LP - XTC - 45: The Collected Singles - Vol.1

1LP - UK Import on Ape House

45 (Vol. 1)" is a brand new LP compilation on 200 gram vinyl, celebrating XTC's explosive run of singles between 1977 to 1980. Bringing together the A-sides from the band's first, fiercely inventive years, the collection captures XTC in an era where many new bands would have sacrificed future first-borns to have one decent songwriter.

Yet this run of singles made it abundantly obvious that XTC contained two in Colin Moulding and Andy Partridge. While XTC is, rightly, now remembered more for the consistent brilliance of its albums output, its commitment to the notion that every single should be an event: solid catchy A side, equally inventive (if sometimes more experimental) B side and artwork given as much attention as an album.

This made all of their singles, the hits and the non-hits alike, one of the most distinguished catalogues of the 7" art form, from January 1978's ‘Science Friction’ through to the 1992 almost release of ‘Wrapped In Gray’. Listened to now, as a collection, it's the pace of development of the songwriters in a period of a little over three years that impresses, while the arrival of Dave Gregory following the departure of Barry Andrews gave the band a confident musical stability that enabled it to grow rapidly.