Disco de XTC: “Oranges & Lemons”

First, let me put the five star rating in context. Five stars are freely given in so many customer reviews that the five star rating has been devalued by overuse. In my opinion, XTC made some music I wouldn't bother to listen to all the way through even once. Less than one star for me. Some of their albums are worth three or four stars.

This album, however, stands at the pinnacle of anything any band has ever attempted or achieved. Not to say that it is better than Sgt. Pepper or other great records. But it holds its own. It must be considered one of the five or ten best albums of the 1980s.

I would call this music chamber pop. It quotes eloquently from sixties-style British pop, but adds elements of jazz, all produced and layered to perfection with XTC's inimitable style. All the elements here are precisely and deliberately placed, like a classical composition (with distorted guitars!). The thought and care with which these musical collages have been assembled created songs that are intensely interesting and musically involving. They stand up to repeated listening and analysis. As an experience, it is a marvel and a wonder to listen to these... I won't call them songs, I will call them compositions.

The recording is only fair, at best. One could only wish George Martin had been there to oversee the recording engineers. I have the remastered GOLD CD version, and really it is only slightly better than the original Geffen release. Since the old Geffen version can be purchased used for $1 or less, there is no excuse not to own a copy of this masterwork.

Andy Partridge was at the height of his lyrical powers, and his quirky harmonic ideas were harnessed and channeled into powerful, communicative, and anthemic songs. Colin Moulding's songs are melodic and beautiful, but his busy bass playing throughout rivals McCartney's work in the Beatles' best tunes. It is great entertainment to listen to this album all the way through, focusing only on the bass parts. Dave Gregory completed the tapestry with his always-appropriate guitars, and his presence was sorely missed on the last two XTC albums, as if both Partridge and Moulding had lost their right arms.

Other reviewers have praised the individual songs, so I won't belabor the point. And what is the point? Just this: if you love pop music, buy this CD.

For those who have forgotten what made popular music so exciting back in the 60s, let XTC reacquaint you. Sheer musical skill alone has made XTC one of only a handful of ground-breaking popular music artists making music in the 80s and 90s (and for those who think that Sting, Madonna, and Michael Jackson have been making innovative music during the same period, stop reading now).

For all pop music lovers who still believe that guitar- and vocal-oriented music can reach new highs, investigate three XTC CDs, in this order: 1987's "Skylarking"; 1989's "Oranges and Lemons"; and 1992's "Nonsuch." Beatle and Beach Boys comparisons have been stated before, and for the most part, they are apropos, though not exclusive. In short, any pop and rock music created in the U.S.A. and U.K. between 1965 - 8 has been an enormous influence on the sound of XTC, though to call them a retro band a la Oasis is incorrect (Oasis, oddly enough, seems to have been influenced by the Beatles as well--but only the "Let it Be" period, which XTC has wisely avoided, and with good reason).

Be prepared to spend a LOT of time listening to "Oranges and Lemons," since it is, like "Nonsuch," a long album, but with the dearth of intelligent and fun pop music around these days, listeners will be rewarded and kept happy for a long, long time.

