Mummer (album)
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Mummer | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 30 August 1983 | |||
Recorded | September – December 1982 | |||
Studio | The Manor, Oxfordshire, and Genetic Studios, Berkshire, England | |||
Genre | Progressive pop[1] | |||
Length | 41:19 | |||
Label | Virgin | |||
Producer | Steve Nye, XTC, Bob Sargeant | |||
XTC chronology | ||||
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Singles from Mummer | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Chicago Tribune | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Encyclopedia of Popular Music | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Q | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Smash Hits | 9/10[8] |
The Village Voice | B−[9] |
Record Mirror | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Mummer is the sixth studio album by the English rock band XTC, released on 30 August 1983. It reached No. 51 on the UK album chart and No. 145 on the U.S. Billboard album charts. The album title refers to a Mummers play. A working title considered for the album was Fruit Fallen From God's Garden.[11]
It spawned three UK singles: "Great Fire", "Wonderland" and "Love on a Farmboy's Wages", the latter of which reached No. 50 on the UK singles chart. This was the final album that drummer Terry Chambers appeared on with XTC, as he quit the group during the recording sessions, frustrated with the band's decision to becoming a solely studio-based act; he was replaced by Peter Phipps. Andy Partridge later said, "Until early 1982, our work was like black-and-white TV. Mummer was the first in full colour—bright sky blue."[citation needed]
Background[]
The album's release was delayed for many months by Virgin Records. Its U.S. release was initially scheduled for 26 May 1983 by Epic Records (it was even assigned a catalog number: BFE 38516), but the label thought it was too acoustic and pastoral for American audiences. It was finally issued in the U.S. by Geffen Records (who subsequently issued all of XTC's Virgin releases) in February 1984. "Wonderland" was the only single issued by Geffen from the album.
The only promotional public appearance made by the band for this album was in late 1983, when they appeared on the BBC-TV show Pebble Mill at One, where they lip-synced to "Love on a Farmboy's Wages". A promotional video was made for the "Wonderland" single, and five more videos were made in July 1983 for the television documentary program Play at Home.
Track listing[]
All songs written and composed by Andy Partridge, except where noted.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Beating of Hearts" | 4.01 | |
2. | "Wonderland" | Colin Moulding | 4:43 |
3. | "Love on a Farmboy's Wages" | 3:58 | |
4. | "Great Fire" | 3:47 | |
5. | "Deliver Us from the Elements" | Moulding | 4:34 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Human Alchemy" | 5:11 | |
2. | "Ladybird" | 4:32 | |
3. | "In Loving Memory of a Name" | Moulding | 3:16 |
4. | "Me and the Wind" | 4:16 | |
5. | "Funk Pop a Roll" | 3:01 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
11. | "Frost Circus" (B-side to "Great Fire" 12") | 3:53 |
12. | "Jump" (B-side to "Wonderland") | 4:39 |
13. | "Toys" (B-side to "Love on a Farmboy's Wages" double 7") | 4:20 |
14. | "Gold" (B-side to "Great Fire") | 3:33 |
15. | "Procession Towards Learning Land" (B-side to "Great Fire" 12") | 3:46 |
16. | "Desert Island" (B-side to "Love on a Farmboy's Wages" double 7") | 4:52 |
Personnel[]
XTC
- Andy Partridge – vocals, guitar, saxophone on "Great Fire"[12]
- Colin Moulding – vocals, bass
- Dave Gregory – vocals, guitar, keyboard, piano
Additional personnel
Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.[13]
- Terry Chambers – drums on "Beating of Hearts", "Wonderland" and "Toys"[14]
- Peter Phipps – drums on remaining tracks
- Steve Nye – mini-korg on "Wonderland", mellotron on "Deliver Us from the Elements"
- Nigel Warren-Green – strings on "Great Fire"
- Gavyn Wright – strings on "Great Fire"
Technical
- XTC – producer
- Steve Nye – producer, engineer (except "Great Fire", "Gold", "Frost Circus", "Procession Towards Learning Land")[15]
- Bob Sargeant – producer ("Great Fire", "Gold")
- Mark Dearnley – engineer ("Great Fire", "Gold")
- Jim Russell, Howard Gray, Gavin Greenaway, Marcellus Frank, Mike Nocito – assistant engineers, tape-jockeys, tea makers, gophers etc.
- Alex Sadkin, Phil Thornalley, XTC – remixing ("Wonderland", "Human Alchemy", "Funk Pop a Roll")
- Howard Gray – engineer ("Frost Circus", "Procession Towards Learning Land")[15]
- David Lord, XTC – mixing ("Desert Island")[16]
- Glenn Tommey, XTC – mixing ("Toys")[16]
- Gavin Cochrane – album sleeve photography
- Ian Hoolen – inner sleeve photography
- Ken Ansell – artwork
References[]
- ^ Bernhardt, Todd; Partridge, Andy (8 July 2007). "Andy discusses 'Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her, Kiss Her'". Chalkhills.
- ^ Woodstra, Chris. "Mummer – XTC". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
- ^ Kot, Greg (3 May 1992). "The XTC Legacy: An Appraisal". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 22 June 2016.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-85712-595-8.
- ^ Sinclair, David. "XTC: Mummer". Q. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
- ^ Considine, J.D. (29 March 1984). "XTC: Mummer". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 12 April 2009. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
- ^ Frere-Jones, Sasha (2004). "XTC". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 890–92. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
- ^ Black, Johnny (15–28 September 1983). "Albums". Smash Hits: 21.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (29 May 1984). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
- ^ Page, Betty (3 September 1983). "XTC 'Mummer'". Record Mirror. Vol. 30 no. 36. p. 20.
- ^ "XTC Reel by Real: XTC: Mummer". Chalkhills. 21 September 2013. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
- ^ Bernhardt, Todd (14 October 2007). "Andy discusses "Great Fire"". Chalkhills. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
- ^ Mummer (liner notes). XTC. Virgin Records. 1983.CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
- ^ "Toys". Chalkhills. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Great Fire 12". Discogs. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Love on a Farmboy's Wages double 7". Discogs. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
- 1983 albums
- Virgin Records albums
- XTC albums
- Albums produced by Steve Nye