2185. “25 O’Clock” by The Dukes Of Stratosphear
Available at Last.fm
For two wonderful releases in the mid-1980s, the British experimental pop band XTC recorded using the name The Dukes of Stratosphere. Using this name, the band played what were intended as sort of tributes/parodies to the psychedelic music of the 1960’s. As it turns out, both of their 1985 EP 25 O’Clock and 1987’s Psonic Psunspot are delightful, memorable albums that have aged far better than most of the music released in the mid-1980’s.
Both albums were released together on a single disc in 1987 under the name Chips From The Chocolate Fireball. In my humble opinion, every self-respecting lover of music - particular 80’s music - should own a copy of this CD. I’ve had mine for 22 years now and I listen to it more regularly than many of the better remembered works of that decade.
We’ll start off with the title track to 25 O’Clock. You can get the lyrics and a ton of other information from the XTC fan site, Chalkhills.org. This is one of the finest, most complete fan sites on the web and I am greatly indebted to them, as I’m a rather huge XTC fan and have visited their site frequently over the years for information, lyrics and inspiration.
I won’t mince words. I fucking love this song. The Pink Floyd like clock intro leading to a ticking second percussion line. The sounds that build in volume like waves and then crash into the rhythm line. The near howl that Andy Partridge (billed here as Sir John Johns) goes into right before he reaches the chorus. And that chorus! The building keyboard line - the borderline obsessive insanity evident in the singing - the drums, the drums, the drums. And the ending of the song! That “TIME” scream! I’m writing all this from memory right now - I don’t need to play this song to hear - indeed, to feel - every note of it.
So, yes, I guess you could safely say I like it.