HiRez Poll XTC - Oranges and Lemons [BluRay Audio]

[MIDIQ]

I liked the music on Nonsuch better. But this is still decent music. Great surround mix. Overall 8 for me.

 

[sjcorne]

I gave it a 9. I had never really heard of XTC prior to these surround releases and I'm becoming a bigger fan with each release. Catchy songs, good lyrics, and great surround mixes all around. Out of the four titles currently out, I'd say "Skylarking" is probably the best overall but I seem to play this one the most. This one strikes a good balance between the wackiness of "Drums and Wires" and the more mature "Nonsuch".

"King For A Day" is probably my favorite XTC song so far, though "Books Are Burning" and "Making Plans For Nigel" are also favorites.

 

[ssully]

Oranges & Lemons is from that part of the CD era where albums became TDL (Too Damn Long). I don't think I've ever seriously listened to the whole thing (60:50) in one sitting. (Skylarking was 45:47)

 

[Perp]

Gee! I never voted in this XTC poll either.

Only two pages? There must be no love for “Oranges and Lemons”. ?:yikes

 

[kap'n krunch]

I'd forgotten about this too!!!

up there with my three top XTC albums (it's hard to choose....this, Skylarking...Apple Venus...) a definite TEN!

 

[rtbluray]

BTW, if you have never listened to the "Promo & ID Work" section of this Blu-Ray, you MUST listen to this section and try to keep from laughing!

 

[von kulper]

I can't think of a single prominent 80's pop act that I've ever really enjoyed. In fact, I've pretty much skipped that decade, entirely. However, limited sources of surround music has forced me to step out of my music-listening-comfort-zone in the past, and this is definitely another example.

Amazon had this on sale for like $13, so I thought what the hell, I'll give it a shot. And HOLY CRAP... This is one of the best surround mixes I've ever heard. Every song is discrete and lush and enveloping, and the sound quality is rich and full. This is what HIGH-RES audio sounds like! Incredible instrumentation from song-to-song, with many types of percussion and brass instruments, in additions to the standard rock instruments and dense harmonies coming from ALL OVER. The songs are catchy, upbeat, and a lot of fun.

Quite simply, it floored me, and it's pretty much all I want to listen to right now. I haven't been this excited about a new (to me) band in a long time. I guess I'm a fan now!

So... I think I may have missed out on some pretty amazing music from the period, and it's time to explore more! (I also purchased the Love and Rockets blu-ray, and I'm going to have to finish up with the other XTC releases. )

Hands down, a 10. I F*%KING love it.

 

[H.A.L.]

I'm enjoying all the XTC Wilson releases. If they weren't surround, I probably wouldn't have bothered -- I like the 80s music, but other bands more -- yet I've learned to like XTC! Now, if only Dukes of Stratosphere were next: if I downplay 80s, it is because I love 60s psychedelia 8').

 

[kap'n krunch]

I'm enjoying all the XTC Wilson releases. If they weren't surround, I probably wouldn't have bothered -- I like the 80s music, but other bands more -- yet I've learned to like XTC! Now, if only Dukes of Stratosphere were next: if I downplay 80s, it is because I love 60s psychedelia 8').

Yup.. DotS would be AWESOOOME!!!!

 

[humprof]

I can't think of a single prominent 80's pop act that I've ever really enjoyed. In fact, I've pretty much skipped that decade, entirely. However, limited sources of surround music has forced me to step out of my music-listening-comfort-zone in the past, and this is definitely another example.

Amazon had this on sale for like $13, so I thought what the hell, I'll give it a shot. And HOLY CRAP... This is one of the best surround mixes I've ever heard. Every song is discrete and lush and enveloping, and the sound quality is rich and full. This is what HIGH-RES audio sounds like! Incredible instrumentation from song-to-song, with many types of percussion and brass instruments, in additions to the standard rock instruments and dense harmonies coming from ALL OVER. The songs are catchy, upbeat, and a lot of fun.

Quite simply, it floored me, and it's pretty much all I want to listen to right now. I haven't been this excited about a new (to me) band in a long time. I guess I'm a fan now!

So... I think I may have missed out on some pretty amazing music from the period, and it's time to explore more! (I also purchased the Love and Rockets blu-ray, and I'm going to have to finish up with the other XTC releases. )

Hands down, a 10. I F*%KING love it.

