XTC As The Dukes Of Stratosphear - Psonic Psunspot (Remastered) (1987/2009)

Tracklist:

01. Vanishing Girl
02. Have You Seen Jackie?
03. Little Lighthouse
04. You're A Good Man Albert Brown (Curse You Red Barrel)
05. Collideascope
06. You're My Drug
07. Shiny Cage
08. Brainiac's Daughter
09. The Affiliated
10. Pale And Precious

Demos:
11. No One At Home (Vanishing Girl Demo)
12. Little Lighthouse (Demo)
13. Collideascope (Demo)
14. Shiny Cage (Demo)
15. Brainiacs Daughter (Demo)
16. The Affiliated (Demo)

allusions for a triple album. Psonic Psunspot doesn't play quite the same way: the tracks aren't as ornate and the songs aren't all necessarily patterned after specific '60s singles or artists, the way they were on the EP. All this gives Psonic Psunspot the feel of a slightly psychedelicized XTC pop album, never quite getting as far out as 25 O'Clock, but this is all relative, because compared to the pop of 1987, even the echoes out of the paisley underground, this is plenty trippy -- and plenty poppy, for that matter. There are exceptions to the allusion rule -- "Pale and Precious" is an unapologetic Beach Boys patchwork; "Have You Seen Jackie" is another salute to Syd Barrett; and Colin Moulding's "Vanishing Girl," arguably the best song here, refers to the Hollies -- but the album feels less like an homage and more like XTC playing heavily to their pop side, tossing off little sparkling gems like "Little Lighthouse," "Collideascope," and "Brainiac's Daughter" (although the single and standout "You're a Good Man Albert Brown [Curse You Red Barrel]" is unmistakably a music hall romp that fits the '60s concept). And whenever XTC play to their pop side, the results tend to be pretty hard to resist and that's the case here -- maybe it's not quite as epochal as 25 O'Clock, but it's a fine companion all the same.[/quote]