Oranges and Lemons

Recorded at Ocean Way, Los Angeles CA, USA.

Ocean Way is incredibly fortunate to have what many people consider to be some of the best sounding large live rooms ever built. Constructed in1952, the United Western Studios were the site of an astonishing number of classic hit records from the 60's and 70's including: Ray Charles' "I Can't Stop Loving You," The Beach Boy's "Good Vibrations," Frank Sinatra's "It Was A Very Good Year," The Mama's and Papas' "California Dreamin'," and numerous classics from Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Stan Kenton. In 1977, the famed United Recording Studio complex in Hollywood was purchased from recording pioneer Bill Putnam. Shortly afterwards, the nearby Western Recording was added. Ocean Way/Hollywood occupies the former United Recording Studios on Sunset Boulevard in the heart of Hollywood. (from the Ocean Way website)

Click on the image above to visit Ocean Way's very cool site.

Oranges and Lemons was produced by Paul Fox and XTC, and engineered by Ed Thacker with assistance from Joel Fiorellok Tim Weidner and Clark Germain. The album was first released in the UK on February 27 1989 and climbed as high as 28 on the UK album chart. In the US the album made it to number 44 on the Billboard album chart but fared much better with the US college crowd and spent time as the number 1 album on the college "alternative" chart.

The band was then comprised of:

Andy Partridge, Colin Moulding and Dave Gregory.

Additional Musicians:

Pat Mastelotto on drums, Mark Isham on horns and Paul Fox on keys.

In Andy's words (from the Nonsuch promotional item)

The album featured these classic XTC tracks:

1. Garden of Earthly Delights
2. The Mayor of Simpleton
3. King for a Day
4. Here Comes President Kill Again
5. The Loving
6. Poor Skeleton Steps Out
7. One of the Millions
8. Scarecrow People
9. Merely a Man
10. Cynical Days
11. Across This Antheap
12. Hold Me My Daddy
13. Pink Thing
14. Miniature Sun
15. Chalkhills and Children