Artist: XTC
Album: English Settlement (1982)
The year is 1982. Andy Partridge, chief songwriter and musician of XTC has a long player's worth of pure gold up his sleeve. The charts are full of meaningless tosh and lightweight pop. All the decent punk and post-punk acts have either ... Read review
English Settlementis a watershed work for XTC that provides a valuable link between the ... more
band they had been (caustic, high pitched and quirky) and the band they became (sublime, pastoral and still undeniably quirky). It reveals a band in transition, com...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Advantages: A Sprawling Eclectic Pop Epic Disadvantages: Some Tracks Are A Touch Too Long
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Artist: XTC
Album: English Settlement (1982)
The year is 1982. Andy Partridge, chief songwriter and musician of XTC has a long player's worth of pure gold up his sleeve. The charts are full of meaningless tosh and lightweight pop. All the decent punk and post-punk acts have either dried up, fallen apart or gone off into fringe areas far away from the charts. Only XTC can save pop-rock !!
In January ... ...top ten single. In February the band's fifth album was released to widespread acclaim amongst the music press and managed to get as high as No.5 in the album charts. XTC had broken through...for a short while at least.
On opening track "Runaways" bassist Colin Moulding explores, with some empathy and honesty, the plight of runaway children. No punches are pulled as Moulding hints at the underlying causes for most runaway ... more
Artist: XTC Album: English Settlement (1982)
The year is 1982. Andy Partridge, chief songwriter and musician of XTC has a long player's worth of pure gold up his sleeve. The charts are full of meaningless tosh and lightweight pop. All the decent punk and post-punk acts have either dried up, fallen apart or gone off into fringe areas far away from the charts. Only XTC can save pop-rock !!
In January of 1982 "Senses Working Overtime" became the Swindon outfit's first top ten single. In February the band's fifth album was released to widespread acclaim amongst the music press and managed to get as high as No.5 in the album charts. XTC had broken through...for a short while at least.
On opening track "Runaways" bassist Colin Moulding explores, with some empathy and honesty, the plight of runaway children. No punches are pulled as Moulding hints at the underlying causes for most runaway children - domestic violence/abuse. A dark, yet compelling musical arrangement is the perfect backdrop for an earnest vocal.
Track 2 is the punchy, musically upbeat "Ball & Chain." A raw rocky number, the track features some well deployed synths and a very simple guitar line. "Senses Working Overtime" follows on pefectly and is classic pop in every sense. A quiet and quite peculiar introduction gives way after twenty seconds to a strummy acoustic guitar, which explodes into a great sing-a-long pop song - Andy Partridge sings intriguingly;
"And all the world is biscuit shaped Its just for me to feed my face"
"Jason & The Argonauts" is intoxicating with its slick guitars and shimmery effects whilst "No Thugs In Our House" is a damning indictment of mindless violence and neo-nazi behaviour.
The brilliantly folky, "Yacht Dance" is track 6. Partridge's gorgeous guitar playing is underpinned by a tight bassline. The production from Hugh Padgham is also worthy of a mention as it helps to create the intimate vibe XTC were seeking.
The achingly beautiful "All Of A Sudden (It's Too Late)" is a wonderfully honest song; which lyrically concerns Partridge's fears as a late twenty-something who is unable to slow the passage of time or come to terms with the harsh world around him;
"All of a sudden We find the cupboard bare All of a sudden We find heaven's not there"
"Melt The Guns" and "It's Nearly Africa" are both new departures in terms of sound. "Melt The Guns" acts as a musically repetitive and jarring protest song, whilst "It's Nearly Africa" is a mantra-driven tribal workout. Both are effective and original if not outstanding.
At track ten comes "Knuckle Down." Musically it is more like 1979/80 XTC, with its clipped guitars and atonal singing. It is nonetheless an immediate and catchy song. Partridge sings about the world ending "one fine morning with a big bang" and urges people to make right the wrongs they've commited before said event happens. Naive? Possibly. Infectious? Definitely...
"Fly On The Wall" showcases the more psychedlic side of XTC with its vocal distortion and vague wiff of 1970s Pink Floyd. Colin Moulding takes over lyrical and lead vocal duties on this most engaging of tracks and does a decent job (as ever).
