40 years ago - Senses Still Working Overtime

[Mike Boom]

Released in January 1982

A Top Ten hit AND a masterpiece

[ChrisB]

Absolutely. Brilliant band, brilliant song and surely, one of the strangest records to make the Top 10

[Tom Waits For No One]

To me they're very, very beautiful.

[mudshark]

For me English Settlement is their best album and Senses Working Overtime one of the best songs on it.

[ChrisB]

For me English Settlement is their best album and Senses Working Overtime one of the best songs on it.

Seconded.

[Neige]

Great, great song from a great album (though I still prefer Apple Venus myself)

[pcqgod]

Great track, though I prefer "Ball and Chain" from that album.

[ChrisB]

Indeed. Very often prefer Colin's songs, tbh

[Mike Boom]

Great, great song from a great album (though I still prefer Apple Venus myself)

Indeed, Apple Venus is a stunning record, they don't come much better than that, and I keep hearing new things in it, the Orchestrations are just mind-blowing and beautifully recorded.

[Matt Wilson]

The LPs are almost all great. I love the Dukes stuff as well.

[Mike Boom]

I would rate them thusly (minus the Dukes)

Apple Venus Volume 1
Skylarking
Nonsuch
Wasp Star
English Settlement
Black Sea
Oranges & Lemons
The Big Express
Mummer
Drums and Wires
Go 2
White Music

[Tom Waits For No One]

I would rate them thusly (minus the Dukes)

Apple Venus Volume 1
Skylarking
Nonsuch
Wasp Star
English Settlement
Black Sea
Oranges & Lemons
The Big Express
Mummer
Drums and Wires
Go 2
White Music

Pretty much how I would rate the albums, but with some elbowing and shuffling of the top four.

For me it would be:

Nonsuch
Apple Venus Volume 1/Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2) (like the White Album)
Skylarking

I think they would be interchangable depending on the time of year; winter, spring, summer, autumn if that makes any sense at all.

[Mike Boom]

For me it would be:

Nonsuch
Apple Venus Volume 1/Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2) (like the White Album)
Skylarking

I think they would be interchangable depending on the time of year; winter, spring, summer, autumn if that makes any sense at all.

I always think of them as
Skylarking - Summer
Apple Venus - Winter
Nonsuch - Fall

Just got the Wilson remix of Skylarking and really enjoying the bonus tracks Let’s Make A Den, Extrovert, the Troubles and especially Little Lighthouse

[Mike Boom]

https://thequietus.com/articles/31096-xtc-english-settlement

Interesting article from the Quietus about English Settlement and Andy's "attack of the Brian Wilsons"

[mudshark]

Interesting article indeed. Thanks Mike!

[Hightea]

While I love the song I tend to listen to the other albums these days.

[The Slider]

After Love on A Farmboy's Wages, it is my favourite 3 minutes of XTC.