Reviews:

Wasp Star
(Apple Venus Volume 2)

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you may like Apple Venus volume 2


And then there were two.... Dave Gregory departed between the recording of Apple Venus Volume 1 and Wasp Star. But Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding were always the main writers and voices and it definitely sounds like them. There's quite a bit more Colin on this album than the past few. Anyway, it's worth the price of admission, presuming you like tightly constructed, carefully produced, somewhat quirky pop songs that is :). The sound's more stripped down than past efforts, much closer to a small rock band without all the extra horns and textures that were on, say Oranges and Lemons, though there are plenty of of strings, horns, and lots and lots of vocal harmony. Highlights: We're All Light (just plain old cool), Church of Women (nice guitar solo), You and the Clouds Will Still Be Beautiful, The Wheel and the Maypole. ***** -- Album Reviews by the Cigarette Smoking Man, March 2001

Another disgustingly crafty set of tunes springs from the throbbing brow of Mr. Partridge. These guys are a TOTAL BRAINIACS, like, for REAL- they're even smart enough to hire Prairie Prince to play the drums!
-- Capt. Morgan, POPLUST, 2001

This was the follow up to 1999's Apple Venus, which marked the beginning of XTC's renaissance, having finally escaped from the purgatory of being under contract to the deeply unsympathetic and occasionally hostile Virgin Records. The tone of Wasp Star is best described as irrepressably chirpy, but that's no bad thing, especially in the "Year of the Coldplay". The feel of their older records (once described as "a cross between The Archies and Captain Beefheart") is successfully recaptured, but the songs still sound fresh and full of life. There are some very amusing lyrics (particularly "I'm The Man Who Murdered Love"!). If you don't already own a copy, buy it now and rock to the sound of Swindon!
-- Alex Williams, The Psychøtic Reactiøn, January 2001

The way forward is always backwards. Geddit? Trust two fortysomething "has-been" singer-songwriters to teach the pop world a few lessons about what's important - love, sex, big guitars and melodies that slow burn onto your memory banks till they make a permanent impression. Sure, there are albums better than this (many of 'em) - but only a precious few are this real and um COOL?
-- Kevin Mathews, The Power of Pop, 2001

Demonstrating, yet again, that if anybody was the heir apparent to the band from Liverpool, it's this band from Swindon. The key is that each deceptively simple song is, in fact, a tiny clockwork of clever hooks, references, and the poetry of pure fun (or the pure fun of poetry).
-- Jowi Taylor, Moontaxi, 2000

Amazon.com's Best of 2000
Who's the Brian Wilson of tomorrow? If this elector's vote counts, it'll be XTC's Andy Partridge, whose studio genius and crafty pop prowess is unparalleled over a career spanning four decades and 13 studio albums (XTC even does an impressive Beach Boys impression as their alter egos, the Dukes of Stratosphear). Wasp Star: Apple Venus, Vol. 2 does the first volume one better, adding XTC's penchant for perplexing pop to their gorgeous pastoral inclinations.
-- Tod Nelson, Amazon.co.uk, December 2000

Another serving of clever British pop music for the colonies.
-- Mike Bell, The Calgary Sun, December 29, 2000

Now that their spiritual followers, Blur, have voluntarily relinquished the title of Best Clever English Pop Songwriters Alive, it's time for Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding to take it back. And so they do, with a collection that comes about as close as they'll probably ever get to recapturing the joyous guitar clangor they summoned 20 years ago on Black Sea and English Settlement.
-- M.R., Les Discs 2000, The New York Observer, 12/25/00

* * * * *
XTC in a playful mood, which means more guitars, fewer strings, simpler melodies, and hooks galore. Do what you will, but harm none.
-- Music: Reviews, Blue Dog Press, December 20, 2000

XTC's follow-up to the pastoral “Apple Venus Vol. I,” is hands-down the year's best with crisp execution and memorable songs that further the Lennon-McCartney legacy.
-- Eric Feber, The Virginian-Pilot, December 20, 2000

XTC, Britain's reigning kings of Beatles-esque pop, released "Wasp Star," a shimmering set of three-minute gems full of wit and invention.
-- Nick Tate, The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, December 17, 2000

Making up for lost time with second gem in 12 months.
-- Brett Milano, The Boston Herald, December 1, 2000

This is the XTC album that could have followed English Settlement. It's their classic style, twisted pop with hooks that won't leave you alone.
-- Steve Pick, Vintage Vinyl, November 2000

The return of Swindon's finest, XTC, has been a strange one, and therefore totally fitting with the band. Last year's much-acclaimed Apple Venus Vol 1 came after XTC, or rather the remaining and core duo Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding, decided to break their recording silence of seven years, and put out albums on their own label. Vol 1 was a typically whimsical collection of lushly orchestrated melodies, Beatles steals, and quirky pop wonderment. Vol 2 is the promised harder edge, which simply means the songs are more direct and stripped back. The result is a perfect companion piece to the blissful Vol 1. Jagged pop gems, psychedelic moments, oh-so-sweet ballads XTC-style, and a jerky majesty that will have fans misty-eyed. Bless 'em.
-- Chris Mooar, The Press (Christchurch), August 11, 2000

Contre vents et marées, XTC persiste dans la construction d'une oeuvre pop de plus en plus importante. On préférait l'album précédent. *
-- Epok, Issue 10, July/August 2000

Yes, they are still around. After a seven-year drought, XTC, the eccentric and fairly obscure, but still lovely, English band who brought us Making Plans For Nigel in 1979 is back. They've not lost the talent for melodic quality pop songs in the vein of Elvis Costello, Ray Davies, Lennon and McCartney. Not one for cooking up mainstream pop, main man Andy Partridge follows his own path, regardless of what's hot in the music scene. Wasp Star is the second of two albums, with women predominating as a central theme in both. It's defined by rock and electric guitar where the first, Apple Venus, is dubbed "aucoustic", a mix of orchestral and acoustic melodies soaked in old England.
-- Ceinwen Parrish, The Evening Post (Wellington), July 20, 2000

La seconda puntata di Apple Venus, ovvero il ritorno in grande stile dei due geni inglesi. La prima aveva del miracoloso: pop orchestrato di una finezza incomparabile. In Wasp star gli XTC vanno meno per il sottile, e partono in quarta con le chitarre. Però sono sempre gli XTC, ed in ogni canzone arriva sempre, prima o dopo, lo scarto genialoide dalla norma del classico guitar-pop britannico. C'è del già sentito, è vero: ma nel caso di Partridge e Moulding è una garanzia. I baronetti di Swindon sono di nuovo tra noi: sempre servi vostri, messeri.
-- Carlo "Charly" Bordone, Babajaga's Farm, June 2006

XTC have been pruning their off-kilter tunesmithery now for 25 years. If they'd carried on 'Making Plans For Nigel' Andy Partridge might be better known in Sydney than in Swindon. Instead they preferred the quieter English way of harmony, humour, and slighty loopy psychedelics. With last year's Vol 1 they indulged themselves in the latter, whilst Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2) (Idea) * * * * sees them donning their brightly coloured pop/rock hats. Cleverly arranged ditties like 'The Man Who Murdered Love', set beside the slightly deranged 'Stupidly Happy' and village green thigh slappers like 'The Wheel And The Maypole.' Perfect for the dizzy summer day out.
-- Will Johnson, TOP Magazine, June 2000

Part two, and another proof that XTC are back in shape again. This album is more easy than volume 1, but that doesn't mean that it's not as good. A bunch of brilliant songs, and a must to all lovers of progressive pop, and lovers of good music for that matter. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
-- The Missing Piece, June 2000

If there were a hall of fame just for pop song writers, Andy Partridge would have to be a shoo-in. For 20-something years, Partridge has been churning out clever, incisive, hip and hilarious songs. "Wasp Star" follows 1999's double orchestral release of "Apple Venus Vol. 1." Partner Colin Moulding can crank clever himself but Partridge remains the soul of XTC whatever the lineup (longtime guitarist Dave Gregory departed before "Apple Venus Vol. 1"). Who else can wax poetic about being "stupidly happy" or proclaim himself "the man who murdered love?" It doesn't hurt that the Partridge/Moulding partnership consistently produces pure pop melodies to carry the lyrics. This time they do it to the sound of electric guitars and a harder edge than volume one. Hmmm ... versatilely happy?
-- James Reindl, AP Writer, The Associated Press, June 27, 2000

