Dukes of Stratosphear Dukes of Stratosphear, Chips From The Chocolate Fireball [1987]
The Dukes are, in actuality, XTC doing a mock/retro-psychedelic thing. Now, XTC are one of those bands that, on paper, sound like everything I should like in a pop band: catchy Beatlesque melodic pop, lush production, eccentric lyrics and innovative musical flourishes. Yet with the exception of several outstanding singles from their lengthy career ("Generals & Majors," "Mayor of Simpleton," "Dear God," "Senses Working Overtime"), XTC has always come across as just a tad too annoying and stand-offish for me to get excited about.

So it's odd that their most successful work, in my opinion, was a joke of sorts, a brief side-project done under the alter ego The Dukes of Stratosphear. Chips From The Chocolate Fireball (the cd includes the 1987 lp Psonic Psunspot and the earlier EP 25 O'Clock) manages the remarkable feat of being both a parody of late-60's psychedelia and a heartfelt celebration of it. The influences are front-and-center, including Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd, Pet Sounds, Sgt. Pepper, and the dozens of one-shot wonders populating the Nuggets compilation. Of course, unlike the garage bands they pay homage to, XTC/Dukes have the benefit of modern technology on their side, making for a truly trippy headphone experience, coupled with a revisionist rewriting of flower-power lyricism to add a healthy dose of tongue-in-cheek irony. It's all great fun, incorporating XTC's strength as popsmiths but with a much lighter touch.


samples		Amazon.com's Chips From The Chocolate Fireball samples.

links 		Chalkhills is the definitive XTC fan page; also check out the official page.

Pop Kulcher