English Settlement is the fifth studio album and first double album by the English rock band XTC, released 12 February 1982 on Virgin Records. It marked a turn towards the more pastoral pop songs that would dominate later XTC releases, with an emphasis on acoustic guitar, 12-string electric guitar and fretless bass.
In some countries, the album was released as a single LP with five tracks deleted. The title refers to the Uffington White Horse depicted on the cover, to the "settlement" of viewpoints, and to the Englishness that the band felt they "settled" into the record.
XTC recorded the album at The Manor Studio in Oxfordshire with producer Hugh Padgham, the engineer of their previous two LPs.
Compared to the band's previous releases, English Settlement showcased more complex and intricate arrangements, lengthier songs, lyrics that covered broader social issues, and a wider range of music styles.
Several new instruments within the band -- Dave Gregory's Rickenbacker 12-string, Andy Partridge's new acoustic guitar, and Terry Chambers' new drum synthesizer, along with Colin Moulding's fretless bass -- set the tone for English Settlement, an album that moved away from the pop gloss of Black Sea in favor of light, though still rhythmically heavy, acoustic numbers with more complex and intricate instrumentation.
There are plenty of pop gems -- "Senses Working Overtime" stands as one of their finest songs -- but the main focus seems to be the more expansive sound; most of the songs are drawn out to near-epic length, ultimately taking away some of the songs' impact.
Despite several terrific tracks, English Settlement seems more a transitional album than anything else, although the textural sound of the album is quite remarkable, indicating the direction they would take in their post-touring incarnation.
Principal songwriter Andy Partridge was fatigued by the grueling touring regimen imposed by their label and management, and believed that pursuing a sound less suited for live performance would relieve the pressure to tour. Three singles were issued from the album: "Senses Working Overtime", "Ball and Chain" and "No Thugs in Our House".
Side A
A1. Runaways (4:33)
A2. Ball And Chain (4:30)
A3. Senses Working Overtime (4:50)
A4. Jason And The Argonauts (6:05)
A5. Snowman (5:12)
Side B
B1. Melt The Guns (6:31)
B2. No Thugs In Our House (5:09)
B3. Yacht Dance (3:54)
B4. English Roundabout (3:48)
B5. All Of A Sudden (It's Too Late) (5:19)
Notes
Release: 1982
Format: LP
Genre: New Wave
Label: Virgin Records
Catalog# 204446
Vinyl: VG
Cover: VG
Prijs: €10,00