XTC + Wasp Star Apple Venus Vol. 2 (2000) Try if you like: XTC.
Back for another round in 2000, these '80s icons of "Dear God" fame pump out another great and overlooked album. More of a crowd pleaser than last year's good but kind of "out there" Apple Venus Vol. 1. Song you'll love: "Stupidly Happy."
-- StyleQueen, 6/20/00

England's legendary XTC are most beloved for their quirky-yet-catchy charm (past hits include "Dear God" and "The Mayor of Simpleton". After a seven-year hiatus, the band came back last year with an experimental album that strayed off the pop path, but this disc displays XTC in their happy, hooky best. This is sonic sunshine cool guitars, pretty harmonies, blissfully offbeat lyrics ("Don't you know about a zillion years ago? some star sneezed, now they're paging you in reception" from "We're All Light"). So put the top down, slather on the SPF and let the good sounds roll.
-- Nina Malkin, Mademoiselle, July 2000

Best of May: A sparkling rumination on the creeping tug-of-war between urban life and the great outdoors and a stellar follow-up to last year's “Volume I.” “Stupidly Happy” is the smartest commentary on comfortable numbness I've heard in a long time, so much so that it deserves to be piped into malls and theme parks everywhere. On the other hand, when they sing, “Don't you know in this new Dark Age, we're all light,” you actually believe them.
-- Jim Walsh, Pioneer Press, June 1, 2000

It's been a long time since any new music from the XTC camp has reached the ears of the listening public. Finally ending a self-imposed, 10-year hiatus, Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding return with the sunny tunes that fill Wasp Star (Apple Venus Vol. II). Opening with the slightly trippy tones of 'Playground,' XTC quickly show that their time out of the spotlight didn't curb their stylistic development. The chugging guitar strums of 'In Another Life' and the minimalist melancholy of 'Boarded Up' also display a supreme pop polish. These guys have obviously been putting in the work, 'cause there's no rust at all on this comeback release.
-- Chapters.ca, May 2000

XTC disappeared for seven years, buried under a record-label legal entanglement, before reemerging with 1999's supremely orchestral pop release "Apple Venus Volume One." Now it seems there's no obstacle that can stop the group's creative energy. "Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2)" stays true to XTC's intellectualized pop for grownups, and followers will be surprised and delighted by the extraordinary rhythmic strides they've made here.
-- Music: Pop, Skali, Monday, 29th May 2000

Det känns uppenbart att Alan Partridge plockade med sina bästa låtar från de senaste åren på förra årets toppskiva Apple venus Vol 1. Ett nytt XTC-album är ändå en händelse. Playground, Stupidly happy och The wheel and the maypole är tre av halvdussinet utmärkta popsånger som kommer att få glasögonormar som undertecknad att rabbla skivnummer i några dygn.
-- PM JÖNSSON, Göteborgs-Posten, 26/5-00

Betyg: * * * *

XTC rocks a little more on "Wasp Star" (Apple Venus Volume 2).
-- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 26, 2000

After the over-refined Apple Venus Volume 1, it's a relief to discover that XTC's seven years in the wilderness - well, at home in Swindon anyway - didn't see them entirely forget that, in the words of their own song, this is pop. With its beefy guitars, and harmonies and hooks to die for, Wasp Star could easily be Big Star in their prime. The stupidly catchy Stupidly Happy captures the musical mood of the album, give or take an occasional detour such as the bluesy Boarded Up (lamenting the fate of a local concert hall now that "groups don't come down from London way"). The band's usual wilful whimsy aside, though, there's nothing stupid about the lyrics and I'm The Man Who Murdered Love is as darkly intelligent a song as Andy Partridge has ever written.
-- Guy Somerset, Metro (London), May 23, 2000

IN BRIEF: Prefer your bile with a spoonful of sugar? Then feel the candied sting of this more rocking companion to 1999's acoustic-orchestral "Volume 1." As always, English pop veterans Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding craft lush, catchy tunes with careful detail and wry wit, capturing the simultaneous wonders and horrors of romance, from the goofy bliss of fresh passion ("Stupidly Happy") to the brutal cynicism of disillusionment ("I'm the Man Who Murdered Love"). * * * 1/2
-- Natalie Nichols, Los Angeles Times, May 21, 2000

XTC Are Back
After an extended silence, XTC returned with last year's magnificent Apple Venus, Vol. 1. Fans won't have to wait a decade for the follow-up: Wasp Star (Apple Venus, Vol. 2) comes out Tuesday.
-- Michael Senft, The Arizona Republic, May 18, 2000

The Brit-pop band behind the crafty '80s singles Generals and Majors and Mayor of Simpleton all but disappeared in the '90s, sidelined by a feud with a previous record label. The freeze has given way to a welcome burst of activity. XTC follows last year's enchanting, orchestral Apple Venus Vol. 1 with fewer strings, more guitars and, as always, big melodies.
-- Sean Piccoli, Sun-Sentinel Music Writer, Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale), May 17, 2000

XTC's rawer, electric counterpart to last year's orchestral "Apple Venus Volume 1" is "Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2)," a fuzzy and peppy batch of 12 songs. Typical of Andy Partridge's upbeat assertions on the album is: Don't you know in this new Dark Age we're all light?
-- Kyle Munson, Music Critic, The Des Moines Register, May 4, 2000

Oasis and Supergrass are good. But the very best British retro-pop rock band (yet still their own guys) remains XTC, in top form on Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2). Check out "Stupidly Happy," "I'm The Man Who Murdered Love," "Standing in For Joe" and "Church of Women." Amen!
-- Jonathan Takiff, Philadelphia Daily News, May 3, 2000

Andy & Colin are back with the follow up to last years exquisite Apple Venus Volume 1, and this time they've got their dicks in one hand & their electric guitar (turned up to 11) in the other. This bastard child of Black Sea & Oranges and Lemons is a marvel to behold. This record makes you remember why you love them so much: great hooks, clever lyrics and choruses that you can't shake out of your brain. Standout tracks include "Playground", "We're All Light" and "The Wheel & The Maypole" Since this is a guitar based record, you have to wonder what Dave Gregory would have brought to the table - but it's pretty hard to improve on perfection. It may be too early to name it Album Of The Year, but that's never stopped me before...
-- theLEEpage, April 2000

The Godfathers of Brit-pop are back with their most lyrical and focused work since Oasis were toddlers.
-- Vic Gabarini, Playboy, April 2000

Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2) is a true XTC record -- bright as sunshine and crisp as rain with a wide range of textures. Top to bottom this is a pop masterpiece that will stagger fans and signal the return of the XTC we all know and love.
-- TVT Records

David Arnold
Review No. 11 - June 8, 2001

Artist: XTC

Titles: Apple Venus Volume 1 and Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2)

Fans of Britain's XTC are an obsessively dedicated bunch. I thought I was up there with the best of them until I subscribed to an e-mail list run by XTC's most ardent followers. Although I had been a fan of the band's bravely adventurous art-pop for 20 years, I quickly learned that my fanaticism could be ranked as mild or moderate at best.

While many of my fellow fans chased after tapes of unreleased demos of new material by XTC songwriters Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding while the band labored in record-label litigation hell from 1993 to 1998, I patiently waited for an official release. Apple Venus Volume 1 broke XTC's official silence in early 1999. (Yes, darn it, I remember the exact release date.) A superb collection dominated by ambitious, orchestrally-enhanced art songs by Partridge, the album stands out as one of the band's finest.

Despite having been starved for new XTC material for seven years, I listened to the opening track, "River of Orchids," twice before moving on to the rest of the disc. An avant-classical anti-automobile tirade penned by a man who has never driven a car, "River of Orchids" is truly one-of-a-kind. Clearly, the album would prove to be much more than just a collection of well-crafted pop songs with classy strings.

Partridge's remaining offerings are no less stunning, ranging from the joyful love-romp "I'd Like That" to the dense Middle Easternisms of "Greenman." Additional highlights include the scathing divorce rant "Your Dictionary," the almost unsettlingly nostalgic "Harvest Festival," the eloquent and moving "I Can't Own Her," and the epic-scale "Easter Theatre." By the way, that's Easter as sultry maiden of universal rebirth, not the religious holiday. Mr. Partridge and organized religion are reportedly not on cordial terms.

The weaker links are Colin Moulding's cute observations of life's little trivialities, "Frivolous Tonight" and "Fruit Nut." Their workaday simplicity pales in comparison to Partridge's loftier triumphs. Still, these tracks display Moulding's characteristic melodic charm, and they also serve as relaxing respites from Partridge's more ambitious exercises in sonic craftsmanship.

