Most artists know better than to put more than one song dealing with heavy social issues on an album. Too many such songs make an album feel heavy-handed and preachy. The messages get in the way, and the music falls flat. Unless, of course, you're XTC.

Just take a look at their 1992 album Nonsuch. The album opens with The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead, a song about martyrdom and the tendency of the establishment to fight against those who promote independent thought and equality for all. Consider the lyrics:

Peter Pumpkinhead came to town, spreading wisdom and cash around
Fed the starving and housed the poor, showed the Vatican what gold's for
But he made too many enemies of the people who would keep us on our knees
Hooray for Peter Pumpkinhead! Who'll pray for Peter Pumpkinhead?

Fans have argued over whether the song is about JFK, Jesus, Karl Marx, or any of dozens of other historical figures. Regarless of who it's about, though, the political messages in the song are pretty clear.

A few tracks later, we've got The Smartest Monkeys, in which Colin Moulding sings:

Well man created the cardboard box to sleep in it
And man converted the newspaper to a blanket
Well you have to admit that he's come a long way
Since Swinging about in the trees

It's a little bit heavy handed and melodramatic, but the song's cynical message about how we see our selves as far more civilized than we really are comes through loud and clear.

And then there's War Dance, rallying against the futility and hypocrisy of getting caught up in the jingoistic spirit and furor of war time, or the album's closing track, Books Are Burning. Granted, it's not all that controversial for this last song to take a stand against censorship, but the poetry in the lyrics is amazing, as Andy Partridge sings:

And you know where they burn books
People are next
I believe the printed word should be forgiven
Doesn't matter what it said
Wisdom hotline from the dead back to the living
Key to the larder for your heart and for your head

Any one of the above songs, with their overt political messages, would be enough to bring the average album to a screeching halt, unless the songs are produced with utmost care. To include four such songs on an album is a recipe for disaster. Nevertheless, Andy Partridge, Colin Moulding, and the rest of XTC manage to incorporate these songs flawlessly into Nonsuch. Not only do these songs flow well with the rest of the tracks, they also stand out as some of the strongest moments on the album. No doubt the success of these songs comes from the fact the members of XTC don't approach them as political messages set to music, but rather as strong pop songs that happen to have political undertones. The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead starts things out with loud, crunchy guitar hooks and energetic harmonica fills between the verses. The Smartest Monkeys comes across with some unusual echoey guitar effects, like something from a psychedelic band from the late sixties. War Dance, low and somber, mixes acoustic guitar with haunting synthesizer fills to create something both poppy and a little unnerving at the same time. Books Are Burning closes things with a slow, dreamy bass line, several exquisite guitar solos, and languid, expressive vocals.

But of course, there's an awful lot more to the album than just these songs. XTC also treads the more familiar ground of traditional pop song themes. The idea of the pain of lost love rears its head over and over throughout the album. In Dear Madam Barnum, Andy Partridge throws about clever circus allusions in the lyrics as he sings about being the last to know that he's no longer the sole recipient of "Madam Barnum's" affection. Layer upon layer of rich acoustic guitar, bouncy bass, and tambourine help to create a truly wonderful pop gem. Then there's The Disappointed, a languid rallying cry for everyone on the losing side of the game of love. The rolling shuffle beat and chorus full of ooo ooo ooo's help to endure this one to everyone, even those who don't fit the title's description. For the bitter and cynical listeners, we've got Crocodile, a loud, rough number with edgy guitar riffs, in which Partridge fights off the urges of jealousy, pleadingly singing "No you won't make me jealous that she left me for him."

Of course, there are some straightforward sentiments of love on the album, as well. My Bird Performs and Holly Up On Poppy are both simple, honest, declarations of love set to a backdrop of rich, new wave guitar riffs. Probably the best track on the album, though, has to be Then She Appeared. This track follows the languid morose That Wave, which manages to recreate sensations of being trapped underwater. As the song blends its way into Then She Appeared, the tone shifts with light, jangly guitars, backward-masked cymbals, and sunny bass fills. Coming out of the previous track, the effect is stunning. Then She Appeared features some of the tightest, most poetic declarations of love this side of Shakespeare. Consider these lyrics:

The she appeared, apple Venus on a half-open shell
Then she appeared, the first photograph on Fox Talbot's gel
I was a little frightened
Flying with my senses heightened
Cherubim cheered, then she appeared

The allusions may be a bit obscure, but they capture the innocence of wonder of love splendidly.

All in all, here's the full track list:

1. The Ballad of peter Pumpkinhead
2. My Bird Performs
3. Dear Madam Barnum
4. Humble Daisy
5. The Smartest Monkeys
6. The Disappointed
7. Holly Up On Poppy
8. Crocodile
9. Rook
10. Omnibus
11. That Wave
12. The She Appeared
13. War Dance
14. Wrapped in Grey
15. The Ugly Underneath
16. Bungalow
17. Books Are Burning

Yes, it's a rather long track list for a pop album, but Partridge, Molding, and the rest of the band bring enough variety to the album, and arrange the songs so well, that the album never has a chance to drag. New fans will feel right at home with the timeless feel of the album, bursting with influences ranging from the Beatles, to the Beach Boys, to Squeeze, with even a few psychedelic hints of Pink Floyd thrown in. Don't let the more political tracks scare you away. They're not heavy-handed, and they blend right in with everything else. Longtime fans of the group (who don't already own a copy of the album), will find Nonsusch to be an essential addition to their collection, as it features the group in their late eighties/early nineties high point. (And for those who know only their earlier work and are used to Colin Moulding's songs throwing off the album's balance, there's no need to worry here. His material blends almost seamlessly with Andy Partridge's usual strong songwriting.) Regardless of how you come to this album, its genuine, indy-pop sweetness and energy are sure to win you over.

Recommended: Yes