Reason #274: Chips From he Chocolate Fireball
And now to highlight an homage to ’60’s psychedelia done so well it transcended it’s origins and stands tall today as one of the best albums in the amazing discography of XTC. .
Chips From The Chocolate Fireball is actually a compilation released in 1987 of an LP (Psonic Psunspot–great title, right up there with Grandaddy’s Sophtware Slump IMO) and an EP (25 O’ Clock) that XTC released under the name Dukes Of Stratosphere. Meant to be an outlet in which they could unleash some of their more psychedelic, uncommercial ideas, The Dukes actually created music that stood head to head with not just XTC’s greatest but also the best of the original psychedelic period (’65-’67) they were purporting to ape in the first place! One listen to the chiming guitars of Vanishing Girl and you’ll think you’ve been transported to 1966 London. In lesser hands a project like this can come off as an exercise in nostalgic camp, or worse some self important melding of Spinal Tap meets YES meets The Ruttles. Instead it comes across as a long lost classic from the ’60’s. The influences are obvious (Zombies, Yarbirds, early Floyd and of course The Beatles) but XTC being one of the best bands in the history of pop, they never sound forced and make the songs their own. Here all the stars align and the songs that principal songwriters Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding come up with for this project are all top notch tunes, every last one of them. If they had never released Skylarking this would definitely be my favorite XTC album.
Here’s a video of one of my favorites, The Mole From The Ministry:
I’ve only heard skylarking and apple venus so far, but this sounds right up my alley too! I got that ‘influenced, but not derivative’ vibe from them for sure
Oh you are in for a treat, Stephen! Those two you mention are favorites also, this one is more in line with Oranges and Lemons.
Very much with you on this one. Partridge always said he’d have loved to have been in a late-’60s psych band and he did a brilliant job of paying homage to Syd, The Move, Tomorrow, Penny Peeps, Small Faces etc.
Don’t know why I always forget about the Small Faces (and The Faces, for that matter), and interesting you mention The Move as I’ve been spinning them a lot lately. Have not heard of Tomorrow nor the Penny Peeps (great name!), but will do a little research.
Tomorrow was Steve Howe’s first band. ‘Model Village’ is a classic Penny Peeps psych single. Also well worth checking out The Small Faces’ ‘Ogden’s Nut Gone Flake’ album for a massive influence on the Dukes of Strat
Loved 25 o’clock.
Me too, 1537. I’m cheating a bit using the compilation album, but what the hell.
Hey Matt, I am have the hardback deluxe version of Ogden’s and love it, although it took me a while, the other two were news to me. Thanks!
I have always loved this album. Not at all out of place next to XTC’s best works, and Vanishing Girl never fails to astonish.
Vanishing Girl is my favorite of the bunch, and that’s high praise as you know. Glad we are simpatico about this one.
Never heard of this one, but sounds really pretty great … definitely right up my street.
From what I’ve read on your site J. I think you’ll like it. A lot.
This is the compilation that I bought in the 90s, I believe, after becoming a huge fan of XTC (how can’t you be?). Loved it. I more recently bought the remasters of the Dukes’ two brilliant albums.