In all, Apple Venus Volume 1 rivals 1986's Skylarking, the Todd Rundgren-produced XTC album that is widely viewed as a retro-psychedelic pop landmark. Actually, the newer album is more consistent than Skylarking. The only sad note that clouds the album is the departure of longtime XTC guitarist Dave Gregory shortly before the album's release. His multi-instrumental skills, including guitar chops that easily outflank those of Partridge, will be missed.

Last year, XTC released Apple Venus Volume 1's more electrically-charged counterpart, Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2). At one point, the band had planned to release both volumes in a two-CD set.

Bursting with power-pop glory, Wasp Star boasts a truckload of worthy Partridge rockers, including the catchy singalong single "I'm the Man Who Murdered Love," the soaring and witty "We're All Light," and the touching and rhythmically inventive "You and the Clouds Will Still Be Beautiful." Although Partridge has dismissed the comparison off-handedly, the lead vocals on the latter track bear a striking resemblance to Sting at his jazzy best.

This time, Moulding's songs fit in better, perhaps due to their earthier surroundings. "In Another Life" strikes an amiable chord of wistful wit, "Boarded Up" creatively evokes urban emptiness and decay, and "Standing in for Joe" sounds like a tasty 1984 synth-pop trifle that woke up 16 years too late to be a hit.

A couple of sluggish Partridge tracks weigh down the proceedings, namely "My Brown Guitar" and the scorned lover's bluesbuster "Wounded Horse." In fact, Wasp Star doesn't consistently reach the artistic heights attained by Apple Venus Volume 1. Still, if meticulously crafted orchestral pop is not your thing, you might prefer Wasp Star's more direct and driving offerings to Volume 1's relative bombast.

For the fans (who, me?), XTC indulged in an unprecedented vanity project: releasing a collection of demos for each Apple Venus volume. Homespun covers Volume 1, while Homegrown - released just last month - covers Wasp Star. Of course, I bought each one as quickly as possible, finding both to be enjoyable and informative for the longtime fan. Homespun reveals that Moulding's "Frivolous Tonight" and "Fruit Nut" sound better with guitar-based backing instead of the bouncy keyboard work that dominates the "official" versions. Meanwhile, Homegrown shows that several Wasp Star tracks underwent interesting stages of evolution. In particular, "I'm the Man Who Murdered Love" negotiated a particularly roundabout path to pop perfection.

Who would have thought that collections of demos by a commercially modest (to say the least) duo whose first collaborations predate the "new wave" of the late '70s would find their way to mainstream record stores all across the USA? I can't think of any other band that has attempted something so audacious. But I'm not complaining. Maybe enough mad fanatics are out there to keep XTC's latest record contract in effect for a while longer. In my opinion, distribution of such high-quality quality music should be a public-service tax write-off.

[Thanks to David Arnold]

Thump City
January 2001
The Best of 2000 by Jeffrey Hender

13. WASP STAR (APPLE VENUS VOLUME 2) - XTC (TVT)

A funny thing happened to me in 2000. I became an XTC fan. These guys have seemingly been around since the dawn of creation and I treated most of their previously heard works ("Dear God," "Mayor of Simpleton") with total and utter ambivalence. But WASP STAR not only turned me on to Andy Partridge's latter day jangle, but back to the early stuff as well. Ironically, many die-hard XTC fans are not big fans of WASP STAR, perhaps because some of the cynicism of the earlier works is missing. But make no mistake about it, this is an excellent alt-pop record. Partridge is a studio genius; despite being produced by Nick Davis, WASP STAR has Andy's stamp all over it. Still present is the underrated, clean guitar work, the identifiable vocals and the occasional lavish arrangement. Beginning with a bit of a rocker, "Playground," XTC manages to immediately hook the listener with inexplicable audio bait. There is nothing stunning or earth-shattering here, but you get this feeling that the songs are wonderfully written and the musicianship, impressive, from the opening notes. Bassist Colin Moulding also contributes here, penning the toe-tapping, head-bobbing acoustic shuffle of "Another Life" and "Boarding Up," which ironically, is guitar-centered, with a cool melody. Partridge explores some different avenues here. The country-tinged "Wounded Horse" is a strange but satisfying treat and the Beatle-esque "My Brown Guitar" harkens you back to the SGT. PEPPER-era experimentation. "I'm the Man Who Murdered Love" may sound a little pretentious, but it succeeds in sounding like a more vocally soothing Big Audio Dynamite song, which is far from a bad thing. There are a few weaker tracks. The single "Stupidly Happy" and "Church of Women" aren't the strongest points on the disc, but even when Partridge errs (like when he channels Sting on "You and the Clouds Will Still Be Beautiful"), you don't mind so much because the music (in this case, Moulding's great bass line) saves the tune. Jangly pop hasn't sounded this good since the last great REM record. When was that again?

Coverstory
2000
Music

Staff review:

XTC
Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2)

Staff rating: 3.5 out of 5

Hot on the heels of XTC's first album in seven years, the gorgeous and orchestral-flavored 1999 release "Apple Venus Volume 1," the veteran English band returns with the more familiar electric pop of "Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2)." Powered by guitarist Andy Partridge and bassist Colin Moulding, who serve as XTC's singers and songwriters, "Wasp Star" opens with the jaunty electric-guitar riff of "Playground," which immediately introduces this album's simple setup of mostly guitar, bass and drums. But the album's final song, "The Wheel and the Maypole," which features a string quartet along with former Dream Academy member Kate St. John on oboe, echoes the orchestral, more complex sound of "Volume 1." The Calypso-tinged number "You and the Clouds Will Still Be Beautiful" is a sunny remembrance of a past relationship. Despite its punchy fanfare, "I'm the Man Who Murdered Love" is a cynical ditty that ponders the hypothetical question of whether anyone in this self-centered, uncharitable world would really miss love if it were to be killed off entirely. But optimism wins out on the incredibly bouncy "Stupidly Happy." The slow-hand blues of "Wounded Horse" has Partridge smarting at being dumped, echoing the bitterness of "Your Dictionary" on "Vol. 1," but comically slurring his words like a drunk and this time having fun with his misery. (TVT)

Also check out: "Nonsuch" (1992, Geffen)

American Mule Entertainment
2000

the hitman's hq
My Favorite Albums of 2000, Part 1

by Roy Opochinski

Thousands of albums are released every year. And while my CD collection grows accordingly, there are only a handful of those discs that remain with you long after their compadres are forgotten. This is a list of my favorite albums of 2000. Are they the best? I think so. But I know that I haven't heard everything. And I know that my best list will be significantly different from others' best lists.

  1. John Wesley Harding, The Confessions of St. Ace.
  2. Travis, The Man Who.
  3. U2, All That You Can't Leave Behind.
  4. Coldplay, Parachutes.
  5. Badly Drawn Boy, The Hour of Bewilderbeast.
  6. High Fidelity Soundtrack.
  7. Eminem, The Marshall Mathers L.P.
  8. XTC, Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2). Hooray for Peter Pumpkinhead. While 1999's Volume 1 - Apple Venus was an enthralling experiment and a critical favorite, Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2) was an undiscovered pop gem, one that reminded fans of the band's earlier gems Nonsuch and Oranges and Lemons. Wasp Star is reminiscent of John Wesley Harding's album in that both are comprised of a series of catchy pop songs ("Playground," "Stupidly Happy," and "I'm The Man Who Murdered Love" are three examples) that would have been pop hits 15 years ago. Don't interpret that to mean that the songs sound dated or retread. They are not. Unfortunately, this album is the victim of a musical climate that favors menace over melody.
  9. Steve Earle, Transcendental Blues.
  10. Radiohead, Kid A.
  11. David Gray, White Ladder.
  12. Aimee Mann, Bachelor No. 2
  13. Sade, Lovers Rock.

© 2000 American Mule Entertainment
All Rights Reserved

El Foco
2000
Guia

Wasp Star

Brillante retorno de XTC y su pop inteligente
Claudio Kleiman
4 out of 5

X T C
Nombre: Wasp star
Compañía: TVT
Año: 2000

Los XTC son continuadores de los Beatles en varios sentidos: no sólo se han dedicado a refinar el difícil arte de la canción pop y sus infinitas posibilidades, sino que -a partir de 1982, y a causa de los ataques de pánico de su líder Andy Partridge- se convirtieron en una banda exclusivamente de estudio. Tal como los Beatles (excepto McCartney) visualizaban su futuro, si las circunstancias conocidas no hubieran determinado su separación.

