I-Panik - Skylark

Advantages: One of the very best albums from a band who deserved better than "cult"
Disadvantages: Not much effort put in by the record company on the packaging front

...akin to John Barry spy film music, are totally inspired. As the years went by, even Partridge started admitting what a good job Rundgren had done; "Perhaps I fought (with him) too hard. One bunker, two fuhrers". But the finest track from the sessions wasn't originally on the released album at all. Having intellectually wrestled with the concept for years, Andy Partridge had finally decided there wasn't a God, and decided to write a song about it. "Dear God" (an extra track on this release of Skylarking) is staggering, with its glorious tune, imploring vocal, damning (if slightly naive) lyrics and sweeping string arrangement. But Partridge, ever the artist, decided that he hadn't accomplished what he had sought to, and asked that it become a B-side to the first single "Grass" instead. College radio in the States went mad for the song... Read review

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Advantages: Great for lazy Sundays and sunny summers
Disadvantages: Very 80's/dated and vocals not to everyone's liking

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Advantages: Better than The Beatles!
Disadvantages: Encourages making ludicrous statements that people will laugh at

...feeling that if REM had come from Swindon this is what they would have ended up sounding like, and there are a couple of tracks on their recent "Reveal" record that remind me of XTC. I could recommend just about any XTC record to you as an introduction to the band, they’ve been that consistent over the years but if I had to narrow it down the shortlist would contain "English Settlement", "Oranges and Lemons", "Skylarking" and this, "Wasp Star – Apple Venus Vol. 2", their latest. This is the second album recorded with new label, Cooking Vinyl, having gone nearly a decade without recording any music, waiting out their label, Virgin, because they didn’t want to record for them anymore. For some reason, Virgin refused to release them from their contract, despite the fact that they never promoted their records to any great... Read review

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