Product Description 200 gm LP vinyl About the Artist Side One: 1. 25 o'Clock 2. Bike Ride to the Moon 3. My Love Explodes Side Two: 1. What in the World? 2. Your Gold Dress 3. The Mole from the Ministry Produced by John Leckie (Swami Anand Nagara) and The Dukes The story - at least according to the press releases - is a familiar one. XTC, as a non-touring band, between the recording/release of The Big Express and Skylarking, adopted the alter egos of The Dukes of Stratosphear and set about writing and recording '25 o Clock', partying like it was 1967 and stereo phasing had just been popularised. With a clutch of songs as tuneful as Sgt. Pepper's, guitars cranked up like a Kinks Pye b-side, the collective knowledge of a bunch of psych's keenest fanboys and the engineering skills of John Leckie... the resulting album sits somewhere in the pantheon of greatness between Evolution, Their Satanic Majesties Request and S.F.Sorrow... Or, there's the truth... The Dukes of Stratosphear was England's best kept pop-psych secret band, a group whose only two albums were released to the sound of indifference from media based in London and a lack of play from the most piratical of pirate stations. Convinced by a manager that invisibility would enhance the band's mystique, the band only performed two concerts in Pswindon - a debut gig in early 1967 just after the release of the first LP and, although they didn't know it at the time, a farewell gig to celebrate the impending release of their second LP as the original Summer of Love came to a close in August 1967. Hearing tales of this legendary band, but never having seen them, psych fans Partridge & Gregory from XTC, tracked down Sir John Johns now mainly a racing pigeon fancier under another name in a pub and convinced him to let them have access to the master tapes, which had been wrapped in tin foil and buried under a faded merry go round in a playground in a municipal park. XTC has been passing off this wonderful music as its own ever since that deception, while the real Sir John Johns, still clinging to the mantra that with obscurity comes, eventually, recognition, has long since replaced his garden recording studio with a pigeon loft... thoughts of the front cover of International Times long abandoned in favour of the chance to maybe, someday, grace the cover of British Homing World. Only the tiny purple fishes can tell... which is real... Cut at Loud Mastering by Jason Mitchell & pressed on 200gram vinyl to satisfy the most demanding of audiophiles.
A**E
A wonderful album
There is more imagination and inventiveness on this album than 99.9% of groups manage in their whole career. XTC should have been one of the biggest groups on the planet, but maybe they were just about at the wrong time, especially when far inferior groups like Oasis achieved such success claiming to use the 1960's as their template to very moderate results. But 25 O'Clock genuinely could have come out in the 60's and been regarded as a masterpiece. I read once that it cost £5000 to make this album, which only makes it a more remarkable achievement. A pure joy from start to finish.
M**L
Top Psychedelic
There must be a true love for the Beatles and Floyd that was brimming to come out. This album makes you want to relive the 60s Psych that was so strong then. There is shades of the Floyd and the Beatles contained within. Great stuff is there more to come i hope so
M**T
Beam me up Scotty !
Wow - like.... trippy Maan!XTC take some kind of mushroom and slip inside this house as you pass by...As a pastiche it is SO good that it stands up against any of the original classics such is the fondess and talent of mr.Partridge and Co.It leaves you wanting more and is a true Psychedelic document all on its own. 5 stars is not enough my personal fave is "Your Gold Dress" but they could all be zooming around your brain if you buy this and listen with open ears, this also stands up to repeat plays as new sounds do appear out of the creative soup.Lovely - the music is the drug.
M**N
Glorious music by a recluse
While I did get - as most everyone else - Senses Working Overtime - at its release, I was unaware for a long time that there was a parallel story to XTC, namely this. I chanced upon a few LP:s with The Dukes of Stratosphear at a local used LP store, and was smitten. And yes, once the needle dropped, it did - it was unmistakably the product of at least parts of XTC. I am very glad that Mr. Partridge had this parallel career, since a lot of the music The Dukes offer are every bit as good as that of XTC.
G**H
Forgotten Gem
I had forgotten this little gem from XTC experimenting with the sounds of the psychedelic 60's.Reminds me of Syd Barrett inspired Pink Floyd.
R**C
Re-Issue of old XTC being old
Good fun music, excellent retro, ... and great sleeve art for all you similarly well adjusted Psychadelic silver surfers.Retro, but new, back in the eighties. ... outsold the album by the kosher band, at the time!Good tunes, of Beck, Floyd Beach Boys and so on 'esque style played on real old kit!
H**6
Far Out
How many different styles of 60's music can you cram on to one LP? (Sorry CD!!) As ever, Andy, Colin & Dave don't skimp. This expanded version is definitely one for the collection of any XTC collector. Look out for "Tin Toy Clockwork Train" it's brilliant
L**
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