar.

"I'm the Man Who Murdered Love" -- a typically unique point of view from a unique musical mind. Starting with the chorus is a trick invented by the Beatles (on cue, let us sing: "She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah..."). However the other half of the trick would be knowing when to apply it. As one of the best song-craftsmen in the business, AP knows instinctively when to do it, and when not to. Not only is the chorus incredibly catchy, but the opening line (and title) is intrigueing and thus immediately grabs the attention of the listener. However the verses MAKE the song. Without the substance behind the lyrics, this song would be vapid. Indeed, anyone who didn't listen closely and only judged the song on the chorus would soon dismiss this song as trite. It is one thing to come up with an intrigueing title and catchy chorus. The real skill is making it come together with the compelling and perverse logic of the lyrics in each verse. Without that, one would soon tire of the chorus. In lesser hands, this song-idea could have been a dud, but AP wouldn't bother recording it unless he struck just the right balance and placed all components just where they should be. Whether it is a repeated riff ("Stupidly Happy") or a repeated phrase ("I'm the man who murdered love") you've got to listen beyond the desceptive simplicity to appreciate the brilliant songcraft on display here.

"We're All Light" -- you don't hear many songs these days which incorporates the theremin, especially in something which otherwise sounds more conventional. One of the more musically-

sophisticated songs on the album.

"Standing in for Joe" -- Hmmm...he's "playing all the parts," including "switching off the bedroom lights." How kind of him to go out of his way in doing his mate a favour by looking after his girlfriend so attentively --There's Colin's devilish sense of humour again!

"Wounded Horse" -- the result of what happens to the heart of the boyfriend when he finds out what his "mate" has been up to. This is yet another one of Andy's "divorce songs," probably written around the same time as "Your Dictionary" (from "Apple Venus vol.1") and "Young Marrieds" (from "Fuzzy Warbles"). He sings it like he knows what he's talking about. The final horse-like exhale after the completion of the song is typical of their attention to detail in the studio. He will gallop and jump that extra hurdle to get things just right -- I wonder how many takes it took to get "just the right tone" in the exhaled breath.

"You and the Clouds will still be Beautiful" -- Sounds like something Sting would do, only Andy writes a better Sting song than Sting himself!! As musically sophisticated as "We're All Light".

"Church of Women" -- there's that unique point of view popping it's partridge-head up again. Possibly my favourite song on the album. Finally, a sermon I can relate to!! This is one church I'd like to attend. My family will be so pleased that I have finally come back to the fold: "I'm on my knees but dancing..."

"The Wheel and the Maypole" -- Andy always has something special for the last track on an XTC album and this one does not disappoint. A truly strange song. I can't imagine where else they could have put it in the track listing except for here at the end. The maypole spins the wheel of life, life is quite a spin, but in the end we get flung off like a frisbe into the ether! "Everything decays" he sings in a bouncy, joyous tone. He is singing about death and decay in the most uplifting and accepting manner. Accept death and enjoy the spin of life while you are here. The universe itself will die, so don't feel too bad. In it's own way, this is a very life-affirming song, and a very apt and upbeat ending to the album....if not the universe, just yet ;-)

It's inspiring that a couple guys in their mid-40s can deliver material that lives up to the consistent quality of their career, spanning a dozen or so albums going back over 20 years. Though Wasp Star is laden with many excellent songs, I'd give this album 4 stars in the context of XTC's catalog, but I gave it 5 stars since it far outshines must of the pop/rock out there these days. (Of course I'm a biased life-long XTC fan.) My fave tunes after a few listens are "Playground", "Standing in for Joe","We're All Light", "You and the Clouds Will Still Be Beautiful" and "Wheel and the Maypole".

The main criticism I have is that most of this material is really nothing new for XTC, nothing they haven't done before, musically or lyrically, except now they've got their production & arrangement technique down to a fine art, not over-producing like they've sometimes done on albums like Orange & Lemons or Nonesuch. To be fair, at least Colin's three songs here show a new songwriting direction for him.

I'd rate their last year's album Apple Venus 1 better over all, simply because of the more expiremental, more acoustic canvas they were working on, and so confidently.

As for the departure of guitarist Dave Gregory, he doesn't seem to be missed all that much, surprisingly. In fact, Andy's "looser" guitar style makes the music feel more spontaneous and not so anal, not like every single note and nuance had been worked out. However, I did read where Dave Gregory said that if they'd put Apple Venus 1 and 2 (Wasp Star) together into one album, as he'd wanted, and left out the weaker songs, that it would have been "XTC's finest hour." That very well may be true, but then, who can blame the boys for wanting to put out two albums in succession, after having to wait 7-odd years to get out of their stinky Virgin Records contract.

