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XTC
Chances are better than good that 99.9% of the record-buying public will consider this release to be extraneous. I say this because the only audience that it attempts to woo are XTC fanatics, and there are precious few of us left in the world.
"Homegrown" consists entirely of demos that eventually developed into their previous album, "Wasp Star (Apple Venus Vol. 2)". "Wasp Star" itself, as indicated by the subtitle, was the second edition of a two-album project, with the orchestrated album "Apple Venus" being volume one.
Confused? It’s like this; XTC had contractual differences with their record label, so withheld material until the problem was resolved. When the smoke cleared, they had enough material for two records. Half of the songs lent themselves nicely to orchestral arrangements, and they became the album "Apple Venus". The other half were more rock-oriented, and they became "Wasp Star (Apple Venus., Vol. 2)". To confuse things, though, bandmembers Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding decided that it would be a good idea to release demo versions of the orchestrated album tracks, so that fans could hear the songs before the string arrangements. They called this "Homespun", and it was released before "Wasp Star". To really confuse everyone, they even issued it with a nearly identical cover, with an embroidery replacing the original photograph. It was a marketing concept from hell. XTC fanatics might have loved it (I thought it was great) but nobody else so much as yawned.
Then, to satisfy some anal need for continuity (I suppose), they decide to release "Homegrown," an album that consists entirely of the "Wasp Star" demos. The thing is, it’s mostly unnecessary because the songs on "Wasp Star" aren’t so oblique that they require any explanation. In fact, "Wasp Star" was probably the most straightforward XTC album ever made.
So why this collection of demos? I don’t know, but as a fan, I really do enjoy getting some insight to their songwriting process, and although I’d never play this for a neophyte, it’s nice to hear the inner workings of Messrs. Partridge and Moulding’s methodologies – for me and the other half-dozen people who care enough. If you aren’t in that category, then pick up "Apple Venus" instead (and be sure that it isn’t the demo collection with the embroidered cover!!).
Grade: 
 
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