The Big Express

Infobox Album |
Name = The Big Express
Type = Album
Artist = XTC


Released = October 15, 1984
Recorded = Spring 1984 at Crescent Studios, Bath, England
Genre = Pop rock
Length = 53:24
Label = Virgin Records
Producer = David Lord and XTC
Reviews =
* Allmusic Rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:19byxddbjolf link]
*Fretplay Rating|4|5 [http://www.fretplay.com/review/x/xtc/discography-CD-B000000OXS-The-Big-Express.shtml link]
*Robert Christgau (B) [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=xtc link]
Last album = "Mummer"
(1983)
This album = "The Big Express"
(1984)
Next album = "Skylarking"
(1986)

"The Big Express" was XTC's album released in 1984. It was one of XTC's harder-edged albums, in contrast to the pastoral "Mummer" and "Skylarking" which were released in sequence with it. The seventh track, "I Bought Myself a Liarbird" is about their former manager, Ian Reid.

The singles released from the album were "All You Pretty Girls" (released September 3 1984 and reached No. 55 on the UK singles chart), "This World Over" (released October 29 1984) and "Wake Up" (released January 28 1985). The album reached No. 38 on the UK album chart and No. 181 on the U.S. Billboard album charts.

The band made a big-budget promotional video for "All You Pretty Girls", and appeared on the BBC-TV programme "Saturday Superstore" with lip-synch performances of "This World Over" and "All You Pretty Girls".

Track listing

All songs written by Andy Partridge, except where noted.
# "Wake Up" (Colin Moulding) – 4:40
# "All You Pretty Girls" – 3:40
# "Shake You Donkey Up" – 4:19
# "Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her, Kiss Her" – 3:50
# "This World Over" – 5:37
# "(The Everyday Story Of) Smalltown" – 3:53
# "I Bought Myself a Liarbird" – 2:49
# "Reign of Blows (Vote No Violence!)" – 3:27
# "You're the Wish You Are I Had" – 3:17
# "I Remember the Sun" (Moulding) – 3:10
# "Train Running Low on Soul Coal" – 5:19

CD bonus tracks

#"Red Brick Dream" – 2:03
#"Washaway" (Moulding) – 3:01
#"Blue Overall" – 4:33

XTC