Y es quizás su aislamiento -en la pequeña ciudad inglesa de Swindon- del impiadoso mundo de las giras y el show business, lo que ha posibilitado que sigan construyendo una obra llena de magia, independiente de las modas, imbuída de cierta fascinante inocencia. Y les permite seguir imaginando historias como la de I'm The Man Who Murdered Love, donde Partridge cuenta que encontró el amor y éste "me pidió de rodillas que pusiera fin a sus miserias/dijo que no había trabajado en todo este siglo/y que yo le haría un favor a toda la humanidad / Sí, yo soy el hombre que asesinó el amor". O la deliciosa ironía de In Another Life (uno de los tres temas del bajista Colin Moulding), donde éste le dice a su amada que "yo seré tu Burton / si tu serás mi Liz / quizás haya cerdos voladores / en otra vida". Un mundo de pequeñas anécdotas cotidianas que toman dimensiones surreales.

Wasp Star llega menos de un año después de Apple Venus Volume I. Los XTC parecen dispuestos a recuperar el tiempo perdido, después que una disputa con su antigua grabadora los obligó a una ausencia discográfica de siete años. Los dos discos constituyen una especie de álbum doble, siendo el primer volumen un trabajo barroco con abundantes arreglos orquestales, y Wasp Star como el complemento de aquél, pletórico de canciones de un pop más directo y guitarrero, que nos retrotrae a su etapa de fines de los 70 y álbumes como Black Sea. Aunque reducidos ahora al dúo Partridge-Moulding (el guitarrista Dave Gregory se alejó durante las sesiones del Volume I), Wasp Star no muestra diferencias esenciales en su sonido; Andy se hizo cargo esta vez de todas las guitarras, lo que aporta cierta crudeza, bienvenida dentro del obsesivo perfeccionismo de estudio que los caracteriza.

Las joyas abundan: la infantil inocencia de Playground (con coros de Holly Partridge, la hija de Andy); el infeccioso Stupidly Happy, donde sobre el mismo riff superponen tres melodías diferentes; el psicodélico (ecos de Revolver) My Brown Guitar; el ganchero estribillo de I'm The Man Who Murdered Love; el ritmo sincopado y los disonantes arreglos vocales de You And The Clouds Will Still Be Beautiful; la estupendamente ambiciosa Church Of Women, con cuerdas a lo George Martin y un coro a cappella al final; The Wheel And The Maypole, que intrincadamente mezcla dos canciones enteramente diferentes.

Los XTC continúan siendo exquisitos proveedores de un género que -entre tanto ídolo adolescente manufacturado- parecería en vías de extinción: pop inteligente, que se remonta a la mejor tradición de (nuevamente) los Beatles, emocional y divertido, sofisticado lírica y musicalmente, pero igualmente capaz de dejarnos silbando un alegre estribillo.

Derechos Reservados. El Foco.Com, S.A. de C.V. 2000

magic!
2000

XTC
Wasp Star (Apple Venus Vol.2)
(Cooking Vinyl/M10)

Aujourd'hui réduit à la formule duo, le binoclard Andy Partridge et le débonnaire Colin Moulding gardent encore les clés du temple sacré de la parfaite pop song. Alors que certains voudraient leur délivrer d'urgence une carte vermeille, les deux hommes subliment par ce nouvel album leur magnifique Apple Venus Vol.1. Pour ce faire, la paire a rebranché les guitares électriques et redonné vie à de radieuses mélodies que l'on croyait enfermées à tout jamais dans les grimoires de l'histoire de la pop. Alchimistes des harmonies vocales, les deux hommes déposent sur un plateau doré les compositions les plus rares (We're All Light, You And The Clouds Will Still Be Beautiful, The Wheel And The Maypole). Une chorale d'angelots reprend le sublime Playground d'ouverture, et s'ensuit le faussement stupide Stupidly Happy. Si le titre prête à sourire, il n'en reste pas moins aussi alerte que des gamins en culotte courte. Entre les Kinks (In Another Life) et les Beatles (My Brown Guitar), le coeur d'Andy et Colin balance ostensiblement. À ce niveau-là, ce n'est pas de l'amour mais de l'adoration. Les délicats arpèges acoustiques de Boarded Up soufflent une légère brise de béatitude. Généreux, XTC veille sur la destinée pop d'un certain Joe (Standing In For Joe), après avoir fait des plans pour Nigel. Avec son compère, Andy chante I'm The Man Who Murdered Love. Nul doute qu'il est d'ores est déjà pardonné de son geste dans la Church Of Woman. XTC reste pour l'éternité un groupe XXL.

Jean-Noël Dastugue 4/6 - bon

wetair
album reviews

XTC: "Wasp Star (apple venus volume 2)"
a+		 ak47's review
by wetair member ak47 ///
ak47's rating: A+

XTC: "Wasp Star (apple venus volume 2)"

Ashley Proffitt: Well it's no secret that XTC is sited as a major influence on most of the really good pop music writers of today. And there's good reason for this. Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding write some catchy-ass songs. "Skylarking" was the record that first turned me onto this band. An old boyfriend played it for me about six years ago, and apparently I was the last to know about XTC. Since then, "Skylarking" has been one of the most important records I own.

Now I have to say that "Wasp Star," their newest album, is no "Skylarking." But it's still a record worth the $14.99. There may be some relatively boring moments, but there are a few very sweet moments to make up for them. Per usual, the best songs are the Andy Partridge numbers. #1-"Playground" starts with this pretty cool rock guitar riff. Then it melts into that XTC sound we know and love. Kinda quirky and 80s. #2 is called, "Stupidly Happy" and has a Beautiful South type of vibe to it. #3 is one of Colin's called, "In Another Life." It sounds like a bad rip-off of a Robin Hitchcock song. Generally Colin's songs are the disappointing ones on this record. #4 "Brown Guitar" is the best song on here. Andy's genius really comes through. The lyrics are super interesting... "You want some lovely, I got some lovely in my field. There be green grass. There be pink skies. There be blue birds." #5 is another Colin number. It's called, "Boarded Up" and is somewhat more interesting, as well as pretty bluesy. Unfortunately the rest of the CD basically dissolves into boredom at this point and there's really nothing left worth mentioning.

The thing about it is this: I hate to speak ill of XTC, because this isn't a bad record. I just think it's not quite up to the XTC par. Apple Venus Volume 1 was a gorgeous record full of beautiful, orchestral songs. I guess this Volume 2 is supposed to be like the other side of the coin or something. It's over-produced and has all these cheesey 80s rock moments. And it's almost like our old friends Andy and Colin are beginning to show their age and get a little out of touch.

Fright X
2000

Eclectic / Masterfully written alternative rock

XTC / Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2)

Every once in a great while, one of THOSE records comes along. Yeah, you know the kind I mean. Like an incredible summer fling, it sneaks up on you with little notice. It intoxicates you, consumes you, and doesn't leave your player for a month. You forsake all others for The One, without even the slightest hint of guilt, and, in your memory, it becomes the zeitgeist marker of the calendar time that you spent together. XTC's Wasp Star [Apple Venus Volume 2] is truly one of those CDs. And don't quote me on this, but I think I may even be falling in love.

Since their inception twenty-five years ago, XTC have been regarded as the band to whom THE BEATLES torch has passed. An example of songwriting in its most clever form, their tunes are impeccably constructed with nooks and crannies of sheer brilliance that surprise and delight like the twist at the end of a good mystery novel. The lyrics are witty and wry, and Wasp Star [Apple Venus Volume 2] lives up to XTC's long tradition of intelligent, thoughtful, and perfectly-crafted British pop.

The overall feeling of Wasp Star is incredibly upbeat, with the band plugging their guitars back in after the mostly orchestral preceding album, Apple Venus Volume 1. Strong -Sir Keef- Richards-esque guitar riffs lay the foundation of a number of tracks, including the infectious "Stupidly Happy." "In Another Life" is a jaunty, brass-tinged open letter from Colin Moulding to his agoraphobic wife. - I'll play the Hollywood hunk, You can dye your roots, - he sings, - Well, I'll be your Burton, If you'll be my Liz... - But the glistening crown jewel of the album is Andy Partridge's "Playground,"in which he ruefully equates the ups and downs of adult life with the traumas of childhood. Bankruptcy, divorce... it's all just another form of being - Marked by the masters, And bruised by the bullies. - He goes on to sing that - School is out but never over, That's the only lesson you can learn... - and, oh, how right he is. Freud was never this catchy.

