The Big Express CD+blu-ray audio

1984 album • CD+blu-ray (with Atmos Mix)

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.

CD - The Big Express (2023 stereo mix)

Wake Up
All You Pretty Girls
Shake You Donkey Up
Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her
This World Over
The Everyday Story of Smalltown
I Bought Myself a Liarbird
Reign of Blows
You're the Wish You Are I Had
I Remember the Sun
Train Running Low on Soul Coal

Bonus tracks

Red Brick Dream
Washaway
Blue Overall

Blu-ray

2023 Dolby Atmos and 5.1 mixes

Wake Up
All You Pretty Girls
Shake You Donkey Up
Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her
This World Over
The Everyday Story of Smalltown
I Bought Myself a Liarbird
Reign of Blows
You're the Wish You Are I Had
I Remember the Sun
Train Running Low on Soul Coal

Additional 2020 Dolby Atmos and 5.1 mixes

Red Brick Dream
Washaway
Blue Overall

2023 Stereo Outtakes

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

Instrumental Mixes

Wake Up
All You Pretty Girls
Shake You Donkey Up
Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her
This World Over
The Everyday Story of Smalltown
I Bought Myself a Liarbird
Reign of Blows
You're the Wish You Are I Had
I Remember the Sun
Train Running Low on Soul Coal
Red Brick Dream
Washaway
Blue Overall

Original Stereo and Extra Tracks

Wake Up
All You Pretty Girls
Shake You Donkey Up
Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her
This World Over
The Everyday Story of Smalltown
I Bought Myself a Liarbird
Reign of Blows
You're the Wish You Are I Had
I Remember the Sun
Train Running Low on Soul Coal
Red Brick Dream
Washaway
Blue Overall

Album and Additional Demos

Wake Up
All You Pretty Girls
Shake You Donkey Up
Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her
This World Over
The Everyday Story of Smalltown
I Bought Myself a Liarbird
Reign of Blows
You're the Wish You Are I Had
I Remember the Sun
Train Running Low on Soul Coal
Red Brick Dream
Washaway
Blue Overall
Now We All Dead (It Doesn't Matter)
Work
Gangway, Electric Guitar is Coming Through
Broomstick Rhythm
Shiny Cage
A Patriotic Romance

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