With just a few brief moments here, I want to bring to your attention a few XTC reissues that are expected soon enough. With this age of reissues it’s always nice to find something from a band that you really enjoyed in the past. For some of you, you may not be ready for the sounds of the past – understandably. For the rest of us ‘old ones’, a fresh remaster is like having a new look on an old and pleasant experience.
For today, I’m aware of a few XTC-related sets coming back.
The first is English Settlement. It was originally released in 1982. For some, that album is a favorite of the many released by the band. On July 22, a CD reissue featuring a new remaster from the original half-inch masters found while looking for the multi-track tapes, will be released. The main reason for the search was to create the opportunity for Steven Wilson to work his usual magic on proposed new 5.1 Surround mixes and new Stereo mixes. To date, those lost multi-track tapes are still lost. But we still get a new remaster of English Settlement while we wait. That’s not a bad thing.
This remaster of English Settlement will also be made available on vinyl. The set will issue on two 200g-weight vinyl discs cut at 33 1/3 RPM. The set will contain a lyric sheet, a 12″ 16-page booklet with notes by original band members, a bonus inclusion of the 2016 remastered CD, with everything housed in a sturdy slip-case.
Additionally, the “corrected polarity” version of Skylarking, released on CD a few years back, is coming to vinyl. On July 15, a 200g-weight vinyl 2LP set will become available. The album is being cut at 45RPM. The set will include a copy of the CD version, a 12″ 16-page booklet, a lyric sheet, and a cool idea of providing both covers (released and banned) on sleeves. The set will be housed within a sturdy slip-case.
It’s ALWAYS nice when a band is very interested in keeping ALL of their music updated and available to fans!