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I started off listening to them with Drums and Wires. Although the initial love of the album wore off a little since the mid-80's, I still have time for "Making Plans...," "Roads Girdle the Globe," "Helicopter," "Life Begins at the Hop" (the best editions had it), and even "Complicated Game." A serious step up from their first two albums.

After that were a succession of my favorite XTC works, with Black Sea remaining at the top spot especially with the killer start up trio of "Respectable Street," "Generals and Majors," and "Living Through Another Cuba." I have not heard English Settlement in the longest time, but from what I remember of it was damn sharp, especially for 1982 while Mummer was very good - relaxed but still having a bit of a charm to it with songs like "In Loving Memory of a Name," "Love on a Farm Boy's Wages," "Great Fire," and even "Beating of Hearts" while the Power Pop finale of "Funk Pop a Roll" still having that attack...although "Wonderland" had me worried. Big Express is alright with some good moments ("Seagulls Screaming..."), but I was happy that they went for the Garage Psych with their Dukes of Stratosphere project. Skylarking as it stands now remains the final time I was really into their music.

I tried to get into Oranges and Lemons, but "King for a Day" really ruined things and "The Loving" was the time I gave up in full - XTC's Lite Entertainment (even if "Mayor of Simpleton" is a fine single). Nail it down to me getting into classic Punk long after the fact and The Jesus and Mary Chain right around that time (just out of High School...), but something about it made me just want to sell off my copy right away. Nonsuch had some good songs, but not enough to sustain my interest. I still have to revisit Apple Venus to find out if I'm really into that.

Still, despite my reservations for their post-Skylarking albums, at their best, they are damn good, and at least very ambitious.