A Coat Of Many Cupboards

Science Friction (CBS Demo)

Spinning Top

Traffic Light Rock

Radios In Motion (2001 Digital Remaster)

Let's Have Fun

Fireball XL5/Fireball Dub

Heatwave Mark 2 Deluxe

Heatwave MKII Deluxe ('White Music' Out-Take)

This Is Pop? (2002 Digital Remaster)

Are You Receiving Me? (2001 Digital Remaster)

Things Fall To Bits

Us Being Us

Life Begins At The Hop (First Rehearsal Extract)

Life Begins At The Hop (First Recording)

Making Plans For Nigel (Swindon Town Hall Demo)

Ten Feet Tall (2001 Digital Remaster)

Sleepyheads

Meccanik Dancing (Oh We Go!)

Into The Atom Age/Hang On To The Night/Neon Shuffle (Medley)

Life Begins At The Hop

Reel By Reel

When You're Near Me I Have Difficulty

Helicopter

Towers Of London

Generals And Majors (Rehearsal Tape)

No Language In Our Lungs (2001 Digital Remaster)

Sgt. Rock (Is Going To Help Me) (Is Going to Help Me)

Paper And Iron (Notes And Coins)

Crowded Room

Senses Working Overtime (Early Work Tape)

Snowman

Ball And Chain

Punch And Judy

Fly On The Wall (2001 Digital Remaster)

Yacht Dance

Jason And The Argonauts (2001 - Remaster)

Love On A Farmboy's Wages (Home Demo)

Wonderland (Home Demo)

Ladybird (2001 Digital Remaster)

All You Pretty Girls (Home Demo)

Wake Up (Home Demo)

The Everyday Story Of Smalltown (2001 Digital Remaster)

Grass (Home Demo)

Let's Make A Den (Home Demo)

The Meeting Place (Home Demo)

Dear God (Band Demo)

The Dukes Of Stratosphear

Brainiac's Daughter (2001 Digital Remaster)

Vanishing Girl (2001 Digital Remaster)

Terrorism (Home Demo)

Take Me (Explicit)

by  Stephen Thomas ErlewineAnyone expecting Wasp Star: Apple Venus, Vol. 2 to continue the majestic acoustic-orchestral blends of Apple Venus will be disappointed, because it's a straightforward collection of sharp, witty, well-constructed pop songs. Directness is perhaps the oddest thing about Wasp Star - it's unassuming pop from a band that operated on a conceptual plain for nearly 20 years. It could be argued that all the songs that fit a dark, introspective mood went to Apple Venus, XTC's first album after seven years in exile, while Wasp Star wound up as a clearinghouse for everything else. If that is true, it ignores a basic fact -- XTC's leftovers are better than most band's keepers. "Leftovers" isn't quite an accurate term, either. These songs are orphans, tunes without a particular project, which may mean that Wasp Star is an album of moments, but there's plenty to cherish here. Colin Moulding is in fine shape, with the spare "Boarded Up" and the clever "Standing in for Joe." Andy Partridge has a few tricks up his sleeve -- his compositions are heavy on electric guitars, he builds "Wounded Horse" around a blues riff, and "You and the Clouds Will Still Be Beautiful" is just about the breeziest thing he's ever written -- but for the most part, he's in pop craftsman mode, turning out expert, layered tunes that may not push his talents but certainly exploit his capabilities to their fullest. After all, most pop bands would give their eyeteeth to have songs as smart, melodic, and memorable as "Playground," "Stupidly Happy," "My Brown Guitar" and "I'm the Man Who Murdered Love" as their orphans -- and if these constitute an average XTC album, that's a testament to what a terrific band they are.

A Coat Of Many Cupboards

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