Apple Venus Volume 1
| Apple Venus Volume 1 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by XTC | ||||
| Released | 17 February 1999 | |||
| Recorded | January–August 1998 | |||
| Length | 50:09 | |||
| Language | English | |||
| Label | Cooking Vinyl | |||
| Producer | Haydn Bendall, Nick Davis | |||
| XTC chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Apple Venus Volume 1 | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| The Austin Chronicle |  [2] |
| Entertainment Weekly | A−[3] |
| Los Angeles Times | [4] |
| NME | 7/10[5] |
| Pitchfork Media | 8.2/10[6] |
| Q | [7] |
| Rolling Stone | [8] |
| Spin | 8/10[9] |
| The Village Voice | B+[10] |
Apple Venus Volume 1 is the thirteenth studio album by the English band XTC, released in 1999. It was the first on the band's own Idea Records label through Cooking Vinyl and distributed in the United States by TVT Records. It reached #42 in the UK.[11] As with the two previous albums, the album's title appears to have been taken from the lyrics of a song on the previous album, in this case "Then She Appeared" from Nonsuch:
Then she appeared
Apple Venus on a half open shell
The album was the first time the band had released anything since going "on strike" against their label, Virgin Records. Apple Venus Volume 1 was originally supposed to be a double album, but Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding were convinced to break the album up into two, with the orchestral material on Apple Venus Volume 1 and the other material released on Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2). The material for both albums was largely written in the aftermath of Nonsuch. While Partridge continued to write new material, all of Moulding's material was older songs that were submitted for earlier projects and rejected.[12]
In 2002, XTC released an instrumental version of the album entitled Instruvenus.
Apple Venus Volume 1 was the last XTC album to include Dave Gregory as a member of the band. He departed the band during the recording sessions.
Legacy
In 2003, Mojo ranked the album at number 47 in its list of the "Top 50 Eccentric Albums".[13] The album was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.[14]
Track listing
UK CD: COOKCD 172
All tracks written by Andy Partridge, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "River of Orchids" | 5:53 | |
| 2. | "I'd Like That" | 3:50 | |
| 3. | "Easter Theatre" | 4:37 | |
| 4. | "Knights in Shining Karma" | 3:39 | |
| 5. | "Frivolous Tonight" | Colin Moulding | 3:10 |
| 6. | "Greenman" | 6:17 | |
| 7. | "Your Dictionary" | 3:14 | |
| 8. | "Fruit Nut" | Moulding | 3:01 |
| 9. | "I Can't Own Her" | 5:26 | |
| 10. | "Harvest Festival" | 4:15 | |
| 11. | "The Last Balloon" | 6:40 |
Personnel
- Dave Gregory – piano, keyboards, keyboard programming, guitars, backing vocals
- Colin Moulding – vocals, bass guitar
- Andy Partridge – vocals, guitars, keyboard programming
Additional musicians
- Mike Batt – orchestral arrangements for "Greenman" and "I Can't Own Her"
- Haydn Bendall – keyboards
- Guy Barker – trumpet and flugelhorn solo on "The Last Balloon"
- Nick Davis – keyboards
- Prairie Prince – drums, percussion
- Steve Sidwell – trumpet solo on "Easter Theatre"
- All arrangements played by The London Sessions Orchestra under their leader Gavin Wright
Production
- Haydn Bendall – original production, engineering
- Nick Davis – additional production, engineering, mix
- Simon Dawson – mix assistance
- Alan Douglas – recording engineer
- Barry Hammond – recording engineer
- Tim Young – mastering
- Leonard B. Johnson - A&R Coordination
References
- ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Apple Venus, Vol. 1 – XTC". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 June 2011.
- ↑ Lieck, Ken (2 April 1999). "XTC: Apple Venus (TVT)". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved 16 June 2011.
- ↑ Schinder, Simon (5 March 1999). "Apple Venus, Volume 1". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
- ↑ Nichols, Natalie (18 February 1999). "XTC: Apple Venus Volume 1 (TVT)". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 16 June 2011.
- ↑ Wirth, Jim (18 February 1999). "=XTC - Apple Venus Volume 1". NME. Archived from the original on 14 November 1999. Retrieved 16 June 2011.
- ↑ Hooker, Zach (23 February 1999). "XTC: Apple Venus, Volume One". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 16 June 2011.
- ↑ Maconie, Stuart (April 1999). "XTC: Apple Venus Volume 1". Q (151): 107. Archived from the original on 19 May 2011. Retrieved 16 June 2011.
- ↑ Walters, Barry (18 March 1999). "XTC: Apple Venus Volume One". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 11 April 2009. Retrieved 16 June 2011.
- ↑ Hunter, James (April 1999). "Blondie: No Exit / XTC: Apple Venus Volume One". Spin. 15 (4): 162–64. Retrieved 16 June 2011.
- ↑ Christgau, Robert (7 March 2000). "Consumer Guide: Cleanup Time". The Village Voice. Retrieved 16 June 2011.
- ↑ "Encyclopedia of Recorded Sound". Routledge. 2004-12-12. Retrieved 2016-07-29.
- ↑ Farmer, Neville XTC Song Stories, Hyperion, September 1998
- ↑ Mojo - 100 greatest singles of all time
- ↑ Robert Dimery; Michael Lydon (7 February 2006). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition. Universe. ISBN 0-7893-1371-5.