Senses Working Overtime: XTC and Dukes of Stratosphear Song-by-song

My favorite Split Enz song on most days.

 

Our votes for "Red"
1-0
2-4
3-10
4-8
5-0
Average: 2.9682

 

Today's song is "Beatown", written by Andy Partridge and produced by John Leckie.

XTC – Beatown Lyrics | Genius Lyrics

Background:
Written about Andy's growing paranoia of the music business that worked him hard but left him penniless (in fact, XTC's manager was stealing money from the band).
Andy:

Colin:

Line Up:
Andy Partridge: vocals, guitars (threaded with paper)
Barrie Andrews: organ
Colin Moulding: bass guitar, vocals
Terry Chambers: drums

Live versions:

• Transistor Blast (1979, released 1998)
• Love At First Sight (1979, released 1981 on Canadian single)

 

Today's song is "Beatown", written by Andy Partridge and produced by John Leckie.

XTC – Beatown Lyrics | Genius Lyrics

Background:
Written about Andy's growing paranoia of the music business that worked him hard but left him penniless (in fact, XTC's manager was stealing money from the band).
Andy:

Colin:

Line Up:
Andy Partridge: vocals, guitars (threaded with paper)
Barrie Andrews: organ
Colin Moulding: bass guitar, vocals
Terry Chambers: drums

Live versions:

• Transistor Blast (1979, released 1998)
• Love At First Sight (1979, released 1981 on Canadian single)

 

"Beatown": I almost love this, for some reason. The verses would serve their purpose a lot better if they were half as long. And Andy's vocal Doppler effects (at 2:00) must go. But once the pro-forma song structure is out of the way, the long drone of alternating major seconds becomes entrancing.

Plus, the chord change at the end of the chorus is wonderful.

3.5/5

 

I missed a couple songs.

"The Rhythm"

I love this song. Definitely hear the Roxy Music similarities. Also, reminds me a bit of Talking Heads. Perhaps lacking in the lyric department, but it's a catchy little tune. The piano is a nice touch. 4/5

"Red"

Not so sure about this one. I'm feeling annoyed by it at the moment and want to hear what's next. 2/5

"Beatown"

Such a strange band. Even if I don't love a song, I usually find them interesting. Some of these songs might irritate me over time, or maybe I will grow to love them? This song falls somewhere in the middle. I think it would be more effective if it was at least one minute shorter. 2.5/5

 

"Beatown"- Barry's meandering keyboard intro signals we are heading into the doldrums of side 2. Melody is missing from the whole song, and instead we get a lot of herky-jerkiness, not from Colin, but from Andy this time. Halfway through I'm hoping it's over, but, no, it's got two more minutes of Andy repeating "Beatown" and vamping between two chords. Combined with Barry's swirling keyboards, it feels like being hungover and seasick at the same time. That's something, I guess, but it's not something I care to partake of, most of the time. 2/5.

 

The intro to Beatown is hard to get past, but the song slightly improves after that, despite Andy's odd vocals at times. Not his best song on this album! 2/5

 

Red is a bit of a mess, the only thing worth hearing it for is that great guitar riff at the end of the verses. I have to end up with 2/5 here, although it’s more of a 2.5-2.6.

Beatown though is easily the highlight of the album for me. Sure, there’s herky jerkiness, barking seals and annoying keyboards, but it sounds like a song with a meaning and a purpose. I love the guitar in the intro and I love the chord progression. Ba-ba-ba-Beatown gets a 4/5 from me.

 

"Beatown" is just not my thing. Good energy and good arrangement, I'm sure it was fun but....not melodic enough. 2.8/5

 

"Beatown" is definitely one of my favorites on this...my least-favorite XTC album. The verses are by-the-numbers new wave herky-jerk, but the sudden chord change in the chorus adds a nice dollop of dissonance. The bridge is kind of annoying (as Andy could often be in those early days), but once those alternating chords start near the end...wow. The energy level is on fire and Andy almost goes semi-metal on his overdubbed soloing.

3.5/5 - mostly for the terrific ending.

 

"Beatown"

The title annoys me a little - feels like there should be another "t" in there, or maybe it should be two words. But then Andy wouldn't be able to do his "spelling out the title phonetically" thing - which would be a good thing for me. I'm impressed by Colin's ability to keep that bassline going throughout the long outro. Other than that I've never really had any strong opinions one way or the other about this track. It just sort of sits there and fills out its four minutes. 2.5/5.

 

Beatown

This is XTC being more adventurous with song arrangements and production, e.g. the extended intro including Andy's vocalisations, and other sections. The song itself could easily have been another short song going straight into the verse.

The song is melodically interesting including what my ears interpret as key changes for and during the chorus.

This isn't yet a 4 for me, but it's interesting and catchy.

