A Testimonial Dinner: The Songs of XTC

Artist: Various Artists
Label: Thirsty Ear
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Format: DTS Surround Sound
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1

UPC: 700435701922
EAN: 0700435701922
ASIN: B0000057NY

Release Date: 1995-10-17

A Testimonial Dinner: The Songs of XTC

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Tracks:

Earn Enough For Us - Freedy Johnston
Senses Working Overtime - Spacehog
All YouPretty Girls - Crash Test Dummies
Wake Up - The Verve Pipe
Making Plans For Nigel - The Remembrandts
Dear God - Sarah McLachlan
The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul - Ruben Blades
Another Satellite - L. Hux
25 O'Clock - They Might Be Giants
The Good Things - Terry & The Lovemen
Statue Of Liberty - Joe Jackson

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Customer Reviews:

I couldn't rate it any lower...........2003-12-13

If you are a fan of XTC, DO NOT listen to this. You will want
to kill yourself. I almost did.
This compilation is the biggest insult to
one of the greatest (and underrated) bands of all time. I don't need to single out any tracks since they all completely suck. With the exception of the hidden XTC track. Think of it this way, no one needed to re-do Michaelangelo's 'David' so why on earth would this have been released at all, except for a big joke. I am not a big fan of any covers of any kind any way (see NIN's sloppy cover of Joy Division's 'Dead Souls'), but these are atrocious. Reading some of these reviews just sets in stone that these authors are not true XTC fans. If you weren't an XTC fan before listening to this, and you like this tripe, don't bother picking up an XTC album because you are musically stunted and are not ready for the real deal.

p.s. And to the writer who stated there are other bands who could do XTC's songs better than them....I say this:
1. Burn all your music
2. Shove a pencil in both ears because you obviously don't use them anymore.

A Testimonial Snack.......2002-03-26

If you're new to XTC, and like other artists better (maybe some that are on this CD) then maybe this is the one for you.
For me, this was a little disappointing. I think too many of the artists stuck too close to the original and didn't try injecting anything of themselves into the songs. But that is the problem with XTC songs, they are so indelibly stamped with XTCishness, it's hard to imagine them being covered.
Granted, there are many singers who can carry off an XTC song better than Moulding or Partridge, but when you've heard the sheer quality of their work, you can't imagine anyone else singing them really.
I am a fan of Sarah MacLachlan, but to be honest, I found her rendition of the song a little bit boring. The songs lyrics can be sung out with either venom or sadness, it seems she did neither, which is surprising because she can be quite melancholy and wistful on her own tracks. She didn't seem to take this anywhere.
Ruben Blades version of "The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul" is absolutely stunning, and dare I say it, as good as the original. He made this song his own, and he sounded like he cared. It gives this CD authenticity, and is the only track worth it apart from the following . .
The Verve Pipe's "Wake Up" and Terry & The Lovemen's "The Good Things". Verve Pipe because they made the song their own without losing what makes the song recognisable as an XTC song, they put enough of themselves in without forgetting that the song is great with or without them.
And "The Good Things" because it's XTC, and it's one of the best things Colin Moulding has written in the XTC canon. He may write less than Partridge, but he absolutely comes up with very observant, life catching songs without being pretentious.

The rest of the songs are a mixed batch -- the strongest being They Might Be Giants "25 O'Clock", which matches the original in sound and texture, but beefes up the solo section a bit, making it a bit snappier and less psychedelic.
And those are the only ones I remember from this disc worth mentioning. Just an opinion.

Brilliant concept & solid execution, with a few mis-steps.......2002-01-30

The subtle reworkings of "Earn Enough for Us" and "Senses Working Overtime" are smart interpretations, staying close to the original but being different enough to get (and keep) your attention. The letdowns are limited to 3: Joe Jackson (quite surprisingly!), Sarah McLachlan (it just seems tired and uninspired in this post-Lillith era), and an utterly verbatim chord-for-chord replay of "Nigel" by The Rembrandts. That last one is probably the least insightful, least creative, and most pointless contribution to the overall effort. [Though what else would you expect from an act known only for the "Friends" theme?]
TMBG and Mr. Blades are exceptional, and L. Hux's "Another Satellite" is a transcendent reinterpretation of an already phenomenal & groundbreaking song.
Bottom line: If you like XTC and have an open mind, buy it immediately.

Fine for its particular audience.......2000-08-28

The 'Testimonial dinner' set of covers is smart, well produced, and interesting to people who know the XTC material already. Except Ruben Blades's brilliant rework, most people will find that the artists' original recordings of their own music is fulfilling and that XTC did a sporting job at recording their own work. That is, XTC didn't need the testimonial.

Nonetheless, it's sound listening. The common complaint is that neither Partridge nor Colin Moulding have the voice to carry their songs. If that's so, you will like this varied album.

Better than I expected.......2000-03-01

Most songs by quirky rock/pop composer-performers don't survive being covered; If they do, it's often only by slavishly copying the original note for note. But Partridge and Moulding's songs are so strong that they often do very well in other hands.

Some of the songs on this collection don't survive the individualistic treatment; the first three cuts on this album are pretty forgettable. But some are gems. Reuben Blades changes "The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul" from XTC's Rundgren-produced spy movie theme into a steamy Latin tune. TMBG's"25 o'Clock" is as much fun as the original. Sarah McLachlan's "Dear God" is as good in its own way as the original. And "The Good Things" by Terry and the Lovemen is probably unique in the history of recorded music- a band covering itself!

Music Album:

Music Album

Music Album

Music CD

Picture of Heath ~ Chet Baker

Ron Miles Trio ~ Ron Miles Trio

Great Jazz Orchestras ~ Basie, Ellington, Lunceford

Riff-Ola ~ The Swedish Sax Septet

The Street of Dreams ~ Joey DeFrancesco

Contemporary Jazz Christmas ~ Various Artists

Japan: Splendor of the Shakuhachi ~ Various Artists

New Moon ~ Abdelli

Music for Making Love, Vol. 2 ~ Anthony Ventura

Trio ~ Trio