XTC – Skylarking

Fabulous! This mix really opens up the feel and nuances of this quirky album. Well done.

Excellent reissue, every single instrument shines on this US cut. And as stated can confirm that side 2 doesn't sound distorted.

Fun fact the original US CD has the same polarity as this CD and is sourced from a lower gen tape. Get that instead.

wow. i have listened to this record on cd and the original vinyl press, but this press is revelatory. for this price point, it's a solid addition to consider for your collection too.

Sorry, just woke up. So the differences between the 2016 edition of Skylarking on BD+CD and this 2024 (re)issue are:

- the latter's Blu-ray removed all 41 tracks of various demo recordings and "work tape" songs found on the 2016 Blu

- the 2024 Blu features the recent Dolby Atmos mix of the proper album (and the instrumentals of the album in Dolby Atmos)

Is there a case to made to get both editions, or are the demos non-essential?

Previously, this one hasn't been a "top 5," for me. Hardly. I know it's often said to be their best (commercially & fan-wise). It's not the songs that turned me off. It's the phucking original mix! I've tried over and again to "get it." But, it's always fell flat before, sonically... it's had no depth before this, everything sounded like all the natural tones had long been washed away by exhaustion and over-fucked with on purpose by tinfoil monkey hands (the legacy of its recording process left a bit of precarious legend). In essence, all of the previous mixes suck. There. I said it... it's official. But now, although I was wholly sceptical, listening to Steve Wilson's remix, and the remastering... why-o-why wasn't it releaesed this way in the first place?! I would've enjoyed it so much more as I (finally) now do. The soundstage is perfect (!!) the much more smooth dynamics/equalization is as well, the various soundparts and familiarities are given much better consistency that it flows evenly, better than before, and truly brings the aesthetic at a more realistic dynamic level all around.

Is “Another Satellite” really seven minutes long on this? Jeez, they could have just cut it in half and fit “Mermaid Smiles,” which is a better track than Dear God, mind you

Compared to the 2018 reissue, this is a revelation. Always found the older version to be a bit flat and boring, with a compact soundstage and weak dynamics. I much preferred my old CD copy. The Steven Wilson remix opens up the soundstage by quite a bit, with much more precise imaging. They missed an opportunity to do something cool with the gatefold, it’s a bit boring, but the sound quality makes up,for it.

I have noticed that XTC seems to foreshadow their next album title in it's predecessor. On the album Skylarking, the song 'Ballet for a Rainy Day' refers to: "ORANGE AND LEMON Raincoats roll and tumble" and while on the album Oranges and Lemons the song 'Chalkhills And Children' says: "While some NONESUCH net holds me aloft". Then the Album Nonsuch contains 'the song 'Then She appeared' lyrics are "Then she appeared, APPLE VENUS on a half open shell"

Another victim of SHODDY BluRay Authoring, the ATMOS mixes of several songs have the first 1 or 2 seconds cut off, not so on the 5.1, so I know it's not my player (hell , I have an OPPO BDP-103D which is NOT cheap), please contact SDE to ask for a repress, so hard to get a well authored BD these days!!