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The Dukes of Stratosphear: Psonic Psunspot (Geffen)

Michael Azerrad, Rolling Stone, 22 October 1987

THE DUKES of Stratosphear are XTC's psychedelic alter ego; XTC first donned this paisley disguise for the import-only psychedelic psendup 25 O'Clock. That album was a Day-Glo orgy of sound effects and Pink Floyd-isms; Psonic Psunspot parodies a broader range of targets, including the Move, the Hollies, Love and the Small Faces, and it owes no small debt to the Rutles. The songwriting is strong enough to make Psonic Psunspot seem like an etude for the latest XTC album, Skylarking, itself a not-so-oblique nod to the Beatles.

Total word count of piece: 318

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