I'm with you, von kulper: when I was living through them, I largely ignored the 80s--especially the early 80s. (It was only much later, thanks to my wife, that I caught up with Elvis Costello, the Clash, and Nick Lowe; the Talking Heads and a few other new wave bands--plus early hip-hop, etc., etc. And most of those guys started in the late 70s, when I was too busy with prog and Steely Dan to listen to anything else.) But I was almost totally in the dark about XTC until an old friend made me sit down last fall and listen to Skylarking with him. And I was instantly hooked. I'm still relatively new to the catalogue, obviously. Without knowing the early albums (or the late-late albums), it seems to me like the band went through roughly three phases--or maybe one and a half and a half phases. But the constant is the smart lyrics and song structures, the catchy hooks, and Andy Partridge's nerdy/witty/insightful/introspective sensibility. I'm sure there's plenty more that a real fan could articulate much better. But so far it's enough for me.

 

[popshop]

Thanks for making me spin O&L again! Fantastic, and that word fits this album better than the others. I personally think it's best to get into them chronologically, though I kinda just consider Drums and Wires the beginning (though not true). I love everything from then on, though I do disagree with AP that the Beatles and XTC are the two that kept getting better. Wasp Star (the most recently released) is NOT the best, IMO.
... (I suppose same with Let It Be...)
Back on topic, agreed with above that miniature sun and then chalkhills and children is a phenomenal ending.
Holy cow.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

 

[Perp]

I voted a “10”. If I had to nitpick a little it would be that it’s a bit bright but not as bright as the previous CD releases. The content outshines everything. Musically, one of my favorites. Nice surround effect and discreet.

 

[key_wiz]

Well the story I've heard is that the song is about Andy Partridge's son Harry as a baby who was sometimes called "Pink Thing" as a nickname. Double entendre? Sure. And I don't think Mr. Partridge would deny you that. I haven't had a chance yet to pick up the new book Complicated Game so I don't know if this song is discussed in detail in it.

In the notes to the song included in the booklet he acknowledges the double entendre and says that if people didn’t also take it another way he’d be “hurt after all that work” that went into the song.

Genius band. Sadly overlooked by so many. Too smart for pop music, really So glad SW got them. That the XTC catalog, of all bands, is being reissued in 5.1 with every imaginable bonus track?

Astonishing, to say the least.

 

[quicksrt]

I finally made it through the whole program. Sounds is so nice and clean and clear - that graininess is all gone and it sounds high-res like it never did on red book. This is one of those real repair jobs, where original mix just could not capture all those tracks and frequencies with the kind of clarity the music deserves.

10

 

[marpow]

I voted 10, love all these XTC surrounds.

 

[Monkish]

This mix has majorly transformed my opinion of this album. My first exposure to Oranges & Lemons was listening to the cassette in my car during my early 20s, and my opinion never wavered much since then — a pretty good album, but no major standouts beyond “The Mayor Of Simpleton” and “Chalkhills And Children”. Steven Wilson and his 5.1 magic have changed all that — now, I like or love every song except for “Hold Me My Daddy”. A revelatory mix — a 10, for sure. (FWIW, for whatever reason, the LPCM mix has the definite edge over the DTS-HD to my ears.)

 

[skherbeck]

Here's a great breakdown of "Mayor of Simpleton"... Rick Beato's channel is fascinating

 

[humprof]

Here's a great breakdown of "Mayor of Simpleton"... Rick Beato's channel is fascinating

Thanks for posting that, Sean--so much fun to hear a great song broken down & taken apart. (I love Beato's Steely Dan episodes.) As soon as I finish listening to Psurroundabout Ride for the umpteenth time, I gotta pull Oranges & Lemons off the shelf!

 

[fthesoundguy]

I gave it a 9 because there were a couple of songs that just didn't fully catch me. I was never a big XTC fan, songs seemed boring and I was bothered by the tone of the lead vocalist whenever they came up on the radio. Listening to them in 5.1 has totally changed my thoughts on them. Pretty fun pop songs

The mix was amazing, very clean while keeping true to the original. That's what I love about SW, he keeps the original feel of any album he remixes. Lots of great movement that kept me attentive and happy. Loved the acoustic guitar and the cowbells in the surrounds on 'Scarecrow People'. The snare moving around in 'Across This Antheap' was surprising, but awesome. Also loved the harmonies happening in the surrounds as well on a bunch of songs.

Standout songs: The Mayor of Simpleton, King for a Day, One of the Millions.

Also, all the extras that are added on this disk is really impressive for the price! Its a boxset in one blu-ray and not bloated with things that I do not want. They totally could have added CD's for all the demos and instrumentals but didn't. They get huge kudos for that decision.

I also bought Skylarking, so I will definitely be spinning that next.

 

[edisonbaggins]

I also bought Skylarking, so I will definitely be spinning that next.

Glad you saved your 10 vote then...