Apple Venus, Vol. 1

by XTC

Overview

The first minute's crescendo of pizzicato strings suggests the arrival of something totally different. A quirky horn melody enters, and then the unmistakable Lennonesque whine of Andy Partridge reassures us that -- seven years since the last album and despite untold disasters -- XTC has finally returned. Older, wiser, reduced to a duo (long-standing guitarist Dave Gregory left after the new album's recording), but unquestionably still the XTC of cult legend and critical reverence. Favoring acoustic instrumentation and strings over electric guitars, APPLE VENUS is the kind of album the word "pastoral" was invented for. Less symphonic than floral, the orchestral accompaniments are reminiscent of Kinks-style music hall, as in Colin Moulding's "Frivolous Tonight" and "Fruit Nut." And though Partridge's diatribe against an ex-wife, "Your Dictionary," lets loose with a volley of vitriol, it is tempered by the (unrequited) love of "I'd Like That" and "I Can't Own Her," as well as by the adoringly beautiful "Harvest Festival." In the latter, Partridge hearkens back to the romance of teenage school days, recalling "the longing look you gave me that was more than enough to keep me fed all year." The ability to paint lyrical images that listeners can visualize so clearly is one all songwriters should aspire to. In Partridge's case, it marks a most happy and sterling return.

Product Details

Release Date:	07/10/2015
Label:	Imports
UPC:	0633367789426
catalogNumber:	5023531

Album Credits

Performance Credits

XTC   Primary Artist