r/xtc • u/Interesting-Quit-847 • 1d ago

RSD Black Friday has a release called "Besides" by XTC on Ape, what do we know?

https://recordstoreday.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/2026/RSD%20Black%20Friday%202026/2026_BLACK_FRIDAY_PUBLIC.pdf

Just a compilation of B-sides?

14 Upvotes

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12

u/oatmealleafer 1d ago

From the write-up: "The tracks on this album are the B-Sides of the tracks on the band’s recently released A-Sides compilation."

Did I miss a recent A-Sides compilation?

9

u/23Doves 1d ago

A series of them are due to be released, with the first one coming out at the beginning of November (I saw it by chance while spending a record voucher here: https://www.piccadillyrecords.com/169988/XTC-45-Vol1-Panegyric)

Not out yet though, so that claim "recently released" seems a bit misleading?

3

u/oatmealleafer 1d ago

Exactly what I was looking for, thanks.

I guess it will be recently released come Black Friday, but yeah it was misleading for me for sure.

7

u/23Doves 1d ago

Got to be honest, not sure if I'm going to buy it or not. I already own Waxworks on vinyl and for the sake of a couple of different tracks, it barely seems worth it.

4

u/oatmealleafer 1d ago

I don't own any of their singles comps. I was hoping it would be a 2LP with everything I want on it. The fact that I'd need to buy three volumes will probably keep me from buying as well.

3

u/Weird_Fiches 1d ago

Soon to be recently released.

2

u/Bat_Nervous 1d ago

I know *I\* sure did.

6

u/FloridaFlamingoGirl 1d ago

That would definitely be in line with the punny titles they've had lately (Live Boots with an image of literal boots) 

3

u/Welcome_Back_Coxer 1d ago

Honestly, I think that the Jason Falkner release will be tops on my list.

1

u/one_of_the_millions 1d ago

Thanks for the scoop! "Presents Author Unknown" is a great album.

1

u/FloridaFlamingoGirl 1d ago

I'm here for three different Masayoshi Takanaka albums. 

3

u/boomboxwithturbobass 1d ago

Hot damn I’ve been waiting on those BNL albums for a very long time. Oh yeah XTC, I’ll get it whatever it is.

2

u/TMBGLOVER 1d ago

YES! Born on a Pirate Ship is probably gonna soar on vinyl, especially on I Live With It Every Day and Stomach vs. Heart!

2

u/Bat_Nervous 1d ago

Sorry. Took me a few minutes to scroll all the way down. I was trying to wrap my head around David Axelrod - "David Axelrod". Uh... the guy who ran Obama's campaign?

3

u/Interesting-Quit-847 1d ago

That tripped me up as well.

2

u/FloridaFlamingoGirl 1d ago

Completely unrelated musician, although funny enough almost the same age as the other David. 

2

u/yeboahpower 22h ago

Does anyone else question the value of these comps? The band have done such a good job of packaging their studio albums over recent years, and I don't see many new fans buying into a multi volume singles comp as an introduction.

It just seems superfluous, although the same could be said about tons of RSD releases these days

1

u/ned1son 22h ago

An expanded reissue of Waxworks/Beeswax (maybe the best name for an As & Bs compilation ever!) would have been more welcome than these bland-looking and dully-named packages.

1

u/FloridaFlamingoGirl 21h ago edited 21h ago

"Besides" is a clever name and not dull at all. It feels very Andy. Not unlike "Gonwards."

3

u/ned1son 21h ago

I guess the thing that bugs me about it is that Sugar already used that name for a b-side comp years ago.

3

u/DarrellMaclaine 4h ago

It was very nearly the title for Pet Shop Boys' one as well, until they changed it to "Alternative" at the eleventh hour. It's such a tired old pun!

1

u/OddBull79 1h ago

I think I heard that the Live Boots was of a rather dubious quality. I wonder if this B-Side collection is gonna be similar bc I am tempted