Drums And Wires

Drums And Wires

• XTC
• R&P INTERNACIONAL
• INTERNATIONAL
• MUSIC

Most Americans' first taste of XTC came from this CD, originally released in 1979. The band's first full-length without cofounder Barry Andrews, it was a cavalcade of Andy Partridge's neuroses and paranoia. Although it contained two quirky bona fide pop songs--the calling card "Making Plans for Nigel" and the breezy "Life Begins at the Hop"--the music as a whole was as jagged as Partridge's attitude. "Complicated Game" and "Scissor Man" have the singer's haunting howl echoing and whispering throughout, sounding like a fun house operator gone mad, while "Real by Reel," another pop standout, might be the most conventional song on the CD. <I>Drums and Wires</I> is a must-have for anybody who is only discovering the band. <I>Skylarking</I> and the collected singles are the only other releases that come close to capturing the band's early and earnest dementia. <I>--Steve Gdula</I>