English Settlement

front cover

**English Settlement** is the title of the fifth studio album by British band XTC released on Virgin records in February 1982. It was also the group's first double album and their most successful to date, reaching no.5 in the UK album charts two weeks after its release.

The album was recorded at Richard Branson's The Manor Studio in Oxfordshire with producer Hugh Padgham. Band member Andy Partridge has commented: " *I gave away my acoustic guitar in a TV contest and had to buy a new one, suddenly all these new tunes flowed out! [...] This 15-track warehouse of songs sounds expansive, fresh, unfinished and vast. It was to become many people's favourite XTC album." [1]*

The group recorded the album without any intention of playing it live, although they did record a BBC radio session for David Jensen featuring three of the tracks, broadcast on 25 January 1982,[2] and appeared on *The Old Grey Whistle Test* on 11 February 1982 to perform Yacht Dance and No Thugs In Our House.

*English Settlement* was preceded by the lead-single Senses Working Overtime which became the group's first and only Top 10 single.

## Personnel

* Colin Moulding – lead vocals, backing vocals, bass guitars, mini-Korg synthesizer, piano, percussion
* Andy Partridge – lead vocals, backing vocals, electric guitars, acoustic guitar, mini-Korg synthesizer, Prophet V synthesizer, anklung, alto saxophone, percussion, frog noises
* Dave Gregory – synthesizers, guitars, backing vocals, percussion, piano
* Terry Chambers – drums, electronic drums, percussion, backing vocals

## Tracklisting

original UK LP V 2223

(cassette version TCV 2223 has same tracks over two sides) [3]

**Side One**

1. Runaways \*

2. Ball and Chain \*

3. Senses Working Overtime

4. Jason and the Argonauts

**Side Two**

1. No Thugs in Our House

2. Yacht Dance

3. All of a Sudden (It's Too Late)

**Side Three**

1. Melt the Guns

2. Leisure

3. It's Nearly Africa

4. Knuckle Down

**Side Four**

1. Fly on the Wall \*

2. Down in the Cockpit

3. English Roundabout \*

4. Snowman

*all songs written by Andy Partridge, except \* by Colin Moulding.*

## Singles

UK rel. date 08 January 1982, UK chart peak n.10
* 7" single

A. Senses Working Overtime (4:30) *slightly edited version of album track*
B1. Blame The Weather B2. Tissue Tigers (The Arguers)
* 12" single

A1. Senses Working Overtime (4:45) *as per album track*, A2. Egyptian Solution (Homo Safari Series No. 3)
B1. Blame The Weather B2. Tissue Tigers (The Arguers)

Top of the Pops appearance: 21 January 1982
UK rel. date 26 February 1982, UK chart peak 58
* 7" single

A. Ball and Chain
B1. Punch And Judy B2. Heaven Is Paved With Broken Glass
* 12" single

A1. Ball and Chain A2. Heaven Is Paved With Broken Glass
B1. Punch and Judy B2. Cockpit Dance Mixture

The Old Grey Whistle Test performance, 11 February 1982
UK rel. date 14 May 1982, UK chart peak -
* 7" single

A. No Thugs in Our House (edit)
B1. Chain Of Command B2. Limelight B3.Over Rusty Water

## Re-issues

* **2001** remastered CD contains standard 15 tracks as original album [7]
* **2016** Deluxe remaster 2x33rpm, 200g heavyweight vinyl LPs, CD mastered from the same original master sources, booklet, lyric sheet etc.[8]

## External links

* Discogs
* MusicBrainz

* Wikipedia
* chalkhills.org (fansite)
* Spotify