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This album, however, stands at the pinnacle of anything any band has ever attempted or achieved. Not to say that it is better than Sgt. Pepper or other great records. But it holds its own. It must be considered one of the five or ten best albums of the 1980s.

I would call this music chamber pop. It quotes eloquently from sixties-style British pop, but adds elements of jazz, all produced and layered to perfection with XTC's inimitable style. All the elements here are precisely and deliberately placed, like a classical composition (with distorted guitars!). The thought and care with which these musical collages have been assembled created songs that are intensely interesting and musically involving. They stand up to repeated listening and analysis. As an experience, it is a marvel and a wonder to listen to these... I won't call them songs, I will call them compositions.

The recording is only fair, at best. One could only wish George Martin had been there to oversee the recording engineers. I have the remastered GOLD CD version, and really it is only slightly better than the original Geffen release. Since the old Geffen version can be purchased used for $1 or less, there is no excuse not to own a copy of this masterwork.

Andy Partridge was at the height of his lyrical powers, and his quirky harmonic ideas were harnessed and channeled into powerful, communicative, and anthemic songs. Colin Moulding's songs are melodic and beautiful, but his busy bass playing throughout rivals McCartney's work in the Beatles' best tunes. It is great entertainment to listen to this album all the way through, focusing only on the bass parts. Dave Gregory completed the tapestry with his always-appropriate guitars, and his presence was sorely missed on the last two XTC albums, as if both Partridge and Moulding had lost their right arms.

Other reviewers have praised the individual songs, so I won't belabor the point. And what is the point? Just this: if you love pop music, buy this CD.


Oranges & Lemons   January 27, 2004
 9 out of 13 found this review helpful

This is the first album I bought by XTC, and it will always remain one of my favourites.

I think everything is just great about this album. Partridge's songs are intelligent, catchy, funny, observant, witty and disparaging. Moulding writes 3 of his best songs, and really this album is simply a bass player's delight. I don't know what he did on this album, but Colin Moulding plays song after song of great bass playing. 'One of the Millions' just has one of the best bass lines of any song I know of, in any genre. It makes the whole song.

Some may complain about the late 80's sound of this album, but I just marvel at how everything is used for effect and layers on every track. It's never false or reliant on the trickery, because the songs are too good for that to happen. They augment, and I find compliment the songs. It has a cousin in The Big Express, but Oranges & Lemons is extremely polished and shiny, and Dave Gregory plays some fantastic and distinctive guitar solos on this album like no other.

But first off I have to mention one song. Colin Moulding's 'Cynical Days'. I have heard a lot of XTC fans malign this song, or just not like it. I tend to ignore them. Because sometimes what they fail to notice is that Colin, by 1989 had perfected something few songwriters achieve, if at all. And that is marry music and lyric together as a complete teller of the tale within the song. Cynical Days is 3 songs in one, and each section in lyric and in sound mirror what is going on in message and tone. The lounge atmosphere verse is the cynicism, the stomping middle section is frustration with that cynicism, and the open swooping chorus is the hope of getting out of that feeling. It is one of Colin's greatest songs, truly a mini-masterpiece. (Also check out his songs 'The Good Things' = on Testimonial Dinner: A Tribute to XTC and 'Bungalow' on Nonsvch).

Oranges & Lemons convinced me of a number of things.

1) Mr.Mister had a great drummer in Pat Mastelotto (but I knew that, I just was thoroughly convinced of it by 1989 and this album)
2) That I had to buy another XTC album to see if it was as good as this.
3) That Lennon & McCartney weren't 'ALL THAT'. (Well, I wasn't thoroughly convinced of that anyway, I always preferred and enjoyed Harrison more.)

And point 3 I'd like to expand upon. If you read any of the lyrics provided by Partridge & Moulding on this album, or any of the XTC albums, there is depth and profound need to pass on a message or a feeling. And like Harrison (for me), I thoroughly believe these songwriters mean what they say, sing it like they mean it, and stay firm in that belief. XTC honestly write from their collective hearts and souls, and I just do not see that coming from the Lennon & McCartney catalogue. How can you honestly sing 'I beat her and kept her apart from the things that she loved' with any degree of emotion or meaning if you haven't 'lived' it. If you're Ike Turner, I'd believe it, but from McCartney its just not believeable. I just don't believe 70% of the Lennon & McCartney song catalogue (solo and Beatle) is emotive whatsoever.

And thats why artists like Peter Gabriel, George Harrison, Fishbone, Sly & The Family Stone and XTC really have taken a spot in my heart. They honestly meant what they said, and they said it so well, it just carries through the decades. And its not like you have to guess whats being said - its right there in front of you.

