Back in the summer of 2010, Andy Partridge announced that XTC’s 1986 album Skylarking was being reissued later that year “as it was intended to sound, but never has due to human error” — a new double-vinyl pressing that corrected the polarity that had been reversed on all prior releases of the album, resulting in a thinner sound that was light on bass.
Nearly four years later, that new version of Skylarking is finally coming to CD, Partridge announced on Saturday via Twitter: “Corrected polarity SKYLARKING CD being pressed up right now folks.”
No further details have been announced, including whether the new CD reissue will include the original “banned” artwork (as seen above) that was restored for the vinyl reissue in 2010. The new CD edition presumably will be sold through Partridge’s Ape House Records, which handled the Skylarking vinyl reissue and a more recent 5.1 Surround mix of Nonsuch.
As for other reissues in the pipeline, a 5.1 mix of 1979’s Drums and Wires is coming “soon,” according from a tweet last week by Partridge: “DRUMS 5.1 soon man,rawer but good, I’ve heard it.”It’s not clear whether Drums and Wires will also be receiving the vinyl reissue Partridge first suggested was coming in 2011.
Corrected polarity SKYLARKING CD being pressed up right now folks.
— XTC (@xtcfans) February 22, 2014
So many have asked,so i'll answer this 'corrected polarity' on SKYLARKING question so I don't have to keep answering the same. It goes…
— XTC (@xtcfans) February 23, 2014
…there were wiring problems in TR's studio,probably with new recorder set up he was trying.Which means that once the stereo mix tape…
— XTC (@xtcfans) February 23, 2014
…left his studio,it could never sound as good/the same.Unfortunately NO mastering engineer in the world caught this problem {XTC new…
— XTC (@xtcfans) February 23, 2014
…that something didn't sound right!}.The problem was caught and rectified by masterer John Dent for the recent vinyl release.Thus we are..
— XTC (@xtcfans) February 23, 2014
…using his corrected and greatly improved version for this CD release. This mangled polarity is a common studio problem according to John.
— XTC (@xtcfans) February 23, 2014
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- XTC’s Andy Partridge: New ‘Drums and Wires’ mix ‘so good it’s upped my opinion of the album’
- XTC launches new reissue series with expanded audiophile edition of ‘Nonsuch’
- Andy Partridge prepping ‘nice new vinyl cut’ of XTC’s ‘Drums and Wires’ for reissue
- XTC reveals ‘banned’ pubic-hair cover art for upcoming ‘Skylarking’ vinyl reissue
- XTC’s ‘Skylarking’ vinyl reissue ‘30% better sounding,’ will restore original artwork
yum yum
I think the first article I read on Slicing Up Eyeballs was about the vinyl reissue with the corrected polarity. I added SUE to my Google Reader feed, thinking that way I’ll know right away when they reissue the album on CD, too.
So here we are four years later, and I can finally remove this site from my RSS feed! (just kidding)
ugh. Can we stick to the Geffen Records art please? Much classier.
Too much hair? Not enough hair?
Too many flowers
Next SUE poll: best pubic hair album cover – The Black Crowes, Roxy Music, Ween, or….XTC?
How about Pubic Image Ltd?
Or General Pubic.
Yes, I am deeply offended by images of the human body as well. Jeesh.
I believe Andy answered the question about the sleeve art on the CD a few weeks ago:
https://twitter.com/xtcfans/status/431082289221480448
When XTC was putting out their great albums I thought that they would be the one band that was still putting out great albums decades later. Sadly, I was wrong,
What’s with the obsession over the cover art? Is anyone interested in the content?
I only see a link to view the cover art but not to listen to the content, Ramin. That’s all we have to comment on?
Have there been any reports of other LPs produced at Todd Rundgren’s studio around the same time having the same polarity issues?
I have looked at the audio from an old Skylarking CD every way that I can think of and it damn sure seems to be in phase to me. Not only are the channels in phase, but the absolute phase seems to be correct.
I agree, there are no polarity issues. It is a little bass light but that was the trend at the time. XTC have been pseudo-scienced.