Skylarking by XTC: Studio Perfection and Pastoral Pop Genius

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Released in 1986, Skylarking stands as one of XTC’s most celebrated and cohesive works—a shimmering, pastoral pop masterpiece that marries the band’s sharp songwriting with lush, orchestral production. Produced by Todd Rundgren, the album was conceived as a conceptual song cycle tracing the arc of an English summer’s day, paralleling the stages of life from youthful innocence to adult disillusionment and beyond.

The music is a sun-dappled blend of baroque pop, psychedelia, and classic British songwriting, evoking the melodic sophistication of The Beatles, The Beach Boys, and The Kinks while remaining distinctly XTC in tone and wit. Songs like “Grass” and “Season Cycle” celebrate nature’s rhythms and sensuality, while “Dear  ...