Once again, XTC have not only shown that they are pop master craftsmen - they have proven that they are the art form's Sir Christopher Wren.

Reviewed By Michelle Arnold, FRIGHT X Contributing Writer

El Foco
2000

La estrella de la avispa o el segundo volúmen de la manzana venusina.

Gerardo De la Garza

XTC, grupo inglés saca a la venta su mas reciente producción titulada "Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2)", en donde vuelven a demostrar porque siguen teniendo éxito en el ambiente musical desde hace más de 20 años...¿quieres saber más?....sigue leyendo.

El grupo originario del pueblo ferrocarrilero inglés de Swindon, XTC, inició su odisea a través del mundo de la música en el año de 1977, ofreciendo su muy particular estilo sobre la vida diaria a través de la música. Cuando este grupo llegó a la escena musical londinense, lo hizo durante el apogeo del movimiento Punk, y por su nombre compuesto por siglas, eran confundidos hasta la saciedad como miembros del Punk o del naciente New Wave...dos estilos musicales que no tenían nada que ver con ellos, siendo sus principales influencias los Beatles, Los Beach Boys y The Kinks.

Los años pasaron y al llegar los glamorosos ochentas, XTC decidió aventurarse por el terreno poco recorrido del "Underground" usando el pseudónimo algo psicodélico de "Dukes Of Stratosphear", con su producción "25 O´Clock", desde ese entonces XTC ha tenido un enorme exito en los Estados Unidos, canciones como "Dear God", (escrita como una carta de un niño a su creador, la cual ayudó a que el álbum de donde se desprende: "Skylarking", se convirtiera en todo un clásico entre su legión de fans) y su canción de anti-fama "The Mayor Of Simpleton", de su doble LP de 1989 "Oranges And Lemons"...

Ahora, este grupo que en la actualidad se transformó en un dúo, formado por Andy Partridge y Colin Moulding, regresa a las andadas con "Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume)", marcando el egreso al sonido eléctrico de esta agrupación, siendo catalogado por Partridge como "Eclectric".

Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2), (llamado así por la manera en que los antiguos mayas conocían al planeta Venus), la más reciente producción del grupo creador de la excelente "Ballad Of Peter Pumpkinhead", es la continuación de su disco de 1999 de "Apple Venus Volume 1" (¡lógico!) y algunos críticos temían porque "Wasp Star" fuera inferior a su predecesor, pero estos temores desaparecieron, ya que el primer volumen con sus texturas orquestales construidas alrededor de metales y cuerdas, demostró ser igual de ambicioso que el segundo volumen en el punto de vista de la composición de las letras, poniendo a ambos LP´s en un digno empate.

La producción comienza con "Playground", la cual no pierde tiempo en adornos banales y se centra en un requinto circular que da pie a un coro tintineante, la canción sirve como un contrapunto muy al estilo de los Beatles para "Stupidly Happy", una canción algo desgarbada que nos recuerda a los Stones, de esas dos aperturas, el dúo dinámico de Partridge y Moulding nos llevan por territorios no expolorados por ellos pero esto nos mantiene a la expectativa gracias a su maestría en el pop. En "Boarded Up", Moulding utiliza solo una guitarra acústica y algo de percusión para crear un ambiente que nos recuerda a Buffalo Springsfield y en "Wounded Horse", Partridge empleo un requinto oscuro con vocales algo arrastrada, creando un equivalente brit-pop del lamento del country blues.

En la mayor parte, "Wasp Star", se adhiere al rebote melodioso y humor torcido que ha sido la marca registrada de XTC por 25 años. Como sus predecesores los Beatles y los Beach Boys, Partridge y Moulding se deleitan en poner de cabeza la construcción del pop, proporcionando algo fresco y familiar al mismo tiempo.

Luxuria Music
2000
CD-REVIEWS

XTC
Wasp Star (Apple Venus Vol. 2)
Cooking Vinyl/Hoanzl

Die englische Kultband greift beim zweiten Teil von "Apple Venus" wieder auf bewährte Mittel zurück

Beinahe die ganzen 90er Jahre hindurch herrschte Funkstille, nachdem sich XTC endgültig mit ihrer ursprünglichen Plattenfirma Virgin überworfen hatten und für eine Weile in Streik getreten waren. Endlich aus dem Knebelvertrag entlassen, veröffentlichten sie auf Cooking Vinyl mit "Apple Venus Vol. 1" ein orchestral-akustisches Kleinod, mit dem das Duo aus Swindon (vom einstigen Band-Line-up blieben nur die beiden Songwriter Andy Partridge und Colin Moulding über) neue Wege beschritt. "Wasp Star" ist nun die versprochene Fortsetzung des "Apple Venus"-Zweiteilers, und, wie angekündigt, haben XTC bei dieser Gelegenheit wieder ihre elektrischen Gitarren ausgepackt. Diese klingen für ihre Verhältnisse teils ungewohnt schroff, aber grundsätzlich markiert "Wasp Star" eine Rückkehr in konventionellere Fahrwasser, bei der einmal mehr und in gewohnt fachkundiger Manier auf langbewährte Einflüsse (Beatles und andere typisch englische Songschmiede) zurückgegriffen wird.

00026

Extreme
2000
CD Reviews: The U.K. Scene

XTC Wasp Star: Apple Venus Vol. 2 (Idea) There was a bit of hoopla around XTC's comeback disc a couple years back, Apple Venus Vol. 1, a collection of pop tunes mostly in the acoustic, eclectic vein. While last year's release of a demos disc from these sessions did little to impress, Apple Venus Vol. 2 does. This is more of an electric pop release represented well by the radio singles "Stupidly Happy" and my vote for one of the songs of the year, the Costello-ish "I'm The Man Who Murdered Love." Vocalist Andy Partridge is in fine smart-pop form with great tongue-in-cheek lyrics delivered with a unique pop voice with that distinguishable English accent. Simple melodies and song structures are enhanced with minimal samples, keys, violins, horns, et al when needed. You may not get where the band is coming from on the first listen but the songs will quickly grow on you. Other notable tracks to check out are "Playground," "Standing In For Joe" and "The Wheel And The Maypole." - GC

© 2000 Extreme Visual Productions. All Rights Reserved.

Whatzup
2000

Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2)
XTC

by chad beck

Andy Partridge is in love with melody the same way his idol, Paul McCartney, is. Throughout XTC's 20+ year career Partridge has compiled song after song woven together by bouncing bass lines, playful guitar licks and vocal harmonies reminiscent of the most fab four. On their last disc, XTC chose to take their music in a more classical direction; fooling around with massive string and horn arrangements with heavenly results. Like Apple Venus Volume 1, Volume 2 is massively over-produced, allowing the listener no chance to lose track of the percolating instruments and their vocal counterparts. To the chagrin of many of their longtime fans, Volume 1 could hardly be declared a "rock and roll record." Volume 2 puts the complex XTC back in the pop/rock genre that they are so well respected for, and they walk into it like kings returning to their thrones.

Opening with "Playground," (replete with a handful of young kids chiming in on vocals) Volume 2 generally gives off a positive, life-affirming vibe. Even when the lyrics deal with grown up issues such as adultery ("Standing In For Joe"), XTC put a playful sonic spin on everything they do. After hearing these tunes a few times it's nearly impossible not to sing along with the transcendently joyous Partridge. Other highlights include "Stupidly Happy," "My Brown Guitar" and "The Wheel and the Maypole." All of these songs are good enough to be considered classic XTC, so longtime fans shouldn't worry that the band is "over the hill." Not at all. If anything, XTC are better than they've ever been, applying their wise and weathered minds to their craft like the greatest of artists from any medium. Maturity rocks.

The most amazing thing about this group is that their lyrics almost always match the brilliance of their music. On the bluesy "Wounded Horse," for example, Partridge belts out genius lyrics sharp enough to puncture the listener's eardrum. "I Stumbled and I fell / Like a wounded horse / When I found out / You'd been riding another man." Other lyrical nuggets unveil themselves in the anti-misogynous "Church of Women" as well as "I'm The Man Who Murdered Love" (a track that could easily be my favorite single of the year). If well-crafted Beatlesque rock is what you're after, it doesn't get much better than this. XTC are the first group to make maturity such an appealing aspect of music usually generated for kids. Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2) is a grand testament to quality song writing, something none of us should ever forget.

[Thanks to Jackiefly]

Akers Mic
2000
Musikk omtale

av Frode Nikolaisen (planB)

Vi er inne i det fjerde tiåret med gruppa XTC. Allerede i 1976 ble den første versjonen forma, og med årene så har man både skiftet medlemmer, navn og også litt stil enkelte ganger.

