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English Settlement

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This article is about the XTC album. For the historical area of the United States known as the English Settlement, see English Settlement (Illinois).

Untitled
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Chicago Tribune[2]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music[3]
Pitchfork10/10[4]
Q[5]
Rolling Stone[6]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[7]
Smash Hits8.5/10[8]
The Village VoiceB+[9]

English Settlement is the fifth studio album by the English band XTC, released on 12 February 1982. The album reached No. 5 on the UK Album Chart and No. 48 on the Billboard 200 album chart.[10] The lyrics are largely political and often feature critiques of the British people and their ways of life.

Album information

The Uffington White Horse.

The cover design is based upon the Uffington White Horse in southwest Oxfordshire, which is about 8 miles east of Swindon, Wiltshire, XTC's home town.

The album spawned three UK singles: "Senses Working Overtime" (released on 8 January 1982 and reaching No. 10 on the UK singles chart); "Ball And Chain" (released 26 February 1982 and reaching No. 58 on the UK singles chart); and "No Thugs in Our House" (released 14 May 1982).

The album was previewed with a live performance on The Old Grey Whistle Test program in January where they performed "Yacht Dance" (their only performance of the song) and "No Thugs In Our House". They also made a live appearance on The Oxford Road Show performing "Snowman", "Ball and Chain" and "Jason and the Argonauts". The song "English Roundabout" was inspired by a Swindon landmark known as The Magic Roundabout. This song is a rare example of popular music written in the unusual 5/4 time signature. [citation needed]

The band made promotional videos for "Senses Working Overtime", "No Thugs in Our House", "All of a Sudden (It's Too Late)" and "Ball and Chain".

The drums on the The New Radicals Debut album's Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too title track were sampled from the XTC song 'All of a Sudden' (from their English Settlement album). According to XTC's songwriter Andy Partridge, "the sample was used without permission" and the band and its record company eventually received £70,000 (K-Smacked) in compensation for its use.

Only nine full shows were performed on the proposed 1982 English Settlement World Tour due to Partridge's collapsing at Le Palace in Paris, France on 18 March (during the first song in their set) and subsequent breakdown after their performance at The California Theatre, San Diego, California, U.S.A. on 3 April. This would prove to be XTC's last show as a touring band.

English Settlement is the last XTC album recorded while Terry Chambers was still a full member, although Chambers did appear on a few tracks of Mummer. The band's retirement from the road, caused by Partridge's nervous breakdown, meant that he could no longer make money as the band's drummer, only as a guest performer.

English Settlement is XTC's longest studio album, as well as the band's first double album. Despite being well short of the industry red book requirement of a maximum 74:33 playing time for CDs, the first pressings of the CD edition removed the tracks "Leisure" and "Down In The Cockpit", with no explanation given. All later CD remasters restore the entire album.

Track listing

UK LP: V 2223

Side 1
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Runaways"Colin Moulding4:34
2."Ball and Chain"Colin Moulding4:32
3."Senses Working Overtime"Andy Partridge4:50
4."Jason and the Argonauts"Andy Partridge6:07
Side 2
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."No Thugs in Our House"Andy Partridge5:09
2."Yacht Dance"Andy Partridge3:56
3."All of a Sudden (It's Too Late)"Andy Partridge5:21
Side 3
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Melt the Guns"Andy Partridge6:34
2."Leisure"Andy Partridge5:02
3."It's Nearly Africa"Andy Partridge3:55
4."Knuckle Down"Andy Partridge4:28
Side 4
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Fly on the Wall"Colin Moulding3:19
2."Down in the Cockpit"Andy Partridge5:27
3."English Roundabout"Colin Moulding3:59
4."Snowman"Andy Partridge5:03

Initial U.S. and Canadian track listing

A 1-LP version was initially released in the United States on Epic Records and in Canada on Virgin Records. Five songs were removed for this release ("Yacht Dance" 3:56, "Leisure" 5:32, "Knuckle Down" 4:28, "Fly on the Wall" 3:19, "Down in the Cockpit" 5:27).

Side 1
  1. "Runaways" (Moulding)
  2. "Ball and Chain" (Moulding)
  3. "Senses Working Overtime"
  4. "Jason and the Argonauts"
  5. "Snowman"
Side 2
  1. "Melt the Guns"
  2. "No Thugs in Our House"
  3. "It's Nearly Africa"
  4. "English Roundabout" (Moulding)
  5. "All of a Sudden (It's Too Late)"

1-LP worldwide version

Released in much of the world in 1982.

Side 1
  1. "Runaways" (Moulding)
  2. "Ball and Chain" (Moulding)
  3. "Senses Working Overtime"
  4. "Jason and the Argonauts"
  5. "Snowman"
Side 2
  1. "Melt the Guns"
  2. "No Thugs in Our House"
  3. "Yacht Dance"
  4. "English Roundabout" (Moulding)
  5. "All of a Sudden (It's Too Late)"

Personnel

with:

  • Hugh Padgham - backing vocals on "Ball and Chain"
  • Hans de Vente - backing vocals on "It's Nearly Africa"

References

  1. ^ Woodstra, Chris. "English Settlement – XTC". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  2. ^ Kot, Greg (3 May 1992). "The XTC Legacy: An Appraisal". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 22 June 2016.
  3. ^ Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-857-12595-8.
  4. ^ Dahlen, Chris. "XTC: Go 2 / Black Sea / English Settlement". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 4 June 2003. Retrieved 19 June 2011. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ Harrison, Andrew. "XTC: English Settlement". Q. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  6. ^ Puterbaugh, Parke (29 April 1982). "XTC: English Settlement". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 11 April 2009. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  7. ^ Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian, eds. (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon & Schuster. pp. 890–92. ISBN 0-743-20169-8.
  8. ^ Hepworth, David (4–17 February 1982). "Albums". Smash Hits: 17.
  9. ^ Christgau, Robert (6 July 1982). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
  10. ^ English Settlement Chart & Awards - Billboard Albums
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