Psonic Psunspot is the ninth studio album

Studio album

A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...

 from XTC

XTC

XTC were a New Wave band from Swindon, England, active between 1976 and 2005. The band enjoyed some chart success, including the UK and Canadian hits "Making Plans for Nigel" and "Senses Working Overtime" , but are perhaps even better known for their long-standing critical success.- Early years:...

 which was released under the pseudonym The Dukes of Stratosphear

The Dukes of Stratosphear

The Dukes of Stratosphear was a pseudonym used by the British rock band XTC in the mid to late 1980s, concurrently with XTC's continued musical activities...

 in 1987.

Like the previous album 25 O'Clock

25 O'Clock

25 O'Clock is an EP from XTC which was released under the pseudonym The Dukes of Stratosphear, and was also the title song from that release...

, this album is inspired by the 1960s psychedelia. It showcases a variety of songs meant to evoke specific groups of that period (for instance, the Hollies on "Vanishing Girl", the Byrds on "You're My Drug" and the Beach Boys on "Pale and Precious"). Some critics, such as Pitchfork Media

Pitchfork Media

Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...

 in their review of Chips from the Chocolate Fireball

Chips from the Chocolate Fireball

Chips from the Chocolate Fireball: An Anthology is a CD-only compilation album from XTC which was released under the pseudonym The Dukes of Stratosphear...

, argue that the members of XTC, free from the pressures of writing "serious" songs, turn in tunes superior to those on official XTC albums of the period.

The Dukes released a single (and made a promotional video) for "You're A Good Man Albert Brown (Curse You Red Barrel)". A promotional-only single was also issued for "Vanishing Girl".

The album was only released in its original form on vinyl and cassette. A simultaneous CD release entitled Chips from the Chocolate Fireball incorporated all of the tracks from 25 O'Clock and Psonic Psunspot with different packaging.

A remastered and expanded version of Psonic Psunspot was released on 20 April 2009 by Andy Partridge's

Andy Partridge

Andrew John "Andy" Partridge is an English singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He has been known as Sir John Johns and Melchior and rose to fame as a founding member, guitarist and chief songwriter of the pop/new wave band, XTC. He lives in Swindon, Wiltshire, where he was raised.Partridge also...

 Ape House record label. This edition of Psonic Psunspot is credited to "XTC as The Dukes of Stratosphear"

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Sir John Johns

Andy Partridge

Andrew John "Andy" Partridge is an English singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He has been known as Sir John Johns and Melchior and rose to fame as a founding member, guitarist and chief songwriter of the pop/new wave band, XTC. He lives in Swindon, Wiltshire, where he was raised.Partridge also...

, except where noted.

UK LP: VP 2440 (Limited edition of 5000 copies in multi-coloured vinyl)

CD: APECD024

Also includes the promotional video for "You're a Good Man Albert Brown (Curse You Red Barrel)" as a QuickTime

QuickTime

QuickTime is an extensible proprietary multimedia framework developed by Apple Inc., capable of handling various formats of digital video, picture, sound, panoramic images, and interactivity. The classic version of QuickTime is available for Windows XP and later, as well as Mac OS X Leopard and...

 file.

Personnel

• Sir John Johns
  Andy Partridge
  Andrew John "Andy" Partridge is an English singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He has been known as Sir John Johns and Melchior and rose to fame as a founding member, guitarist and chief songwriter of the pop/new wave band, XTC. He lives in Swindon, Wiltshire, where he was raised.Partridge also...
  
   - singing, guitar, brain buds
• The Red Curtain
  Colin Moulding
  Colin Ivor Moulding is a bassist, songwriter and vocalist. He is a founding member of the band XTC. Though less prolific than bandmate Andy Partridge, Moulding wrote many of the group's most popular songs, including their first three UK hit singles: "Life Begins At The Hop", "Making Plans For...
  
   - electric bass, song stuff
• Lord Cornelius Plum
  Dave Gregory
  Dave Gregory is an English rock lead guitarist known best for his work with Swindon-based new wave band XTC.-Career:...
  
  - mellotron, piano, organ, fuzz-tone guitar
• E.I.E.I. Owen - drum set
• Lily Fraser - narration