Palo Alto Pop Overthrow

XTC is one of the pillars of British New Wave music. Founded in 1976 by Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding, the band charted their unique punky pop style with hits like "Life Begins at the Hop," and "Making Plans for Nigel."

The 80s were a crazy time for the band. After a mental breakdown, lead singer Andy Partridge developed such a severe case of stage fright that the band swore off ever performing live again. Permanently studio-bound, Andy's songwriting matured away from the band's punk upbringings. After a frustrating collaboration with producer and musician Todd Rundgren, the band made the classic album "Oranges and Lemons" from which the hits "The Mayor of Simpleton" and "King for a Day" rose. Those songs ended up making the rounds on the up and coming MTV network.

Now, fast forward to the year 2000. The album "Wasp Star, Apple Venus Volume Two" is the second of two records that XTC released after a long hiatus, largely aggravated by a contract dispute with their former label. As a whole the album is electric in nature, as compared to the previous "Apple Venus Volume One." It found a niche on college radio, and ended up cresting at number two on the College Music Journal's AAA charts in 2000.

Lead singer Andy Partridge says the song "Stupidly Happy" is

the dumbest but happiest song I ever wrote. I found the one riff that Keith Richard hadn't. It felt great to lean over and pick up that electric guitar and go, ‘Rrrr.’ Hopefully [it] says in music what the singer (me) experiences. I'm in love and in a happy groove.

Partidge asks, "is it instinctive that young kids at school behave just as good, bad and ugly as they do in the big square grown up world?" You'll see Andy's take on the matter in the first song we'll be featuring today, entitled "Playground."

"We're all Light" is a very very poppy song. Andy Partridge calls the song “funky word games on the theme of Man's beautiful inner light" and also an attempt to get the girl to bed. Most importantly Andy says "this song makes my feet smile.” Hopefully it makes your feet smile too!

Favorite tracks: 7. We're All Light, 2. Stupidly Happy, 1. Playground, 8. Standing in for Joe, 6. I'm the Man Who Murdered Love, 11. Church of Women, 12. The Wheel and the Maypole

Label: TVT Records/Idea
RIYL: Todd Rundgren, World Party, Squeeze
Four stars.

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