But thats the problem with 'The Artist' and 'Pop'. Pop makes everyone feel like they can do it, like they can be up there on the stage. Unfortunately this leads to a lot of mediocre, easily marketable, fly by night gone by day acts that last a lunchtime. When the artist steps up, it can't be helped that people feel excluded or set apart from what the person is trying to accomplish. They are not trying to make themselves out to be better than you or the regular folk. This is the only way they know how to communicate how they feel and think, and that this is so often misunderstood (throughout the centuries no less) is a shame. That they try and say something that means the world to them, and may not mean anything to you, is a total reversal from those who say nothing with any meaning, but you are allowed to put a meaning on it, because they made you feel like you could. We might as well put a stamp on a performer's head that says 'This Space For Rent'. With someone communicating so effectively what is on their mind, like Partridge's 'Scarecrow People' or 'Poor Skeleton Steps Out', or Mouldings 'One of the Millions' or 'King For A Day', there is no second guessing. The intent and message is there in black and white (or orange and lemon), andits up to you to decide if you agree or not. You have no part in this other than the way it makes you feel and think, and that is what Art is about. If we all could do it, then thats the way the world would be in the first place.

If I was an Egyptian pharoah, I'd try and take this album with me into the next life.


XTC swings psychedelic on this masterpiece from 1989   March 22, 2006
 6 out of 6 found this review helpful

XTC threw us a curve ball with this record. After the lush Skylarking they decided to bring out the guitars and mine sixties pop psychedelic territory for Oranges And Lemons. They took a page from their sixties psych alter-egos The Dukes Of Stratosphere and modernized the sound, the result being one of their most joyful and fun recordings since Black Sea. The everything-but-the-kitchen-sink percussion of Pat Mastelloto, now of King Crimson, really adds quite a bit to these odd-ball pop tunes. Many of which rank among Andy Partridge's best: Garden of Earthly Delights (with the line "Don't hurt nobody, less of course they ask you"), Mayor of Simpleton, Poor Skeleton Steps Out, The Loving (totally joyful) and on and on. Colin Moulding also writes some gems with King For A Day and One Of The Millions, his homage to the ordinary bloke that "never seems to do anything". Dave Gregory is the guitar master as he always is and contributes quite a lot to the dense sound of Oranges And Lemons, and Colin Mouldings bass playing is fantastic. Check out his fluid Paul McCartney on steroids playing on the Mayor Of Simpleton.

What I love most about Oranges And Lemons is they brought back the guitars and the odd rhythms that made XTC such an interesting band back in the White Noise through English Settlement days while keeping their new melodic sophistication a la Skylarking. There's a lot of instrumental muscle on this album. The only real suprise for me is that Oranges And Lemons didn't get as huge as it should have.


A smart, deliciously delightful smorgasbord of energetic pop/rock!-4.5 stars!   May 11, 2006
 6 out of 7 found this review helpful

"Psychedelic Confection!" would describe the impression that I had after looking at this album's cover for the first time, and it turned out to be a pretty accurate one. Although I was a bit fooled by those soft pastel colors; this album really punches and kicks for the most part (not quite as much as most of their earlier work for example, just more than I expected it to). Colin's bass playing is brought to the forefront here (Moulding could very well be the greatest rock bassist of his era) and many of these songs have some of the hardest grooves that I've ever heard from the group ("Poor Skeleton Steps Out", "Scarecrow People"). This is a pretty interesting album, both sonically and thematically, and most of these songs are extremely busy, with so many little sonic details that you'll likely notice something new with each repeated listen for quite a while (something that it has in common with "Chips from the Chocolate Fireball" although I would have to say that "Chips..." is even busier). As you probably know, the band has used different drummers for most of their releases since Terry Chambers left after "English Settlement", and the drummer this time around is Pat Mastelotto, who was from the group "Mr. Mister"--don't hold that against him though, he contributes some fine work throughout this album :-). Andy Partridge, in his usual sharp and humorously clever style, describes his contributions here as being "aggressively optimistic...like jolly sandpaper!" The album is apparently named after an old English nursery rhyme, and nursery rhymes are said to be the main inspiration for his songs. Partridge (personally my favorite lyricist ever) says that his songs are mainly either entertainment or messages for his kids (the brilliantly arranged "Chalkhills and Children" is basically about his relationship with his kids and his grounded lifestyle which they greatly contribute to). The only song that I see that seems to be strictly entertainment for his kids is "Poor skeleton steps out", all the others seem to have some clever theme underneath. This is why there are several "Wizard of Oz" references throughout the album-it happened to be his kids' favorite movie while it was being made. His songs are still abundantly witty, thoughtful, and clever though (his kids must be pretty sophisticated with great taste in music :-). The only low point is "Hold Me My Daddy" which makes a great point about love between fathers and sons, and fraternity amongst men in general, but as sharp as Andy is he could have easily found a more clever way to say it. "Scarecrow People", which is typically brilliant Partridge in top form takes a sardonic stab at human beings by describing another species' pursuit to be just like them. "The Garden of Earthly Delights" and "Across This Antheap" (which has the most brilliant orchestral string coda at the end) are also quite brilliant both lyrically and conceptually. The darkest and most biting songs come from the usually bouyant Moulding this time around. I've heard very few modern social critiques that are any where near as honest and insightful as "King for a Day". This song is extremely effective as a clever summary of certain values that are largely embraced by the masses: ruthless greed and cutthroat competition, which people accept with the expectation that "THEY" will be one of the ones that make it to the top. Colin surely didn't seem to be writing songs with small children in mind here, all of his songs are dark and incisive with pretty complex concepts ("Cynical Days" could be one of my personal theme songs). The fast pace and almost claustrophobic nature of much of the material can make this album seem a bit daunting at first, but it's unbelievably rich with ideas, and proves to be monumentally rewarding over time. This is a solid and highly energetic piece of smart pop/rock that you likely won't be sorry that you added to your collection.


