For the last few years, Andy Partridge has been overseeing audiophile reissues of XTC titles, releasing a series of albums — Nonsuch, Drums and Wires, Oranges and Lemons and Skylarking — with new stereo and 5.1 Surround mixes by Porcupine Tree frontman Steven Wilson.
It now appears that XTC’s fourth album, Black Sea, will be added to that series of reissues, as Partridge this week tweeted that he’d approved Wilson’s stereo mixes of that album, and it was “now to the next stage, the surround mix.” No release date has been announced.
Released in 1980 when Terry Chambers was still in the band, XTC’s Black Sea spawned four singles: “Generals and Majors,” “Towers of London,” “Sgt. Rock (Is Going to Help Me)” and “Respectable Street.”
The previous reissues in this series have been CD/Blu-ray releases featuring new stereo, 5.1 and 24bit/96khz LPCM mixes, plus additional, sometimes unreleased, bonus tracks (the Skylarking reissue, for example, “a complete alternate album in demo form”).
Just passed all the new stereo mixes by Steven Wilson, now to next stage, the surround mix.
Oh, forgot to mention, it’s BLACK SEA— XTC (@xtcfans) July 25, 2017
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- Watch: Andy Partridge stars in trailer to upcoming XTC documentary ‘This Is Pop’
- Andy Partridge working to restore XTC’s ‘Oranges and Lemons’ for audiophile reissue
- XTC’s ‘Drums and Wires’ audiophile reissue to include new 5.1 mix, demos, rehearsal tracks
- Reissue of XTC’s ‘Skylarking’ with ‘corrected polarity’ finally coming to CD
These reissues have been everything and the kitchen sink brilliant. Each set has been exhaustive on content in the best possible way while being light on the tacky badges. So many ‘deluxe’ album sets these days are the opposite. They have become the standard by which all of these deluxe sets should be compared to in my book, definitely looking forward to this. I had read there were issues locating masters for theses reissues which explained the random order they were being released, glad to see them rolling out again.
When is this projected for release?
I love everything XTC…. can’t wait….
Best 5.1 dvds made for music so far. Bar none. Even if you don’t know XTC these are treasure troves of awesome. And you should know XTC, they are the 2nd best band ever.
These blu ray releases are exceptional, played over an 9.2 surround sound system I just sit and grin! Black Sea is by far my favourite XTC album and one of all time favourites by anybody, every song is a gem. Can’t wait!
So happy to hear this. Black Sea is one of my favourite XTC records and this surround series has been fantastic. Drums and Wires was a real high water mark for me. Still hoping like crazy they can find the English Settlement masters and I would truly love to see The Big Express get the deluxe treatment. A great record and a little under appreciated I think. If they can’t find the newer stuff how about the older stuff. 3DEP, White Music, Go 2. These were my first XTC records and I still love them to death. Thank you for doing these and keep ’em coming.
I’ve seen XTC numerous times and NYC late 70s early 80s..Saw Steven Wilson a few years back.Hes a musical scientist like Andy Partridge. The Black Sea live was Majestic. And the Album? A Pop Masterpiece! Man..Those Terry Chambers DRUMS! Live and in the studio he was a powerhouse Avalanche! Funny and true story..In 1983 my group Das Conrad shopped a demo to Virgin Records. My brother “Tomcat Twyn Conrad seen a cab delivery of the master for Mummer..The cabbie dropped the master and it came open and Rolled in the Virgin Records Courtyard! BELIEVE IT OR NOT..
XTC’S in good hands with Andy.. Christopher