Her er det snakk om en av tidenes beste popgrupper, og fremdeles har de ingen problemer med å fange oss lyttere i sitt univers av geniale låter.

Gutta gav ut flere utrolige album på 80- tallet, og etter deres store comeback for et år siden med Apple Venus, er de igjen klare for å kapre nye fans.

Det skulle ikke by på problemer, for det kryr av kvalitetsbevisste platekjøpere der ute.

Grunnen til at XTC aldri helt har nådd opp blant den store mengden, kan vel kanskje skyldes at de dessverre enkelte ganger bommer litt med når de gir ut musikken sin, mens kvaliteten på deres plater skulle absolutt tilsi noe annet.

Wasp Star har potensiale til å bli intet mindre enn en XTC- klassiker.

(med forbehold om trykkfeil/skrivefeil)

The Scoop
2000

SECTION 2>MUSIC REVIEWS>
XTC
Wasp Star

It's amazing how a band can disappear for seven years, then release the best album it has ever done, Apple Venus Vol. 1. What's more amazing is when the band follows up about a year later with an album that's even better. While XTC's hiatus wasn't exactly by choice, (there was a contract dispute), the two remaining members of the band, Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding, used the time off wisely. Like I said before, the last album was great, but Wasp Star Apple Venus Vol. 2, is that much better.
One of the things that made Vol. 1 so good was the use of symphonic instruments, which gave the songs a different sound that XTC has done before. Vol. 2, however, returns to the pop roots that the band had used for the past three decades. The only difference between the old and the new is the new found bitterness that Partridge puts into a lot of his songs. In "I'm The Man Who Murdered Love," the first single, Partridge writes about putting a bullet through "Loves" head. This song fits in perfectly with other songs from this album as well as from the last one, about his wife divorcing him.
The best songs on the album are, surprisingly enough, the three written by Moulding. Not taking anything away from Partridge, but Moulding's songs are just happier and make the listener feel tingly all over, (at least they made me feel that way). The best of the lot is "In Another Life," Moulding's voice sounds cool with the guitar and drums backing him up.
This album is great, but unfortunately, it will probably get lost in the mix of new albums by Eminem, Britney Spears, just to name a few. It's a shame really, because this very well could be one of the best albums put out all year.

- Aaron Bell
Album Rating

Based on a scale of 1-5 Tony Danza's, one being the worst.

The Scoop 1999-2000

Amplifier
December 2000
Pop Ten

Amplifier Picks the Best CDs of 2000

1 Wasp Star (Apple Venus Vol. 2)
XTC
TVT
This guitar-driven slice of pop heaven more than made up for the disappointment of the new age - classically - inclined Apple Venus Vol. 1 with it's assortment of groovy riffs, irresistible hooks and genius wordplay. Song for song, no other album this year matches up. Now, if only Andy Partridge & Colin Moulding would take less than seven years to deliver their next classic! --Kevin Mathews
2 The Man Who
Travis
3 The Discovery of the World Inside the Moone
Apples in Stereo
4 TSAR
TSAR
5 Guest Host
Stew
6 In Case You Didn't Feel Like Plugging In
The Posies
7 Twelve and Twelve
Jeffrey Foskett
8 The Pity List
The Mayflies USA
9 Heartbreaker
Ryan Adams
10 The Hour of Bewilderbeast
Badly Drawn Boy

©1997 - 2001 J&J Publications and TWoMP

The Sunday Oregonian
December 31, 2000
Arts and Living
Artsweek

. . . the album . . . a form worth keeping, an expression [at least ideally] of a cohesive artistic statement. Whether the statement is about the detailed crafting of that vital sub-unit the song, about the expansive possibilities of sound or about some larger thematic concerns, a great album has a character all its own. . .
"Wasp Star [Apple Venus Volume 2]," XTC [TVT]: Although he hasn't gone on to mainstream superstardom like Sting or art music respectability like Elvis Costello, XTC's Andy Partridge arguably is the most gifted writer to have emerged from England's late-'70s new wave scene. Despite years of commercial struggle and a dwindling band [it's down to him and bassist/second writer Colin Moulding], he's created his most inspired album yet. Moving back from acoustic pastoralism toward a nervy electric energy, Partridge's gleeful melodic architecture houses an optimistic song cycle in which the themes [love, sex, nature, cosmos] fit together in a continually regenerating chain. Death and decay -- whether of a dinosaur, a flower or a romance -- are hailed cheerfully, because they clear the way for a new round of life and love. And sometimes in this cycle, we get a bloom as brilliant as "Wasp Star."

Copyright 2000 The Sunday Oregonian
[Thanks to Wes Hanks]

Living Abroad Magazine
2000
Album Reviews

XTC

WASP STAR (APPLE VENUS VOLUME 2)

COOKING VINYL


After years of inactivity due to basically going on strike, so as to silently and stubbornly serve out their Virgin contract until dropping them would be the only option, XTC have been issuing albums in an absolute flurry of late.

Much like London buses is the apt cliché to apply here, because until '99s Apple Venus Volume 1, the last XTC album to be issued was 1992's Nonsuch. Then two come along in less than a year.

Much like its very immediate predecessor, Wasp Star finds XTC at the absolute pinnacle of their craft. This is a band who in by now typical manner stubbornly refuse to conform to any stereotypes. Most musical artists lose the spark that made them special, but with XTC the albums have only got better. Drums And Wires along with English Settlement may have seen them hitting their initial high-tide marks, but these have since been superseded by an astonishing run of albums that runs (despite the gap), Skylarking, Oranges And Lemons, Nonsuch and the current apple blossoms.

You can add to that, the resoundingly psychedelic affair that was their Dukes Of Stratosphere [sic] project - even when they're joking around, they still sound better than most bands, particularly bands like Kula Shaker whose second album sounds blindingly similar to the Dukes, but was actually meant as a serious career statement.

Wasp Star in some strange sort of sense that can only exist in XTC-land is a bit of a meeting ground for XTC of old and their more recent affairs. While Volume One may have had plenty of dense orchestrations, this one is a largely sparky affair which sounds like it should be played by young, skinny men twitching and stomping around on stage with dodgy, yet appealing haircuts.

Because of its very nature Wasp Star may not be as heart-renderingly endearing or effective as its predecessor, but you'll still have to travel a mighty long way to find a better collection of tunes assembled for your delectation.

Ton um Ton
News - Indies
2000

ARTIST Titel Label
XTC Wasp Star
(Apple Venus Vol. 2)		 Cooking Vinyl/Hoanzl
Die englische Kultband greift beim zweiten Teil von "Apple Venus" wieder auf bewährte Mittel zurück
Beinahe die ganzen 90er Jahre hindurch herrschte Funkstille, nachdem sich XTC endgültig mit ihrer ursprünglichen Plattenfirma Virgin überworfen hatten und für eine Weile in Streik getreten waren. Endlich aus dem Knebelvertrag entlassen, veröffentlichten sie auf Cooking Vinyl mit "Apple Venus Vol. 1" ein orchestral-akustisches Kleinod, mit dem das Duo aus Swindon (vom einstigen Band-Line-up blieben nur die beiden Songwriter Andy Partridge und Colin Moulding über) neue Wege beschritt. "Wasp Star" ist nun die versprochene Fortsetzung des "Apple Venus"-Zweiteilers, und, wie angekündigt, haben XTC bei dieser Gelegenheit wieder ihre elektrischen Gitarren ausgepackt. Diese klingen für ihre Verhältnisse teils ungewohnt schroff, aber grundsätzlich markiert "Wasp Star" eine Rückkehr in konventionellere Fahrwasser, bei der einmal mehr und in gewohnt fachkundiger Manier auf langbewährte Einflüsse (Beatles und andere typisch englische Songschmiede) zurückgegriffen wird. (chd - Chris Duller)

The Contentment Gang
2000

Interpret: XTC
Titel: Wasp Star (Apple Venus Vol. 2)
Label/Vertrieb: Cooking Vinyl/Hoanzl
* * * *

Das Nachfolgealbum von "Apple Venus Vol. 1" beweist (eigentlich unnötigerweise) einmal mehr, daß die gute, alte Popmusik noch so einiges zu bieten hat. Die beiden Briten Andy Partridge und Colin Moulding versetzen den geneigten Hörer mit ihrer fröhlich-sorglosen Auffassung von Musik ein paar Jährchen in die Vergangenheit zurück - in eine Zeit, als natürlich alles besser und schöner war. Man setzt unweigerlich ein schuldfrei-idiotisches Grinsen auf und fühlt sich "stupidly happy", denn es muß ja Gott sei dank nicht immer Tiefgang sein.

veja - CG

DJ Ginsters Volume Control
2000
Review

XTC Wasp Star

Life can deal a bad set of cards and I was dealt a mother fucker! XTC was one of those cards. Till my dying day I will like them but I'm not an obsessive, if they do something crap I won't defend it.

