XTC released the 3D EP in 1977, this being the debut release from the new wave pop group. While often being lumped in with the new wave and punk scene of the late 70s in the UK, XTC are often considered a pop band first, drawing influences from artists such as The Beatles, The Kinks and The Beach Boys. The sound displayed on the bands early recordings and especially the 3D EP have an undeniable punk influence that seems to shake the bands early sound with a frenetic energy, despite their pop influences. XTC is fronted by two main songwriters, Andy Partridge on guitar/vocals and Colin Moulding on bass/vocals. It has been said that Partridge writes/performs two thirds of XTC material while Moulding writes/performs one third of the band’s material. The track listing on the 3D EP further emphasizes this, as it features two songs written by Partridge and one by Moulding. It should also be noted that prior to being issued as an EP, two songs, “Science Friction” and “She’s So Square,” were issued as a single briefly before being withdrawn in favour of the EP.
The band on the EP consisted of Andy Partridge (guitar/vocals), Colin Moulding (bass/vocals), Terry Chambers (drums) and Barry Andrews on keyboards/vocals. The songs found on the 3D EP were produced and engineered by John Leckie at Abbey Road in London, England and released in October of 1977 via Virgin Records. The EP starts with the quirky “Science Friction” apparently inspired by Partridge’s astrophobia, comic books and aliens. The song features a frenzied pace, slashing guitars and erratic, yet melodic keyboard parts supplied by Barry Andrews. With lyrics such as “Science friction burns my fingers/Electricity still lingers/Hey put that ray away/How do you Martians say I love you”, the listener is transported into a world of astronomy, aliens and a quirkiness that still seems to have an unnerving paranoid effect.
“She’s So Square” is a different tempo, but still keyboard-driven and sounds influenced by the proto-punk sounds of Roxy Music. The song is rumoured to be lyrically about Kathy McGowan of the UK music television program Ready, Steady, Go! “Dance Band” and ends the EP with midi sounding synthesizers, staccato guitars, heavy bass and a catchy chorus featuring shouts of “Don’t step on my toes”. This song compliments the two prior tracks and ends the EP on a catchy, yet odd note. The 3D EP is the beginning of what would become a series of singles and albums released by the band. The music would develop on a deeper level on future releases such as Oranges & Lemons and Skylarking, but the 3D EP resembles its anaglyph-like 3D artwork made up of what looks like green and red razorblades. The songs are sharp and if you look at them right, they just might catch you off guard.
Saturday night play list:
1. The Bell Peppers - The Hokey Cokey
2. Pink Mountaintops - Wheels
3. Snake River - Hours I: Don’t Hide Things Anymore
4. Chad Vangaalen - Lila
5. Temples - Keep In The Dark
6. Holy Wave - Night Tripper
7. Magazine - Definitive Gaze
8. Iggy Pop - Dum Dum Boys
9. Big Audio Dynamite - Get It All From My TV
10. Klark Kent - Don’t Care
11. Damaged Bug - Gloves For Garbage
12. The Stone Roses - I Wanna Be Adored
13. Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Clubland
14. Colour Me Psycho - Black Covair
15. The Hentchmen - Virginia Dare
16. Demon’s Claws - It’s Over (Roy Orbison Cover)
17. Ray Condo - Jumps, Giggles & Shouts
18. Takeshi Terauchi & The Bunnys - The Glamour Of The Sun
19. Indian Wars - Denny
20. Ramones - I'm Makin’ Monsters For My Friends
21. Teenanger - Teenanger
22. The Victims -TV Freak
23. The Pagans - Not Now, No Way
24. Deja Voodoo - I Wish That Cat Would Shut Up
25. Deja Voodoo - Rock Therapy
26. Thee Oh Sees - Camera (Queer Sound)
27. Lou Reed - Average Guy
28. Guided By Voices - Shine (Tomahawk Breath)
29. Guided By Voices - Hat of Flames
30. XTC - Science Friction
To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for May 24. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.
No comments:
Post a Comment