XTC A Coat of Many Cupboards Virgin

THIS IS POP… XTC A Coat of Many Cupboards Virgin

For a long time an XTC retrospective package was the stuff of madman’s folly. But the times are a-changing (cheers Bob) and finally it’s here, a chance to catch up with the lesser known joys of one of Britain’s most consistently ingenious and under-rated combos. It’s a wonder and a joy, naturally.

Chronicling their work over 4 CDs from their very beginnings (track one is a version of ‘Science Friction’ from the demo tape rejected by CBS) through the height of their fame (Demo versions of most singles are here – including ‘Senses Working Overtime’ and ‘Mayor of Simpleton’) and on to works of overlooked genius (a few token Dukes of Stratosphear tracks, out-takes from ‘Nonsuch’ and a live performance from The Late Show).

No stone is unturned. What really makes the package special is that every track has been hand-picked by Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding – so the history presented is very much theirs, and rightly so.

There is the odd duffer (the demo of ‘Mayor of Simpleton’ bares no relation to the finished product and is frankly, awful – but by contrast ‘King For A Day’ is vastly superior to its own album version). The point being, it doesn’t matter… this is a document of record, a testimony of genius and is a compliment to the back-catalogue rereleased last year.

If you want a best of, may I recommend ‘Fossil Fuel’ – but if you’ve ever had any interest in XTC this is a far more worthy addition to your collection. The whole shebang is beautifully presented – the box does exactly what it says on the tin… it is a coat, with lots of flaps and things to open (cupboards, if you will) and there is a comprehensive biography courtesy of aficionado Harrison Sherwood. In short it’s essential. Truly. If you’ve never experienced the joys of XTC it’s time to Wake Up. If you have, and loved them, you need this box set. You need it. It’ll have your Senses Working Overtime. Sorry… had to be done. 9.2/10

Chris Merriman