XTC - Black Sea [Japanese Papersleeve Limited Edition] (1980/2005)

Black Sea is the fourth studio album by XTC, released on September 12, 1980. It spawned five singles and the album reached No. 16 on the UK album chart, No. 41 on the Billboard U.S. Hot 100 album chart and No. 1 on the New Zealand album chart. Considered one of the more consistent albums by the group, Black Sea is not as raw as its predecessor, Drums and Wires, although it is still focused on big drums and sharp guitars. Early copies of the album came with the sleeve enclosed in a lime-green paper bag.

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XTC continue on with the big drum sound of Drums and Wires, adding more polish and an even heavier-hitting approach for Black Sea -- their arrangements are fuller and they rock harder than ever before. Where Drums and Wires implied social commentary, Black Sea more directly addresses sociopolitical concerns, handling them not strictly in a theoretical sense, but rather showing a human response to the circumstances. Of course, the band's skewed outlook and mid-'60s pop sense keeps things from becoming too heavy -- included are some of their finest songs, like "Respectable Street," "Generals and Majors," and "Towers of London," as well as the thoroughly enjoyable pop fluff throwaway "Sgt. Rock (Is Going to Help Me)" to keep the mood light. All in all, there isn't a bad song in the bunch -- Black Sea is their most consistent album to date -- and although XTC always operated on the fringes, the album is their most commercial-sounding, fitting in perfectly with the new wave of the late '70s/early '80s. [The Japanese reissue replicates the green cover art of the original U.K. LP edition.] - by Chris Woodstra, Allmusic

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Track List:

1. "Respectable Street" – 3:37
2. "Generals and Majors" (Colin Moulding) – 4:04
3. "Living Through Another Cuba" – 4:44
4. "Love at First Sight" (Moulding) – 3:07
5. "Rocket from a Bottle" – 3:30
6. "No Language in Our Lungs" – 4:53
7. "Towers of London" – 5:24
8. "Paper and Iron (Notes and Coins)" – 4:17
9. "Burning with Optimism's Flames" – 4:15
10. "Sgt. Rock (Is Going to Help Me)" – 3:56
11. "Travels in Nihilon" – 7:04

CD bonus tracks

1. "Smokeless Zone" (Moulding) – 3:50
2. "Don't Lose Your Temper" – 2:32
3. "The Somnambulist" – 4:38

* Terry Chambers - Tama drums, Snyper drum synthesiser, free form vocals
* Dave Gregory - guitars, synth, piano, vox humana
* Colin Moulding - vocals, Epiphone Newport bass
* Andy Partridge - vocals, guitar, synth



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