I’m writing about these two together as, although they were originally released as separate albums, within a few months they had been packaged together and were being sold in a “buy one get one free” deal and my copy of “Waxworks” has a sticker on the front telling you that. 

I don’t buy a lot of singles comps, usually because if I like a band that much I’ve got the individual singles and albums. I’ve always liked XTC, why wouldn’t you, they’re one of the very best and most innovative and original bands to come out of the Punk and New Wave period. But for some reason I never really bought their records, too much other stuff going on at the time I guess. But in 1996 Virgin Records released “Fossil Fuel - The XTC Singles 1977-92” and it became a much loved and played item, sadly it was only ever released on CD. So when I came across this pair I had to have them, the only downside being you’re missing out on 10 years worth of, frankly brilliant, singles from 1982 to 1992.

Two XTC singles I did own were “This Is Pop” and “Are You Receiving Me ?”. Miles had the “3D EP”, “Statue Of Liberty” and the album “White Music” so we had the early stuff covered between us. Don’t really know why we both stopped after that, may simply have been the sheer amount of great stuff being released around ’78 and ’79 vs our meagre incomes. Those two I did have are utterly brilliant New Wave pop singles built on jittery instrumentation and big fat chorus hooks, neither were hits (well, “Are You Receiving Me ?” did make #86 in Australia !) but both are great.

XTC then went on a run of actual chart hit singles with “Making Plans For Nigel”, “Sgt. Rock (Is Going To Help Me)” and “Senses Working Overtime”. They produced some genuinely fantastic singles after the period covered by this compilation (try things like "Love on a Farmboy's Wages”, “All You Pretty Girls”, “Mayor Of Simpleton”, “The Ballad Of Peter Pumpkinhead” and “The Disappointed”). The B-sides volume “Beeswax” is interesting but not essential.

Virgin Records please release “Fossil Fuel” on vinyl and we could all enjoy the collected singles of a genuinely great and original band. And if for some reason you are blissfully unaware of the wonder of XTC, please click this link here and find out about them.

Are You Receiving Me ? - https://youtu.be/RApvaQ0uGTw?si=GsL3fsQJp3HffmyP