"English Roundabout" is another Colin Moulding creation. I would guess the subject matter is Swindon's "Magic Roundabout" system of hundreds of roundabouts within one huge roundabout (slight exaggeration, it's actually six roundabouts I think). It's an okay song, but doesn't hit the highs of tracks 2,3,4,6,7 or 11.
Tagged on the end of the album is the curios "Snowman." A quirkily fragile little number it shows the band's desire to try out different ideas (both musically, vocally and in terms of production). The track (and of course the album) finishes with sleigh bells and a feel of Christmas. Considering the album was released in February this is fabulously inappropriate and funny.
Overall, when viewed as a whole (and when listented to more than three or four times) "English Settlement" announces its greatness to you in confident, yet understated tones. It is happy to move into the spare bedroom of your musical soul and will doubtless come and go as it pleases. For me it has turned into a comfortable and agreeable friend and many is the time I drag it out for a sly ale for old times sake.
"English Settlement" was, and is, XTC's finest hour. Anyone who is a fan of quirky, lyrically astute, progressive pop music would enjoy this record. With tiny hints of what was to come with The Smiths and vague whiffs of late 60s British psychedelic pop, XTC had a bit of everything in their sound in the early 1980s.
From its wonderfully uncommercial white-horse album cover, to its insidiously catchy and consistent songs, "English Settlement" is a wonderful pop record. (*9)
Advantages: Great album, still sounds great twenty years later. Disadvantages: A few duff tracks.
...Immediately captured by their middle English pop sound, they seemed to offer something just that wee bit different from everything else and I was hooked from that moment.
English Settlement is one of these rare albums that still sound brilliant over twenty years from its original
release.
At the release of this album XTC consisted of
Andy Partridge - Vocals, guitar, alto sax, backing vocals and percussion.
Colin Moulding - Vocals, bass guitars
... ...about one law for the English and another for the ethnic minorities. Sadly a reflection still very much in the forefront of today?s headlines.
Track six. "Yacht dance". another by Andy.
I like this track, it's a simple little love song with a nice feel to it. Mainly acoustic with a muted drum beat it's easy listening and not out of place.
Track seven "All of a sudden (it's too late)". Andy yet again.
A synchronized drum and lead guitar intro ...
jimblob 26.10.2003
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of English Settlement - XTC
Advantages: 15 stunning pop tunes Disadvantages: I'll get back to you.........
...release.
They were not dissapointed.
English Settlement contains 15 songs and none of them sound
like fillers!
It even spawned a hit single for the band with the seminal
"Senses Working Overtime"
Sonically the record has a more acoustic feel than previous albums, but this doesn't mean that it lacks any power.
This is certainly evident on "No Thugs In Our House", one of the bands
most driving tunes
Andy Partridge's lyrics shine throughout ... ...to this day having
just released a new album "Wasp Star" and show no signs of
stopping just yet.
If you've never heard XTC , English Settlement is probably
your first port of call.
If you own an XTC album and it isn't this one, what are you
waiting for? ...
stevethree 08.07.2000
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of English Settlement - XTC
Originality
Lyrics
Quality and consistency...
How does it compare to ...
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Advantages: XTC's most approachable pop music - senses working overtime! Disadvantages: This is Pop! Clean, structured and wonderfully crafted - a long way from their roots
This is a wonderful album that still stands the test of time.
Senses working overtime, No thugs in our house, Ball and chain.. in many ways, the pinnacle of their career. But its not just the singles... the album fades in with Andy Partridge's jangly (surprisingly melodic) guitar on Runaway; his unique soulful voice soothing and yet at the same time, tearing at your brain.
This is the closest XTC will ever get to being "Easy listening". The lyrics are of their usual high standard or simply pure, slightly wacky, pop ("...but what I really want to know man... is why she treats me like a snowman?").
All in all the album embraces many styles; excellent production enabling the overall theme of slightly avant garde, jangly guitars and Swindon accent(!) to be blended into a good Sunday afternoon's listening pleasure.
Unlike ...
