Big Express CD/Blu-ray £28.40
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XTCrsquos seventh album, ldquoThe Big Expressrdquo was virtually ignored on release, much as its immediate predecessor ldquoMummerrdquo had been.
If Mummer was XTCrsquos quiet album, this was its polar opposite bright, brash, noisy even cluttered on occasion if the song demanded it as it became a concept album of sorts, a partly autobiographical reflection on growing up in an industrial town, Swindon, with its history of engineering and railway accomplishments.
Perhaps in keeping with that tradition of technical innovation, the album also made extensive use of at the time new technology with LinnDrum programming alongside drummer Peter Phipps, Emu Emulator and other synths claiming space among the more traditional guitars, bass and drums mix underpinning the vocals.
This technology was juxtaposed with technology of a slightly earlier poprock era as phasing, backwards tapes and the inclusion of a mellotron hinted at a psychedelic influence that would move more centrestage with the bandrsquos next project ndash lsquoThe Dukes of Stratosphearrsquo.
With XTC no longer touring, the sound radically different to any previous XTC album, in a musical climate where the upper end of the charts reflected national radio, producing the most mainstream result for years Lionel Richie, Sade, Spandau Ballet, Howard Jones, Tina Turner, Queen ndash Frank Sinatrarsquos final solo studio albumhellip the space for a metallic, postpunk concept album about growing up amidst the ghosts of Swindonrsquos industrial heritage proved nonexistent.
Of course the songs were as good as on any other XTC album a very high standard indeed ndash but they went largely unheard.
Given that position, it would be easy to conclude that the timing was wrong for the album.
But the best musicians follow the music and allow the times to catch up with that precisely what happened when XTC released its next album ldquoSkylarkingrdquo in 1986.
Just as ldquoMummerrsquosrdquo reputation and sales has increased over the years, ldquoThe Big Expressrdquo is now regarded as a lsquoneglected classicrsquo of its era.
Now remixed by Steven Wilson in stereo, 5.1 Surround Sound amp Dolby Atmos, the full impact and power of the album can be appreciated.
Already given studio quality previews to an invited audience in London and LA at LAcoustics studios, the reaction was one of collective awe at the amount of newly apparent detail amp clarity in the Atmos mixes.
As ever with XTC, the full package on the Bluray disc includes every recorded song from the era, ranging from demos through to the aforementioned Spatial Audio mixes.
Coal for the Soul.
If Mummer was XTCrsquos quiet album, this was its polar opposite bright, brash, noisy even cluttered on occasion if the song demanded it as it became a concept album of sorts, a partly autobiographical reflection on growing up in an industrial town, Swindon, with its history of engineering and railway accomplishments.
Perhaps in keeping with that tradition of technical innovation, the album also made extensive use of at the time new technology with LinnDrum programming alongside drummer Peter Phipps, Emu Emulator and other synths claiming space among the more traditional guitars, bass and drums mix underpinning the vocals.
This technology was juxtaposed with technology of a slightly earlier poprock era as phasing, backwards tapes and the inclusion of a mellotron hinted at a psychedelic influence that would move more centrestage with the bandrsquos next project ndash lsquoThe Dukes of Stratosphearrsquo.
With XTC no longer touring, the sound radically different to any previous XTC album, in a musical climate where the upper end of the charts reflected national radio, producing the most mainstream result for years Lionel Richie, Sade, Spandau Ballet, Howard Jones, Tina Turner, Queen ndash Frank Sinatrarsquos final solo studio albumhellip the space for a metallic, postpunk concept album about growing up amidst the ghosts of Swindonrsquos industrial heritage proved nonexistent.
Of course the songs were as good as on any other XTC album a very high standard indeed ndash but they went largely unheard.
Given that position, it would be easy to conclude that the timing was wrong for the album.
But the best musicians follow the music and allow the times to catch up with that precisely what happened when XTC released its next album ldquoSkylarkingrdquo in 1986.
Just as ldquoMummerrsquosrdquo reputation and sales has increased over the years, ldquoThe Big Expressrdquo is now regarded as a lsquoneglected classicrsquo of its era.
Now remixed by Steven Wilson in stereo, 5.1 Surround Sound amp Dolby Atmos, the full impact and power of the album can be appreciated.
Already given studio quality previews to an invited audience in London and LA at LAcoustics studios, the reaction was one of collective awe at the amount of newly apparent detail amp clarity in the Atmos mixes.
As ever with XTC, the full package on the Bluray disc includes every recorded song from the era, ranging from demos through to the aforementioned Spatial Audio mixes.
Coal for the Soul.