3.8/5

 

Beatown - I find Barry's contributions harder to take now I've listened more closely to his songs on this side, so the stabbing farfisa intro sets the teeth on edge, as unfortunately does the rest of the song.... there are flashes of real talent and even brilliance but they're trying too hard - I suspect Barry's influence, maybe John Leckie too. I like the modulations of the repeated up/down 'Beatown' chords but that's about it. The instrumental ending goes on far too long, and if that's phasing at the end it doesn't add much. 2/5

Someone mentioned 'Mummer' earlier - their most underrated album whose 'Elements' track has definite echoes of Colin's final contribution here.

 

"Beatown" -- 2.5/5

This is probably one of Andy's least interesting compositions from this period, IMO. There's a lot going on in this one, but not too much that grabs me, unfortunately. It probably worked great as a show opener because it's got some real energy behind it, but as an album track, it lacks a bit. I think the extended instrumental outro is the best part of the song.

 

Beatown

The instrumental part at the end is the best part of the song, and I would find this more listenable if that, in fact, was the whole song. I don’t like the song itself much at all. I hate the keyboards and there isn’t much melody in either the verses or chorus.

1.5/5

 

Wow, it's kind of a bummer to see no love for "Beatown" here as it's one of my favorites from G02. I was expecting some to argue that it goes on too long, but personally I really enjoy the herky-jerky intro that ultimately locks into Andy's guitar riff and then the extended fade that seems to build and build relentlessly. There's a weirdly propulsive, kinetic quality about this track that just carries me along, a sense of urgency. I like Andy's description of the lyrical theme above, a kind of musical declaration of independence, a good statement of intent for the band at this stage. 4/5

 

Beatown. It reminds me of a White Music-like track but it has some interesting angular bits and pieces to it and I bet it was challenging to play. The main song goes by a little too fast. I like the jammy groove that takes the track out but it, OTOH goes on a little too long. I do enjoy Colin's bass playing on this track. Overall, good.

 

Beatown

This is more an instrumental workout than a proper song. From the extended opening to the final two minutes or so, vocals take a back seat and it's all about rocking out. It works fairly well and holds my interest. 3/5

 

Beatown. By-the-numbers at this point in the album and pretty boring. 2/5

 

"Beatown":

Terrific track! You hear the classic XTC sound starting to come together on this while still maintaining the youthful thrill of early new wave and a great freak out at the end. What's not to like?

 

Beatown:
Some of you have really nailed it already. The chord at the end of the chorus is somehow extremely XTC-ish, even for such an early song.
And the extended flanging out at the end is wonderful and reminds me of a similar coda from Your Gold Dress some years later. Even Barry’s farfisa cheese is minimal enough to not distract me from my love for this.
4/5

 

It felt like a fire theft when I "discovered" the chord 15 years ago. Of course, I knew I wasn't the first. You take a regular 3-note major chord and add what would be considered the 4th as the bass note. Like a regular E chord but lift your middle finger so the A string rings open. It makes this strange open sound of awe. I don't even know what to call it; it has a maj 7th and a 9th but no 3rd. It's arrogant in its ambiguity. I try to use it whenever I can, as a hinge or a feature, like a favorite ingredient in the kitchen.

This is the chord that drives "Beatown". Andy describes his discovery of it in the "Complicated Game" book and how, in his synesthesia-laced brain, it evoked a big town, both "futuristic and archaic". So, in a fine example of what makes this album a breakthrough, he reveals this musical onomatopoeia gradually in the choruses, eventually letting it completely take over, shifting up and down as the song slides ferociously downhill into the outro. The art rock lurking under the new wave surface burns through. He's attached it to a brittle, hiccupping thing that feels a little dysfunctional, but the audacity is on full display. It's breathtaking if you let it in, even if the vehicle is awkward. Colin gets it, working in stabbing chords, angular rhythmic lines and building to a Philip Glass-like trill high up on the neck for the end, as Andy finds a riveting ascending guitar line to drive it home. So interesting and kind of messed up. 3/5

 

Beatown: A little surprised to see all the disdain for this one. Not too surprised I suppose, it's pretty whacked out. I love this song, every bit of it. More than I did in my youth, where it was just a little bit too much to comprehend I guess. It's my favorite song on Go 2 (not counting the single A side, which I wish we discussed before the album, but that's ok, not at all complaining about Lance the OP's wonderful work here).

I love the intro and outro. Intro is just so real to me. To my ears, they're having more fun here than any other song on Go 2, save for possibly Meccanik Dancing. the changing melodies and chords are super- no one else other than Wire was this good at this imo.

also all the weirdness going on in things like Andy's vocals and Colin's repetitive basslines during the end jam. the keyboards, those two chords. it's a big reason I'm here, this song. it's one of the few that brought me back into the fold after many years of being burnt out on XTC (a thousand listens to Helicopter will do that to you). I wish I could give it a perfect score but I can't quite go there, no one here would believe me (there's a few more of those) 4/5

 

Beatown - 4/5 - One of the things I really like about this album is how inventive Andy was as the sole guitar player in the band. He rarely plays straight chords and this is a good example. The groove on the verses is really cool.