Published on May 31, 1999
XTC, perhaps the most intelligent and eclectic of the New Wave
combos that emerged from Britain in the late 1970’s, has returned
from a seven-year absence from the pop music scene with
Apple Venus Volume I, released earlier this year. After
releasing the critically acclaimed
Nonsuch in 1992, XTC fell out with label Virgin Records and
a five-year stretch of court skirmishes began.
Finally released from their Virgin contract, XTC entered the
studio to record the tracks that would become
Apple Venus. Guitarist/bandleader Andy Partridge recently
explained that the band has written and ready to go some 40 tracks
and originally wished to release a two-disc set to celebrate their
comeback. Financial problems doomed this idea, and so XTC split up
the tunes – half “orchoustic” (a mix of orchestral and acoustic
sounds) and half rockers more reminscent of the group’s 1980’s
output.
Apple Venus Volume I represents the “orchoustic” side of the
group (presently composed of guitarist/vocalist Partridge and
bassist/vocalist Colin Moulding–multi-instrumentalist Dave Gregory
left the group during the album’s recording) and consists of eleven
highly eclectic, catchy, and inventive tunes.
True to form, XTC’s lyrics celebrate nature and are packed with
as many gardening metaphors, fruit references, and hints of English
folk themes as possible. “River Of Orchids”, for example, with it’s
priceless lyrical hook “push your car from the road,” builds from
staccato bursts of strings and brass to a lovely Beatle-esque
delivery from Partridge. Featuring a middle section reminscent of
the vocal fugue in Gentle Giant’s “On Reflection”, “River of
Orchids” gives the listener a glimpse of the new XTC -orchestral,
majestic, owing a much greater debt to the Beatles, Beach Boys, and
even Yes than to their harder-rocking roots.
The first two singles from the LP, “I’d Like That” and “Easter
Theatre” follow, the former a catchy acoustic bit which reminds me
a lot of the Beatles’ “Two of Us” (with a sly tip of the hat to
David Bowie’s “Golden Years” in the backing vocals?). “Easter
Theatre” is the best track on the record, another rustic-themed
track with excellent vocal interplay and neat crescendos leading
into the chorus. “Knights In Shining Karma” follows, another soft
ballad that fails to match the brilliance of the first three
songs.
A respite then emerges, with Moulding’s “Frivolous Tonight”, a
song about embracing the mundane framed with delightful
piano/orchestra backing (instrumentally similar to REM’s “At My
Most Beautiful”) and a clear reference to the songs of old musicals
(Partridge has cited
West Side Story as a big influence on the songwriting on
Apple Venus). While not the most lyrically portentious song
on the album, “Frivolous Tonight” is one of those songs that is
just ridiculously pleasant and a guilty pleasure for even a jaded
listener like Your Humble Narrator.
“Green Man” follows, an expansive track that utilizes the
orchestra with greater success than any other song on the album. It
just feels “big”, that’s the only description I can give! A lot of
the songs on
Apple Venus are about love, but “Your Dictionary” describes
a more pessimistic viewpoint (the lyrics are obviously a pointed
barb directed at Partridge’s ex-wife). The first two-thirds of the
cut are excellent, but frankly I find the coda (with its triumphant
vocal conclusion “and let the marriage…be…undone!”) silly; it
breaks the fragile illusion the beginning parts create.
“Fruit Nut” is Moulding’s other contribution, a paean to his
gardening fetish/hobby/obsession. Not nearly as sparkling as
“Frivolous Tonight”, “Fruit Nut” is still a good catchy tune.
“Harvest Festival” is the final truly excellent cut on the album, a
tale about young love tied into pagan and pastoral imagery. Once
again, XTC exhibits incredible orchestra/group interplay in this
final triumphant tune.
The last song is called “The Last Balloon”, and for me is the
weakest (and ironically also the longest) track on the album.
However, the first ten tracks on this record (with a few
quibbles here and there) present a unique brand of late 60’s
Beatle-esque orchestral pop combined with XTC’s trademark ’80s
sound. The best album of the year I’ve heard, so far.