As previously mentioned, during my university years, XTC were probably my favourite band, and I was lucky enough to see them three times, including once helping them set up stage equipment, and can vouch that they were as normal and pleasant a bunch of blokes as you could hope to meet.
After the band's farewell in 2000, Andy Partridge dug out some curios from the studio in the shed at the bottom of his garden, and released his Fuzzy Warbles series of 8 CDs. These consist of an archive of demos, and various other outtakes, and recordings.
On this one we've got demos of songs which did make it to XTC albums, including That Wave, Miniature Sun and Merely A Man, both sounding fairly well formed in this demo, the final version just being a little more polished. I Bought Myself A Liarbird is a bit more raw while still pretty much the finished article, while Complicated Game is very much in the early stages of development.
There are also a few which didn't make it to XTC albums - Dame Fortune is a jaunty little song intended for Apple Venus; Everything, a gentle love song which wouldn't have been out of place on Oranges And Lemons; Goosey Goosey was written for Nonesuch, but feels a little plodding, while Wonder Annual feels like it might have fitted into that album and Summer Hot As This sounds nice, but in Partridge's words was "a bit too syrupy" for The Big Express.
Among these are a smattering of other pieces Partridge had lying about. Born Out Of Your Mouth is a jolly little demo which never quite made it anywhere, while Don't Let Us Bug Ya is a jolly little tune written for James And The Giant Peach. Final track Rocket is a lovely little piece commissioned for a magazine.
There are also a few instrumental noodlings; Ocean's Daughter has a flowing theme, and is short and lovely; MOGO is a little piece of percussive nothing; EPNS is similar but a little more haunting, while Space Wray has a feel of Hank Marvin doing the theme to a Gerry Anderson show.
And finally (in this review, not the album) there's the comedy section - Howlin' Burston, a jingle for Wiltshire Radio DJ Alan Burston, and That Wag, an outtake from recording That Wave, in which Partridge imitates other greats recording the same song. I guess you had to be there...
This album is interesting, rather than great. It's good to hear what didn't make it to XTC albums (even if the answer is 'probably nothing which would have improved them') alongside original demos etc and other oddities. But I doubt if any non-XTC fan would find much to inspire them. It's not quite 'for completists only', but it's definitely a collection of pieces, not a coherent album. That said, most still stand up well. I also own volumes 2, 3 and 4, and I wonder if those reviews will say the same thing!
3* - a decent enough listen, and certainly enough to interest any XTC aficionado
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