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XTC: Andy Partridge, Colin Moulding. This is a stunning behind-the-scenes look at XTC's APPLE VENUS VOLUME ONE. HOMESPUN offers up the album's demos in identical track order. Nine of the songs are Andy Partridge's--the other two are by Colin Moulding. Regardless of their composers, these demo versions make it clear that the orchestral bearing of the finished songs was worked out well in advance. There are few marked differences in these precursors, but that is what is so compelling and instructive. HOMEPSUN represents masterful pop music as it's being worked out on the drawing board of home studios in preparation for the painstaking work of studio recording. One number, "I'd Like That," is heard first in a brief snippet that was recorded to a simple cassette machine and without its lyrics in place. Moments later, it gives way to a more complete demo. Rare are albums that deserve the sort of examination and celebration that APPLE VENUS does.