The bottom line is that I know I can rely on a consistently high quality of music coming from these guys for the next couple decades. And that's inspiring.

This isn't the bubblegum album the band was going to make but it sure is close. Partridge & Moulding return to more of a guitar based sound than on previous efforts. The melodies are sweet and sticky (just like the best bubblegum pop) and the lyrics both playful and insightful. The opening track announces the band's intension with the guitar riff and pounding drums of Playground. Andy's schoolyard as metaphor for life could have been trite but it works due to the sweet melody, harmonies and witty lyrics. The direct, crunching riff of Stupidly Happy should have made it the obivious single (either that or We're All Light)from the album. Other stand out cuts include the witty, party patter inspired mock philosphical (shades of Life Is a Minestrone!) We're All Light. It's galloping melody is immediately infectious. Partridge's stand out tracks include You And The Clouds Will Still Be Beautiful, Church of Women and the extraordinary The Wheel and The Maypole.

Moulding contributes three strong songs (to the two on Apple Venus Volume One). Moulding captures the glory of the little moments in life with the songs In Another Life (which occasionally echoes the lyrics and sentiments of Partridge's I'd Like That from Apple Venus). Likewise, Boarded Up with its dirge like melody captures the sense of desolation lost opportunies as life passes by us. The unusual percussive effects (made by Partridge & Moulding drumming on their acoustic guitars)adds an unusual quality to the song. Standing In For Joe was originally written for the proposed bubblegum rock album. I personally find it to be one of Moulding's finest songs.

There are a few misses on the album. Partridge's plodding The Wounded Horse shouldn't have made the cut. It is very much out of place. The duo would have done better to replace it with one of the songs that didn't make the album ( Ship Trapped In The Ice, Mates or Wonder Annual would have been better choices).

A great follow up to Apple Venus Volume One despite its minor flaws, Wasp Star features some of the best songs that both Partridge and Moulding have come up with as Xtc. They've continued to deepen their songwriting craft as they've matured. I can't help missing Dave Gregory's guitar on tracks like Church of Women or Playground. Partridge does an admirable job shouldering all the guitar work, but the counterpoint of Partridge's choppy guitar playing and Gregory's melodic, lyrical solos is definitely missed. Likewise, it would have been interesting to see what Gregory would have contributed in the way of arranging ideas.

Regardless, this is a new, sleeker Xtc. They've rediscovered their pop roots and are proud to show off their latest creations to the world. I'd give this 4 1/2 stars.

I discovered this album about 3 months ago and have listened to it constantly. Luckily, my work allows me to listen to music, and my workmates and I all love the album, and must hear it daily. We are learning to play the songs in our practice room as well (I play bass!). Great songwriting from Partridge and Moulding, and great musicianship as well. Excellent production and arrangements as well. Every song is nearly perfect, not a note out of place, and all of the musicians arranged impeccably on the virtual stage. Some favorites are "Playground", "We're All Light", and "You And The Clouds Will Still Be Beautiful".

XTC's Wasp Star was the best album of 2000. Why it didn't get noticed is beyond me. In the days of all of these "unknowns" making the top of the charts it is hard to believe an album as good Wasp Star wasn't up with Steely Dan for album of the year.

The album opens strongly with Playground and Stupidly Happy. These two songs are heavy on the guitar and with great lyrics, especially Playground. These are the best opening songs on any XTC album.

The middle songs are also excellent with We're All Light and I'm The Man Who Murdered Love being the highlights.

As with past songs like Pink Thing and Grass, Wounded Horse and My Brown Guitar continue their tradition of sexually related double entrendres. But as with the blatant sexuality of Standing in for Joe, a song that deals with adultery, you can't help but sing along with these songs because they are so good, musically.

While the album continues with good songs like You and the Clouds Will Still Be Beautiful and Church of Women, nothing on the album can touch the sheer brilliance of The Wheel and the Maypole. I can't think of a better XTC song than this one. It is like two songs in one due to the severe tempo change in the middle and then it blends into one song at the end. Wow!

I am a big XTC fan and was a little disappointed with Apple Venus I. Wasp Star: Apple Venus II is the album I've been waiting for and it may be their best ever.