Black Cat Bone

SWO

Senses Working Overtime is probably a more classically constructed pop song, but Making Plans for Nigel is kinda when XTC put their stamp of their own on pop. Sgt. Rock is enjoyable, but not great. I remember getting Melody Maker at the time and seeing how long Sgt Rock stayed on the charts and couldn't believe it. It wasn't that great.

ConnyOlivetti wrote:SWO

Yep. Easily. Not a huge fan of that earlier period ('quirky" "new wave"). They settled into something that kept their oddness but sounded more natural. That it was even a minor hit is nothing short of amazing.

Sgt. Rock is my favorite out of those three.

"Senses Working Overtime" by quite a way. One of the few bands that continued to get better as they went on, their later stuff from the Dukes albums on is really incredible and surpasses the early material easily.

Sgt. Rock.

The voice was/is the problem for me. Like Costello they were a bit square for me to bother with at the time, taking Adam, Madness, then Weller as my Gods.

I listened to Skylarking for the first time a couple of years ago, it’s good but is it any better than Rise and Fall or Sound Affects?

neville from norwich wrote:I listened to Skylarking for the first time a couple of years ago, it’s good but is it any better than Rise and Fall or Sound Affects?

No, does it have to be?

Those are three pretty stellar albums.

Making Plans..is the only one I like.

I'm surprised anyone can mount any kind of defence for this crap.

ooooooohhhhh yeah wrote:I'm surprised anyone can mount any kind of defence for this crap.

It’s all great, you dumbass!

The Modernist wrote:Making Plans..is the only one I like.

Actually Senses is much better than I remembered - that is a pretty celebratory chorus. Not overly keen on the verses though and Partridge's foghorn of a voice will always be a bit of a barrier for me.

Still Baron wrote:

ooooooohhhhh yeah wrote:I'm surprised anyone can mount any kind of defence for this crap.

It’s all great, you dumbass!

They Might Be Giants for inbred farmers

me, I love Partridge's foghorn. it might be the only thing I like about Sgt. Rock.
I adore "senses" but "Nigel" aces this for me.

I still hear a lot of magic in that track.

neville from norwich wrote:I listened to Skylarking for the first time a couple of years ago, it’s good but is it any better than Rise and Fall or Sound Affects?

Yes.

Senses, closely followed by Nigel. The kazoo in Sgt Rock really grates.

Senses

Someone had a thread a while ago about little sections/snippets of songs that thrill them when they hear them.
Terry Chambers drum run/fill/pattern whatever you call it just after the "I've got 1,2,3,4,5.." for the second time on the chorus makes I smile.

P.S. Why is the above video for Senses showing them in backward?

The geography teacher who thought he was down with the kids would've loved 'em. They're quirky, but never attempt to be interesting or fun with it.

Darkness_Fish wrote:The geography teacher who thought he was down with the kids would've loved 'em. They're quirky, but never attempt to be interesting or fun with it.

You're growing on me