XTC Reel by Real: XTC: White Music

	The Album The Songs Recording Info Reviews Discographical Info The Singles Art

WHITE MUSIC

A cult classic of raw punk pop, XTC's debut album charts in the U.K. Top 30. An off-kilter homage to the confection that is pop (i.e., "white") music, the album jumps with virtually live-in-the-studio energy.

Geffen CD Release 1991 includes seven tracks not on original album: the alien-ated "Science Friction", stuck-in-67 "She's So Square", darkly romantic "Hang On To The Night", and pogo-ish "Traffic Light Rock" (written by Partridge), and the girl-loves-a-tan "Heatwave", frothy "Dance Band", and pop culture koan "Instant Tunes" (written by Moulding). "Science Friction" appeared previously on album only on Waxworks: Some Singles 1977-1982, released on Geffen 1984 on LP/Cassette only.

[Geffen promotional literature, 1991]

Andy: “Four years' worth of songs saved up and recorded (virtually) live in one short burst. Noisy, arrogant, stark, triangular and desperate for your attention. Four young snots dismantling pop!”

Andy: “Naïve, charming, desperate. Borrowed voices: a soupçon of Buddy Holly with a dollop of Steve Harley and a seal bark to get through crappy PAs.”

Lyrics, Charts and More

1. Radios in Motion
2. X Wires
3. This is Pop
4. Do What You Do
5. Statue of Liberty
6. All Along the Watchtower
7. Atom Age
8. Set Myself on Fire
9. I'm Bugged
10. New Town Animal
11. Spinning Top
12. Neon Shuffle

The CD reissues also feature the following bonus tracks:

1. Science Friction
2. She's So Square
3. Dance Band
4. Hang On To The Night
5. Heatwave
6. Traffic Light Rock
7. Instant Tunes

Recording Information

Recorded at The Manor, Oxfordshire, England.
Mixed at The Manor and Advision.
Produced and engineered by John Leckie.
Tapes worked by Alan "Jaffa" Douglas.
Originally released on 20 January 1978 in the U.K.
Reached Top 20 on the U.K. album chart.

Andy Partridge - guitar & voice
Colin Moulding - bass & voice
Barry Andrews - steam piano & clapped out organs
Terry Chambers - just drums

A working title for this album was Black Music, but this name was rejected by Virgin as it was thought the title might suggest a blues or soul album.

Andy: “In case you ever wondered, it's a can of Heineken that's airbrushed out of Barry's hand on the cover of the WHITE MUSIC album.”

Singles

3D-EP	Science Friction	Statue of Liberty
This is Pop?

Art

front cover of the Virgin UK LP of White Music	UK White Music LP back cover	front cover of the Italian LP release of White Music
detail of lettering from Spain White Music LP	cover of the Virgin International USA White Music cassette	cover of the Epic USA White Music cassette
cover of the Geffen USA White Music cassette	White Music cassette (USA)	White Music LP from Greece
front cover of the Japanese CD of White Music	back cover of the Japanese CD of White Music	Japanese White Music LP back cover
Japanese White Music LP obi	Japanese White Music LP front cover with obi	Japanese White Music LP insert, side A
Japanese White Music LP insert, side B	Japanese White Music LP label, side A	Japanese White Music LP label, side B
photo from liner notes of UK White Music CD	photo from back cover of White Music CD insert	Side One of the Virgin International USA White Music cassette tape
Side Two of the Virgin International USA White Music cassette tape	unused White Music shots	XTC circa 1978
original White Music promotional poster	Japanese advertisement for White Music	White Music promo banner/poster
cover of the 1+1 double cassette of White Music and Go 2

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