XTC - Are You Receiving Us? (1980)

XTC are one of the best, and most prolific, of the UK post-punk bands that sprung up around 1977. Virgin Records saw the potential and snapped them up, and their first release was the '3D' EP, which has since gained legendary status and commands large sums online for an original copy. This was followed by a couple of singles to test the water, before their first album 'White Music' burst onto the scene. Every track was amazing, and as well as the brilliant original songs on there, it contained perhaps my second-ever favourite recording of 'All Along The Watchtower' - and depending on the mood I'm in it sometimes even surpasses Hendrix's definitive version. Singles and albums followed in quick succession, and they were writing so many new songs that almost all the singles had exclusive b-sides, and sometimes they'd issue an EP just for the hell of it. By looking through their discography I've managed to track down 40 songs that never appeared on a studio album - enough for a three volume collection of XTC rarities. In 1982 the 'Beeswax' album made a good attempt at mopping up some of these songs, but obviously missed off the non-album A-sides, and omitted a couple of flips as well. There's never really been a follow-up to that collection for the years after 1982, and so hopefully this trilogy of albums will do the job nicely.

Track listing

01 Science Friction (from the '3D' EP 1977)
02 She's So Square (from the '3D' EP 1977)
03 Dance Band (from the '3D' EP 1977)
04 Hang On To The Night (b-side of 'Statue Of Liberty' 1978)
05 Are You Receiving Me? (single 1978)
06 Instant Tunes (b-side of 'Are You Receiving Me?')
07 Heatwave (b-side of 'This Is Pop?' 1978)
08 Chain Of Command (from the free 7" single with 'Drums And Wires' 1979)
09 Limelight (from the free 7" single with 'Drums And Wires' 1979)
10 Bushman President (b-side of 'Making Plans For Nigel' 1979)
11 Pulsing Pulsing (b-side of 'Making Plans For Nigel' 1979)
12 The Somnabulist (b-side of 'Ten Feet Tall' 1979)
13 Life Begins At The Hop (single 1979)
14 Homo Safari (b-side of 'Life Begins At The Hop')
15 Don't Lose Your Temper (b-side of 'Generals And Majors' 1980)
16 Smokeless Zone (b-side of 'Generals And Majors' 1980)