Go 2
	Produced by John Leckie
	Released on October 13, 1978
	UK CHART POSITION #21
	Find it at GEMM
GEFD-24375 cover [high resolution scan]

T his is the review of XTC’s second album, Go 2. (That for the brilliant cover; now ON with it!) More tightly wound sounds from a band that fancied itself a DAMNED sight cleverer than those other first-generation punk bands. It does kind of careen into their next album; compare “Jumping in Gomorrah” to “Scissor Man,” “Crowded Room” to “Outside World.” And yet Go 2 belongs to their disruptive, distracted first phase (blame Barry Andrews for being a bad influence). White Music was always “the album with Statue of Liberty on it” to me, while Go 2 was “that album with the funny cover that didn’t have anything as catchy as Statue of Liberty on it.” I have a few happy memories from here: the slinky organ solo in the middle of “Jumping in Gomorrah,” the loungey middle of “Crowded Room,” and those English ruffians “My Weapon” and “Super-Tuff” (both courtesy of Mr. Andrews). The rest of the record is overcaffeinated musical thuggery. On their next album, rebellious energy gives way to mannered eccentricity, which is where the real story of XTC begins. Yet I keep coming back to Go 2 looking for signs of greatness. The first two albums have become, for me, something of an archeological site where I go digging for lost treasures. I’ve dusted off tracks like “The Rhythm” and “I Am The Audience,” put them on a pedestal for a week or two and didn’t feel funny about it. But eventually they find their way back in the attic, buried under The Damned, The Stranglers, Adam & The Ants and all those other English punk bands who also mellowed into eccentric pop artists. Note that Go 2 was released with an EP of unlistenable remixes called Go +. Trust me, you don’t want to go there.

PE 38152 front cover [high resolution scan]

TRACK LISTING

1. MECCANIK DANCING (OH WE GO!)    (Andy Partridge)    2:35
2. BATTERY BRIDES (ANDY PAINTS BRIAN)    (Andy Partridge)    4:33
3. BUZZCITY TALKING    (Colin Moulding)    2:39
4. CROWDED ROOM    (Colin Moulding)    2:51
5. THE RHYTHM    (Colin Moulding)    2:58
6. RED    (Andy Partridge)    3:00
7. BEATOWN    (Andy Partridge)    4:35
8. LIFE IS GOOD IN THE GREENHOUSE    (Andy Partridge)    4:44
9. JUMPING IN GOMORRAH    (Andy Partridge)    2:03
10. MY WEAPON    (Barry Andrews)    2:18
11. SUPER-TUFF    (Barry Andrews)    4:25
12. I AM THE AUDIENCE    (Colin Moulding)    3:35
    
    CD reissue with one lousy bonus track
    
13. ARE YOU RECEIVING ME?

CREDITS

BARRY ANDREWS --
TERRY CHAMBERS --
COLIN MOULDING --
ANDY PARTRIDGE --
Dave Eagle -- roots photos

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