XTC / The Big Express CD+blu-ray with Dolby Atmos Mix

The Big Express CD+blu-ray audio

1984 album • CD+blu-ray (with Atmos Mix) • Release date 29 Sep 2023

XTC's 1984 album The Big Express is reissued as a CD+blu-ray edition with new Dolby Atmos, 5.1 and stereo mixes by Steven Wilson.

This is the seventh in the ongoing series of expanded XTC reissues and as with the others it includes a wealth of audio including four album remixes by Wilson (Atmos, 5.1, stereo and instrumental), the whole album in demo form, plus extra demos and bonus tracks.

The Atmos Mix is actually a first for XTC since up until now the surround mixes have been 5.1 only, so that's good news.

Described as "a neglected classic of its era", The Big Express made extensive use of new technology, at the time, with Linn-Drum programming (alongside drummer Peter Phipps), E-mu Emulator and other synths. It was a post-punk concept album about growing up in an industrial town. “The Big Express is the closest we ever came to recording a 'concept' album. It’s full of Swindon and deep seams of life there, that run through myself, Colin, and Dave, (Terry too of course). It's populated by members of our families, our hopes and dreams. The things we wished for, or feared, a stew of memories.” - Andy Partridge

The two-disc set is packaged in a digipak sleeve and resides in a cardboard slip case. It comes with a 16-page booklet.

This CD+blu-ray edition of The Big Express is released on 22 September 2023, via APE.

CD - The Big Express (2023 stereo mix)

1. Wake Up
2. All You Pretty Girls
3. Shake You Donkey Up
4. Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her
5. This World Over
6. The Everyday Story of Smalltown
7. I Bought Myself a Liarbird
8. Reign of Blows
9. You're the Wish You Are I Had
10. I Remember the Sun
11. Train Running Low on Soul Coal

Bonus tracks

12. Red Brick Dream
13. Washaway
14. Blue Overall

Blu-ray

2023 Dolby Atmos and 5.1 mixes

1. Wake Up
2. All You Pretty Girls
3. Shake You Donkey Up
4. Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her
5. This World Over
6. The Everyday Story of Smalltown
7. I Bought Myself a Liarbird
8. Reign of Blows
9. You're the Wish You Are I Had
10. I Remember the Sun
11. Train Running Low on Soul Coal

Additional 2020 Dolby Atmos and 5.1 mixes

12. Red Brick Dream
13. Washaway
14. Blue Overall

 

2023 Stereo Outtakes

1. Broomstick Rhythm (guide vocal)
2. The Troubles (Big Express version - Backing Track)

Instrumental Mixes

1. Wake Up
2. All You Pretty Girls
3. Shake You Donkey Up
4. Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her
5. This World Over
6. The Everyday Story of Smalltown
7. I Bought Myself a Liarbird
8. Reign of Blows
9. You're the Wish You Are I Had
10. I Remember the Sun
11. Train Running Low on Soul Coal
12. Red Brick Dream
13. Washaway
14. Blue Overall

Original Stereo and Extra Tracks

1. Wake Up
2. All You Pretty Girls
3. Shake You Donkey Up
4. Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her
5. This World Over
6. The Everyday Story of Smalltown
7. I Bought Myself a Liarbird
8. Reign of Blows
9. You're the Wish You Are I Had
10. I Remember the Sun
11. Train Running Low on Soul Coal
12. Red Brick Dream
13. Washaway
14. Blue Overall

Album and Additional Demos

1. Wake Up
2. All You Pretty Girls
3. Shake You Donkey Up
4. Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her
5. This World Over
6. The Everyday Story of Smalltown
7. I Bought Myself a Liarbird
8. Reign of Blows
9. You're the Wish You Are I Had
10. I Remember the Sun
11. Train Running Low on Soul Coal
12. Red Brick Dream
13. Washaway
14. Blue Overall
15. Now We All Dead (It Doesn't Matter)
16. Work
17. Gangway, Electric Guitar is Coming Through
18. Broomstick Rhythm
19. Shiny Cage
20. A Patriotic Romance