After an eight years strike which put any past Industrial action in Britan to shame they came back with two albums in just over a year. The Experimental "Apple Venus 1" was a great comeback and to be honest the first XTC album with great continuity - a virtual concept album. Violins to the fore truely mind blowing.

A year later Wasp Star I must admit it came as a shock. Guitars up front and a clean clean production. I thought oh shit Oranges and Lemons (to me unlistenable apart from two great songs at the end). So an intitial wave of disappointment swept over me. Slapping the CD on again I perservered.

Gradually the melodies started creaping into my concious, I don't know if it will convert anybody but You and the clouds, Church of women and Maypole are one hell of a way to end an album - pure class. (I felt a pun coming on but resisted)

In every town there is a closet XTC fan if you spy Wasp Star on the shelf just borrow it and listen.

The Clarion Call
December 7, 2000
v85i12
Lifestyles

Music Review
Top ten albums of the year 2000

by Keith Gwillim
Clarion Call Lifestyles Editor

8) XTC - Wasp Star (4 out of 5 stars)

XTC's latest, Wasp Star, has a heart that pumps pure, exhilarating pop with every beat. XTC turns in a wonderfully nuanced set of nervy, new-wavish geek-boy rock that is arguably their best since 1986's Skylarking. Reggae, blues, and traditional English folk are woven into the tracks, resulting in a seamless fusion. Other bands would try and make this into an arty form, but XTC never lets their influences be the meat and potatoes of the songs - just the parsley sprig on the side. So if you need an antidote to all the rap-rock and boy-bands, look no further than Wasp Star.

Copyright © 2001 The Clarion Call

The Clarion Call
November 2, 2000
v85i08
Lifestyles

Music Review

XTC shows us what pop music is all about

by Keith Gwillim
Clarion Call Lifestyles Editor

What makes a good pop song? What elements separate a lasting piece of music from, say, Britney Spears? Is it lyrics? Instrumentation? The beat? I don't have the answer, but XTC sure does. Their new disc, Wasp Star: Apple Venus Vol. 2, has a heart that pumps pure, exhilarating pop with every beat.

Wasp Star is a return to form for XTC, after last year's lush, orchestrated Apple Venus Vol. 1. While the string-soaked album was impressive, it alienated many fans. On Wasp Star, XTC come back to their nervy, new-wavish geek-boy rock, producing a startlingly fresh album for guys that have been doing this for over 20 years. The result is their best album since 1986's Skylarking.

Filling up an entire album with first-rate songs has always been a problem for frontman Andy Partridge. While that is still a hurdle he needs to overcome (witness the lumbering "Wounded Horse," and the sappy "You And The Clouds Will Still Be Beautiful") the remaining ten songs are so well-crafted that those two are easily overlooked.

While most of the songs follow their "What would the Beatles sound like in the 80's" mold, their eclecticism from Apple Venus carries over into many tracks, infusing them with zest. Reggae, blues, and traditional English folk (among others) are woven into the tracks, resulting in a seamless fusion of the familiar and foreign. Other bands (including early XTC) would try and make this into an arty form, but XTC never lets their genius get to their head. And that's why this is pure pop - the influences are never the meat and potatoes of the music, just the parsley sprig on the side.

Songs like "We're All Light" and "Church Of Women" boast reggae beats that are reminiscent of Sting's Dream Of The Blue Turtles, though nowhere near as dour. In fact, this in an incredibly upbeat and just plain "happy" album. Look no further than "Stupidly Happy" to discover that.

An endlessly looped guitar riff, practically drooling in its own idiocy, draws you in against your will, as Partridge declares "My heart pumping wine / With idiot grin - I'm stupidly happy." It's so sweet you might have cavities by the end, but "Stupidly Happy" is like hot fudge sundaes - completely irresistible.

"I'm The Man Who Murdered Love" is Wasp Star's best track. Guitar-pop at its finest, "...Who Murdered Love" combines Partridge's best lyric of the album with XTC's signature sound. A hilarious fable of - you guessed it - a man who kills love itself, "...Who Murdered Love" is the next in a long line of Partridge songs dealing with being a geek who can't get any. It's bizarrly touching and endlessly funny. Sure, at the end you realize it's only Beatles worship, but when the results are almost as good as their idols, who cares?

While the music will draw you in at first, it's Partridge's lyrics that'll have you coming back for more. Partridge dances through the album with his trademark wit and mastery of the English language. He's like Morrissey on Prozac, commenting on everything from existentialism ("We're All Light") to decaying relationships ("The Wheel & The Maypole"). Funny but never trite, smart but never snobbish, Partridge will have a great job as an English teacher when he's done being a rock star.

Other highlights of the album include the social class commentary of "Playground," the Beatles tribute of "In Another Life," and the affair song "Standing In For Joe." Also check out "The Wheel & The Maypole," a song that makes a breakup sound positively jubilant. I've never heard lines like "Empires crumble in / Wedding cake begins to must and moulder / And what made me think we're any better" sound so happy.

So if you need an antidote to all the rap-rock and boy-bands (the musical equivalent of cheese from a spray-can), check out XTC's Wasp Star. Being a bespectacled, geeky Brit was never this fun. 4 out of 5 stars.

Copyright © 2000 The Clarion Call

John Gill's Web Pages
October 2000
In The CD Player

So, what's in permanent residence in my CD Player at the moment, what album is titilating my eardrums as we speak? Read on.....

XTC - Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2)

After last year's triumphant return, Apple Venus Volume 1, the band's first new album in seven years, XTC are back again with the follow up Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2). And whereas Volume 1 was somewhat experimental in its use of orchestra and acoustic instruments, Volume 2 features the XTC we know and love, with electric guitars plugged back in.

The opening three cuts are all potential singles to these ears, the first two, Andy Partridge's "Playground" and "Stupidly Happy" both featuring simple but infectious guitar riffs backed by superb drumming and Colin Moulding's melodic bass playing which echoes Sir Paul McCartney in style. Track 3, Moulding's "In Another Life", is very McCartneyesque in places but a great song nontheless. This is the man who wrote the band's biggest hit, "Making Plans For Nigel", after all. "My Brown Guitar" is a typical Partridge pop song while Moulding's "Boarded Up" is very sparse and bluesy. Track 6, "I'm The Man Who Murdered Love", is the first single from the album and in an ideal world would be a smash hit and bring the band the recognition they deserve, but I'm not holding my breath. "Standing In For Joe" has Moulding singing about looking after his mate's woman in more ways than one while "Wounded Horse" has Partridge lamenting his woman "riding another man".

Lyrically it's a superb album with Partridge playing an acidic Lennon to Moulding's McCartney and in the absence of any new material from Squeeze this will more than suffice. The musicianship is excellent with Partridge and Moulding being augmented by various drummers and keyboard players although the basic duo play most of the instruments themselves with the former doing a surprisingly good job on lead guitar duties in the absence of former guitarist Dave Gregory.

In short, you won't hear a better album this year, go out and buy it. And when you have, then go and buy Volume 1......

Silberfisch
October 2000
Frequenz

XTC - Wasp Star (Apple Venus Vol. 2)
Cooking Vinyl / Indigo
War "Apple Venus Volume 1" noch ein rein orchestral-akustisches Werk, kehren XTC hier wieder zu ihrem elektrischen Pop zurück. Bisweilen lassen sie die Gitarren recht rockig krachen - das Grundgerüst bleibt aber immer noch dieser dermaßen Beatles-infizierte Psychedelicpop, der die Band von Anfang an auszeichnete und unverwechselbar machte.
Die Herren Partridge und Moulding gründeten XTC 1977 und nahmen seitdem mehr als zwei Hände voll Platten auf. Nebenher gab es bis heute unzählige Seitenprojekte. Beide sind jetzt Mitte vierzig, arbeiten an der konsequenten Umsetzung iherer Vision, der Weg ist das Ziel und "Wasp Star" der aktuelle Beweis dafür. Sie beherrschen das Handwerk des Songwriting meisterhaft.
Uns liegt ein bunt schillerndes harmonisches Album vor, das abwechslungsreich und durchaus auch spannungsgeladen ist. Die zwölf Titel sättigen nicht, sie machen hungrig nach mehr...... der Workaholic Andy Partridge wird wohl nicht lange auf sich warten lassen; sein Output war bisher unerschöpflich.
Doch zunächst gibt's "Wasp Star" ab dem 22.Mai im Handel.