"Psychedelic Confection!" would describe the impression that I had after looking at this album's cover for the first time, and it turned out to be a pretty accurate idea of what I could expect from the album. Although I was a bit fooled by those soft pastel colors; this album really punches and kicks for the most part (not quite as much as most of their earlier work for example, just more than I expected it to). Colin's bass playing is brought to the forefront here (Moulding could very well be the greatest rock bassist of his era) and many of these songs have some of the hardest grooves that I've ever heard from the group ("Poor Skeleton Steps Out", "Scarecrow People"). This is a pretty interesting album, both sonically and thematically, and most of these songs are extremely busy, with so many little sonic details that you'll likely notice something new with each repeated listen for quite a while (something that it has in common with "Chips from the Chocolate Fireball" although I would have to say that "Chips..." is even busier). As you probably know, the band has used different drummers for most of their releases since Terry Chambers left after "English Settlement", and the drummer this time around is Pat Mastelotto, who was from the group "Mr. Mister"--don't hold that against him though, he contributes some fine work throughout this album :-). Andy Partridge, in his usual sharp and humorously clever style, describes his contributions here as being "aggressively optimistic...like jolly sandpaper!" The album is apparently named after an old English nursery rhyme, and nursery rhymes are said to be the main inspiration for his songs. Partridge (personally my favorite lyricist ever) says that his songs are mainly either entertainment or messages for his kids (the brilliantly arranged "Chalkhills and Children" is basically about his relationship with his kids and his grounded lifestyle which they greatly contribute to). This is why there are several "Wizard of Oz" references throughout the album--it happened to be his kids' favorite movie while it was being made. But, his songs are still abundantly witty, thoughtful, and clever (his kids must be pretty sophisticated with great taste in music :-). The only low point is "Hold Me My Daddy" which makes a great point about love between fathers and sons, and fraternity amongst men in general, but as sharp as Andy is, he could have easily found a more clever way to say it. "Scarecrow People", which is typically brilliant Partridge in top form, takes a sardonic stab at human beings by describing another species' pursuit to be just like them. "The Garden of Earthly Delights" and "Across This Antheap" (which has the most brilliant orchestral string coda at the end) are also quite brilliant both lyrically and conceptually. The darkest and most biting songs come from the usually bouyant Moulding this time around. I've heard very few modern social critiques that are any where near as honest and insightful as "King for a Day". This song is extremely effective as a clever summary of certain values that are largely embraced by the masses: ruthless greed and cutthroat competition, which people accept with the expectation that "THEY" will be one of the ones that make it to the top. Colin surely didn't seem to be writing songs with small children in mind here, all of his songs are dark and incisive with pretty complex concepts. The fast pace and almost claustrophobic nature of much of the material can make this album seem a bit daunting at first, but it's unbelievably rich with ideas, and proves to be monumentally rewarding over time. This is a solid and highly energetic piece of smart pop/rock that you likely won't be sorry that you added to your collection.

It took 11 years for people to finally learn who XTC was, and 1989's ORANGES AND LEMONS provided a very mainstream Beatles/Beach Boys sound with a little bit of Tears For Fears similarities on track 2 (King for a Day). I don't know if the band was feeling the pressure to sell more albums, or the record company proposed a more radio-friendly mainstream sound to generate more sales, but whatever the case, this release was absolutely NOTHING like the previous offering, SKYLARKING. Up until 1989, XTC was in obscurity for the most part, due to them being slightly out of sync with what was going on in music at any given time, coupled with their lack of touring as a result of Andy Partridge's stagefright that started in 1982. It's a shame, because they are extremely talented, yet not too many people know who they are. That changed slightly with ORANGES AND LEMONS, a sort of breakthrough release that appealed to a younger crowd. Two rock-solid singles were released, "The Mayor of Simpleton", and "King for a Day", which got good airplay. This album is very upbeat and bubblegum. Even the cover suggests that it's something a little simpler than previous albums, and Beatlesque. However, there are a lot of jazz lines featured in songs, and it gives the album a little more texture. Standout tracks include The Mayor of Simpleton, King for a Day, Here Comes President Kill Again, Garden of Earthly Delights, Poor Skeleton Steps Out, Scarecrow People, and Chalkhills and Children. This album is a must-have for any fan, but probably not where you want to start your collection. Instead, start with DRUMS AND WIRES, ENGLISH SETTLEMENT or BLACK SEA.

Well, I only bought this CD because I had seen a video of "Mayor of Simpleton," and I liked the song so much I wouldn't have cared if every other track had sucked...so I had no idea what a treat I was in for! There are so many ways this album is great. I've been listening to it for years and each time I still find something new.

First, the general sound is pop, but it's extraordinarily well-done pop. Thirty-second clips don't even give a hint of how well-written the tunes are. Each song starts with a melodic base and builds to its climactic moment, carrying the listener on a journey the whole way. The tunes meld with the lyrics to create a seamless whole you just can't resist.

Lyrics range from witty to socially and morally conscious to humorous to meditative, sung with just the right touch, and each enclosed in its own envelope of sound. But once you learn the words and the tunes, you will then notice how fabulous the arrangements are. From the sock-it-to-ya drumming and rolling bass line of "Mayor of Simpleton," to the jangly guitars and bluegrassy fiddles of "Scarecrow People," to the repetitive pounding and dischords of "Across This Antheap," to the sunny chords of "King for a Day," to the militaristic rigidness of "President Kill," the music is a perfect fit with the lyrics. Add to this the top-shelf musicianship of Andy Partridge, Dave Gregory, and Colin Moulding, and you've got a real gem of an album, one that holds up to--encourages, actually--repeated listening. Although it was recorded in 1989, it is timeless, and endlessly interesting.

In short, this is a tuneful, artful, thoughtful collection of songs (and you get 15 of them!) that will bring you back again and again and always be new.