My personal favorite from XTC and now with Steve Wilson 5.1! Wow is an understatement! I can say this right now, in my Top 5 reissues for 2017!

Description
Black Sea is the fifth in a series of expanded XTC album reissues, including 5.1 Surround mixes, 2017 stereo mixes and High-Resolution stereo mixes by Steven Wilson, along with a wealth of extra audio and visual material.

Steven Wilson produced the mixes with the input of founder band member Andy Partridge and the full approval of the band.

This CD/Blu-ray edition is presented in special packaging with an expanded booklet and sleeve-notes by Andy Partridge, Colin Moulding, Terry Chambers, Dave Gregory and Hugh Padgham.

• CD: Features a 2017 stereo album mix by Steven Wilson with bonus tracks (many featuring Steven Wilson mixes).

• Blu-ray: a 5.1 Surround mix in 24bit/96khz mixed from the original multi-track tapes available in LPCM and DTS HD MA.

• Additional Blu-ray features include:
- The 2017 stereo album mix in 24bit/96khz LPCM audio.
- Additional songs from the album sessions in stereo and 5.1 (several featuring 2017 Steven Wilson mixes)
- The original stereo album mix in hi-res stereo + bonus tracks.
- Instrumental versions (mixed by Steven Wilson), and several bonus mixes in 24bit/96khz LPCM audio.
- Many album tracks in demo form as recorded (mostly live) at Phonogram Studios prior to the main album sessions.
- Three Andy Partridge demos from Phonogram studios.
- Three Andy Partridge demos from Swindon Town Hall.
- Promo films for Towers Of London, Generals & Majors & Respectable Street.

Tracklist
[CD]
1. Respectable Street
2. Generals and Majors
3. Living Through Another Cuba
4. Love at First Sight
5. Rocket From a Bottle
6. No Language in Our Lungs
7. Towers of London
8. Paper and Iron
9. Burning With Optimism's Flames
10. Sgt. Rock (is Going to Help Me)
11. Travels in Nihilon
12. Respectable Street (single version)
13. Smokeless Zone
14. Don't Lose Your Temper
15. Take This Town
16. Ban The Bomb
17. Towers of London (early version)
18. The Somnambulist
19. History of Rock'n'Roll - Andy Partridge (solo)

[Blu-ray]
TBA

Amazon USA
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075Z587Z2/?tag=imwan-20

Amazon Canada
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B075Z587Z2/?tag=imwanca-20

Amazon UK
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B075Z587Z2/?tag=imwan-21

I knew you would be the first to respond.

Under the tree this shall go!

And how would you guys feel about English Settlement for Christmas 2018?

You must have a big tree

Unreal!

I was just going to post tonight if the series was continuing and if this was the next album!

From Steve Wilson today (9/23/17)

10th November will see the release of the fifth in a series of XTC expanded and remixed reissues on blu-ray/CD. Black Sea is the band's fourth album from 1980, including a UK hit single in Sgt Rock is Going to Help Me, as well as other XTC classics such as Respectable Street, Generals and Majors, No Language in Our Lungs, and Travels in Nihilon. As with previous releases in this series it's another virtual box set on a single disc - the blu-ray will feature my new stereo and 5.1 surround sound mixes, the original mix, B-sides, demos and promo videos. In addition to the 11 album tracks, another 7 tracks from the same period have been remixed into stereo and 5.1, including a previously unissued Colin Moulding song Let's Ban the Bomb, and non-album single Take This Town.

Pre-orders from Burning Shed will begin on Monday and include a postcard signed by the band's drummer Terry Chambers. The cd/blu-ray is presented in special packaging with an expanded booklet and sleeve-notes by Andy Partridge, Colin Moulding, Terry Chambers, Dave Gregory and Hugh Padgham.

I am so freakin excited I think I am going to wet myself. Sorry folks, it's rare but it may just happen.

One of my biggest "bucket list" bands ever and have been a fan forever (since the late 70s) and it is fantastic news to have this seminal album in 5.1!

So. so true John. This album was my favorite of it's year of release and of their catalogue. With 'English Settlement' and others that's a great endorsement as you know.

I will have the best UK imported sixer for a dedicated listening session for this 5.1 listening experience.

I prefer the first four albums over the later material. Yes, even over English Settlement or Skylarking. I like the energy better.

Interesting and I tend to agree. But 'Black Sea' and 'English Settlement' was the band reaching their zenith, really putting it all together.

Pre-order details have been added to the first post. Burning Shed is offering a signed postcard from Terry Chambers for pre-ordering. If you don't care about the autograph, Amazon will likely end up cheaper as they did for the previous releases in this series. The finalised tracklist will include bonuses as described at the top of the thread.

Although the Black Sea CD/Blu-ray set is officially a UK release, Amazon USA currently has the better price:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075Z587Z2/?tag=imwan-20

This is now showing as a November 24th release at all three Amazon sites. The Amazon USA link remains the better pre-order price:

Amazon USA
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075Z587Z2/?tag=imwan-20

Amazon Canada
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B075Z587Z2/?tag=imwanca-20

Amazon UK
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B075Z587Z2/?tag=imwan-21

XTC is here! Going to be the zenith of my listening Saturday night.

Big day here too, its like Christmas! My XTC just arrived along with the Moody Blues and of course yesterday while we were out, the Sweet box arrived.

The 5.1 mix is excellent btw[i'm up to track 6 btw]

I listened to the 5.1 mix last week, will do again this W/E.

on a side note:
as a moderate XTC fan, i'd love to have a comprehensive, chronological, and nicely remastered 2cd anthology. i'll gladly keep my "Skylarking" and "Apple Venus - Vol. 1" as those are my favorites by this band.

Just want to bump this thread as I continue to enjoy this great remaster on my big rig and the fact that Showtime is playing their great documentary called XTC: This Is Pop. It is awesome! They even make fun of the typical rock documentary with a cameo by Rick Wakeman. And Steven Wilson appears too.

Thanks for the reminder, I've set my DVR for tonight. Got a 3-day weekend to watch it!

This is a really interesting 'rockumentary' - Andy Partridge gets to slag it off right from the beginning...

The most interesting thing aside from the music and story is the really extensive model train set which encompasses most of Swindon and the countryside.

That had to take forever to build - didn't see any credits in the film for it but I could watch it forever and a day...

Still one of my all-time favorite bands. Wish they would reunite and keep putting out great music.
They just seemed to get better and better...

Probably the most interesting thing was the relationship between Todd Rundgren and Andy making the stellar Skylarking. Never knew they rubbed each other the wrong way. But that massive hit Dear God came out of those sessions.

Another cool moment is how he creates a song like Senses Working Overtime. His approach is different from others.