(H.)

Hotmud.net

MONDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2000

Another life from XTC - prim8 @ 10:20 pm EST
OK, it's time for a record review. Wasp Star is the second half of a two-volume set by XTC. The first half of the Apple Venus set was released last year; I never even heard about it. Prior to that, their most recent album was in 1992. XTC is back!

With remarkable clarity, XTC balances complex and abstract compositions with melodies that are straightforward and catchy. The result is engaging and accessible music that always seems to unfold in a new way and stands up to years of listening.

The word I keep thinking of is snappy... though if XTC wasn't part of your upbringing you might take the leisurely rhythms and melancholy vocals for something other than snappy. This CD, like many of their others, brilliantly melds wry cynicism with lugubrious optimism, pragmatic humor with soulful sadness, virile underpinnings with sparky virtuosity. This is keen musicianship on par with XTC's best work; despite being technically perfect, it's alive and real.

The sluts among us are pleased to note that the intrepid Pink Thing makes an alarming appearance, in Standing in for Joe. The song's dubious hero is asked to look after his best friend's girlfriend... and you can guess the rest. Just in time, though, our little hussy gets his come-uppance. Wounded Horse casts the conqueror in the victim's role. What XTC album would be complete without a pity party?

For those of us who never get enough of XTC's romantic raving about sex, love, and jealousy, there's the rest of the CD. Behold beauty in the upper atmosphere, attend mass at the Church of Women, and party round the Wheel and the Maypole. Once again, XTC has left me Stupidly Happy.

Rating: five snowballs (packed with rocks and clay)

ModHousewife
2000

XTC
Wasp Star
(Apple Venus Volume 2)
(reviewed by Doug O'Roark)

The opening riff on XTC's latest sounds promising, but it's all downhill from there. The album ends up going nowhere fast. Sure, the production is pristine, as we've come to expect, and Andy Partridge has a vocal style and quality that is satisfyingly unique. Unfortunately, "What we've come to expect," is what gets delivered, and that's the problem.

A nifty guitar line sets off a song, but then the idea isn't sufficiently developed. Once a novelty or two wears off, we start to notice that almost all of the tracks are lazily mid-tempo. The backup vocals harmonize in exactly the same way they have a hundred times before.

A few moments pass muster: "Standing in for Joe," the first half of "The Wheel and the Maypole," the aforementioned riffs. But nothing approaches the inspiration the band found earlier in its career. It's all reminiscent of Oranges and Lemons and Nonesuch [sic], where good tracks are few and far between.

Much has been made of XTC's decade long problems with record companies and personnel, and Partridge's stage fright. At this point it all seems irrelevant, as XTC to be just another band that has run out of ideas. Given Partridge's unquestionable talent, it's disappointing, but it's what we've come to expect.

Copyright © 2000 by dowellMedia. All rights reserved.

Addo
2000

XTC
"Wasp Star (Apple Venus vol. 2)" (CD)
Idea Records/Cooking Vinyl/Kommunikation skivor

Jag gillar inte när band gör comebacks.

Man blir alltid besviken, det spelar liksom ingen roll vilken artist det är, det blir aldrig bra. Jag kan självklart ändra mig om jag någon gång upptäcker ett band som verkligen gör en bra comeback, men hittills har jag verkligen inte upptäckt några sådana.

Varken David Bowie eller Beatles har klarat det. Efter att ha läst min inledning förstår nog de allra flesta att XTC är ett band med sin storhetstid långt bakom sig. Denna skiva är en fortsättning på den påbörjade comebacken från -99, "Apple Venus Volume 1".

Det känns som att när band gör comebacks så rättar de sig ofta efter hur dagens musik låter, "för att slå bland ungdomarna". Det känns också som att det är precis det XTC försökt med.

Efter att lyssnat lite på skivan är det enda jag tänker på melodifestivalvinnarna Bröderna Olsen, med deras "Fly On The Wings Of Love". Det enda som saknas är "Cher-effekten" på rösten.

Den dag ett band gör en bra comeback kommer jag inte vara sen att hylla dem, tills dess kommer jag fortsätta lyssna på all bra musik som finns, jag måste tyvärr konstatera att jag klarar mig helt och hållet utan XTC:s "Wasp Star".

Anja Dahlstedt

Smiffy's Marvellous Electronic Gamezine
Issue 15 - September 2000
Reviews

Music - XTC - Wasp Star

No cover shot as it's almost entirely black (bye bye toner!) which one would certainly not describe this jolly pop record as. Down to only the two "core" members Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding, they go for simpler guitar pop than the previous Apple Venus Vol.1 which was a bit more like their "Dukes of the Stratosphere" stuff.

The songs are expertly presented - well Andy Partridge's are, Colin Moulding's 3 efforts are a bit knob with lyrics like "We're boarded up, two-by-fourded up" - and mostly happy and bouncy. "Playground" sets the mood, then the excellent "Stupidly Happy" can't fail to bring a smile to your face. Other particlularly jollifying tracks are "In another life" - a sentimental song that stops just sort of sickliness with lines like "Beer tastes good from tins, Test Matches we might win" , and the overtly suggestive "Wheel and the Maypole".

There is a feeling that old farts should be doing more sophisticated music than this simple fare. But what the heck? It proves that simple pop music doesn't have to be shite - a la most of the current charts.

Rock Viu
Setembre 2000
Discos

XTC
'Wasp Star (Apple Venus Vol.2)' (Cooking Vinyl)

Quan a l'any 98 XTC van tornar amb el disc Apple Venus després de cinc anys de silenci, va ser tota una alegria pels fans d'aquest mestres de la new wave. Aquest mateixos seguidors ara tenen la sort de poder gaudir de Wasp Star, la segona part d'Apple Venus. En aquest CD ens retrobem amb la obra d'aquest dos orfebres del pop amb cançons perfectament construïdes a sobre d'una estructura pop ferma i segura. Andy Partridge i Colin Moulding (els supervivents del trio inicial) han tornat a fer un disc d'aquells que s'enganxen des de la primera cançó i que creen la addicció que tenen les coses senzilles i fetes amb el cor amb una dotzena de cançons que transmeten sensacions i sentiments a cada acord. I si no ho creus prova a quedar-te impassible amb una cançó com 'My Brown Guitar', et serà impossible.

Plásticos y Decibelios
| Reseña 18/09/2000 |

Discográfica: TVT
Títulos de las canciones: Playground; Stupidly Happy; In Another Life; My Brown Guitar; Boarded Up; I´m The Man Who Murdered Love; We´re All Light; Standing In For Joe; Wounded Horse; You And The Clouds Will Still Be Beautiful.
Productor:XTC
Otros Datos de Interés: Se trata del siguiente capítulo a la serie Apple Venus, que estuvo precedida de un silencio de 7 años sin disco.

Tras 25 años depurando el arte de la canción pop, XTC han alcanzado lo que se considera un status de culto: buenas críticas para la mayoría de sus lanzamientos y una minoría de seguidores fieles, pero sin alcanzar el éxito masivo en ningún caso.

La temporada pasada, tras un paréntesis de 7 años sin disco, motivado por problemas con Virgin, su antigua compañía, regresaron con Apple Venus Vol. 1, uno de los mejores del año, a pesar de que casi nadie le prestó atención, con arreglos de cuerda embelleciendo la mayor parte de las canciones, y dando una lección de neoclasicismo pop, en una vena similar a otros discos contemporáneos, como el de Mercury Rev.

Supuestamente, de manera casi simultánea debiera haberse editado el volumen 2 de Apple Venus, con una aproximación más espontánea y guitarrera. Ese lanzamiento se pospuso, pero ha aparecido por fin, con el nombre de Wasp Star, y es... casi mejor que el anterior. Otra lección de pop que, tal y como se anunció, pone el acento en la formación clásica del rock (guitarras y batería), pero sin perder de vista los detalles (no, éste no es un disco de punk rock).

La mayoría de las canciones vienen firmadas por Andy Partridge, que despliega ingenio (conviene echar un vistazo a las letras) e intuición melódica a placer, destacando "The Man Who Murdered Love", "Stupidly Happy", la inicial "Pl