--- product_id: 23108399 title: "Wasp Star Apple Venus Volume 2" brand: "xtc" price: "216 zł" currency: PLN in_stock: true reviews_count: 9 url: https://www.desertcart.pl/products/23108399-wasp-star-apple-venus-volume-2 store_origin: PL region: Poland --- # Wasp Star Apple Venus Volume 2 **Brand:** xtc **Price:** 216 zł **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Wasp Star Apple Venus Volume 2 by xtc - **How much does it cost?** 216 zł with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.pl](https://www.desertcart.pl/products/23108399-wasp-star-apple-venus-volume-2) ## Best For - xtc enthusiasts ## Why This Product - Trusted xtc brand quality - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Product Description 'Wasp Star' is the eclectic follow up to the critically acclaimed 'Apple Venus Volume 1', featuring the return to the incisive guitar pop that made XTC legends. 2000 TVT release. .com Sidelined by a decade-long "strike" against their former record label, XTC's Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding nonetheless kept themselves busy writing songs and recording demos during the 1990s. The resulting body of work was divvied up stylistically, with the more pastoral/orchestral pieces consigned to Apple Venus Volume One (and Homespun, its accompanying home-demo collection). The brash electric guitar flourish that launches Wasp Star's "Playground" heralds a collection that leans toward the jangly guitars and jagged rhythms of the band's Black Sea and English Settlement prime. Adorned with ornate harmonic flourishes and their trademark pop sophistication, Wasp Star finds creative mainstay Andy Partridge in a distinctly upbeat, romantically intoxicated state of mind (as witnessed by the virtually irony-free "Stupidly Happy"), yet one in which history-bred suspicions die hard. It's Moulding who seems the most melancholy here, with the gentle romantic prodding of "In Another Life" and in the downright gloomy take on his hometown's future, "Boarded Up." Known for occasional pointed social jabs, XTC's focus has become a bit more philosophical with age, Partridge and Moulding perhaps gleaning the wisdom that the hardest battles are sometimes fought on the home front. But if music this joyous and rewarding is the result, it's been the noblest of struggles. --Jerry McCulley ## Images ![Wasp Star Apple Venus Volume 2 - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91kHDpVpIRL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Nice conclusion to their career *by T***7 on Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2010* XTC ended their recording career on a high note with 2000's Wasp Star: Apple Venus Volume 2. It had been a tumultuous 23 years of recording, with ongoing problems with their record company. Also, Andy Partridge had his "breakdown" in 1982, which ended their touring. Through it all, they released great albums-each one very distinct from the next. All bands must adapt and change as time passes, and XTC was almost unrecognizable with this album. This album has that late 90's upbeat and fresh guitar-driven sound that defined many bands of that time period. The album starts off with the perfect kicker, PLAYGROUND, which is GOO GOO Dollish. Next, we have STUPIDLY HAPPY. Colin Moulding cranks out another catchy melodic hit of sorts. I also love his song, STANDING IN FOR JOE. WE"RE ALL LIGHT may be the most popular song on the album, as Andy shows even more versatility than ever before. CHURCH OF WOMEN is extremely catchy, and again, Andy delivers another fine piece. Every song is good on this album, which isn't a surprise, because these guys are known for their consistency. The absence of Dave Gregory is noticeable here, but Andy makes up for it with bold guitars throughout. I will admit that this album is a tad difficult to get used to, because it is so different from their other material. XTC has evolved over the years, but one could still recognize their music, nonetheless. If I didn't know that I was listening to XTC beforehand, I would think that this album was from another band. This album is no masterpiece, but it has my praise. 8/10 ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Wasp Star Revisited *by M***R on Reviewed in the United States on June 9, 2000* I dashed off an initial review and, having spun this CD hundreds of times, I thought a second opinion was in order. (By the way, my son is now hooked. I catch him singing "Church of Women" all the time, although I'm not sure that's such a good thing for a 10 year old.) So where do things stand, you might ask? We'll, my rating has dropped from a 5 to a 4. Let me explain. The more I listen to this album, the more derivative it sounds. Almost every song has fairly strong hints of prior XTC songs, including familiar riffs, accompanyments, and even basic melodies. Now, all of them are great, in my opinion, but this borrowing from past songs creates an uneasy feeling. If you haven't listened to much XTC in the past, it may not bother you. Then again, if you search out their other albums, it may be just as disquieting. In my opinion, the stand out song on the album is "Standing In For Joe," by Colin Moulding. This is a well-crafted a pop song as I've ever heard. It is as if a formula existed for cadence, production, and lyrics of an archetypal pop song and Moulding found it. XTC would be fools not to make this their single. Instead, they've chosen "The Man Who Murdered Love," which has some real high points (such as the chant, "I'm guilty, I'm guilty, I'm guilty" that springs the song to life midway through), but is, in the end, a rather unfinished sounding piece that doesn't hang together well. Indeed, if the bad points of this album could be summarized, it would be criticism of Andy Partridge's failure to take the creative beast by the tail and give us some amazing songs. (I can remember the feelings when I listened to English Settlement the first time, or Nonsuch, or Drums and Wires. Wow. Wasp Star is not a "wow" album. Now that the negative stuff is out of the way, let me say that I still really like this album. Compared to what many other groups are putting out today, this stuff is pure genius. But I know that XTC can do better. We'll just have to wait. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ it was the glowing reviews that made me do it *by E***H on Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2010* bought it cause from what people were saying on this page, i had to get it. i can't really expand a whole lot cause this album is gonna take years to digest. every time i listen and think, try and process it's more better than last time. i'm more impressed more in awe more glad this is here for me to hear. i am speaking of the nine songs that are andy's. his voice. wow in the right frame of mind that voice could paralyze me. drop like a rock. lot's of goodies on this record. moments of intense groovage and beauty. tons of wit makes me smile. there's even a message i think. maybe that'll come later. in conclusion one of the best records ever made, gotta be at least top 100 in the history of humans. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.pl/products/23108399-wasp-star-apple-venus-volume-2](https://www.desertcart.pl/products/23108399-wasp-star-apple-venus-volume-2) --- *Product available on Desertcart Poland* *Store origin: PL* *Last updated: 2026-04-27*