A mature release that stimulates the most complex palette   July 1, 2000
 5 out of 6 found this review helpful

XTC has been around for a very long time. And I must admit up front, I'm not much of a fan, at least in the fact that I don't go search out for more of their music to experience. When I was exposed to Oranges & Lemons (after falling in love with "The Mayor of Simpleton"), I encountered such an amazing and wonderful release that I was afraid anything else would be disappointing. Dense, complex, enthralling orchestral compositions are matched equally with thoughtful, engaging lyrics that makes you think on a number of different levels.

Starting off on a rich ethereal tone, "Garden of Earthly Delights" is indeed delightful, delicious, and delirious in both orchestration and lyrics. A huge commercial success and what convinced me to purchase this release, "The Mayor of Simpleton" is a brilliant euro-pop-alt tune that is simultaneously catchy, head-bopping, and thoughtful. "King for a Day" is somewhat reminiscent of Tears for Fears "Everyone Wants to Rule the World," but that isn't to say it detracts from the catchy and upbeat attitude of this late 80s classic. Much more subdued with a marching drum beat, "Here Comes President Kill Again" has a thick layer of orchestration levels and takes a serious stab at US politics. Reminiscent of body swaying and tambourine slapping happy tunes from the 60s, "The Loving" might sound trite, but it does have some thoughtful lyrics ("The loving's more than just an ad man's vision"). "Poor Skeleton Steps Out" takes on a world beat feel with very syncopated and interesting percussion and unusual minor harmonics. Slower but a bit boppy, "One of the Millions" presents the standpoint of many in society during the 80s who were "always saying what he's gonna do" but they didn't because "I won't rock the boat `cause I'm scared what might happen." With a definite attitude, fun beats and twang, and interesting harmonics, "Scarecrow People" warns that while we might think we're all righteous, if "you don't start living well you're all gonna end up scarecrow people too" (who "ain't got no brains and we ain't got no hearts"). A bit more on the rockin' attitude edge, "Merely a Man" is a commentary on how religion has impacted man's wanting to improve himself and society. "Cynical Days" brings in rock organ and some sultry trumpet to help us deal with society's growing cynicism. The trumpets carry over into "Across this Antheap," however it soon yields to a more world beat feel and vocals that speed ahead at a manic pace, along the lines of scurrying ants in a disturbed ant hill. "Hold Me My Daddy" is the plaintive cry of a son to his father trying to understand why they continue to fight and butt heads when they should have been friends and be able to say "I Love You." I'm somewhat appalled by the subject of "Pink Thing" (male genitalia), but being a man, the lyrics are pretty hilarious and a painfully accurate perspective. Bright and somewhat experimental, "Miniature Sun" looks at the perils of vanity. "Chalkhills and Children" closes the release on a slower ethereal note that takes a final look at our place and purpose in this crazy world.

When I first got Oranges and Lemons, it took some getting used to, especially XTC's complicated orchestration and vocal styles. However, I have to admit that while I understood the lyrics then, listening today has a much deeper meaning and I have a much more reflective understanding. XTC created a masterpiece of accessible social commentary that was poignant and enjoyable at the same time. This is definitely a 5 star release. And while I can't compare it to other XTC releases, I don't think it necessary in order to appreciate the genius contained within this release.

I'm not quite sure how to recommend XTC, since they have a sound and style uniquely their own. Level 42 is about the closest I can get to a comparison, but that isn't fair to either group. Listen to the samples here to get a general feeling for their sound. If you like what you hear, and if you could listen to even more complicated sounds and pay attention to sometimes dizzying lyrics, this release is definitely for you. This is a mature release for a mature audience that can be self-reflective but still can poke fun at itself. [And besides, how can you beat that price? I paid more than that for the cassette!]

I admittedly don't pull out Oranges and Lemons often, simply because it is so complex and it stirs up a jumbling set of emotions and thoughts within me. But it is a good experience to be shaken up on occasion and be forced to think. And it's good to know there is music out there that can so masterfully accomplish this feat.