Advantages: Got some catchy tunes!! Disadvantages: Got some forgettable ones too!!!
Released the same year as their debut "White Music"
Go 2 showed that XTC were capable of growing musically
in a matter of months.
The songs on this album are a lot more concise than on WM
"Meccanic Dancing", "Battery Brides" and "Are you recieving me?"
being the best examples.
If you are a fan of XTC's recent work then this album may
come as a bit of a shock but it does reward after a couple of listens
One of the most innovative things about this album is the cover.
Simply lots of white text on a black background.
It reads like a record company press statement and shows
a humourous side to the band (which always helps!!)
The music within is the sound of a band who have nearly
found their technique for writing class pop tunes! (4 years after
this, they cracked it with EnglishSettlement")
If you are an XTC completist you ...
Advantages: Eclecitc, Thoughtful Collection Of Songs Disadvantages: At Time Unfocused
Title: Mummer
Artist: XTC
Released: August 1983
XTC's unenviable task of following up the brilliant "EnglishSettlement" lead to the release of something of a "mixed reviews album"...namely, Mummer.
Mummer is XTC at their most eclectic. The band mix a range of moods and musical styles on what is fundamentally a "pop" record in a way which would sound oddly out of place in the cling film bubblegum musical wasteland of 2004.
Opening track "Beating Of Hearts" is typical XTC. A deliberately quirky chorus serves to underpin some slick, icy guitars and a grumpy drumbeat. Andy Partridge's lyrical attempts at a lovesong are, as ever, a tad more interesting than most of his contemporaries;
"Louder than tanks on the highway
Louder than bombers in flight
Louder than noises of hatred
Dancing us from darkest night
Is ...
andystrong 15.01.2004
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Mummer - XTC
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Product Information for "English Settlement - XTC" »
Product details
Title
English Settlement
Performer
XTC
Genre
Rock & Pop
Sub Genre
New Wave
Release Date
28/05/2001
Original Release Year
1981
Label / Distributor
Virgin / EMI Operations/CEVA Logistics
Engineer
Hugh Padgham
Producer
Hugh Padgham; XTC
Pieces in Set
1
Studio / Live
Studio
Format
Performer
EAN
4988006789890
Catalogue Number
TOCP 65715
Additional notes
Album Notes
XTC: Andy Partridge (vocals, guitars, keyboards, background vocals); Colin Moulding (vocals, bass piano, keyboards, background vocals); Dave Gregory (guitar, synthesizer, background vocals); Terry Chambers (drums, percussion, background vocals).
Additional personnel: Hugh Padgham, Trans De Vente (background vocals). Recorded at The Manor, Oxfordshire, England. Any doubt's about XTC's abilities and directions following their permanent withdrawal from live performance after the release of BLACK SEA were cast aside when this album appeared in 1982. Originally released as a double album (and subsequently formatted onto a single CD), it marked the dawning of their more pastoral phase. However, far from setting aside their rocking grooves, they now came wrapped in a softer blanket, of more intricate arrangements. "Senses Working Overtime" garnered them some airplay in the states, which brought in new fans who were treated to a wonderful range of songs which all featured a judicious mix of electric and acoustic instruments. ENGLISH SETTLEMENT is the band's second homerun in a row.
Album Reviews
Q (7/01, p.139) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...Colin Moulding had gone totally agrarian with the loamy single 'Senses Working Overtime' and a chalk horse on the cover....XTC were a motherlode of rampant imagination..." NME (5/8/99, p.38) - "...a frighteningly ambitious attempt to create a new English music; a polyglot fusion of folk music, psychedelic rock and reggae....homespun, provincial pop theory in practice..."
Titles on disc 1
1.
Runaways
2.
Ball And Chain
3.
Senses Working Overtime
4.
Jason And The Argonauts
5.
No Thugs In Our House
6.
Yacht Dance
7.
All Of A Sudden (It's Too Late)
8.
Melt The Guns
9.
Leisure
10.
It's Nearly Africa
11.
Knuckle Down
12.
Fly On The Wall
13.
Down In The Cockpit
14.
English Roundabout
15.
Snowman
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