Details: XTC's classic album Drums & Wires is presented in this 2025 CD/Blu-ray Audio set, along with a number of additional tracks in Dolby Atmos, mixed & produced by Steven Wilson. One of the gems of the post-punk era, replete with the sort of musical diversity that would have been unimaginable two years earlier, Swindon's finest, XTC, produced an early classic album with their third release, the Steve Lillywhite produced Drums and Wires. Andy Partridge recalls it as an optimistic time for the band. Dave Gregory's arrival on guitar (replacing organist Barry Andrews who left following the release of Go2) marked a shift in style with the group now configured as a twin guitar/bass/drums line-up. Despite an endless touring schedule much time was spent honing new material. Both Partridge & Colin Moulding were growing in confidence as songwriters - this album did much to further their reputation for peerless post-punk pop tunes. But it was also Steve Lillywhite & engineer Hugh Padgham's ability to give appropriate studio support & recording expertise to the more expansive pieces such as "Roads Girdle The Globe" & "Complicated Game" that helped to bring a new level of maturity to the overall feel of the release. Issued at the start of September, Drums and Wires entered the UK Albums Chart where it remained for a total of seven weeks, accompanied by another first for the band, a Top 20 UK (& international) hit single in album lead track "Making Plans for Nigel". The optimism of the recording sessions had proved justified. Joining the new Dolby Atmos mix is all of the audio material first presented on the (now long-unavailable) 2014 edition when Steven Wilson remixed the album in new stereo and 5.1 editions alongside a number of additional tracks all presented on Blu-ray here with minor revisions & a set of stereo instrumentals of the album. The original album mix is also included in High-Resolution stereo. The Blu-Ray edition also includes the DJM mixes - songs earmarked as potential single releases & a number of full demo sessions tracking the complete evolution of the album - a virtual boxed set on a single Blu-Ray disc. All of the stereo material is presented in 24/96 LPCM stereo while the 5.1 material appears in DTS-HD MA audio format. For anyone fortunate enough to be new to the album, yes, pop music really was this good at one point in time. It was even reasonably popular.

[PRE-ORDER] XTC - Drums & Wires (Steven Wilson Mix) - CD/Blu-Ray Audio - Dolby Atmos Edition (CD)