Album Review: Smoke & Fiction by X

Back in 2020, X released Alphabetland, their first studio album since 1993's Hey Zeus! It was also their first with founding member and guitarist Billy Zoom since 1985's much-maligned (but actually pretty great) Ain't Love Grand. As such with any album made after a 35-year absence (albeit augmented by literally thousands of live shows in the time since they reunited in the late '90s), there was an enormous amount of anticipation. In a nod to their early '80s heyday, they even finally put "Delta 88 Nightmare" and "Cyrano DeBerger's Back" (both dating back to the late '70s) on a proper LP with their original lineup (they were also released as part of a pre-album 7-inch single), although the latter was released as the last track on 1987's somewhat overlooked See How We Are, with Tony Gilykson taking Zoom's place on guitar.

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