Review by JaredD
4 stars out of 4
Now, I would just like to say that "Apple Venus Vol. 1" was a brilliant album. It wasn't very accessible to those without a musically open mind, but it was still brilliant, so I disagree a bit with the review. Anyway, the subject at hand, is "Wasp Star: Apple Venus Vol. 2."
This is also a brilliant album, and much more likely to catch the ears of
some who have not heard the band before. The single "I'm the Man Who
Murdered Love" is lyrically and musically catchy. It is not, as the title
would suggest, a depressing song, it is merely Mr. Partridge's warning
to the human race. Love: use it or lose it.
"Wasp Star..." even manages to squeeze a few good songs out of Colin Moulding
(whose songs, I must confess, I rarely like). "Standing in for Joe" is
a neat little song about cheating on your friend's wife and, at the
opposite end, "In Another Life" has a loving lyric about devotion.
Partridge's writing as usual comes out on top. On this here album, Andy
sounds like he decided to wake up on the right side of the bed, and stay
there for most of the album. Take for instance "Stupidly Happy," it speaks
for itself. "Church of Women" is quite possibly the bespectacled one's
first song where he admits to women being the fairer sex.
Partridge still has a biting pen somewhere in his desk, though, cos he
tosses of the wonderful "Wounded Horse." The song's simple driving
distorted guitar is a nice change of pace for the, more often than not,
eccectric bunch.
If you like XTC, this will reinforce your devotion, and if you don't already, this is a brilliant place to start.
|
