Project 1001: Skylarking by XTC
I can take humiliation / And hurtful comments from the boss / I'm just praying by the weekend / I can earn enough for us
While I’ve of course been aware of XTC all these decades, but only from catching an occasional video when MTV would include them in a block of alternative music. And that would have been by accident as I didn’t go out of my way to consume that. In those days my tastes ran much heavier. So, I had never listened to Skylarking before. It would be easy and quite frankly to think the music here is frivolous, even silly at times. Listening carefully puts that notion to rest.
Yes, the music is light and airy a lot of the time. But it is also intricate without being precious while serving the lyrics. You won’t hear showy, soaring vocals. But you will hear clearly sung lyrics (isn’t it nice when you don’t have to refer to the liner notes to understand a singer?) and some lovely harmonies. Mostly you’ll hear wonderful songwriting with a clear perspective telling interesting stories about young love (and its confusing ups and downs), growing into adulthood, religion, family and more. And there is an edge to it all. Underneath the shiny sounds there is a sense that even though you can give your best to overcome modest circumstances, the odds are stacked against you. I think in some ways Skylarking can be viewed as a concept album about the working class.
My favorite track is "Earn Enough for Us" which tells the story of a young man who may be questioning life’s conventional trajectory while trying to stay optimistic as he reminds his wife (or wife-to-be) that everything is going to alright as they start their family. There’s a conflict between life’s desires and small-town economic realities. This is a working-class tale as epic in its way as any Springsteen opus.
I find Skylarking to be a major accomplishment and for someone like me who missed it the first time around an amazing gem I feel thankful for discovering all these years later. My rating:
Stephen Thomas Erlewine’s review for AllMusic pointed out, “…what really impresses is the consistency and depth of Andy Partridge's and Colin Moulding's songs. Each song is a small gem, marrying sweet, catchy melodies to decidedly adult lyrical themes…(resuling in) a pop masterpiece -- an album that has great ambitions and fulfills them with ease.”1
Q magazine gave Skylarking four stars and declared, “Skylarking is essence of XTC, grown-up and still playing pop in territory somewhere between The Beatles and Squeeze. Plangent guitar sounds recall Revolver (1966), vocal harmonies have a salt-and-Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) tang, daily lives stories come from Up The Junction or, in XTC's case, out in the country - wherever ordinary people are doing the nation's dirty work and trying to break the mould, get out of the trap.”2
With an A- rating Robert Christgau found lots to like about the album:
Imagine Sgt. Pepper if McCartney hadn't needed Lennon--if he hadn't been such a wet--and you'll get an inkling of what these insular popsters have damn near pulled off. Granted, there's barely a hint of overarching significance, but after all, this isn't 1967. With Todd Rundgren sequencing and twiddling those knobs, they continue strong for the first nine or ten (out of fourteen) songs. Only when the topics become darker and more cosmic do they clutter things with sound and whimsy; as long as they content themselves with leisurely, Shelleyan evocations of summer love and the four seasons, they'll draw you into their world if you give them the chance. And come on, couldn't you use a vacation.3
In 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, Chris Bryans wrote:
Does conflict create art? The antipathy between band leader Andy Partridge and producer Todd Rundgren was so deep-seated, it is a wonder all concerned left the studio still sane. It is nothing short of miraculous that the music that emerged was so breathtaking.
The aim was modest: create a concept album that covers growing up, dawning sexuality, getting married, facing old age, and fading away, all set within the framework of a single day.
What the group delivered was a pastoral masterpiece recognized by Rolling Stone as one of the decade’s 50 best albums.4
Enjoy and listen without prejudice.
“And just remember, different people have peculiar tastes”
~ Lou Reed
Cheers!
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For details about this project, read this: Project 1001 Albums
Charts
• Peak on Billboard 200 album chart: #70 5
• Singles on Billboard Hot 100 chart: n/a
• RIAA certification: n/a
Released on October 27, 1986. Here’s what else was happening:
Pop Culture
• Number one song: “True Colors” by Cyndi Lauper6
• Number one album: Fore! by Huey Lewis and the News7
• Number one movie: Crocodile Dundee8
• Most watched TV programs: The Cosby Show, Family Ties, Cheers, Murder, She Wrote, Golden Girls9
• NYT bestseller, fiction: It by Stephen King10
• NYT bestseller, non-fiction: His Way by Kitty Kelley11
Some other albums released that month
• Eye of the Zombie by John Fogerty
• Whites Off Earth Now!! by Cowboy Junkies
• The Dark by Metal Church
• Scoundrel Days by A-ha
• United by Commodores
• Count Three & Pray by Berlin
• Rock the Nations by Saxon
• One to One by Howard Jones
• Mosaic by Wang Chung
• Dreamtime by The Stranglers
• Reign in Blood by Slayer
• Liverpool by Frankie Goes To Hollywood
• Get Close by The Pretenders
• Between Two Fires by Paul Young
• Whiplash Smile by Billy Idol
• Whispering Jack by John Farnham
• Polka Party! by "Weird Al" Yankovic
• To Hell with the Devil by Stryper
• Aretha by Aretha Franklin
• Pearls of Passion by Roxette
• Can't Hold Back by Eddie Money
• No. 10, Upping St. by Big Audio Dynamite
• Repossessed by Kris Kristofferson
• Shake You Down by Gregory Abbott12
Sport
• Oct 7 Steve Yzerman is named captain of the Detroit Red Wings, a title he would hold for over 1,300 games.
• Oct 26 French McLaren driver Alain Prost retains his Formula 1 World Drivers Championship with victory in season ending Australian Grand Prix in Adelaide; wins title by 2 points from Nigel Mansell.
• Oct 27 MLB World Series: NY Mets win their second title; beat Boston Red Sox, 8-5 at Shea Stadium for 4 games to 3 series win; MVP: Mets infielder Ray Knight.13
Notable Births
• Oct 23 Emilia Clarke, English actress (Game of Thrones), born in London, England.
• Oct 24 Drake, Canadian actor and rapper (Hotline Bling), born in Toronto, Ontario.
• Oct 27 Alba Flores, Spanish actress (Money Heist), born in Madrid, Spain.14
Historical Events
• 26 Oct Statue of Liberty Centennial Celebration: The Statue of Liberty's 100th anniversary is celebrated in New York Harbor, commemorating the iconic symbol of freedom and American ideals (RIP).
• 27 Oct London Stock Exchange Big Bang Deregulation: The London Stock Exchange underwent a revolutionary transformation with the 'Big Bang' deregulation, abolishing fixed commission charges and paving the way for electronic trading, which fundamentally changed financial market operations.
• 29 Oct Margaret Thatcher Opens M25 Motorway: British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher officially opened the M25 Motorway, a strategic orbital motorway encircling Greater London. The completion of this major infrastructure project significantly improved transportation connectivity around the capital, reducing congestion and enabling more efficient travel.15
Notable Deaths
• Oct 11 Norm Cash, American baseball 1st baseman (5 × MLB All-Star; World Series 1968; AL batting champion 1961; Detroit Tigers), dies from drowning at 51.
• Oct 14 Keenan Wynn, American actor (Dr Strangelove, Absent Minded Professor), dies at 70.
• Oct 25 Forrest Tucker, American actor (F-Troop; Dusty's Trail; The Crawling Eye), dies of lung cancer and emphysema at 67.16
Bryans, Chris, 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, Fifth printing, ed. by Robert Dimmery p. 558.
Ibid.